Room: English House Seminar Room (basement) Time: 9:25-10:40am
Instructor: James Plath Phone: 556-3352 Office: English 303
Hours: TTH 11-12:00, Wed 1-2 & by appt.
URL: http://titan.iwu.edu/~jplath/ Email: jplath@titan.iwu.edu
Required text: The Practice of Public Relations (9th Edition), by Fraser P. Seitel and supplementary handouts.
Web Resources: Newspapers & Reporter Sources
Illinois College Press Association Newspapers
Course Objective: This course is intended to give students background, theory, and practice in the field of public relations. During the semester we will use chapters from the book as a starting point for our discussions and problem-solving exercises, and, in the spirit of both the "team" concept that often drives public relations management, and also the "seminar" in academia, this course will operate as a true seminar. That is, students will share the responsibility for generating lively classroom discussions.
Course Requirements: Students must attend class and contribute to discussions on a regular basis. More than three unexcused absences will affect your grade. Missed in-class exercises cannot be made up; the midterm can be made up only with a medical excuse.
Grades Will Be Determined on the Following Basis:
MIDTERM---------------------------------------------------------------25%
FINAL---------------------------------------------------------------------25%
CLASS PARTICIPATION---------------------------------------------25%
CLASS PROJECTS-----------------------------------------------------25%
Tentative Calendar:
Week of Jan 9, 11--THE FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS. Read
Chapter 1 by the 11th. For each day of reading discussion this
semester, a third of the class will rotate and serve as discussion
leaders (and also bring in additional materials from the media,
published articles and studies, corporations, etc., as applicable)
Week of Jan 16, 18--THE FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS. Read
Chapter 2 by the 13th.
Week of Jan 23, 25--PUBLIC OPINION. Read Chapter 4. Projects: Mission & Policy Statements.
Week of Jan 30, Feb 1--PR WRITING. Read Chapters 13 & 16; in-class exercises on both days. Projects: AP Style & Press Releases, Fact Sheets, Backgrounders, Pitch Letters, & Media Kits.
Week of Feb 6, 8--PRINT MEDIA. Read Chapter 9. Projects: Media Advisories & Press Conferences.
Week of Feb 13, 15--MANAGEMENT & PLANNING. Read Chapters 5 & 17, one by each day. Projects: Planning Sheet & Writing the Public Relations Program.
Week of Feb 20, 22--RESEARCH. Read Chapter 8. Projects: Gathering Hard Data, Content Analysis, Surveys & Focus Groups.
Week of Feb 27, Mar 1--ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Read Chapters 10 & 18. Projects: 30-second and 60-second radio spots, webpage design.
Week of Mar 6, 8--EMPLOYEE RELATIONS. Read Chapter 11. Projects: In-House memos and mock newsletter.
Week of Mar 13, 15--CONSUMER RELATIONS. Read Chapters 14 & 15. Projects: Letters, Fliers & Brochures.
MIDTERM--Mar 15
SPRING BREAK (Week of Mar 20, 22)--NO CLASS!!!!
Week of Mar 27, 29--MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY RELATIONS. Read Chapter 12. Projects: Begin major plan/program.
Week of Apr 3, 5--CRISIS MANAGEMENT. Read Chapter 19.
Week of Apr 10, 12--ETHICS. Read Chapter 6.
Week of Apr 17, 19--THE LAW. Read Chapters 7 & 13.
Week of Apr 24--Wrap-up; present major plan/program.
FINAL EXAM: TBA