COM 25300: Introduction to Public Relations
MWF 1:30-2:20, WTHR 172
Josh Boyd, Ph.D. Teaching assistant: Claudia Janssen
BRNG 2274E BRNG 2274A
494.3333 (office) 496.2769 (office)
471.1258 (home)
boyd@purdue.edu cijansse@purdue.edu
Office hours: M 2:30-3:30, T 12-1 Office hours: TH 10-12, F 9:30-10:30
If you have any questions, you may e-mail me any time. If your questions are time-sensitive, please CALL ME AT HOME before 11:00 p.m. It is much easier to clear up confusion BEFORE you turn in an assignment.
Purpose
This class will help you understand what public relations is and how it is applied in a variety of specialties. We will study the thinking involved in communicating strategically on behalf of an organization to significant audiences. How do organizations decide on public relations strategies and the tactics to carry out those strategies? Why is PR worth the money and effort involved? There will be hands-on practice, too—you will learn how to write a press release (the most fundamental PR document) and practice doing so.
Because I want this to be a useful, relevant class, there will be plenty of current examples of PR. I guarantee at least one recent example of public relations in every class meeting, and I invite you to look for examples of good and bad PR to bring in or e-mail me for discussion.
Objectives
By the end of the semester, you will be able to:
*identify public relations in the world around you (it’s everywhere!)
*write a press release correct in form, content, grammar, and spelling
*critique public relations practices
*understand ethical implications of public relations practice
Attendance
Your attendance at each class meeting is expected. Approximately 10-12 times during the semester (often with short notice), some small assignment or quiz will be given for some of the “Daily Assignment” points. These exercises cannot be made up—you must be turn them in on time, as prescribed, to earn the points. In other words, if the assignment is due as hard copy in class, you have to turn it in that way. If it is due via e-mail, then you must e-mail it in by the deadline. Daily assignments are worth between 5 and 20 points. Though there are technically 100 points possible for daily work, more points than that will be offered in order to give you a chance to recover points lost by absence—and whatever points you earn, you keep. This means that it is possible to earn more than 100 points if you are present for every daily assignment. It is your responsibility to check Blackboard to make sure daily assignment grades have been recorded. If you have a question about a daily assignment grade, you have 2 weeks to appeal or bring it to our attention. After 2 weeks, assignments will be discarded.
Participation
I encourage your comments and questions about public relations and examples of public relations. Positive contributions to class discussion will have a positive effect on borderline grades. In order to participate in class, you will need to use Blackboard. Some daily assignments will be posted there, and occasionally supplemental readings might also be posted there.
Required textbook
There is no required textbook for the class. This makes attendance that much more important--all exam material will be taken from class notes.
Recommended:
Goldstein, N. (Ed.). (2002). The Associated Press stylebook and briefing on media law.
Fully revised and updated ed. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books. (note: 2002, 2004, or 2007 editions are acceptable).
Any good dictionary (or at least familiarity with an online dictionary such as www.m-w.com)
Late policy
Deadlines are critical in public relations. Exams and the two major writing assignments can be made up if you give me notice before the due date or notify me by e-mail or phone of extenuating circumstances on the due date. Without special arrangements, the press release and mini-media kit grades will be reduced by one letter for each day they are late. Daily assignments cannot be made up.
Virginia Tech clause
In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines, and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. Here are ways to get information about changes in this course: Blackboard web page, my email address (boyd@purdue.edu), and my two phone numbers listed above.
Plagiarism
Do your own work honorably and well, giving credit to your sources. You are responsible to abide by the Purdue policies about academic dishonesty, available at http://www.purdue.edu/ODOS/osrr/integrity.htm. These policies include but are not limited to the following: Do not collaborate on an assignment unless it is expressly allowed; do not let someone else write something and turn it in on your behalf; do not use an outside source without giving credit; do not use quoted material without quotation marks. We assume that whatever you turn in, unless otherwise specified in the assignment, is your own individual work. Instances of academic dishonesty will have consequences ranging from failure of an assignment to failure of the course and referral to the Dean of Students.
Major writing assignments
Press release (50 points)
The press release is the most fundamental public relations document and is still the foundation of media relations. Given basic information and a target publication, you will write a newsworthy press release correct in form, content, grammar, and spelling.
Mini-media kit (50 points)
Put together a 3-item media kit for the organization of your choice. The easiest choice would probably be an organization with which you have some connection, whether that connection be you, a parent, or a friend. One of the items in the kit must be a press release with some newsworthy angle. For the other two items, choose the ones you think would be most appropriate from the list of possibilities we will discuss in class. All three items must be your own original work.
Public relations show and tell assignment (20 daily assignment points)
Written communication is not the only valued type of communication in public relations; spoken communication matters also. Beginning about week 4, you will be sign up for teams that will find and present either excellent or atrocious examples of public relations at work. When it is your team’s day, in 2 minutes you will show your PR artifact (6 points) and explain why it counts as public relations (6 points). You’ll also offer your opinion, with at least one good reason, as to whether it is an example of good public relations work or shoddy public relations work (8 points). All team members must participate in some way. High quality presentations with creative examples of PR or unusually perceptive critiques may be awarded 1-2 bonus points.
Grading
This class will be based on a system of 500 points.
Exam 1 100 points
Exam 2 100 points
Final exam (comprehensive) 100 points
Daily assignments 100 points
Press release 50 points
Mini-media kit 50 points
A perfect score on any assignment recognizes superior work in every respect. Simply meeting the basic requirements will result in an average grade. I will let you know with each assignment what an average score will be (typically around a high C, e.g., 38 out of 50 or 8 out of 10 points).
The grading scale for this class, subject to change via curve at the end of the semester, is:
A=448-500 (no minuses)
B+=438-447
B=408-437
B-=398-407
C+=388-397
C=358-387
C-=348-357
D+=338-347
D=308-337
D-=298-307
F=0-297
I guarantee that at least 10% of the class will earn A grades, though the percentage is usually much higher than that.
SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ALWAYS COUNT, ESPECIALLY IN PR.
Tentative Course Outline
(readings may occasionally be posted on Blackboard or announced in class)
Monday, Jan. 12: Introduction to the course
Wednesday, Jan. 14: Public relations
Friday, Jan. 16: Publics
Monday, Jan. 19: NO CLASS—Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Process of public relations
Friday, Jan. 23: Models of public relations
Monday, Jan. 26: History of public relations I
Wednesday, Jan. 28: History of public relations II
Friday, Jan. 30: History of public relations III
Monday, Feb. 2: The public relations profession/finding a job or internship in public relations
Wednesday, Feb. 4: Public opinion
Friday, Feb. 6: Public relations research
Monday, Feb. 9: Public relations ethics
Wednesday, Feb. 11: Public relations ethics/ghostwriting/exam review
Friday, Feb. 13: EXAM I
Monday, Feb. 16: What is newsworthy?
Wednesday, Feb. 18: Guest speaker: Trish Taylor
Friday, Feb. 20: Clear and correct public relations writing
Monday, Feb. 23: AP style
Wednesday, Feb. 25: Writing a press release
Friday, Feb. 27: Public diplomacy and nation branding (Claudia)
Monday, March 2: Press release writing workshop
Wednesday, March 4: Media relations: broadcast
Friday, March 6: Media relations: interviews
Press release assignment due
Monday, March 9: Public relations and new technologies
Wednesday, March 11: Public relations and new technologies/Web 2.0
Friday, March 13: Legal aspects of public relations
Monday, March 16: NO CLASS--SPRING BREAK
Wednesday, March 18: NO CLASS--SPRING BREAK
Friday, March 20: NO CLASS--SPRING BREAK
Monday, March 23: Corporate social responsibility/cause branding
Final day to drop a class
Wednesday, March 25: Recruiting/exam review
Friday, March 27: EXAM II
Monday, March 30: Media kit ingredients
Wednesday, April 1: Media kit ingredients
Friday, April 3: Non-profit public relations and philanthropy
Monday, April 6: Fundraising and development
Wednesday, April 8: Community relations
Mini-media kits due
Friday, April 10: Consumer relations
Monday, April 13: Financial PR
Wednesday, April 15: Issue management
Friday, April 17: Crisis management
Monday, April 20: Crisis management exercise
Wednesday, April 22: Cross-cultural and international public relations
Friday, April 24: Cross-cultural and international public relations
Monday, April 27: Public relations advertising/Sponsorship
Wednesday, April 29: Public relations in government
Friday, May 1: Exam review
Monday, May 4: Exam week begins