ATEC2321

Writing and Research for Emerging Media

Fall 2015
ATC 2.918
TTH 10-11:15am
Contact Information
Dr. Angela Lee
Phone: 972-883-7539
Email: angela.lee@utdallas.edu
Office hours: By appointment
Office: ATC 1.907
Course Description
The rise of digital media is revolutionizing how we produce, transmit, consume, and
evaluate information. This course seeks to help students understand these differences and
master the art of writing for and doing research on emerging media.
Learning Objectives
In this course, students will:

Acquire basic understanding of technical skills needed to work in a variety of new

media formats;
Become comfortable producing digital content on different platforms and for
different audiences;
Examine the effects of new media on society and communication processes
through a series of in-class exercises;
Learn how to write research papers through a number of take-home assignments;
Develop critical thinking and presentation skills by participating in team debates
and group presentations.

Required Readings
There are no assigned textbooks for students to purchase. Instead, all of the readings are
made available online and their links can be found on the course calendar below. Be sure
to check the course calendar regularly and complete all assigned readings before class. In
the event that you are unable to download a reading, please contact Dr. Lee immediately
or Google the article with the full title given on the course calendar.
Additional Course Requirements

Access to a computer (some in-class exercises will require that you bring a laptop
to class)

Course Syllabus

Page 1

Check your UTD email regularly

Be in class on time

Course Policies

Students should familiarize themselves with official UTD course policies, which
can be found here: http://provost.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies/
No plagiarism. You should familiarize yourself with the concept of plagiarism
see the Avoiding Plagiarism section from the link above. Plagiarism is NOT
tolerated in this course. If you have any questions about this, ask me before you
turn in an assignment.
No late assignment. Many assignments are due in class. Unless otherwise
arranged with me prior to the deadline, late assignments are not accepted and will
automatically result in a zero.
Attendance. Our class meetings are an integral part of the learning experience for
the students. As such, you are expected to attend class, complete in-class
exercises or quizzes, and participate actively in class discussions. Arriving more
than 30 minutes late or leaving more than 30 minutes early will be marked as
absent.
Religious holidays. You must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen
days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a
class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a
religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work
within a reasonable time after the absence.
Disruptive behavior. Disruptive behavior is defined as behavior that interrupts
or interferes with daily functions of the University of the education processes by
the Dean of Students at UTD. To create a safe and welcoming environment for
learning, no disruptive behavior is allowed in this class. Students who make
inappropriate (e.g., hostile or threatening) remarks in class will be reported to the
Dean of Students.
No digital devices. Mutual respect is essential in this class. Therefore, use of
electronic devices (e.g., laptops, tablets and smartphones, etc.) is considered
disruptive and not permitted in the classroom unless requested by the instructor.
Communication. In this class, e-mail will be used as a means of communication
with students. You are responsible for checking your school e-mail every day for
class work and announcements.

Grading Policy

Class Participation (20%) This course is designed to be interactive and

participatory. Students are expected to attend class, arrive on time, participate in
class discussions and debates, and respond to class readings regularly. All
students are permitted three class absences over the course of the semester, no
questions asked, but there will be no make-ups for in-class exercises or quizzes.
Students who miss more than five class meetings will receive a zero for
participation. You are asked to use all electronic devices for class purposes only.

Course Syllabus

Page 2

Students who are caught surfing the Internet in class, for example, will lose
participation points and be reported to the Dean of Students.
Reading responses (20%) You are expected to write at least 5 reading
responses throughout the semester. There is only one rule for the reading
responsesdo NOT summarize the readings. Instead, please feel free to use these
opportunities to share your view on, or raise questions about, the readings, discuss
issues related to or inspired by the readings, and/or bring up reading-related topics
for class discussion, etc. You are encouraged to synthesize the readings in your
responses. Because your reading responses will be incorporated into the lecture,
they are due at noon the day before class (i.e., if you want to respond to 8/27s
readings, your response will be due at noon on 8/26). Please keep in mind that
there are only 12 opportunities to do the reading responses this semester and plan
accordingly. No late responses are accepted, and you will need to add a label to
your responses on Blogger in order to receive credit.
Writing Assignments (20%) To put what you learned in class and from
readings to practice, you will complete a number of take-home assignments that
include writing blog posts. As course policies indicate above, no late assignments
are accepted.
In-class Exam (20%) Nov 5 (Thur.). To assess your understanding of class
materials, this closed-book exam will cover major concepts covered in lecture and
readings. No make-up exam is allowed unless it is for medical reasons, which
requires a doctors note. The exam comprises of multiple choice and T/F
questions. Make-up exams, on the other hand, may entail fill-in-the-blanks and
short answer questions in addition to a different set of multiple choice and T/F
questions to ensure that the exam is fair to all students.
Final Presentation (20%) To be discussed in class.

Grading Scheme
A = 93 or above
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79

C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63-66
D- = 60-62
F = 59 or below

Please form a study group and write down the contact information of other members here
(Name, email and/or cell).
1.
2.
Our course blogs URL is: http://atec2321f15.blogspot.com
Course Syllabus

Page 3

Course Calendar
Week 1

Aug 25 (Tue)
Introduction
Aug 27 (Thur)
Understanding the WebBasics
o HTML
o CSS
o Blogging aesthetics
o Twitter
o Tagging
o Labels
Introduction to UTD
Writing Center

Week 2

Sept 1 (Tue)
Understanding
contemporary media
landscape Part I
o Information overload
o Rise of audience
power
o Attention economy

Sept 3 (Thur)
Understanding
Course Syllabus

Read before class

6 degrees of plagiarism and the crisis of
originality: Why so many just cant stop:
http://stackstreet.com/6-degrees-plagiarismcrisis-originality-many-just-cant-stop/
Chapter 3 of Net Smart: How to Thrive
Online:
http://utdallas.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.co
m/UTDALMA:UTD_ALMA:UTD_ALMA2
196229680001421
Familiarize yourself with UT Dallas Writing
Center services (workshops and tutorial,
etc.):
http://www.utdallas.edu/studentsuccess/writi
ng/
Due in class
Set up Twitter and Blogger accounts
Read before class
Chapter 1 of Net Smart: How to Thrive
Online:
http://utdallas.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.co
m/UTDALMA:UTD_ALMA:UTD_ALMA2
196229680001421
Digital-age dilemma-how to cope with
information overload:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/237689984/Digit
al-Age-Dilemma-how-to-Cope-WithInformation-Overload
Attention economy -- A new perspective on
business chapter:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/237690242/ANew-Perspective-on-Business-AttentionEconomy
The life of a tweet: A look at the first 24
hours:
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/life-of-atweet-ht
Read before class
The real media divide Marcus Prior:
Page 4

contemporary media
landscape Part II
o Effects of selective
exposure, perception
and retention
o Entertainment overload

Week 3

Sept 8 (Tue)
New media literacy Part
I
o Wikipedia
o Algorithm
o Terms of services

Sept 10 (Thur)
New media literacy Part
II
o Crap detection
o Online trolling

Course Syllabus

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2007/07/15/AR20070715
01110.html
Selective perception is what makes people
fight about TV:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/237547102/Selec
tive-Perception-is-What-Makes-PeopleFight-About-TV
People selectively remember the details of
atrocities that absolve in-group members:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/237548026/Peop
le-Selectively-Remember-the-Details-ofAtrocities-That-Absolve-in-group-MembersScience-of-the-Spirit-Sott-net
Read before class
Googles Stealthier search ads are a hit:
http://www.businessinsider.com/googlesstealthier-search-ads-are-a-hit-2014-7
The insidiousness of Facebook
Messengers android mobile app
permissions:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samfiorella/the-insidiousness-offace_b_4365645.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
Dont freak out about the Facebook
Messenger app:
http://mashable.com/2014/08/11/stopfreaking-out-about-facebook-messenger-apppermissions/
Smart people prefer curly fries:
http://bit.ly/Golbeck_algorithms
Due in class
Assignment 1
Read before class
Chapter 2 of Net Smart: How to Thrive
Online:
http://utdallas.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.co
m/UTDALMA:UTD_ALMA:UTD_ALMA2
196229680001421
A fake Nelson Mandela quote is already
making the rounds:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/12/
05/people_are_tweeting_fake_nelson_mande
la_quotes.html
5 best fake news stories of the year:
http://www.salon.com/2012/12/20/5_best_fa
Page 5

Week 4

Sept 15 (Tue)
Social media behaviors &
cautions

Sept 17 (Thur)
Online advertising and
metrics

Week 5

Sept 22 (Tue)
Guest speakers from
Weber Schandwick
o Brian Conway & Kelsey
Sheehan
Sept 24 (Thur)
o Writing for different
social media platforms

Course Syllabus

ke_news_stories_of_the_year/
22 viral pictures that were actually fake:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomphillips/22viral-pictures-that-were-actually-fake
Read before class
Why computers wont be replacing you just
yet:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/235314178/Why
-Computers-Won-t-Be-Replacing-You-JustYet
EQ matters more than IQ on social:
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/buzzfeedemotional-quotient-matters-more-than-iq-onsocial/s2/a556214/
Chapter 5 of Net Smart: How to Thrive
Online:
http://utdallas.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.co
m/UTDALMA:UTD_ALMA:UTD_ALMA2
196229680001421
Read before class
5 not-so-secrets to writing great headlines:
http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/5-notso-secrets-to-writing-greatheadlines_b83427
How to optimize headlines using the 65
character rule:
https://econsultancy.com/blog/8196-how-tooptimise-headlines-using-the-65-characterrule#i.1pp0uq0he6djyx
5 ways news sites are using Most Popular
features to help readers surface more
content: http://www.poynter.org/latestnews/top-stories/144879/5-ways-news-sitesare-using-most-popular-features-to-helpreaders-surface-more-content/
! Please be on time and dress business casual
Due in class
Assignment 2 Part 1
Read before class
Study: How marketers optimize their social
content: http://b2b-marketingmentor.softwareadvice.com/study-howmarketers-optimize-social-content-0614/
How to optimize your content for the top 5
Page 6

Week 6

Sept 29 (Tue)
Collaborative in-class
exercise
Oct 1 (Thur)
Mobile marketing, mobile
publishing, native
advertising

Week 7

Oct 6 (Tue)
Introduction to journalism
studies: gatekeeping,
social control, and news
consumption

Oct 8 (Thur)
Emerging media giants:
news aggregators

Course Syllabus

social networks:
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/optimi
ze-your-content/
A guide to optimize your social media
marketing campaign:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2
014/11/17/a-guide-to-optimizing-yoursocial-media-marketing-campaign/

! Please bring your laptop or tablet to class

Due at 10pm
Assignment 2 part 2
Read before class
Mobile is the future of everything:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshsteimle/201
4/02/12/mobile-is-the-future-of-everything/
Why mobile is the future of advertising and
marketing:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tomlowery/why-mobile-is-the-future_b_4796928.html
Google: 6 reasons why nobody uses your
app:
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3033092/googl
es-6-reasons-why-nobody-uses-your-app
From BBC to Buzzfeed: lessons in mobile
publishing: http://bit.ly/1BW88on
Read before class
The page view just wont die:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mylestanzer/whywont-the-page-view-just-die-already
Cell sets fire to pillow, story sets fire to TV
station website:
http://www.poynter.org/latestnews/260610/cell-sets-fire-to-pillow-storysets-fire-to-tv-stationwebsite/#.U9bu_Lur27g.twitter
Were missing the story: The medias
retreat from foreign reporting:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/235401536/Were-Missing-the-Story
Read before class
Murdoch wants a Google rebellion:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/235823646/Murd
och-Wants-a-Google-Rebellion
Page 7

Brazilian newspapers leave Google News en

masse:
https://knightcenter.utexas.edu/blog/0011803-brazilian-newspapers-leave-googlenews-en-masse
Why Google may be industrys best friend:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/236656647/Why
-Google-May-Be-Industry-s-Best-Friend

Due in class
Assignment 3
Week 8

Oct 13 (Tue)
Collaborative in-class
exercise
Oct 15 (Thur)
New media & new
questions
o Big data
o Ethical questions

Week 9

Week
10

Oct 20 (Tue)
Assignment 4 (Research
paper) Q&A
Final presentation group
sign-up
Oct 22 (Thur)
Library visit

Oct 27 (Tue)
Research day for
assignment 4

Course Syllabus

! Please bring your laptop or tablet to class for

todays exercise
Read before class
Chapter 6 of Net Smart: How to Thrive
Online:
http://utdallas.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.co
m/UTDALMA:UTD_ALMA:UTD_ALMA2
196229680001421
A lot of top journalists dont look at traffic
numbers. Heres why:
http://blog.hubspot.com/opinion/journalistsdont-look-at-traffic-numbers
How The Guardian uses attention analytics
to track rising stories:
http://www.fastcolabs.com/3026154/how-theguardian-uses-attention-analytics-to-trackrising-stories
What you think you know about the web is
wrong: http://time.com/12933/what-youthink-you-know-about-the-web-is-wrong/
You should start thinking about how you
may want to do assignment 4 (e.g., narrative
and necessary multimedia elements) so you
can make best use of the class library visit on
Thursday
*Class meets at lobby of McDermott Library
at 9:55am*

You are strongly encouraged to spend class

time in the library to complete all necessary
multimedia research for assignment 4, as
many online archives are difficult to access
Page 8

Week
10

Oct 27 (Tue)
Research day for
assignment 4

Oct 29 (Thur)
New media platform
assessment

Week
11

Week
12

Nov 3 (Tue)
Exam Q&A
Nov 5 (Thur)
In-class exam
Nov 10 (Tue)
Assignment 4 in-class
presentation (part 1)

Nov 12 (Thur)
Assignment 4 in-class
presentation (part 2)

Week
13

Read before class

The pressure to be the TV news leader
tarnishes a big brand: http://bit.ly/1Iou39V
When news breaks, scanners and social
media can create a cloud of errors for news
outlets: http://wapo.st/1bpbtAN
Question everything you hear about the
Boston Marathon Bombing:
http://bit.ly/1AKGTvu
If you have any questions or concerns about
the exam, this would be a good time to bring
them up

Due in class
Assignment 4
Feedback on in-class presentations
! Please bring your laptop or tablet to class for
in-class exercise
Due in class
Feedback on in-class presentations
! Please bring your laptop or tablet to class for
in-class exercise
Group consultations will take place in Dr.
Lees office (ATC1.907). The rest of the
class should meet and work on the final
presentation in the classroom
Group consultations will take place in Dr.
Lees office (ATC1.907). The rest of the
class should meet and work on the final
presentation in the classroom

Nov 17 (Tue)
Mandatory consultation
for final presentation
Nov 19 (Thur)
Mandatory consultation
for final presentation

Week
14

Nov 23 (Tue)
Fall break
Nov 26 (Thur)
Thanksgiving break
Week
Dec 1 (Tue)
15
Group meeting for final
Course Syllabus project
Optional consultation
available upon request

You are strongly encouraged to spend class

time in the library to complete all necessary
multimedia research for assignment 4, as
many online archives are difficult to access
off campus

Due in class
No class
Due in class

No class
Reminder: The written report for the final
presentation is due on December 3. See course
blog for instructions.
Page 9

Week
16

Dec 3 (Thur)
Final presentations

Due in class
Optional team evaluation
Powerpoint & written report

Dec 8 (Tue)
Final presentations
Wrap-up

Due in class
Optional team evaluation
Powerpoint & written report

The descriptions and timelines contained in this syllabus are subject to change at the
discretion of the Professor.

Course Syllabus

Page 10