Goal

The goal of this course is to provide an introduction to media law and ethics.  This is facilitated by your reading, writing, and class participation, and by our community of intellectuals, of which you are a crucial member.   Before I started preparing this class, I was under the impression that the semester could be divided into two distinct intellectual categories:  ethical questions, with their inherent uncertainties, and legal ones, which provide greater clarity.   After much research, I have come to realize that I had set up a false dichotomy: law, too, is an uncertain field, one which is by definition an exercise in competing truth claims.  I hope you will join me in the thrill of these intellectual questions.

Your responsibilities

I expect you to attend every class, to show up on time, and to read (and reread) every word of the assignments. Completion of this course entails completion of all work.  Beyond that, of course, I look forward to a lively exchange of ideas in your papers and in our discussions.  Extensions must be requested prior to due dates; without an extension, late work will be penalized a full letter grade per day.  You should also inform me of legitimate medical excuses, special learning needs, or schedule conflicts of a religious nature. 

Assignments and Tests; grading

Occasional quizzes, oral questions during class (15% of preliminary grade)

I will give occasional pop quizzes throughout the semester.  Some of these will be open-note, some not.  Like a typical law school professor, I will also call on students, randomly, to answer basic questions about the readings.  Unlike many law school professors, I will be gentle.  However, the questions will probe your thoughts on ethical and legal issues and will test how well you have read the assignment.

Three tests (40% of preliminary grade)

The first test will be open-note, mainly multiple choice, but with at least one essay.   I will announce the structure of the other two tests later in the semester.

Group oral reports (15% of preliminary grade)

In March, we will be conducting a series of mock trials focusing on issues pertaining to media law.

Essay (20% of preliminary grade)

This will be a five page essay on an ethical topic of your choosing.  More on this later.

Take-home final (10% of preliminary grade)

This is a short essay on a legal topic.

After your work is complete, I will use a spreadsheet to calculate your preliminary grade. Then I look at participation, improvement, attendance, and other factors to determine a final grade.

I don’t bite!

I encourage you to stop by during office hours or to phone if you wish to discuss any aspect of the course, including how it might be improved.  It’s been my experience that some of the best learning happens in small groups or in one-on-one conversations outside of class.

Readings

The textbook for this class is Wayne Overbeck, Major Principles of Media Law. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2001.  All other readings can be found on the schedule page.  You should check my Web page for updates and hyperlinks to the readings.

Plagiarism

Read the plagiarism handout carefully.  The bottom line is that you must take care not to use the words or ideas of others without giving them proper credit. Plagiarism is surprisingly easy to detect; if you plagiarize, you'll fail this course and could be expelled from St. Michael’s.  Plagiarism is wrong, but learning about it need not be fraught with anxiety; I am happy to answer your questions about what is and is not plagiarism.