teaching: undergraduate: COM 482
Assessment
Your final grade for COM 482 will be based on the following:
20% Class Research Collaboration
45% Individual Portfolio:
- 2% Reading summary (credit/no credit)
- 18% Fieldwork write-ups (x 3) (graded)
- 25% Independent study (graded)
25% Class Test
10% Class Participation Grade
More information about each of these tasks will be given in class.
Class research collaboration (counts for 20%)
This exercise runs from Weeks 1 through 4 and will involve you in some research I am doing at the moment. The focus of this research is on the way young people's technologically mediated language practices are represented in the print media. For example, I am looking at the way instant messaging, text messaging and email get reported.
Working in small groups of five or six people, you will be given a set of data (newspaper articles) and asked to analyze it carefully using a standard procedure. You will then be asked to prepare an accurate summary of your findings. Your findings will be collated by the research coordinator (Katrina Barnes) into a final document.
To conclude this exercise you will be asked to submit a short (max 250 words) reflection on the process - how you found it and what you would do next. For example, how would your group test the validity of these popular representations of young people's language practices? This must be posted as part of your online portfolio.
Individual portfolio (counts for 45%)
This is where you will be doing most of your own independent research and writing. At the start of the quarter you will be asked to set up an electronic portfolio using the UW's Catalyst system - see link below. A guideline for doing this can also be downloaded here:
In this portfolio you will be expected to complete six tasks:
•a reading summary based on the reading by Professor Susan Herring (2004) - see reading page
•the class research reflection (see above)
•a series of three fieldwork reports based around the textbook's Fieldwork Tasks 6 (identity), 5 (community) and 4 (relationship).
•an idependent study report based on your choice of one of the textbook's Focus Areas (see p. 197). The only topic not available is "Political Communication in CMC" because we will be having a guest lecture on this topic. You may also select a topic of your own choosing but this must be approved by Professor Thurlow not later than Week 4 of the quarter. In Week 9, there will be two poster sessions when you will be expected briefly to present your work to the rest of the class.
Class test (counts for 25%)
There will be one class test covering
lecture material, including the two guest lectures. This is a simple way of evaluating your knowledge and understanding
of the basic theory and central issues material. The format of the test will be announced later.
There will also be two review sessions (see schedule) to help your prepare for the class test - one in the first half of the quarter and one towards the end of the quarter.
Class participation grade (counts for 10%)
The main purpose of this grade is to evaluate your participation in workshop sessions and all group-based activities. This grade does not necessarily depend on your actually talking out in class (although this is important) but it will depend on the level of your commitment and contribution to the class research collaboration and especially the independent study poster presentations in Week 9.
Grading scale (sample scores)
In grading your different pieces of work I will normally use a letter system. These will be converted to percentage equivalents in order to calculate your cumulative total grade. These will then be converted to the UW's standard 4.0 scale. For example:
| Letter | Percentage equivalent | Equivalent scale range |
| A+ | 100% | 4.0 |
| A | 95% | 3.8-3.9 |
| A- | 90% | 3.5 - 3.7 |
| B+ | 85% | 3.2 - 3.4 |
| B | 80% | 2.9 - 3.1 |
| B- | 75% | 2.5 - 2.8 |
| C+ | 70% | 2.2 - 2.4 |
| C | 65% | 1.9 - 2.1 |
| C- | 60% | 1.5 - 1.8 |
| D+ | below 60% | 1.2 - 1.4 |
The class test will be graded as a straightforward percentage based on the percentage of correct answers given.
Work not submitted will receive an automate F (i.e. 0%). Work which does not answer the question will likely receive a D+ grade.
If you have any questions about the requirements for COM 482 in terms of assessment, then please make an appointment to see Professor Thurlow as soon as possible after the start of the quarter.