St. Gregory’s University Syllabus
Fall 2001
CO-3023 Seminar: Intercultural Communication
Course Description: Regardless of the area of study – medicine, business, politics, or mass communication – we live in a global marketplace. The vision for this study encompasses two distinctly different, yet similar areas of study. This course presents the various ways cultures communicate as well as learning to understand and respect other ways of life. Intraglobal communication addresses the problem of communicating with other countries in the world’s political arena. The skills of communication they have received in this and various other classes should enable students to address the problems and work out viable solutions.
Instructor: Andrew Snyder, M.A., M.Ed., M.H.R.
Office FA 216; Ext.5441; e-mail asnyder@sgc.edu
Office Hours: M-F 11-1; or by appointment
Objectives: By the end of the semester the student will be able to:
· Understand how culture influences how individuals perceive, use and respond to touch, smell and paralanguage;
· Understand how communication styles affect first impressions;
· Identify microcultures and understand their cultural influence;
· Understand how world view and culture relate to each other;
· Analyze nonverbal messages in intercultural communication;
· Utilize intercultural effectiveness techniques;
· Differentiate between intercultural self-disclosure and openness in communication;
· Understand the social influence of network cultures in providing information.
Textbooks:
Dodd, C.H. (1998). Dynamics of intercultural communication, 5th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Porter, R.E. & Samovar, L.A. (2001). Communication between cultures, 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Internet Resources:
http://www.wadsworth.com/ Student resources for the Communication between cultures text can be found at this site.
Instruction Methods:
Lecture
Discussion
Role playing
Games and simulations
Small group discussion
Methods of Student Evaluation:
Attendance 10%
Homework 10%
Participation 20%
Individual presentation (oral) 20%
Examinations 40%
Instructor Policies:
Attendance: You learn best by participating. Attendance is important. Being on time is also important. Being late twice constitutes one absence. Every unexcused absence after the second unexcused absence will result in a 1% final grade deduction. If you have an excused absence due to a sport or club event it is your responsibility to notify me by e-mail. You are responsible for class assignments and information presented regardless of attendance.
Exams: All exams will be taken on the date given unless prior approval is obtained from the instructor. Exams will cover assigned text readings, class lectures, presentations, and assignments.
Written Assignments: All written assignments are to be typed in proper designated style, using the “you” attitude, concise form, and correctness of detail with no gross grammatical errors and no spelling errors. The student will be assessed on the material presented in the text and by the instructor.
Writing Center: Once referred to the Writing Center by the instructor, the student must attend each session regularly. Failure to do so may result in his/her failure in the course. Only the Director of the Writing Center or the course instructor can release the student from attendance of the Center.
Disability Statement: Any student with a disability that will affect his/her progress in this class and registered with student services should inform the professor during or after the first class session.
Grading: Standards for paper and homework:
A = An excellent paper. It offers an effective solution to the problem based on good audience analysis; it fulfills minor as well as major purposes. Its overall pattern of organization is appropriate; the internal organization of ideas is effective; transitions are smooth. Reader benefits and logic are well developed. The message is well written, interesting, and easy to read. It may show originality in visual impact, reader benefits, details, or word choice.
B = A good paper. It offers an effective solution to the problem. Both the overall pattern of organization and the internal organization are good. Reader benefits and logic are developed adequately. The writing style is clear, concise, and friendly. It may have a few mechanical errors or some awkward spots, but basically it is well written and may have good visual impact.
C = A satisfactory paper. It offers a solution which is basically acceptable; it uses an acceptable pattern of organization; the writing follows the conventions of standard English and the principles of business writing. There may be minor errors in style, tone, internal organization or mechanics; reader benefits or logic may not be fully developed. It may also be a “b” paper with a major flaw in one of the following: the solution, organization, tone, or writing style.
D = A satisfactory (“C”) paper with a major flaw in one of the following: the solution, organization, tone, or writing style. It may also be a paper which shows some evidence of attempting to solve the problem, but has many minor errors in organization, development, word choice, style, tone, and mechanics. None of these alone necessarily dooms the paper; however, together they make the paper unsatisfactory.
F = A poor paper with a major flaw in one of the following: the solution, organization, tone, or writing style. It may also be a paper that violates the facts explicitly given in the case. It may also be a paper that is marred by an unacceptable number of errors in organization, development, word choice, style, tone, and mechanics.
Minor errors in format (for example, not initialing a memo or not signing a letter) will lower the paper grade one-third letter. Major errors (for example, using a letter when a memo is needed) will lower the grade one full letter.
Late assignments will be penalized 5% per calendar day (not class period). Assignments more than 2 class days late will not normally be accepted. Extensions to due dates must be requested one class day in advance.
Grading: Standards for Oral Presentations
A = An excellent presentation. The presentation effectively matches the assignment, with excellent audience rapport. The organization is clear; the material is presented in a knowledgeable manner. The message is clearly focused and the audience is engaged from opening to closing. Delivery is excellent (eye contact, inflection, gestures and movements, appearance, volume). Questions (if applicable) are handled comprehensively and confidently.
B = A good presentation. The presentation effectively matches the assignment with good audience rapport. The organization is clear; the material is presented in a knowledgeable manner, but use of notes may sometimes indicate hesitance. The message is clearly focused and the audience is generally engaged. Delivery is good, but there may be some weaknesses in a few areas. Questions (if applicable) are handled adequately.
C = A satisfactory presentation. The presentation is basically acceptable in terms of the assignment, with acceptable audience rapport. The organization is acceptable; the material is presented in an acceptable manner, but use of notes may be fairly frequent. Delivery is adequate, but weaknesses in some areas are evident. Questions (if applicable) are answered with effort.
D = A satisfactory presentation with a major flaw in one area: organization, audience rapport, or delivery. It may show an attempt to complete the assignment, but the delivery is too weak and loses the audience.
F = A poor presentation with a major flaw in assignment completion, organization, audience rapport, or delivery. The delivery is so weak that there is no successful communication between presenter and audience.
Homework assignments will be assigned in class and the due date will be the next scheduled class period.
Late assignments for oral presentation will be allowed only by prior arrangements with the instructor. You must present on the day and at the time assigned.
Reading and Course Assignment Schedule:
The student will read the Chapter Outline and the Summary of Key Points for each assigned chapter of the text and be able to identify the correct definitions of all bold print words and phrases printed in the chapter on a test.
Date Chapter Topic Assigned Reading
(pages)
08/22 Orientation Purchase Textbooks
“Communication Between Cultures”
08/24 Chapter 1 1-20
08/27 Chapter 2 21-31
08/29 Chapter 2 32-50
08/31 Chapter 3 52-65
09/05 Chapter 3 66-88
09/07 Chapter 4 89-116
09/10 Chapter 4 117-134
09/12 Chapter 5 135-148
09/14 Chapter 5 149-163
09/17 Chapter 6 164-185
09/19 Chapter 6 186-194
09/21 Chapter 7 195-210
09/24 Chapter 7 211-217
09/26 Chapter 8 218-230
09/28 Chapter 8 231-240
10/01 Chapter 9 241-250
10/03 Chapter 9 251-259
10/05 Chapter 10 260-302
10/08 Review
10/12 Mid-term
“Dynamics of Intercultural Communication”
10/15 Chapter 1 1-16
10/17 Chapter 2 17-30
10/22 Chapter 3 31-49
10/24 Chapter 3 50-58
10/26 No Class – Instructor Conference
10/29 Chapter 4 59-69
10/31 Chapter 4 70-83
11/02 Chapter 5 84-101
11/05 Chapter 5 102-114
11/07 Chapter 6 115-131
11/09 Chapter 7 132-152
11/12 Chapter 8 153-170
11/14 Chapter 9 171-184
11/16 Chapter 10 185-205
11/19 Chapter 11 206-219
11/26 Chapter 11 220-234
11/28 Chapter 12 235-246
11/30 Individual Presentations
12/03 Individual Presentations
12/05 Individual Presentation
12/07 Final Examination Review
12/10-12/13 Final Examination Week
The instructor reserves the right to adjust the outline as needed.