Cite examples of how activism and social justice are exemplified through music. Show how technology and social media influenced the listener’s reactions. Discuss what are commonalities of movements and people who are represented throughout the decades? Are these songs anthems for each decade or do the stand the test of time with other generations? Are there common threads that connect some decades with others?

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Music and Influence

Instructions
Synthesize what you have learned about media and society in this course through the writing of this final paper about music and its influences. Music is a medium that has shaped the ages. As noted throughout your texts, social movements have existed and evolved through many methods and vehicles. Music is one of those vehicles and music represents more than entertainment. It has spoken for generations and exemplified belief systems.

For your final paper assignment, you are to write a 3-4 page research essay (excluding APA title page, appendix, and reference sheet or bibliography) that addresses the following questions and contexts. In this paper, explore the relationship of music to at least three of the decades between the 1960s and today. Your paper should discuss high profile events or movements that happened in each of the three decades and for each decade pick a song that personifies or represents the primary “mood” of the decade. In the essay:

Cite examples of how activism and social justice are exemplified through music.
Show how technology and social media influenced the listener’s reactions

The summary portion of the essay (perhaps at least 3/4 page of the entire essay) should draw connections between the decades and synthesize your findings. For instance, discuss what are commonalities of movements and people who are represented throughout the decades? Are these songs anthems for each decade or do the stand the test of time with other generations? Are there common threads that connect some decades with others?

We are introduced to the complex notion of hegemony, which is a power relationship in a culture where certain groups have dominance over others. In what ways can a culture support hegemony? Think of examples from your own awareness and experience.

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From Culture to Hegemony

Before you proceed with this discussion, be sure that you are clear on the notion of hegemony, particularly its discussion in Dick Hebdige’s “From Culture to Hegemony.” In the prior discussion, we were concerned with the larger notion of culture and how it manifests itself. In this discussion, we are interested in culture and power—how culture can order things and allocate power so that some groups are rendered dominant while others become subordinate. This activity aligns with module outcomes 1 and 2.

Choose one of the following to answer as thoroughly as possibly, using evidence from our readings to support your own critical thinking:

In our reading “From Culture to Hegemony,” we are introduced to the complex notion of hegemony, which is a power relationship in a culture where certain groups have dominance over others. In what ways can a culture support hegemony? Think of examples from your own awareness and experience.

In what ways can you see this as being a positive force in an individual’s life – and in what ways can it be problematical?

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What Is Culture?

1.In this discussion, we are thinking about the big picture: Culture itself, what it truly means, and how it impacts us at a collective and individual level. This activity aligns with module outcomes 1 and 2.

Choose one of the following to answer as thoroughly as possibly, using evidence from our readings to support your own critical thinking:

2.In our chapter “What Is Culture?,” a couple of the hallmarks are that culture “provides its group with a notion of identity” and that it “gives us a sense of pride.” Feel free to engage one of these ideas or both as you answer the following: In what ways can you see this as being a positive force in an individual’s life – and in what ways can it be problematical?

When was the publication first published? Who founded the publication, and where was it first published? Who was the original intended audience? How has the content (e.g., photos, articles, advertisements) changed over time? What impact, if any, has the publication had on American culture? What are your predictions for how the publication will survive or advance in the future?

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Print Media Evolution

Assignment Content

Have you ever subscribed to a newspaper or magazine? When you are in a waiting room with magazines, which ones are you likely to read? Are you likely to stay in bed on Sunday and read the newspaper? Most of us have a favorite magazine or newspaper, even if we are not a subscriber. In this assignment, you will take a deep look into the history of your favorite publication.

Select your favorite newspaper or magazine and research its history for this assignment.

Write a 500-word summary of the history of your selected publication and the evolution of that type of media.

Address the following questions in your summary:

When was the publication first published?
Who founded the publication, and where was it first published?
Who was the original intended audience?
How has the content (e.g., photos, articles, advertisements) changed over time?
What impact, if any, has the publication had on American culture?
What are your predictions for how the publication will survive or advance in the future? Provide examples.

Write and present a 5- to 7-minute speech about a time when you were a protégé. Share the impact and importance of having a mentor.

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Toastmasters envisions mentoring

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to clearly define how Toastmasters envisions mentoring.

Overview: Write and present a 5- to 7-minute speech about a time when you were a protégé. Share the impact and importance of having a mentor. This speech is not a report on the content of this project.

Discuss, in about one page, what you currently know or believe about the phenomenon. Name two theories or concepts from the textbook that might help explain what is going on this situation and briefly discuss why you think these theories will help explain your phenomenon.

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Compare/Contrast Prospectus

Assignment Objective:
This prospectus is the first step in writing the Compare/Contrast paper. In this prospectus you will select a communication phenomenon that you are interested in studying further. The easiest way to approach this is to define a single question, one that is sufficiently interesting to you to sustain in-depth study over the course of the entire semester.

Examples might be drawn from personal experience
My partner and I have such different reactions to texting during dinner, what’s up with that?
Why will people say things to people online that they would never say face to face?
Some of my classmates are willing to share all kinds of personal information in class but that makes me uncomfortable.
Other example might relate to professional concerns
Am I better off joining a work group that is high performing already, or joining a work group that has problems that I might be able to fix?
Do different kinds of management approaches affect the way my co-workers and I perform our job duties?

Assignment Requirements:
The Research Proposal/Prospectus will introduce the communication phenomenon that you will investigate.
It will then discuss, in about one page, what you currently know or believe about the phenomenon.
You should then name two theories or concepts from the textbook (from chapters 4 and beyond) that might help explain what is going on this situation and briefly discuss why you think these theories will help explain your phenomenon.
Locate at least two academic journals articles that will help you understand more about your theories and include them in a bibliography page.

Based on the feedback you receive from your instructor you will develop the final compare/contrast paper. The library has a communication and mass media database that is the best place to find appropriate articles.

Explore ways in which a selected community or communities have used social media and how it has been effective in a variety of ways. What forms of older media and traditional knowledge have been remediated by social media?

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Social media used for social change

Indigenous peoples have adopted social media platforms to great effect in their communities. Explore ways in which a selected community or communities have used social media and how it has been effective in a variety of ways. What forms of older media and traditional knowledge have been remediated by social media?

Write a 600- to 900-word paper that examines the impact that the 2 types of media you selected have had on American culture since 1970. Describe how the 2 types of media have influenced American culture since 1970. Identify at least 2 important examples of each media type in your response.

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Summative Assessment 1: American Mass Media and Culture

Assignment Content

American mass media and culture are deeply intertwined, and it is hard to imagine an aspect of American culture that is not influenced by mass media. Spirituality, politics, and even our language are influenced by media. In this assignment, you will investigate how 2 different types of media have impacted American culture.

Choose 2 types of media from the following list:

Newspapers
Magazines
TV
Movies
Radio
Internet

Write a 600- to 900-word paper that examines the impact that the 2 types of media you selected have had on American culture since 1970.

Include the following in your paper:

Describe how the 2 types of media have influenced American culture since 1970.
Identify at least 2 important examples of each media type in your response. For example, if you selected TV and movies, you could identify specific TV shows or movies in your response.

In your own words, define “logical fallacy.” There is a difference between a statement being fallacious and untrue? Explain. Can a logical fallacy be convincing? Explain why or why not. Choose the false dilemma fallacy we’ve discussed in class. Describe how you would teach this fallacy to someone without any experience in the subject.

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PUBLIC SPEAKING ASSIGNMENT

Final Exam

Section A: Short answer

Respond to each question in this section with two or three sentences. Aim for completeness and clarity.

 

  1. In your own words, define “logical fallacy.”
  2. There is a difference between a statement being fallacious and untrue? Explain.
  3. Can a logical fallacy be convincing? Explain why or why not.

 

  1. What is topoi? What is its purpose?
  2. Describe each of these three forms of Speech: Informative, Persuasive, and Epideictic

 

Section B: Fallacy Detection

Identify the fallacy

  1. If he’s at school, then he is at smart.

He is smart.

Therefore, he is at school.

  1. Most Americans want to go to war, thus it is obviously the correct choice.
  2. Climate change can’t be true because then my 401k will be less valuable!
  3. The Warriors lose everytime I watch them, so I’ll stop watching them to help them win because I’m a true fan.
  4. Either you pay for my college or I’ll hate you forever.
  5. Do you always drive this well drunk?
  6. Are you sure you want to hire an entitled zoomer?
  7. Vote for me or I’ll claim the election is fraudulent.

 

 

Section C: Long answer

Respond to each question in this section with four to eight sentences. Aim for completeness and clarity.

 

  1. Choose the false dilemma fallacy we’ve discussed in class. Describe how you would teach this fallacy to someone without any experience in the subject. You might include a definition, example, and any other information that will help your student learn. 

 

  1. Drawing on the course, describe the elements of a speaking situation or context. What are those elements, and how can they help a speaker better understand the context in which they plan to speak?

 

Section D: Essay

Watch one of the following videos or pick your own video, then answer the questions below in two to three paragraphs.

 

Option one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llci8MVh8J4

 

Option two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueMNqdB1QIE

 

Option Three: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO-CzrWQ4y4&feature=emb_title

 

What is/are the goal/s of this speech? Is it informative, epideictic, and/or persuasive? If more than one, what is its primary mode, and why? Which rhetorical proofs (appeals) does this speech use? To what extent are they effective?

 

Explain how each proposed best practice directly addresses at least one law, policy, regulation, or ethical code of conduct covered in the course, and provide a short explanation of how following the best practice will help professional communicators maintain compliance and avoid legal repercussion. Describe how your proposed best practices should be used and implemented across communication professions.

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Final Project

D. Purposeful: Explain how each proposed best practice directly addresses at least one law, policy, regulation, or ethical code of conduct covered in the course, and provide a short explanation of how following the best practice will help professional communicators maintain compliance and avoid legal repercussion.

C. Actionable: Describe how your proposed best practices should be used and implemented across communication professions.

Competency In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:

  • • Evaluate the impact of government regulation and public policy on the communication profession
  • • Apply socially responsible practices when responding to various communication problems and scenarios
  • Evaluate how ethical and legal issues impact communication messages and goals

Scenario You work as a communication specialist for a large company that has recently been faced with a lawsuit regarding sharing private information. In light of the recent lawsuit, you have been asked to train internal staff on legal and ethical best practices for communication to reduce the likelihood of another legal battle, but also to ensure that the organization is being socially and ethically responsible in its communication practices. Your training will be reviewed by the organization’s attorney before being finalized and presented; however, the organization is confident that your expertise in media law and ethics will mean that the in-house attorney will not need to make significant changes.

Directions Training Presentation Based on requirements from the leadership team, develop a slideshow presentation with corresponding speaker notes that can be shared on the organization’s intranet. Specifically, you must address the rubric criteria below.

1. Role of Law and Ethics in Communication: Analyze the role and value of communication law and ethical codes of conduct by addressing the following using supporting evidence:

  • A. Enforcing Law: Describe the role of government and regulatory bodies on overseeing and enforcing law in communication.
  • B. Societal Influence: Explain how societal changes influence law, policy, regulation, and ethics in communication using specific examples.
  • C. Influence on Communication: Explain how law, policy, and regulation influence the way that people and organizations communicate.

2. Key Laws, Policies, and Regulations: Evaluate the ways that key laws, regulations, policies, and ethical codes of conduct influence how professionals communicate by addressing the following using supporting evidence:

  • A. Purview: Identify the level of government or regulatory body that oversees compliance of key laws, regulations, policies, and ethical codes of conduct that inform professional communication.
  • B. Purpose: Explain the purpose of key communication-focused laws, regulations, policies, and ethical codes of conduct that protect the rights of individuals and organizations and benefit society.
  • C. Defining Cases: Summarize the context, rulings, and legal impact of defining cases that shaped how key laws, regulations, policies, and ethical codes of conduct are enforced and interpreted.
  • D. Repercussions: Describe possible repercussions of poor legal and ethical communication practices in organizations.

3. General Best Practices: Based on the laws, policies, regulations, and codes of conduct covered in your presentation, conclude by recommending five to seven general best practices that employees can use to be effective, socially responsible professional communicators. Best practices should be comprised of the following criteria and include supporting evidence:

  • A. Authentic: Include a brief authentic scenario for each created best practice that a professional communicator may face containing I regulatory, or ethical dilemmas.
  • B. Evidenced: Incorporate evidence from credible, authoritative sources to support your created best practices.