Results for COMM

Techniques of news reporting and writing. The value and role of news in democratic societies. Gateway class to journalism. Prerequisite for all COMM 177/277 classes. Limited enrollment. Preference to COMM majors.

(Graduate students register for COMM 208.) The process of communication theory construction including a survey of social science paradigms and major theories of communication. Recommended: 1 or PSYCH 1.

We all know that appeals based on logic and sound evidence often fail where less rational appeals that "shouldn't" work, succeed. This course examines persuasion, the influencing of attitudes, beliefs or behavior, and locates within that broad subject argumentation, the process of reasoning methodically from evidence. Argumentation, the socially acceptable method of persuasion, typically confines itself to the rules of logic and has as its goal the recognition of states and causal relationships held by the arguer to objectively exist. Other methods of persuasion can succeed while flouting those rules, but only within limits, as the story of the Emperor's New Clothes reminds us. This course will explore whether those limits be accounted for by the capacity limitations and heuristics and biases of human information processing. Topics to be covered include evolutionary explanations; the central and peripheral routes to persuasion; source, channel and receiver factors; attitude-behavior consistency; the roles of involvement, elaboration, affect and social influence; critical thinking skills and logical fallacies. Limited enrollment; preference to juniors, seniors and graduate students, and within these, to Communication majors.

Preference to freshmen. An examination of the meaning of freedom of the press, tied to but not bound by various Supreme Court rulings on the scope and purpose of the First Amendment's speech and press clauses. Discussions will include a look at the recent and rapid computerization of communication and what it portends for the future of a free press.

This seminar will examine the dynamic interaction at the highest levels of government and the media when news coverage of secret national security policy and operations impinges on United States defense, diplomatic and intelligence activities and decision making. A prime example: the torrent of secret NSA programs disclosed by Edward Snowden in newspapers and other media. Students will explore attitudes, practices and actions by the media and the government through a series of case studies and simulations. Former editors, reporters and government officials will appear as guest speakers. The goal of the course is to inform students about the vital but often fraught relationship between a free press and the government in a democratic society, especially in the management of national security affairs. For advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Application for enrollment required. The instructor is a former Washington bureau chief of The New York Times. Please email Anne Stickells (annees7@stanford.edu) to request an application. Completed applications are due by 6pm on March 21, 2015. (Grad students register for COMM 233)

This course examines the theory and practice of deliberative democracy and engages both in a dialogue with critics. In spring quarter 2015, this course will have a special focus on deliberative democracy in the the Greater China region. The course will discuss whether a democracy which emphasizes people thinking and talking together on the basis of good information be made practical in the modern age. What kinds of distortions arise when people try to discuss politics or policy together? The course draws on ideas as well as criticisms from the jury literature, from the psychology of group processes and from the most recent normative and empirical literature on deliberative forums. Case studies from the Deliberative Polling method and other deliberation methods, its applications, defenders and critics, both normative and empirical, will provide a cases studies for discussion. Some course sessions will utilize the case method to examine public consultations, the media, and civil society. Throughout the course, students will address how public participation is currently conducted around the world. As we have all seen successful, but more likely unsuccessful attempts to consult the public and this course will examine the various ways of consulting the public and how governments, media, and the public have responded and used the results.

(Graduate students register for COMM 240.) Primarily for graduate journalism and computer science students. Silicon Valley's new media culture, digital storytelling skills and techniques, web-based skills, and entrepreneurial ventures. Guest speakers. Prerequisite: Instructor consent/completed application. Application can be found at: http://dme.stanford.edu

Uses economics to examine the generation and consumption of information in communication markets. Covers concepts that play a large role in information economics, including public goods, economies of scale, product differentiation, and externalities. Looks at individuals¿ information demands as consumers, producers, audience members, and voters. Topics include economics of Internet, sustainability of accountability journalism, and marketplace of ideas.

(Graduate students register for COMM 272.) The literature related to psychological processing and the effects of media. Topics: unconscious processing; picture perception; attention and memory; emotion; the physiology of processing media; person perception; pornography; consumer behavior; advanced film and television systems; and differences among reading, watching, and listening.

In-depth reporting and production using audio, images and video. Focus on an in-depth journalism project with appropriate uses of digital media: audio, photography, graphics, and video. Topics include advanced field techniques and approaches (audio, video, still) and emphasis on creating a non-fiction narrative arc in a multimedia piece of 10-12 minutes. Prerequisite: COMM 275 or consent of instructor

Focuses on using data and algorithms to lower the cost of discovering stories or telling stories in more engaging and personalized ways. Project based assignments based on real-world challenges faced in newsrooms. Prior experience in journalism or computational thinking helpful. Prerequisite: Comm 273D, COMM 113/213, or the consent of instructor.

Graduate students register for COMM 277I.) Learn how to apply an investigative and data mindset to journalism, from understanding how to background an individual or entity using online databases to compiling or combining disparate sets of information in ways that unveil wrongdoing or mismanagement. Focuses on mining texts, tracking associations, and using visualizations. Stories produced apply investigative techniques to beat reporting, breaking news, and long form journalism. Prerequisite: COMM 104W, or consent of instructor

Qualifies students to conduct communication research. Student must apply for department honors thesis program during Spring Quarter of junior year.

For students with high academic standing. May be repeated for credit.

(Graduate students register for COMM 208.) The process of communication theory construction including a survey of social science paradigms and major theories of communication. Recommended: 1 or PSYCH 1.

We all know that appeals based on logic and sound evidence often fail where less rational appeals that "shouldn't" work, succeed. This course examines persuasion, the influencing of attitudes, beliefs or behavior, and locates within that broad subject argumentation, the process of reasoning methodically from evidence. Argumentation, the socially acceptable method of persuasion, typically confines itself to the rules of logic and has as its goal the recognition of states and causal relationships held by the arguer to objectively exist. Other methods of persuasion can succeed while flouting those rules, but only within limits, as the story of the Emperor's New Clothes reminds us. This course will explore whether those limits be accounted for by the capacity limitations and heuristics and biases of human information processing. Topics to be covered include evolutionary explanations; the central and peripheral routes to persuasion; source, channel and receiver factors; attitude-behavior consistency; the roles of involvement, elaboration, affect and social influence; critical thinking skills and logical fallacies. Limited enrollment; preference to juniors, seniors and graduate students, and within these, to Communication majors.

This seminar will examine the dynamic interaction at the highest levels of government and the media when news coverage of secret national security policy and operations impinges on United States defense, diplomatic and intelligence activities and decision making. A prime example: the torrent of secret NSA programs disclosed by Edward Snowden in newspapers and other media. Students will explore attitudes, practices and actions by the media and the government through a series of case studies and simulations. Former editors, reporters and government officials will appear as guest speakers. The goal of the course is to inform students about the vital but often fraught relationship between a free press and the government in a democratic society, especially in the management of national security affairs. For advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Application for enrollment required. The instructor is a former Washington bureau chief of The New York Times. Please email Anne Stickells (annees7@stanford.edu) to request an application. Completed applications are due by 6pm on March 21, 2015. (Grad students register for COMM 233)

This course examines the theory and practice of deliberative democracy and engages both in a dialogue with critics. In spring quarter 2015, this course will have a special focus on deliberative democracy in the the Greater China region. The course will discuss whether a democracy which emphasizes people thinking and talking together on the basis of good information be made practical in the modern age. What kinds of distortions arise when people try to discuss politics or policy together? The course draws on ideas as well as criticisms from the jury literature, from the psychology of group processes and from the most recent normative and empirical literature on deliberative forums. Case studies from the Deliberative Polling method and other deliberation methods, its applications, defenders and critics, both normative and empirical, will provide a cases studies for discussion. Some course sessions will utilize the case method to examine public consultations, the media, and civil society. Throughout the course, students will address how public participation is currently conducted around the world. As we have all seen successful, but more likely unsuccessful attempts to consult the public and this course will examine the various ways of consulting the public and how governments, media, and the public have responded and used the results.

(Graduate students register for COMM 240.) Primarily for graduate journalism and computer science students. Silicon Valley's new media culture, digital storytelling skills and techniques, web-based skills, and entrepreneurial ventures. Guest speakers. Prerequisite: Instructor consent/completed application. Application can be found at: http://dme.stanford.edu

Uses economics to examine the generation and consumption of information in communication markets. Covers concepts that play a large role in information economics, including public goods, economies of scale, product differentiation, and externalities. Looks at individuals¿ information demands as consumers, producers, audience members, and voters. Topics include economics of Internet, sustainability of accountability journalism, and marketplace of ideas.

(Graduate students register for COMM 272.) The literature related to psychological processing and the effects of media. Topics: unconscious processing; picture perception; attention and memory; emotion; the physiology of processing media; person perception; pornography; consumer behavior; advanced film and television systems; and differences among reading, watching, and listening.

In-depth reporting and production using audio, images and video. Focus on an in-depth journalism project with appropriate uses of digital media: audio, photography, graphics, and video. Topics include advanced field techniques and approaches (audio, video, still) and emphasis on creating a non-fiction narrative arc in a multimedia piece of 10-12 minutes. Prerequisite: COMM 275 or consent of instructor

Focuses on using data and algorithms to lower the cost of discovering stories or telling stories in more engaging and personalized ways. Project based assignments based on real-world challenges faced in newsrooms. Prior experience in journalism or computational thinking helpful. Prerequisite: Comm 273D, COMM 113/213, or the consent of instructor.

Graduate students register for COMM 277I.) Learn how to apply an investigative and data mindset to journalism, from understanding how to background an individual or entity using online databases to compiling or combining disparate sets of information in ways that unveil wrongdoing or mismanagement. Focuses on mining texts, tracking associations, and using visualizations. Stories produced apply investigative techniques to beat reporting, breaking news, and long form journalism. Prerequisite: COMM 104W, or consent of instructor

MA thesis course. Focuses on development of in-depth journalism project, culminating in work of publishable quality.

Individual research for coterminal Media Studies students.

For students interested in research in political science, psychology, or communication. Methodological techniques for studying political attitudes and behaviors. May be repeated for credit.

Topics include the theoretical construct of person identity, the evolution of that construct given the advent of virtual environments, and methodological approaches to understanding virtual human representation. Prerequisite: PhD student or consent of instructor.

This course examines the theory and practice of deliberative democracy and engages both in a dialogue with critics. In spring quarter 2015, this course will have a special focus on deliberative democracy in the the Greater China region. The course will discuss whether a democracy which emphasizes people thinking and talking together on the basis of good information be made practical in the modern age. What kinds of distortions arise when people try to discuss politics or policy together? The course draws on ideas as well as criticisms from the jury literature, from the psychology of group processes and from the most recent normative and empirical literature on deliberative forums. Case studies from the Deliberative Polling method and other deliberation methods, its applications, defenders and critics, both normative and empirical, will provide a cases studies for discussion. Some course sessions will utilize the case method to examine public consultations, the media, and civil society. Throughout the course, students will address how public participation is currently conducted around the world. As we have all seen successful, but more likely unsuccessful attempts to consult the public and this course will examine the various ways of consulting the public and how governments, media, and the public have responded and used the results.

The social and psychological processes involved in asking and answering questions via questionnaires for the social sciences; optimizing questionnaire design; open versus closed questions; rating versus ranking; rating scale length and point labeling; acquiescence response bias; don't-know response options; response choice order effects; question order effects; social desirability response bias; attitude and behavior recall; and introspective accounts of the causes of thoughts and actions.

This course surveys theories of media bias, biased processing of information, and the empirical challenges facing researchers attempting to link changes in the composition of audiences to attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. (Limited to PhD students)

Practical experience in the communication industries. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Meets requirements for Curricular Practical Training for students on F-1 visas. (Staff)

Individual research for Ph.D. candidates. Course may be repeated for credit.

Individual research for Ph.D. candidates.

Focus is on topics such as the roles and responsibilities of journalists, news as a genre of popular literature, the nexus between press and state, and journalism's commitment to political participation.