Communications Chapter 1 Homework Class Lectures Students Are Not Permitted Record Class Lectures Unless They Receive

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or in any written communication with your classmates and/or your instructor. Students who are verbally or

physically aggressive towards the instructor or another student before, during, or after class can be removed

from the course and/or receive a significant grade penalty. This is not an exhaustive list of inappropriate

and/or disruptive behaviors; rather, it represents examples of the types of things that can have a dramatic

impact on the class environment.

If plagiarism is suspected, I will contact you to schedule a meeting. During that meeting, we will review your

assignment and discuss the plagiarism allegations. If we both agree that plagiarism did not take place, no

further action is needed. If I believe plagiarism did take place, I will follow University guidelines for handling

academic misconduct. Those guidelines can be found at INSERT URL. Please note that sanctions for

committing plagiarism in COM 415 will depend on the severity of the plagiarism and can range from a grade

penalty on an assignment to failing the course. Should you choose not to attend the initial meeting with me to

discuss the allegations, I am required to notify the Office of Student Conduct about the plagiarism charges.

Submitting Assignments: Because journal assignments are completed in class, they can be hand-written.

You will need to bring paper and a writing utensil to each class session for journal assignments. All other

written assignments must be typed and stapled in the upper left hand corner. You will be required to

turn in a hard copy of the assignment at the beginning of class on the date in which the assignment is

due. Additionally, the research paper also must be submitted via Turn It In on Webcampus.

Attendance/Absences: Attendance will be taken regularly. If you miss class it is your responsibility to get the

material you missed from one of your classmates. I do NOT provide students with lecture notes or Power Point

slides. As explained below, the consequences for missing class, and the procedures to follow for missing class,

depend on what you missed and whether your absence is excused or unexcused.

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Missed Journals: The journals cannot be made up, regardless of whether or not you have an excused

absence. The only exceptions to this are 1) missing class for a religious observance, 2) missing class

because you are representing UNLV in an official capacity at a university sanctioned event, and 3) you are

a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and are required to perform a duty for that service which will require

you to miss class. With all three of these exceptions, you will need to inform me of the absence in advance;

additionally, for exceptions 2 and 3, you will need to provide the proper documentation. In all three of these

exceptions, it is your responsibility to arrange a makeup assignment with me and to do so in a timely

manner.

Missed Presentation Days: If you miss class on the day in which your group is scheduled to present and

the absence is unexcused, you will receive a 0 for the presentation. If you miss the presentation and have

what you believe is a legitimate reason (one I would consider an “excused absence”), you must e-mail me

within 24 hours of the missed class, letting me know why you were not there. You will then have one week

from the date of the missed presentation to provide me with the documentation AND to make up the

presentation (if it’s allowed to be made up). Documentation will not be accepted after the one week

deadline. If a make-up is permitted, a 20% per day penalty may be assessed.

Absences are excused at the instructor’s discretion and only under certain circumstances. Generally, an absence

is deemed “excused” under four circumstances:

1. You are participating in an official university-sanctioned event (such as competing

for the debate team or an athletic team, for example). If you have to miss class for an

official university-sanctioned activity, you need to provide documentation in writing

from the appropriate university official. I will need to be notified of the absence at least

one week in advance. Generally, you will have one week from the date of the absence to

2. You will be missing class because of a religious observance and practice. It is your

responsibility to notify me of the intended absence by the end of the second week of

class. It is also your responsibility to make the necessary arrangements with me— in

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3. You are a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and are required to perform a duty for

that service which requires you to miss class. You will need to provide documentation

in writing from the appropriate government official. You will have one week from the

4. You have an emergency and can provide documentation of that emergency. An

example of such an emergency is if you are too ill to come to class; you must have a

signed (and dated) document from your doctor saying you had to miss class because of

your illness. Or, for example, if you miss class because of the death of a loved one, an

Please note that work-related absences and personal absences (for example, a family vacation) are generally

NOT excused, so plan accordingly. There are some circumstances (for example, a wedding out of town) in

which I will allow you to turn in an assignment early or take an exam early, as long as such accommodations

are reasonable and you have documentation of the event. As the instructor, I reserve the right to determine

such circumstances, as well as what qualifies as reasonable accommodation and acceptable documentation.

Late Work: All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day designated. Late penalties will be

instituted in the following manner:

• Assignments turned in on the same day that they are due but after they are collected in

class will receive a 10% deduction. It does not matter if your paper is 1 minute late or 74

minutes late—all papers turned in on the due date but after I have collected papers in

class will receive a 10% reduction.

• Assignments turned in after the due date will receive a 20% deduction for every DAY

(not every class day) they are late.

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Extra Credit: There is NO guarantee that extra credit will be offered in this class. I will NOT create new

assignments allowing you to make up points for assignments you did not do, or for assignments on which you did

poorly. There are times when researchers in the Department of Communication Studies conduct research and seek

communication students as research participants. If the opportunity arises this semester for you to participate in a

study and receive extra credit for such participation, you will be notified in class or on WebCampus. Please note

however, that there are semesters when such extra credit is not available; thus, you should not be planning on this.

Technology:

WebCampus: I will be using WebCampus for class announcements, grade postings, and instructions and

rubrics for assignments. Please check WebCampus regularly.

Laptops & iPads: Because we have so many journal articles, I will allow students to use laptops and

iPads in class, as long as everyone stays on task. If a student is caught doing anything besides referring to

a journal article during such classes (i.e., checking Facebook or ESPN.com, texting, or doing anything that

is not related to the classroom task at hand) or taking notes, permission to use electronic devices during

class will be revoked for the entire class—everyone will be required to print out the articles. Please do not

be the student who creates a huge inconvenience and/or expense for everyone else in the class.

Bringing Children to Class: Students are not permitted to bring children to class.

Grade Appeals: If you receive a grade you feel is unfair, you must e-mail me no later than one week after the

assignment has been returned, and your email must detail how you fulfilled the requirements. You must specifically

address the items/areas where you lost points and provide specific examples in your assignment where you met the

A tentative Course Schedule is below. This schedule is subject to change. Students will be notified of any

changes in class and/or via WebCampus.

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TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

Date

Class Agenda

Assignment or Reading Due

WEEK 1

Tues 1/19

-Syllabus

-Course Introductions

-Syllabus

Thurs 1/21

-Introduction to the Family

-Chapter 1

WEEK 2

-Scholarly Journal Article: Koenig

Thurs 1/28

-Circumplex Model

-Chapter 2 pages 24-38

WEEK 3

Tues 2/2

-Boundaries

-Overparenting vs. Free-Range Parenting

-Chapter 2 pages 42-45

-Scholarly Journal Article: Segrin et al.

(2013)

-Wergin (2015) NYT essay

–Dell’Antonia (2015) NYT essay

Thurs 2/4

-Millennials as Parents

-Introduce Group Metaphor Assignment

-Steinmetz (2015) TIME article

-Chapter 2 pages 38-42; 45-55

-Assignment posted WebCamp

WEEK 4

Tues 2/9

NO CLASS: Groups Meet Out of Class to Work on Family

Metaphor Presentations

-Scholarly Journal Article: Pawlowski

et al. (2001)

Thurs 2/11

GROUP PRESENTATIONS: FAMILY METAPHORS

GROUP PRESENTATIONS: FAMILY

WEEK 5

Tues 2/16

-Systems Theory

-Chapter 3 pages 57-71

et al. (2009)

Braithwaite et al. (2008)

WEEK 6

Tues 2/23

-REFLECTION PAPERS DUE

-Narrative Paradigm

-Family Stories

-Introduce Research Paper Assignment

-Introduce Article Summary Assignment

-Family Secrets

-Chapter 4 pages 82-99

REFLECTION PAPERS DUE

-Chapter 3 pages 74-77

-Chapter 4 pages 99-108

-Assignments posted on WebCampus

WEEK 7

Tues 3/1

-Conflict in Families

-Chapter 9

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Thurs 3/3

-MIDTERM EXAM

Bring a scantron and pencil to class!

WEEK 8

Tues 3/8

Thurs 3/10

-Relational Maintenance w/in other Family Subsystems &

the Family Unit

-Chapter 5 pages 114-119; 121-130

WEEK 9

Tues 3/15

-Forgiveness in Families

-Chapter 6 pages 148-154

-Scholarly Journal Article: Carr &

Wang (2012)

Thurs 3/17

-ARTICLE SUMMARY #2 DUE

-Parent Child Communication about Sex and Sexuality

-ARTICLE SUMMARY #2 DUE

-Chapter 6 pages 131-148

WEEK 10

Tues 3/22

NO CLASS—SPRING BREAK

Thurs 3/24

NO CLASS—SPRING BREAK

WEEK 11

Tues 3/29

-Power, Influence, & Decision Making

-Chapter 8 pages 179-193

WEEK 12

Tues 4/5

-ARTICLE SUMMARY #3 DUE

-Family Roles

-ARTICLE SUMMARY #3 DUE

-Chapter 7 pages 155-173

–Ludden’s (2014) NPR story “‘You’re

Not Alone’”

-Weisberg (2015) NYT story

Thurs 4/7

-Types of Couples and Families

-Graduate Student Leads Discussion

-Chapter 7 pages 173-178

-Scholarly Journal Article: TBA

WEEK 13

Tues 4/12

-Family Com & Well-Being

-Chapter 12 pages 308-321

Thurs 4/14

-Talking about Money & Technology

-Graduate Student Leads Discussion

WEEK 14

WEEK 15

Tues 4/26

-Unpredictable Stress: The Double ABCX Model

-Chapter 11 pages 278-286; 294-297

-Scholarly Journal Article: Manning et

al. (2011)

-Chapter 12 pages 321-328

-Scholarly Journal Article: TBA

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WEEK 17

Thursday May

12th

FINAL EXAM

3:10pm – 5:10pm

-Bring a scantron and pencil!

Citation information for each scholarly journal article and online news story appears below. Scholarly

journal articles and the TIME magazine article will be posted to WebCampus under “Course Content.”

You will need to access all NPR and The New York Times articles by clicking on the links below.

Braithwaite, D. O., Toller, P. W., Daas, K. L., Durham, W. T., & Jones, A. C. (2008). Centered but not caught in the

middle: Stepchildren’s perceptions of dialectical contradictions in the communication of co-parents.

Jacobs, K., & Sillars, A. (2012). Sibling support during post-divorce adjustment: An idiographic analysis of support

forms, functions, and relationship types. Journal of Family Communication, 12, 167-187. doi:

10.1080/15267431.2011.584056

Koenig Kellas, J., & Suter, E. (2012). Accounting for lesbian-headed families: Lesbian mothers’ responses to

discursive challenges. Communication Monographs, 79, 475-498. doi:

10.1080/03637751.2012.723812.

Pawlowski, D. R., Thilborger, C., & Cieloha-Meekins, J. (2001). Prisons, old cars, and Christmas trees: A

metaphoric analysis of familial communication. Communication Studies, 52, 180-196. doi:

10.1080/10510970109388553

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Segrin, C., Woszidlo, A., Givertz, M., & Montgomery, N. (2013). Parent and child traits associated with

overparenting. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 32, 569-595. doi:

10.1521/jscp.2013.32.6.569

Steinmetz, K. (2015). Help! My parents are millennials. TIME, 186(17), 36-43.

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S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 C O U R S E S Y L L A B U S

C O M S 3 6 5 , S E C T I O N 0 0 1 / H N R S 3 0 9 , S E C T I O N 0 0 2

F A M I L Y C O M M U N I C A T I O N

MWF 1:00 pm-1:50 pm

LOCATION

“In every conceivable manner, family is the link to our past, bridge to our future.” – Alex Haley

C O U R S E D E S C R I P T I O N

Students will gain an understanding of how communication functions to develop, maintain, enrich, or

limit family relationships and develop an understanding of functional families across a wide range of

structures and cultural backgrounds.

C O U R S E O B J E C T I V E S

The goals of this class are to:

1. Recognize the impact of personality and communication styles on family relationships.

2. Recognize the developmental stages of family relationships.

3. Analyze family relationships and family functioning using various theoretical perspectives.

4. Develop and implement family relationship enhancement and enrichment strategies.

R E Q U I R E D T E X T

Galvin, K. M., Braithwaite, D. O., & Bylund, C. L. (2015). Family communication: Cohesion and change (9th

ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

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A D A S T A T E M E N T

The University provides equal opportunity to qualified students. If you have a disability (medical,

physical, learning, psychological, etc.) and wish to request disability-related accommodations to complete

course requirements, contact Disability Support Services (INSERT LOCATION/PHONE). Course

requirements cannot be waived, but reasonable accommodations may be provided based on disability

documentation and course objectives. Accommodations cannot be made retroactively.

P L A G I A R I S M A N D A C A D E M I C D I S H O N E S T Y

It is the policy of the University to penalize instances of plagiarism and academic dishonesty, defined as

any of the following: using the exact words of another person’s work/writing without acknowledgment

of your source through the use of quotation marks and correct citation/documentation; rephrasing a

S T U D E N T E – M A I L S T A T E M E N T

E-mail is an official means of communication among students, faculty, and administrators at the

University and may be THE official means of communication between you and your instructors. You

may receive very important e-mail messages from offices on campus for which some timely response will

be required. The official email system for students is identified by INSERT URL and can be accessed via

the link on the University home page, INSERT URL. Please remember that: You are responsible for

monitoring and managing your account regularly, even during breaks. You are responsible for all

announcements, requests, and/or sensitive information delivered to your e-mail account, including

information related to this course.

C O U R S E P O L I C I E S

Attendance: Regular attendance will help you succeed in this class. Each time you attend class, you have

the opportunity to provide valuable insights and contributions to class discussion. I will pass around a

sign-in sheet at the beginning of class to record attendance. Please make sure that you have signed the

sign-in sheet. Three unexcused absences will result in the loss of five points from the participation grade

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24/7 Rule: In the event that you receive a grade that you would like to discuss, please wait 24 hours to

raise your concerns. This time is provided for you to review all comments that I made and develop your

thinking before we talk. After 24 hours but within seven days of receiving your grade, please make an

appointment with me or visit my office hours to discuss your concerns and ways to help improve your

work on future assignments. An appeal for any grade assigned in the course must be submitted in

writing no later than seven days after receiving your grade. After seven days, all grades are final.

Presentation Etiquette: On presentation days, you will either be a presenter or an audience member. As a

presenter, dress professionally (appropriate, conservative attire). As an audience member, be attentive.

Please refrain from entering or leaving the room while a presentation is in progress. Because most people

are nervous when they present, it is important that you are supportive both verbally and non-verbally.

G R A D I N G

You will be tested on your knowledge of the information in the textbook, as well as information

discussed in class. You will be given four examinations consisting of questions based on the textbook and

class notes. You will also be required to complete two assignments.

A

450–500

B

400–449

C

350–399

D

300–349

F

0-299

Assignment

Your Points

Possible Points

Exams

200

140

160

M O D I F I C A T I O N S T O S Y L L A B U S

I reserve the right to modify the syllabus and schedule at any time during the semester. Adequate notice

of changes will be given to all students.

F I N A L N O T E S O N P O L I C Y

S C H E D U L E O F T O P I C S A N D R E A D I N G S

Day

Date

In Class

What’s Due

Wed

Jan 10

Introduction to COMS 365/HNRS 309

Fri

Jan 12

Ch. 1 Introduction to the Family

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Mon

Jan 15

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – No Class

Wed

Jan 17

Finish Ch. 1

Fri

Jan 19

Ch. 2 Framework for Family Communication

Mon

Jan 22

Finish Ch. 2

Wed

Jan 24

Ch. 3 Family Theories

Fri

Jan 26

Finish Ch. 3/Exam Review

Mon

Jan 29

Exam 1 (Ch. 1–3)

Fri

Feb 2

Finish Ch. 4

Mon

Feb 5

Ch. 5 Relational Maintenance within Families

Wed

Feb 7

Finish Ch. 5

Fri

Feb 9

College Night – No Class

Mon

Feb 12

Ch. 6 Intimacy within Partnerships and Families

Wed

Feb 14

Finish Ch. 6/Exam Review

Fri

Feb 16

Exam 2 (Ch. 4–6)

Mon

Feb 19

Work on Family Narrative Analysis

Wed

Feb 21

Work on Family Narrative Analysis

Fri

Feb 23