Schedule

* Schedule is subject to change

Week 1

Thursday, Jan. 18

• During: Introductions / Syllabus Review
  • Video: The Medium is the Message

Week 2

Tuesday, Jan. 23

• During: Discussion – Audiences & Messages (PDF slides)
  • Introduce Exercise 1: Audiences & Persuasion (Word DOC)
• After: Read Theory and Research Traditions (PDF – available as download in D2L)

Thursday, Jan. 25

• Before: Read Theory and Research Traditions (PDF in D2L)
• During: Draw topics for Exercise 1: Audiences & Persuasion
  • Discussions – Theory and Research Traditions (PDF slides) and Demographics & Psychographics (PDF slides)
• After: Start working on Exercise 1 research

Week 3

Tuesday, Jan. 30

• During: Discussion – Demographics & Psychographics (continued)
  • Exercise 2 (In-Class): Demographics & Psychographics

Thursday, Feb. 1

• During: Work time on Exercise 1 and Exercise 2
• After: Theory readings, all from University of Twente unless otherwise noted:
  • Hypodermic Needle Theory
  • Two-Step Flow Theory
    • Two-Step Flow and Klapper (Encyclopaedia Britannica) 
  • Agenda-Setting Theory
  • Framing
  • Priming
  • Uses and Gratifications Approach
  • Cultivation Theory
    • George Gerbner and Mean World Syndrome (Big Think)
  • Spiral of Silence
  • Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Week 4

Tuesday, Feb. 6

• During: Discussion – Super Bowl Ad Meter (USA Today article), Ally Bank augmented reality (Mobile Marketer article)
  • Discussion – Communication Theory and Audiences (PDF slides)
  • Exercise 3 (In-Class): Communication Theory
  • DUE: Exercise 2 (in D2L Dropbox)

Thursday, Feb. 8

• Meet in Library, room 272
• During: Work time on Exercise 1 and Exercise 3
• After: Read Language of Persuasion (PDF), How to Use Psychology to Improve Content Marketing (NewsCred)

Week 5

Tuesday, Feb. 13

• Before: Read Language of Persuasion (PDF), How to Use Psychology to Improve Content Marketing (NewsCred)
• During: Discussion – Persuasive Writing (PDF slides)
  • Exercise 4 (In-Class): Persuasive Writing
  • DUE: Exercise 3 (in D2L Dropbox)

Thursday, Feb. 15

• During: Example presentation for Exercise 1 (PDF slides)
  • Introduce Final Project

Week 6

Tuesday, Feb. 20

• During: Work time on Exercise 1, Final Project ideas
  • DUE: Exercise 4 (in D2L Dropbox)
• After: Read Social Media: A Phenomenon Analyzed (PDF), Inside the Social Media Strategy That Made Batkid Go Viral (Fast Company)

Thursday, Feb. 22

• Before: Read Social Media: A Phenomenon Analyzed (PDF), Inside the Social Media Strategy That Made Batkid Go Viral (Fast Company)
• During: Discussion – Social Media and Messages (PDF slides)
  • Work time on Exercise 1, Final Project ideas

Week 7

Tuesday, Feb. 27

• During: Work time on Exercise 1, Final Project idea meetings
  • DUE: Final Project idea

Thursday, March 1

• During: Exercise 1 Presentations
  • DUE: Exercise 1

Week 8: Spring Break!

Week 9

Tuesday, March 13

• During: Discussion – Qualitative Research (PDF slides)
  • Video: Human centered design
  • Video: Qualitative vs. Quantitative (Lynda.com)
  • Final Project: Ideas approved
  • Final Project: Checklist introduced

Thursday, March 15

• During: Discussions – Quantitative Research: Surveys (PDF slides) and Focus Groups (PDF slides)
  • Final Project: Idea summary presentations
  • Final Project: Focus Group 1 introduced 

Week 10

Tuesday, March 20

• During: Discussion – Proposal Writing (PDF slides)
  • Final Project: Checklist DUE
  • Work time on Focus Group 1, Proposals
  • Final Project: Proposal introduced 

Thursday, March 22

• During: Work time on Focus Group 1, Proposals

Week 11

Tuesday, March 27

• During: Work time on Focus Group 1, Proposals

Thursday, March 29

• During: Discussion – Content Strategy (PDF slides)
  • Work time on Focus Group 1, Proposals
  • Final Project: Sample messages introduced, Focus Group 2 introduced
• After (Optional): Read 27 Research-Backed Web Design Tips: How to Design a Website That Works (Orbit Media Studios), The Discipline of Content Strategy (A List Apart)

Week 12

Tuesday, April 3

• During: Final Project: Focus Group 1 presentations

Thursday, April 5

• During: Final Project: Proposal presentations
  • Discussion – Measuring Audiences, Content and SEO (PDF slides)

Week 13

Tuesday, April 10

• During: Work time on Sample Messages, Focus Group 2

Thursday, April 12

• During: Work time on Sample Messages, Focus Group 2
  • Suggestion: Peer review sample messages

Week 14

Tuesday, April 17

• During: Work time on Sample Messages, Focus Group 2
  • Suggestion: Transcribe Focus Group tapes, tweak site design and mobility

Thursday, April 19

• During: Work time on Sample Messages, Focus Group 2

Week 15

Tuesday, April 24

• During: Final Project: Focus Group 2 presentations