Professor: Dr. Marianne Dainton
Office: CC 201
Fax: 215-951-5043
Phone: 951-1158 (main office 951-1844)
Email: dainton@lasalle.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Successful communication professionals not only have skill in their area of expertise, they also have skill working with others. This course weds theory of small group interaction with a focus on the practice of participating in professional work groups. Topics include creativity in groups, group decision-making, conflict resolution in groups, and individual roles in groups.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
1. Describe the nature and limitations of group communication;
2. Explain and apply a systems perspective to understanding groups;
3. Recognize and predict group processes in action, including the development of group norms, the emergence of leadership, the nature of conflict and conflict resolution, and how the dynamics of power function in group settings;
4. Demonstrate group communication skills.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Readings Available on CD-ROM

COURSE EVALUATION:
Individual Performance in Groups Paper 15%
Group Analysis Paper 25%
Mid-Semester Exam: Individual 25%
Mid-Semester Exam: Group 25%
Participation 10%

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE IN GROUPS PAPER

This paper asks you to reflect upon your own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to working in groups and teams. Specifically, how do your unique qualities (e.g., sex, race, ethnicity, cognitive processing style), work preferences (e.g., creating/innovating, exploring/ promoting, etc.), and emergent qualities (e.g., group role) impact your effectiveness in a group setting? What are your strengths in group interaction (select at least two), and why do you believe these are strengths? What "evidence" can you provide? What challenges have you/might you face when working with others (select at least two), and why do you see these as challenges? What "evidence" can you provide?

You should not simply summarize the reading and discussion but should critically respond to the material, applying this information in an analysis of your self. The central goal of this paper is not only a recognition of your strengths and weaknesses, but a discussion of the implications of these qualities, as well as a description of strategies for you to address your challenges.

The paper should be typed and double-spaced, using APA or MLA style (writing guidelines are included on my website). You should accurately reference all ideas. Your paper should have a clear introduction that previews the details of the paper, and then should be organized by strengths, and then weaknesses. Finally, your paper should offer a conclusion that summarizes the paper. It is anticipated that the papers will be 4-5 pages long, although this is a guideline only. The specific means by which you will be evaluated on this paper are included at the end of the syllabus. Please use this as a checklist to make sure you have accomplished all that is being asked of you.

EXAMINATIONS

We will have two in-class examinations, scheduled for Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. The first exam is an individual application of course materials to a case study of a real-life group. Specifically, you will be asked to describe several concepts that we have covered in class, and then you will apply those concepts to a case study that will be provided to you. Accordingly, the exam will not be a memorization exam per se, but will focus on higher cognitive abilities such as application, synthesis, and evaluation. This portion of the exam will make up 25% of your final grade.

The second exam will be taken in a group. Since a major argument made in this course is that groups can perform at higher levels than individuals, it makes sense to promote effective group work through the examination process. It is assumed that the groups will put into practice the principles learned in class in order to maximize their grade. Here are the details: I will break you into groups of people who will be taking the exam as a group. On the day of the exam I will present each group with an activity. After completion of the activity, you will write a reflection of your group's performance. Everyone in the group will receive the same grade for this portion of the exam, which makes up 25% of your final grade.

GROUP ANALYSIS PAPER

Your Group Analysis Paper should be a detailed assessment of the communication patterns present in a task-oriented group with which you are familiar. This might be a group that functions where you work, volunteer, worship, or socialize. It may even be this class. However, the group must be task-oriented; it may not just be a group of friends. The goal is for you to assess the group communication. Look at the topics addressed in the syllabus (e.g., decision-making, conflict, group roles, power, etc). Select at least two topics that are of interest to you and make the most sense to use for your analysis given the nature/problems of your group.

The paper should contain the following sections:
·Introduction: Orient the reader to the content and organization of the paper.
·Overview of Group: Provide background about the group (the goals of the group, who the members are, what organization it exists within, the goals of the organization, etc.) and your relationship with it.
·Analysis of Concept 1: Much like your individual exam, provide a thorough overview of the first concept, referencing readings, class notes, and any other sources you have found. Then apply these concepts to the group in question. For example, if the topic is "group roles," first you should explain the concept of roles and typical group roles, then you should explain who is playing which roles in the group, providing examples from the group to support your assertions.
·Analysis of Concept 2: After a transition, provide a thorough overview of the second concept, again referencing readings, class notes, and any other sources you have found. As above, apply these concepts to the group in question. If you are using any other concepts, feel free to add additional sections (Analysis of Concept 3, etc.).
·Assessment: Draw conclusions based on your analysis, with a judgment regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the communication in this group.
·Recommendations: Provide suggestions for further developing the group's communication. This should include support from established authorities (i.e., you should be referencing information from your readings and/or other sources).
·Conclusion: Provide a summary of your paper.
·References: Everything from the readings, lecture notes, or outside references.

Again, this paper should be typed and double-spaced, using APA or MLA style (writing guidelines are included on my website). It is anticipated that the papers will be 7-10 pages long, although this is a guideline only. The specific means by which you will be evaluated on this paper are included at the end of the syllabus. Please use this as a checklist to make sure you have accomplished all that is being asked of you.

CLASS PARTICIPATION

Much of the activity in this course requires group work. Accordingly, given the interdependence of class members on class functioning, 10% of your grade will be determined by your class participation. This means more than just showing up; it means actively taking part in what we do, processing the information, asking questions, and offering insights. Clearly you cannot participate if you are not in class. Missing even a part of a class will affect your class participation grade. Moreover, frequent lateness will also detract from your grade, as many classes will involve activities that begin immediately upon entering the classroom; being late means missing some of the activity and interrupting the class to accommodate you into the activity.

COURSE POLICIES

§ Paper grades will be lowered one full grade (i.e., 10 points) for every day they are late, including weekends and holidays. If you are going to be late with an assignment, please inform the instructor.

§ The individual portion of the examination may not be made up unless written documentation is presented. The following is what I consider acceptable written documentation: a hospital bill for you (not a relative or friend), a police accident report for the day you are scheduled to take the exam (not the day before or the week before), a court summons, a letter from the Dean of Students. Due to its nature, the group examination may not be made up. There can be no exceptions to this: failure to take the group examination on the assigned day will result in a zero on that exam.

§ Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Academic misconduct includes plagiarism, cheating on examinations, providing work to other students, and accepting and submitting others' work your self. To plagiarize means to submit as one's own the ideas and/or the expression of ideas of another person. You should reference any ideas you use in a paper explicitly, even if it means that there is a reference for every sentence. Also, don't assume simply because you are only using one reference that you need not provide citations within the text--you still must differentiate between your ideas and those of someone else. The class readings and lecture notes must be referenced; this is neither common knowledge nor your own knowledge creation. Some information about plagiarism can be found at: www.lasalle.edu/library/plagiarism.htm. EVIDENCE OF PLAGIARISM CONSTITUTES GROUNDS FOR REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM.

§ All papers must be submitted to turnitin.com. Information about how to do so is at the end of this syllabus.

GRADING CRITERIA FOR PAPERS

GRADE SCALE AND EXPECTATIONS:

Assignments will receive a numerical grade, which translates as follows:

A 93-100 B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 F Below 70
A- 90-92 B 83-86 C 73-76
B- 80-82 C- 70-72

§ A PAPERS demonstrate superior work. In essence, they are perfect. This means (1) all aspects of the assignment are met, (2) attention to writing style--including the referencing/citing of material--is meticulous, (3) the paper provides expert insight into course concepts that allows for a new understanding of the material, (4) the paper adopts a challenging topic and thorough analysis, and (5) ideas are expressed in a clear, logical, organized fashion. "A" papers are insightful, dynamic, and organized.
§ A- PAPERS demonstrate very good work. A- papers are "almost perfect" but subtly fall short in one of the areas as noted in the "A" paper criteria (see above).
§ B+ PAPERS demonstrate good work. This translates into good effort, some original thought, and some expert insight. B+ papers are organized, referenced, follow writing standards, are free from mechanical errors, and provide correct understanding of course material. Different from A or A- paper, however, the B+ paper demonstrates solid understanding of content but is not superior either with regard to providing insight, a challenging topic, or new understanding. The B+ paper exceeds expectations in a number of areas but is not consistently superior or insightful.
§ The B PAPER meets the criteria for the assignment and is considered average. B papers are organized, referenced, and show correct understanding of concepts. "B" papers contain very few mechanical or structural errors but do not present challenging, interesting, or insightful understanding of concepts.
§ B- PAPERS fall somewhat short of the assigned criteria and are slightly below average. This may include spelling, grammatical, or mechanical errors, a lack of logical organization, or inaccuracies with concepts. In other words, the paper contained inaccurate information, presented a sophomoric analysis, and/or was confusing.
§ C PAPERS demonstrate a variety of weaknesses, suggesting that the work is significantly below average. These weaknesses may include: failure to meet assignment expectations or criteria, poor usage of writing style, lack of insight, lack of challenging application, numerous mechanical errors, disorganization of arguments and points, and/or inaccurate understanding of material.