Course Syllabus

Spring 2025 | ENG-2050-VN02 - Global Issues in the Media

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Peter Cohen
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Cindy Swanson

General Education Requirements

VSCS Humanistic Perspectives
CCV Writing and Research

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This writing course examines the worldwide reporting of key issues in a range of audio, print, and electronic media. Students will study and write about several of the most significant issues facing today's world and discover how the language and style employed in creating and communicating news can affect public understanding and response to world events. Students must complete a final research paper with a grade of C- or better in order to pass this course. This course fulfills the research and writing intensive requirement. Prerequisite: English Composition.

Essential Objectives

1. Explore and analyze how a diversity of media sources (including radio, television, blogs, the foreign press, newspapers, weeklies, and narrative journalism) cover important global issues.
2. Analyze the role of journalism and journalists at important times throughout history, and learn the role of journalists within news organizations to better understand collection, evaluation, and dissemination of information as it relates to the research process.
3. Discuss and describe the purpose and power of rhetoric--including the media's use of informal spoken communication, sound bites, images, and speeches--and how it relates to understanding ethical issues involved in reporting and interpreting media communication.
4. Critically examine and reflect on the ways perception of contemporary world events is shaped by the medium in which they are communicated, including social media, crowd-sourced reporting, and official and unofficial blogs.
5. Examine global news reporting across different media platforms, both national and international, for differences in the selection of stories, and explore racial, gendered, historical, political, economic, and cultural biases in reporting.
6. Demonstrate consistent and confident use of standard English conventions, including grammar, usage, organization, and mechanics.
7. Demonstrate information literacy skills: distinguish between and utilize both primary and secondary sources; perform library and web-based literature searches; and evaluate data and resources for credibility, reliability, and validity.
8. Demonstrate the ability to apply either APA or MLA citation styles in academic writing by parenthetically citing sources in the text and correctly compiling them in the relevant end sources page.
9. Compose, revise, and edit a final paper that includes a thesis, integrates five or more scholarly and professional sources, including primary and secondary evidence as needed, to address an academic research question and demonstrate writing proficiency by achieving a grade of C- or better.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

This course will employ a variety of possible activities in order to convey the material to the student, such as:

• Active reading: finding and identifying main ideas
• Note-taking: taking notes from lectures and readings in an effective manner.
• Writing: summarizing written information; organizing information to present and support a basic thesis in clear and correct English.
• Research and documentation: using the library (including electronic resources) and internet resources effectively.
• Analysis and synthesis: comparing and contrasting terms and definitions; distinguishing between terms and concepts; distinguishing between primary and secondary sources
• Testing: preparing for tests/quizzes.
• Interactive group and/or team work
• Debates
• Oral presentation

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Activities % Timeline

Writing Assignments (4) 40 Weeks 2-10

Research Project 50 Weeks 2-15

Library Assignment 15 Week 6

Essay Outline 15 Week 10

Final Essay 20 Week 15

Participation 10 Week 1-15

Writing Assignments --May include:

• Critical Analysis: Write about the argument or reasoning of an author’s work. Evaluate.
• Reflection:Write abouthowa work studied in classhaschanged your thinking or challenges your assumptions. This writing is personal, drawing on your reactions, feelings, or experiences, in a way that shows a change or progression in thinking.
• Response:Write what you think based on your own experience, opinions, and ideas. Refer to specific ideas or information mentioned in whatever you are responding to.
• Critical Response: Take a position on an author’s work and support your position with evidence from the author’s work as well as some research on what others have said about it.

Research Project--Every student must choose an essay topic, in consultation with the instructor, and write a research paper of a minimum of 1000 words (up to a maximum of 1200 words). The research project will be worth 40% of the final mark and will be completed in three parts. The paper will demonstrate familiarity with the theories, terms and classifications introduced in the first part of the course.

Part 1 (15%) – Week 6 (Library assignment)

Students will need to pick an essay topic and do background research. Following a visit to the library, they are required to hand in the structured assignment which will serve as the basis for their essay.

Part 2 (15%) – Week 10 (Essay outline)

Students are required to outline their preliminary thesis and arguments to be employed in their essay. Students will complete a structured assignment which develops a thesis and appropriate support. All research will be fully cited in APA format. Students will use at least6 sources (scholarlybooks or journal articles – NO WIKIPEDIA or blogs).Further clarification will be offered in class.

Part 3 (20%) – Week 12 (Final essay). Further clarification will be offered in class.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Full participation requires active and thoughtful engagement in class each week. The following habits and skills are important. You'll have the opportunity to self-assess and receive instructor feedback on each of these areas at the midpoint and the end of the semester.

• Attend class regularly, on-time and for the full session
• Complete all of the week's reading and assignments before the start of class
• Listen to others attentively and with an open mind
• Positively contribute to class discussions and activities
• Ask questions and seek help when you need it
• Challenge yourself to do your best work

Missing & Late Work Policy

Submission of assignments

·Assignments may not be submitted by email. Only hard copies will be accepted.

·Work must be typed and double spaced, using one-inch (2.54cm) margins, and 12-point font.

·Include total word count on last page of text, before reference page.

·Citations must conform to American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines.

·Keep a back-up copy of all of your assignments. Computer failure is not an acceptable excuse for late or incomplete work.

·Keep all marked assignments in case a grade needs to be verified later in the term.

Late submission of assignments

Work submitted after the due date will be penalized at the rate of 10% per day, unless the student’s situation is considered an Extenuating Circumstance.Extensions may be granted depending on the circumstances, provided the circumstances are presented to the instructor at least 48 hours advanceof the due date. In general, students are strongly advised to submit work on time unless there are serious reasons preventing them from doing so.Absence does not excuse students from submitting work due. Students must make arrangements with the instructor to get the work in early or send it in with another student.

Rough drafts, re-writes, and use of writing services

Students may submit rough drafts of written assignments to the instructor for feedback no later than one weekbefore the assignment is due in class. Re-writes of assignments will not be accepted.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.