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Course Outline
CCT300: Critical Analysis of Media

** Course Section: ** ** Semester Offered: ** Fall 2010 (20109) ** Course Meeting Time: Thursday 3-5pm; 3 lab sections 6-9pm. **  ** Course Location: Sheridan J102, labs J316 ** ** Credit Value: ** 0.5  || ** Pre-requisites: ** CCT210: Only the Director of the CCIT program has the authority to give permission to waive course prerequisites. Prerequisites are enforced and students without required prerequisites **will be deregistered** from this course. ||
 * ** Course Code: ** CCT300H5F

Instructor(s)
** Professor: Michael Jones ** || ** Co-Instructor: Norman Valdez ** || ** mlw.jones@utoronto.ca ** || ** Contact Information: **__ norman.valdezchavez@sheridanc.on.ca __  ||
 * ** Contact Information: michael.jones5@sheridanc.on.ca **
 * ** Office Hours: Thursday 5-6pm ** || ** Office Hours: in labs ** ||
 * ** Blackboard/Website: **
 * http://cct300-f10.wikispaces.com ** || ||

Course Description
This course looks at historical and contemporary issues in media form and design. The goal is to outline how media forms and genre definitions emerge, as well as political and economic factors that influence our experience with media. While comics and graphic novels are a core focal point of the course, lessons learned from the critical analysis of this medium can and will be applied to other media forms. This course also has an applied component, in which students will demonstrate their knowledge through collaborating on an inventory of media genres, exploring the creation of comics, and creating culture jamming/social influence campaigns using media of their own choosing and relating to topics of their own interest.

Goals and Learning Objectives
The course provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills and other attributes in the following areas: · Classify media genres and sub-genres in a logically defensible manner · Analyze graphic novels according to principles noted in McCloud's Understanding Comics · Produce a webcomic consistent with styles and structures of comic design · Understand the history, creation and dissemination of Internet memes · Prepare a group plan to create an Internet meme for dissemination · Critique the work of student groups in a productive and empathetic manner · Present results of project in written and oral presentation Course Requirements You should arrive at class prepared to discuss the readings of the day. You will gain more out of the experience that way, and can participate more actively in class. This course has three lab sections. This is a full course - you **cannot** arbitrarily show up to the lab of your choice. To comply with safety regulations and to be fair to those who are indeed registered in the correct labs, we have to control attendance. If there are 50 people in the lab room, the 10 extra will be identified by class lists and asked to leave. Given doing a roll call disrupts lab time for those who do belong in the room, being asked to leave by roll call will negatively affect your participation mark. MLA citation style is commonly used in CCIT and is preferred, although consistent use of any common standard is acceptable. Refer to the “How Not to Plagiarize” document noted later in this syllabus for instructions on proper use of citation standards. There are five requirements in this course, described below. As McCloud notes, graphic novels have an untapped potential as a medium of expression. Since this text was written, this potential has come closer to realization. Even mainstream bookstores now have graphic novel sections. Much of the selection is largely influenced by Japanese work (manga) but there’s a strong contingent of independent Canadian production (e.g., Drawn and Quarterly press) and stories of international interest and acclaim (e.g., Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis.) In this assignment, you will investigate graphic novels by selecting a graphic novel of interest to you and analyzing it in reference to McCloud’s conceptual analysis of this emerging genre. Ways to best approach this assignment will be discussed further in lecture and lab as the deadline approaches. The paper should be approximately 5-7 pages, double-spaced. Visual examples from the work being analyzed are often a strong way of relaying your point efficiently and are encouraged. The emergence of web comics as a genre and tools such as Plasq 's Comic Life have reduced both barriers of distribution and creation, leading to a veritable explosion of alternative comics. In this assignment, you will use tools such as Comic Life (available on the J316 lab machines) or other tools you wish to create a short web comic. Principles and examples of web comics as a genre and an introduction to Comic Life will be outlined in lab. Your comic will be accompanied by a short analysis (e.g., 2-3 pages) outlining your design choices, grounding these choices back to the McCloud text and other materials. This course will be using Wikispaces to foster collaborative investigation regarding issues of relevance in this course. The course wiki can be found at http://cct300-f10.wikispaces.com/. Assistance with signing on and editing the course wiki as well as creating and linking your personal wiki to ours will be provided in labs. Each lab session will be framed around a theme or activity relevant to the course. Articles of interest associated with the week’s theme will be released weekly in labs on the course wiki with short responses to discussion questions **due on your personal wiki the following week**. You are expected to participate and respond to 8 weekly lab assignments on time, each worth 2%. Thoughtful detailed responses will be worth more than rushed ill-considered responses. **Late work will not be accepted –** you have two labs you can skip due to illness, etc. without issue, and there should be no reason why completing eight labs in ten weeks cannot be done with a modicum of effort. The remaining 4% will be allotted to participation in lecture, in lab and on the course wiki. In groups of 3-4 formed in your lab, you will work understanding the general universe of the Internet meme – videos, webpages, Facebook groups and other acts of Internet culture that are so profoundly interesting, strange or touching that the Internet latches on and spreads the content virally. Examples of memes (e.g., the attendees of ROFLCon) and meme aggregators (e.g., KnowYourMeme, Buzzfeed) will be discussed in class to prepare you for this act. On November 19 in labs, your group will present your meme in a brief (5 minute) presentation and discuss why you believe your work is memetic. Show how you’ve released your meme to the universe and discuss how you promoted it and any traction it received (note: this means you should plan to release the meme significantly before the presentation deadline!) The group should prepare a short (3 page) written presentation in defense of their efforts. Given these presentations will be done in labs, group members must all be able to present in the lab 5% of the final grade will be allocated for the group’s formation and proposal, due October 28. 20% will be reserved for the quality and effectiveness of the work created its presentation in the lab period November 18, and the written piece. Specific criteria will be discussed and outlined while groups are formed. There will be one term test in this course, held in lecture in the final week of class. This test will cover all assigned readings, and will privilege application of course concepts vs. simple regurgitation of facts, dates, or authors. Specific content covered and question structures will be discussed later in the semester as part of exam review. Pay attention to the new iCCIT policy on missing term tests. There will be a makeup exam held for those who missed the exam for valid reasons determined by the iCCIT committee. Those who do not have a valid reason for missing a test will receive a zero.
 * 1. Graphic Novel Analysis (October 7, 15%) **
 * 2. **** Comic Creation (November 4, 15 ** %)
 * 3. Lab Assignments and Participation (Ongoing - 20%) **
 * 4. Creating an Internet Meme – (October 28 proposal, November 18 presentation, total 25%) **
 * 5. Term test – (November 25 - 25%) **

There is one required text for this class:
McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding Comics. New York: Harper Perennial Online readings to complement weekly lectures are noted below. You are responsible for understanding all assigned work for the final exam.

Grading Scheme

 * ** Assignment ** || ** Weight ** || ** Due Date ** || ** Type ** ||
 * Graphic Novel Analysis ||  ** 15% **  ||   Oct. 7/10   ||   Individual   ||
 * Comic Creation ||  ** 15% **  ||   Nov. 4/10   ||   Individual   ||
 * Lab Assignments/Participation ||  ** 20%  **  ||   Ongoing   ||   Individual   ||
 * Creating Internet Meme ||  ** 25% **  ||   Nov. 18/10   ||   Group   ||
 * Term Test ||  ** 25% **  ||   Nov. 25/10   ||   Individual   ||

Final Exam

 * ** YES ** ||  ||
 * ** NO ** || ** x **  ||

Weekly Class Schedule and Readings ** Week 1 | September 9, 2010 ** ** Introduction to Critical Analysis of Media ** ** Labs: Wiki setup and creation of individual personal wiki **

** Week 2 | September 16, 2010 ** ** Understanding Mass and New Media ** ** Labs: Are video games mass or new media? ** Manovich, L. (2001), New Media from Borges to HTML []

** Week 3 | September 23, 2010 ** ** Media and genre ** ** Labs: New media genres ** Agre, P. (1998). Designing Genres for New Media: Social, Economic and Political Contexts []

** Week 4 | September 30, 2010 ** ** Comics as Genre ** ** Labs: McLuhan and Comics ** Please read through **Understanding Comics** by this date – we will be discussing it in detail!

** Week 5 | October 7, 2010: Graphic Novel Assignment Due ** ** Audience Factors ** ** Labs: On Internet Memes ** Anderson, C. (2006). The Rise and Fall of the Hit. Online: [] Downes, D. (2000) The Resurrection of the Mass Audience in the New Media Economy. The Journal of Electronic Publishing. Volume 3. Issue 1 []

** Week 6 | October 14, 2010 ** ** Economic Factors: Examples from Comics ** ** Labs: Mainstreaming of Virtual Worlds ** McCloud, S. (2001). Coins of the Realm (I Can’t Stop Thinking #5, 6) [] []

** Week 7 | October 21, 2010 ** ** Web 1.0 -> 2.0 ** ** Labs: Web 3.0 –> 4.0? ** Trippi, J. (2003). The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Chapter 1 [] Balter, D. (2004). The Word on Word of Mouth. [] Newmark, C. (2005). Why Craigslist Works, by Craig. []

** Week 8 | October 28, 2010 ** ** Guest Lecture: Norman Valdez (social networks and social capital ** ** Labs: Making the most of social media **   TBA

** Week 9 | November 4, 2010 ** ** Culture Jamming and Social Influence in the Age of Irony ** ** Labs: Culture Jamming ** Heath, J. & Potter A. (2002) The Rebel Sell. This Magazine, November [] Examples of Culture Jamming in Practice []

** Week 10 | November 11, 2010 ** ** Objectivity, Truth and Propaganda ** ** Labs: On “truthiness” ** Clips from OutFoxed, Daily Show and Network Kohut, A. (2000). Self- Censorship: Counting the Ways. Columbia Journalism Review, May/June. Online: []

** Week 11 | November 18, 2010 ** ** Rise of the Conceptual Age and Course Wrap Up ** ** Labs: Internet Meme presentations (no lab assignment) ** Pink, D. (2005) Revenge of the Right Brain. Wired Magazine, February [] McLeod, H. (2004). How To Be Creative []

** Week 12 | November 25, 2010 ** ** Final Test ** ** Labs: N/A **

E-Culture Policy Only student Utormail accounts should be used for course communication and all emails from students must include the course code in the subject line and should be signed with the full student name and student number. Be aware that in any online communication, you’re making an impression to the reader the moment they read your note. Not showing up for class in weeks and then asking for an extension with a subject saying “plz plz plz sir i neeeeeeeed an xtenshun” does not make a great first impression. Our course will be run on the CCT300 Fall 2010 wiki at http://cct300-f10.wikispaces.com. Wiki etiquette rules will be discussed in the first class. This wiki is our space. You are free to edit most material as much as I am, and you’re encouraged to take leadership in making our space a comfortable and engaging one. Do be aware that is publicly viewable and indexed by Google – don’t put things up there you’re not comfortable divulging to others, including personal information such as your student number. You are encouraged to ask questions in class, on the wiki (the FAQ pages are a good source for questions and answers), and through email directly to me. I generally answer email within 24 hours – sometimes much quicker. If there is a time this becomes impossible, I’ll let you know. Late Assignments, Extensions and Missed Term Tests You are expected to complete assignments on time. There will be a penalty for lateness of 3% deducted per day and work that is not handed in one week after the due date will not be accepted. As of September 2010, students are required to declare their absence on ROSI, in order to receive academic accommodation for any course work such as missed tests, late assignments, and final examinations. In addition to this policy, students must also adhere to the following CCIT policy after declaring an absence on ROSI.

Deadline extensions will be granted only for a compelling reason and with appropriate documentation and students should contact instructors immediately, and no later than the due date, if a deadline cannot be met.

Students who miss a term test for reasons entirely beyond their control (eg. illness or accident) must, within one week of the missed test, submit an official request to the INSTITUTE (not the instructor) by completing a //Special Consideration Form// that explains the reason for missing the test. This form can be picked up at any ICCIT Office and should be submitted to the CCIT Undergraduate Counsellor, Rose Antonio (CCT 3022) along with the ORIGINAL supporting documentation (eg. a medical certificate, death certificate, etc.). A departmental committee will review requests and students whose requests are approved will be contacted by the instructor via email to arrange a date and time for a makeup test. Medical certificates or Doctor’s Notes must include the statement: “[Name of student] was unable to write the test on [date] for medical reasons.” Documentation must show that the physician was consulted within one day of the test. A statement merely confirming the report of an illness made by a student is not acceptable. You are responsible for providing an accurate phone number and email address on your Special Consideration Form. Although the Undergraduate Counsellor and/or Instructor informs you by email, it is your responsibility to obtain the decision from the department. Claims that a departmental decision was not received will not be considered as reason for further consideration. Academic Integrity From the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters: // “It shall be an offence for a student knowingly: // // (d) to represent as one's own any idea or expression of an idea or work of another in any academic examination or term test or in connection with any other form of academic work, i.e. to commit plagiarism.” // Wherever in the Code an offence is described as depending on "knowing", the offence shall likewise be deemed to have been committed if the person ought reasonably to have known. Honesty and fairness are considered fundamental to the University’s mission, and, as a result, all those who violate those principles are dealt with as if they were damaging the integrity of the University itself. When students are suspected of cheating or a similar academic offence, they are typically surprised at how formal and seriously the matter is dealt with – and how severe the consequences can be if it is determined that cheating did occur. The University of Toronto treats academic offences very seriously. Students should note that copying, plagiarizing, or other forms of academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Any student caught engaging in such activities will be subject to academic discipline ranging from a mark of zero on the assignment, test or examination to dismissal from the University as outlined in the UTM calendar. Any student abetting or otherwise assisting in such misconduct will also be subject to academic penalties. Students are assumed to be informed about plagiarism and are expected to be familiar the handout, titled "Plagiarism and Reference Format". [|//How Not to Plagiarize//] (http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize) written by Margaret Procter, is a valuable and succinct source of information on the topic. You are also supposed to be familiar, and considered as being familiar, with the //Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters// (see UTM Calendar: Codes and Policies or http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/behaveac.htm) and //Code of Student Conduct// (http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/studentc.htm), which spell out your rights, your duties and provide all the details on grading regulations and academic offenses at the University of Toronto. Classroom Management Students are expected to come to class on time, turn off cell phones and pagers and to use laptops in class for note-taking only (not for web surfing, email, viewing movies etc.). Religious Observance Information about the University’s Policy on Scheduling of Classes and Examinations and Other Accommodations for Religious Observances is at []. Other Resources The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered with the AccessAbility Resource Centre. Please let me know in advance, preferably in the first week of class, if you will require any accommodation on these grounds. To schedule a registration appointment with a disability advisor, please call the centre at 905-569-4699 or e-mail at: [|access.utm@utoronto.ca]. Students can visit the Academic Skills Centre to consult with one of its strategists about understanding learning style, developing study plans for upcoming tests/exams, or discussing papers. Special Diagnostic Assessments are also offered and are designed to help you learn exactly where you stand with respect to critical academic skills. The University of Toronto boasts the biggest academic library in Canada and the second biggest in North America. Various services are available to students at the UTM Library and across the UofT library system. Services include borrowing, interlibrary loans, online references, laptop loans and the RBC Learning Commons. For more information, visit **[|http://library.utm.utoronto.ca]**. Every attempt will be made to follow this syllabus, but its contents are subject to change, according to the rules as outlined in the UTM Instructor’s Handbook, section 3.2.2.
 * AccessAbility **
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 * Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre **
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 * UTM Library (Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre) **