Comm.

350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 1

Public Relations Theory

Section 0301 Th/Th 9:30-10:45 a.m. TYD 1108 Instructor: Rowena L. Briones Email: rbriones@umd.edu Phone: (301) 405-8976 Twitter: @RLBriones (Class Hashtag: #COMM350) LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rbriones Office Hours: Thursdays 1-3 p.m., after class, or by appointment Office: Skinner 2100 Public relations is a diverse field that involves strategically managing relationships with key individuals and groups. Public relations programs support corporate citizenship, marketing, financial, fundraising, employee, community, government, and other objectives. Above all else, effective public relations management requires superior critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. COMM350 is one of the first required courses in the public relations track and the foundation course on which all other public relations courses rest. In this course you will learn about the history, contemporary status, and future of the public relations field. You will learn theories and social science methods applicable to the research, planning, communication, and evaluation of public relations campaigns and practices. By the end of the semester you will: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Examine the history, current practice and future directions of the public relations field, Be familiar with the public relations functions and specialties, Identify the elements of successful public relations programs (RPIE), Understand the theoretical underpinnings and models in effective public relations, and Understand how to evaluate and creatively manage contemporary public relations issues.

PREREQUISITES
COMM 350 is restricted to communication majors and has a prerequisite of COMM 250.

REQUIRED BOOK
Lattimore, D., Baskin, O., Heiman, S. T., & Toth, E. L. (2011). Public relations: The profession and practice. 4th edition. New York: McGraw Hill. (ISBN:978007351205-1)

RECOMMENDED BOOKS and PR INDUSTRY RESOURCES

Book Hansen-Horn, T., & Neff, B. D. (2008). Public relations: From theory to practice. New York: Pearson. (ISBN: 0205393551) The following list of PR industry resources will help you with the course assignments as well as introduce you to the PR field. This list is not exhaustive and should only be used as a starting point to learn more about PR. Directories of PR Blogs
PR Blogs List PR and Marketing Blogs Suggestions for PR Professionals to Follow on Twitter More Suggestions for PR Professionals to Follow on Twitter Suggested PR-related Twitter Chats

Online Publications
Advertising Age: http://adage.com/ Bulldog Reporter: http://www.bulldogreporter.com PR Newswire: http://www.prnewswire.com/ PR Week: http://www.prweekus.com/ Ragan Communications: http://www.ragan.com

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 2 Professional Associations

Public Relations Society of America: http://www.prsa-org and http://www.prssa.org and http://www.prsa-ncc.org International Association of Business Communicators: http://www.iabc.com/ National Association of Government Communicators: http://www.nagc.com/

COURSE WORK
Assignments In-Class and Take-Home Assignments 150 points News Report PR Analysis Paper Case Study Background Analysis Team Paper Team Presentation Peer Evaluations Assessments: Quizzes Mid-Term Final Exam Participation and Professionalism Total 50 points 100 points 150 points 100 points 200 points 20 points 30 points 50 points 100 points

Points
300

%
30%

350

35%

300

30%

50 1,000

5% 100%

Extra Credit: Opportunities to earn a maximum of 20 extra-credit points include:

o o o o o SONA study PR and Pop Culture Paper Attending a PRSSA speaker session (and writing a report) Volunteering for first News Reports Extra-credit questions on exams 10 points 10 points 5 points 5 points Varies by exam

GRADING SCALE
A+ A AC+ C C970-1000 930-970 900930 770-800 730-770 70-730
pts

B+ B BD+ D DF

870-900 830-870 800-830 670-700 630-670 600-630 59 or lower

***Note***: In order to not violate the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), I will not discuss your grades via email. You are encouraged to meet with me before/after class or come to my office hours or schedule an appointment (which you can do via email) to discuss your performance and ways to improve. Please try to schedule an appointment within one week of the particular assignment/exam grade is due. I will not have office hours/make appointments after the last day of class. Finally, keep in mind that grades are not up for negotiation. When meeting with me the focus will be on how to improve your future performance.

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 3

TYPES OF COURSEWORK

1. Class Assignments
A. Minor Assignments: 1.1 PR Scavenger Hunt 1.2 PR Definition 1.3 Ethics Exercise 1.4 Research Exercise 1.5 Creativity Exercises (x5) 1.6 Program Planning 1.7 Media Review 1.8 SWOT Analysis

30%

300 Points
150 points 10 points 10 points 20 points 20 points 30 points 20 points 20 points 20 points

Throughout the semester students will have in-class and take-home assignments:

B. PR News Report 50 points Throughout the semester, students will give one brief news report (approximately 2-3 minutes; no visuals necessary) about a current issue related to public relations. Your report should include a summary of the issue and a brief analysis of the public relations objectives, strategies, and evaluation employed, incorporating relevant course concepts. In addition, you should use at least one PR theory to analyze your report. Finally, you should prepare 2-4 questions to ask the class at the end of your oral report, which should be typed at the end of your written report. Reports start on Week 3, students presenting on 9/14 receive 5 extra credit points. On the day of your presentation, you should bring a copy of your news source (if it is a broadcast piece naturally you cant). Sources include local, national, and international broadcast and print media, digital/social media, newswires, and trade publications. On the day you give your oral report, you also will turn in a 2-3 page summary of your news report. Your news report is worth a total of 10 points (five points for the oral presentation and five points for the paper). C. PR Analysis Paper 100 points You must select ONE of the following options for a 5-page paper due Apr. 10. Another can be selected for Assignment D. For all assignments, you should integrate applied public relations principles and theories from the course to support your analysis. Detailed instructions and tips for each option are posted on Blackboard under Assignments including required elements for each option. All options will o Explore a Public Relations Specialty: For this option you will conduct secondary research on a public relations specialty such as the ones covered the second half of the course (e.g., media relations, nonprofit public relations, consumer relations, etc.) or a specialty not covered in this course such as fashion or sports public relations. The paper must include at least five references about the specialty such as industry articles, text book chapters, and blog posts. The paper should serve as in introduction to the specialty answering questions such as how many jobs are in that specialty, what are the daily activities of public relations professionals in the specialty, who are some large organizations in that specialty, etc. Interview a Public Relations Professional: For this option you will interview a public relations professional for at least 30 minutes from any organization. The interview can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via Skype (but not via email) and cant be conducted working with a classmate. The professional can work for your case study organization, but cant be your primary contact. You can include the interview in your final case study paper/presentation. During the interview, you must ask at least five questions that should be included in an appendix in your paper. Your analysis must include course principles and theories. Participate in a Public Relations Twitter Chat: For this option you will participate in any Twitter Chat related to public relations for at least one hour sending out at least 2 tweets during this chat. Your paper will cover what you learned from the experience, integrating course principles and theories.

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 4 o Attend a Public Relations Lecture: For this option you will attend a public relations lecture and write a paper summarizing key lessons learned from the lecture, integrating course principles and theories. For this option you must receive advance approval for the lecture you plan on attending via email for any lecture other than the Grunig Lecture to ensure that the topic is sufficiently relevant to this course.

2. PR Case Study

35%

350 points

Project overview In small groups of 3-5 students, you will apply public relations theory and principles in analyzing how public relations is practiced in an organization that you select. You will work with a team to review public relations functions and programming at an organization. You can select your team, the specialty (corporate, government, or nonprofit) and suggest organizational choices. The choice needs to be approved by the instructor. The organization must have an in-house public relations staff (full-time focus on PR); no public relations or marketing agencies. Your case study paper will summarize and evaluate the organizations public relations practices. Depending upon the size of your selected organization, you may want to analyze only a portion of the organizations public relations practices (e.g., employee communication, investor relations, crisis communication, etc.) or a specific campaign. Regardless of the approach you take, your report should include a SWOT analysis (strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats), incorporating relevant course principles and theories as well as outside research. To assess your selected organizations public relations practices you may collect printed materials from the organization, analyze their digital/social media tactics, interview public relations professionals and other employees, review secondary research, and sit in on meetings and other activities that the organization conducts. Some ideas for organizations are your parents/ relatives places of work; your own place of work; the university public relations office; religious organizations you are involved with; and community organizations. One promising approach is to select an organization you would like to work for in the future. Project requirements The case study will be approximately 12-15 type-written pages PLUS endnotes, references, appendix of samples materials, and the required table of contents (see below). At least one representative from your team must interview at least one person from your selected organizations public relations staff. You may conduct this interview in person or over the phone, but not via email. The case study requires a minimum of 10 secondary references. At least five of the references must be scholarly publications (e.g., peer-reviewed journal articles and textbooks including course readings). The remaining five can include online sources, additional interviews, news articles, public relations trade journals and other such materials. A reference list should be included at the end of the paper, in which you provide full citations. All references must appear in the text of the paper. You must consistently use either APA or MLA style. Below are some style resources. APA style guide: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ MLA style guide: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/ You must type and sign the honor pledge on the cover page of your final case study paper (due the last day of class). Failure to do so will result in a 5 point deduction for each team members signature that does not appear below the honor pledge. Your final case study paper should include a table of contents that clearly indicates which team members contributed to each section. By signing the honor pledge, the entire team indicates that the table of contents is accurate. Project due dates (2.1) By Feb. 28, turn in the name of teams selected organization and the person you will interview. The paper should include: Organizations full name. A brief description of the organization and the PR function (1-2 paragraphs) Your rationale for selecting this organization (1-2 paragraphs) Name, title, phone number, and email for your contact person. Names of students on your team

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 5 Student teams Turing in materials after 9/23 will have 5 points deducted from the final case study grade. Remember, the organization must have an in-house PR staff of at least one person who must focus on PR fulltime. (not handles marketing, advertising and events; devotes 25% to PR; the PR pro must have multiple years of experience in the field) (2.2) By March 29, turn in an approximately 5-6 page background analysis that introduces your selected organization, their public relations functions, and your case studys focus (including the rationale for this focus). This analysis should be based on secondary research (e.g., reviewing the organizations online materials and articles/blog posts written about them) as well as primary research (e.g., at least one interview with a public relations employee from the organization). This analysis can cover information such as: What primary services and/or products does the organization provide? What is the organizations market share and Who are their primary competitors? Where is the organization located? How many communications employees does the organization have? What is the organizations public relations/marketing/advertising budget(s)? What current PR campaigns are they running? Who are their key target publics? What are the objectives and primary strategies for a particular campaign? (This list of questions is by no means comprehensive, but serves as a starting point for your background analysis) The background analysis will serve as the introduction to your case study paper, the rest of which is due the last day of class. Your background analysis must include the name and title of the person you interviewed, date, time, and location of the interview, and the questions you asked in an appendix. You must also type and sign the honor pledge on your background analysis. Failure to do so will result in a 5 point deduction for each team members signature that does not appear below the honor pledge. (2.3) On May 10, turn in your completed case study paper. The background analysis can be part of the final version or you can choose to start fresh. Whatever option you chose, I will grade the final paper independent of the background paper. (2.4) On April 26, group presentations will begin. Your team will give a 10-12 minute PowerPoint presentation summarizing your case studys primary findings and conclusions. All team members must participate in the presentation (though not necessarily for equal amounts of time). You must provide me with a hard copy of the slides on the day that your team presents, which should list all team members names. (2.5) On May 10, your peer evaluations are due.

3. Assessments:
Quizzes, News Quizzes Mid-Term Final Exam o (50 points) (100 points) (150 points)

30%

300 points

Quizzes: Two 20-point content quizzes will be given to assess your progress and understanding. They can serve as study guides and help me determine what materials to review again in class. o Two 5-point news quizzes will be given based on your knowledge of current events. o Midterm exam will include multiple choice, true/false and short essay questions. o Final exams will also feature multiple choice, true-false and matching questions as well as some short essay questions. Review sessions before both exams (see course schedule) are designed to answer your throughtful questions to clarify key points and review major concepts. Students are welcome to come in during office hours with further questions.

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 6

4. Participation and Professionalism:

5%

50 points

Participation in class discussions, exercises and group activities are an essential component of this course. Each students participation grade will be based on your preparedness, contributions to discussions, incisive questions, and thoughtful comments/questions for speakers and classmates. Attendance counts! Points will be given for turning in project updates and incidental assignments. Professionalism is based on the quality of your written work, presentations, and conduct in class.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS:
All assignments are expected to follow a professional standard that includes; o Typewritten in black ink, in standard 12-point fount (Times Roman, Cambria, Arial, Verdana) o Single Spaced with subheads and white space, as appropriate 1-inch margins. o No title page (lets save paper) o Slug line in the upper right hand corner of the first page with your NAME, Course number, assignment name and date. Subsequent pages should have your name and page number. o Stapled if multiple pages o Carefully proof read with minimal errors. No hand corrections. o Following AP (journalism) style or academic style. Length of papers will vary with the point values. For most students, a 10-point assignment might run 1 or 2 pages (single spaced) while a 35-point assignment will be 3 to 5 pages. Succinct writers will be able to cover the same content in fewer pages that more voluble writers. Ultimately, the content and style are more important that word counts. The content is key, not the length. The quality of your writing, your GSPS (grammar, spelling, punctuation and style), appearance will be factored account for 10% of your grade on each assignment. Content is king but style counts.

COURSE POLICIES
1. Online Content PowerPoint lectures, assignment instructions and assessment criteria, and other important material will be posted online. To access the courses online content, visit http://elms.umd.edu 2. Late Assignments All assignments are due at the beginning of class (including scheduled presentations). Assignments turned in after the class session will receive a automatic point deduction of ONE LETTER GRADE. (10 points total, 9 points possible if late). Additional letter grade deducted for every 24 hours turned in late (including weekends)except for authorized absences regarding serious illness or injury. 3. Exams: Any student expecting to miss an exam or other course deadline must have my approval at least one week in advance except in the case of a doctor-documented illness or documented family emergency. Students who miss an exam or assignment deadline due to an illness or family emergency must notify me within 2 days of the exam or assignment in question (including weekends). Failure to take an exam or turn in an assignment at the scheduled time without explicit approval by me and without notification to me within 2 days of exam/assignment will result in a score of 0. Notifying me, however, does not guarantee that students will be able to make up the assignment/exam. 4. Reviewing Assignment Drafts/Rewrites Throughout the semester you should feel welcome to meet with me to discuss the course assignments. I am available to discuss topics, format, and content, but will not read assignment drafts. I will, however, review outlines if you meet with me in person. To do this, you must email me your outline at least 48 hours before we meet and schedule an appointment at least 7 days before the assignment is due. You will not be allowed to rewrite any assignments for this course.

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 7 For additional help with your written assignments, I recommend contacting the Universitys Writing Center. You can make an online appointment at: http://www.english.umd.edu/writingcenter 5. Writing/grammar, spelling, punctuation and style (GSPS): Comm. Majors are expected to be good, facile writers and 10% of your grade on major papers will be based on the quality of your writing and GSPS. Any paper with multiple errors (more than 2 per page), will earn a grade deduction of 5% or more. 6. Attendance and Participation You diligence and attendance can make a tremendous difference in the quality of your assignments and what you learn throughout the semester. If you must arrive late/leave early, please do so with minimal disruption to the rest of the class. 7. Academic Integrity Students are responsible for behaving honorably in an academic environment. Academic dishonesty including cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Examples of academic dishonesty include: taking credit for someone else's words; failure to give credit for paraphrased or actual quotations; and cheating on an exam or helping another student to cheat on an exam. Any violations of academic integrity standards will be referred to the Assistant Dean and forwarded to the University's Office of Judicial Affairs. Confirmation of such incidents can result in expulsion from the University. Students who are uncertain as to what constitutes academic dishonesty should consult the Universitys website: http://www.inform.umd.edu/jpo/ Honor Pledge The University has a nationally recognized Honor Code, administered by the Student Honor Council. The University of Maryland Honor Pledge reads: I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination. The Pledge statement should be written and signed (by all team members) on the cover page for your background paper and final case study paper. I will deduct 5 points from your individual grade if your signature does not appear when the paper is turned in at the beginning of class. 8. Policy and Procedures on Sexual Harassment According to the University of Maryland Policy and Procedures on Sexual Harassment, sexual harassment is defined as: (1) unwelcome sexual advances; or (2) unwelcome requests for sexual favors; or (3) other behavior of a sexual or gender-based nature. Please consult http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/docs/vi-120a.pdf . 9. Incompletes The grade of Incomplete is given only to a student whose work in a course has been satisfactory, and when, because of illness or other circumstances beyond his/her control, he/she is unable to complete a small portion of course work. 10. Students with Special Needs Students with special needs that Disability Support Services has documented (0126 Shoemaker Hall; 3147682) have a legal right to receive appropriate accommodations for this course. If you need special accommodations, please notify me within the first two weeks of the semester. Optimally, we can meet to discuss the parameters of your situation. Otherwise, I will not be able to accommodate any special needs. For more information on services available to students with special needs, visit the Universitys Counseling Centers Web site: http://www.counseling.umd.edu/DSS/ 11. Religious Observances We will honor religious observances in accordance with University policy, which states that students cannot be penalized for of observance religious beliefs and requisite absences. This semester students observing Rosh Hashanah on from sundown on 9/29 to 9/30 or those observing additional Jewish holidays (Sukkot) should contact me. Students will be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 8 academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances. Please notify me in the first two weeks of the semester about any religious holidays that you will observe. It is the students responsibility to inform me of any intended absences for religious observances at least one week in advance. 12. Inclement Weather/Emergency Situations Policy In the case of a severe weather situation or any other situation that would close the University, I will follow the Universitys guidelines for completing any remaining course content, assignments, and/or exams. In other words, if the University remains open, we will proceed according to the syllabus, but if the University closes we will make necessary adjustments as recommended by the University. 13. Flu Prevention and Preparedness We hope that students can stay well this semester. This class will follow University policy regarding absences and class cancellations. However, students can take preventive steps to safeguard their health, including o Get flu vaccines (as recommended). o Wash hands frequently with soap and water (when possible). o Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. (or even a shirt sleeve or elbow) o Purchase and carry your own hand sanitizer, to use after each class, or use the sanitizer available in most buildings. Should you fall ill and need to stay home, please contact me. I can send you assignments and/or arrange for a classmate to take notes or materials to you.

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 9 CLASS SCHEDULE

*Subject to change to meet class, instructor or speaker needs.* **Readings should be completed for before the session they will be discussed**

Week 1 (Jan. 26): Intro to Course and Public Relations 1/26 Tues. Intro to PR and COMM350 course requirements PR Scavenger Hunt Week 2 (Jan. 31, Feb. 2): Nature of PR, History, Law & Ethics 1/31 Tue. PR Definitions, History, and Functions, Ch 1& 2 (Lattimore, Profession & Practice) Due: Complete and turn in hard copy of Student Information Sheet and authorization. PR Definition 2/2 Thurs . Ethics, Law, and Regulations, Ch. 4 (Lattimore, Profession & Practice) Ethics Exercise

Week 3 (Feb. 7, 9): Theories and Research (RPIE) 2/7 Tues. Theories and Research, Ch.3 (Lattimore/Profession & Practice) Selecting Teams 2/9 Thurs. Theories & Research, Ch. 3 and 5 (Lattimore) News Presentation 1 (extra credit) Research Exercise

Week 4 (Feb. 14, 16): Strategic Planning and Theories 2/14 Tues. Strategic Planning, Ch. 6 (Lattimore); News Presentations 2 and 3 (extra credit) 2/16 Thurs. Strategic Planning, Ch 6 (Lattimore), Goals, objectives and strategies Creativity Exercise

Week 5 (Feb. 21, 23): Strategic Planning and Theories 2/21 Tues. Strategic planning theories, publics, Ch 6 (Lattimore) and ELMS 2/23 Thurs. Strategic planning; strategies; History, great cases. Program Planning News Quiz (5 points)

Week 6 (Feb. 28, Mar. 1): Action & Communication / Evaluating PR Effectiveness 2/28 Tues. Implementation, Action and Communication, Ch. 7 (Lattimore/Profession & Practice) Creativity Exercise Due: Case Study Contact and Organization Overview 3/1 Thurs. Evaluation, Ch. 8 (Lattimore/Profession & Practice text) Quiz 1 (20 points)

Week 7 (Mar. 6, 8): Media Relations, Special Events, and New Media 3/6 Tues. Media Relations, Ch. 9 (Lattimore, Profession & Practice text) Media Exercise 3/8 Thurs. New Media and Special Events Ch. 9, pp 188-192, 201-207 (Lattimore) & ELMS Creativity Exercise

Week 8 (Mar. 13, 15): Mid-Term Review and Examination 3/13 Mid-Term Review 3/15 Mid-Term Examination (100 points)

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 10 Week 9 (Mar. 20, 22): ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK!! Week 10 (Mar. 27, 29): Health, Non-profits and Employee Communications 3/27 Tues. Healthcare PR and Non-profits SWOT Analysis 3/29 Thurs. Employee Comm, Ch. 10 (Lattimore/Profession & Practice) Due: Case Study Background Paper Due (100 points)

Week 11 (Apr. 3, 5): Community Relations and Consumer Relations 4/3 Tues. Community Relations & CSR, Ch. 11 (Lattimore/Profession & Practice) 4/5 Thurs. Consumer PR. Ch. 12 (Lattimore/Profession & Practice) Consumer PR Creativity Exercise News Quiz (5 points)

Week 12 (Apr. 10, 12): Corporate/Investor Communications and Public Affairs 4/10 Tues. Corporate/Investor PR, Ch. 13 and 16 (Lattimore) Due: PR Analysis Paper (100 points) 4/12 Thur. Public Affairs and Government PR, Ch. 14 (Lattimore) Creativity Exercise

Week 13 (Apr. 17, 19): Crisis Communication 4/17 Tues. Crisis Communication Theory (Lattimore, pp 12-14; 203-207) ELMS 4/19 Thurs. Crisis Communication Quiz 2 (20 points)

Week 14 (Apr. 24, 26): PR Job Market & Group Presentations 4/24 Tues. Come with your questions and rsum 4/26 Thurs. Group Presentations

Week 15 (May 1, 3): Group Presentations 5/1 Tues. Group Presentations 5/3 Thurs. Group Presentations

Week 16 (May 8, 10): Group Presentations 5/8 Tues. Group Presentations 5/10 Thurs. Final Exam Review Due: Peer evaluations (30 points) Due: Team Case Analysis (200 points)

Finals Week: TBA Due: All Extra Credit

 Comm. 350 Public Relations Theory Spring 2012 11

Student Information Sheet

Name (preferred nickname): Preferred E-Mail Address:

Telephone: Your Career Plans/Aspirations:

Degree Expected (Date Expected):

Public relations? Why or why not?

What do you want to achieve by taking COMM. 350?

What are 3 things you hope we cover in COMM 350?

Your PR experience includes (internships, part-time jobs, etc):

Is there anything about your situation this semester that you believe may affect your attendance or performance in this class?

Syllabus Statement By signing this statement, I affirm that I have read the syllabus for COMM 350, carefully and completely, and that I understand and accept the terms and requirements for COMM. 350.

_________________________________________ Signature Name:

___________________ Date University ID Number