Social Media and Communication

Reading Pack for Social Media and Communication

This course explores the role of social media in modern communication, examining its impact on society, culture, and interpersonal relationships. Students will learn to critically analyse social media platforms, strategies, and trends, while developing effective communication skills for digital environments.

Course Completion Requirements

1. Attendance and Participation: Students are expected to attend all scheduled lectures and actively participate in class discussions and activities. Active engagement is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the course material and for the development of critical thinking skills.
2. Presentation: Students must deliver a presentation on a selected topic related to social media and communication. The presentation should demonstrate their ability to analyze and communicate key concepts effectively. Successful completion of the presentation is mandatory for passing the course.
3. Assignments: Students are required to submit two assignments throughout the course. These assignments will assess their research, analytical, and writing skills in the context of social media and its impact on society, culture, and interpersonal relationships.
4. Final Exam: The final exam will be a written assessment covering the entire course material. Students must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, theories, and practical applications discussed throughout the course.
5. Grading: The overall grade for the course will be determined by the combined scores of the presentation, assignments, and final exam. The specific grading scale and weightage for each assessment component will be provided in the course syllabus.
6. Academic Integrity: Students must adhere to the institution’s academic integrity policy throughout the course. Any form of plagiarism or academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and may result in severe consequences, including failing the course.
7. Completion Deadline: All course requirements must be fulfilled by the stipulated deadline. Late submissions may result in grade deductions or even a failure to pass the course.

Examination

One presentation, two assignments and one final will be applied within the scope of the course.

• Presentation %10
• Assignment 1 %25
• Assignment 2 %25
• Final Exam (written) %40

Format of the Lesson

The course will be covered with lectures, class discussions, group activities, assignments, presentation and final exam.

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of social media: Explain the evolution and significance of social media in modern communication and identify the key features and functionalities of popular social media platforms.
2. Critically analyse the impact of social media on society and culture: Assess the influence of social media on cultural norms, social behaviours, and the formation of public opinion.
3. Examine the role of social media in shaping interpersonal relationships: Analyse the effects of social media on personal relationships, communication patterns, and social support networks.
4. Evaluate social media strategies and trends: Assess various social media marketing and communication strategies used by individuals, businesses, and organizations.
5. Develop effective communication skills for digital environments: Demonstrate proficiency in crafting engaging and persuasive content for social media platforms.
6. Identify ethical considerations in social media use: Recognize ethical challenges related to social media, including privacy concerns, responsible digital citizenship, and the spread of misinformation.
7. Analyse the impact of social media on politics and activism: Assess the role of social media in political campaigns, citizen journalism, and social movements.
8. Apply social media analytics to measure success: Utilize social media analytics tools to track performance and evaluate the effectiveness of social media campaigns.
9. Understand the role of influencers in digital marketing: Analyse the role of influencers and content creators in social media marketing and evaluate the ethics of sponsored content.
10. Navigate social media in times of crisis: Develop crisis communication strategies for social media platforms and handle crisis situations effectively.
11. Examine cross-cultural communication on social media: Evaluate the challenges and opportunities in conducting international social media campaigns and engaging diverse audiences.
12. Predict future trends in social media and communication: Identify emerging social media platforms and technologies and assess their potential impact on communication and society.

Important Notes

Read the materials before you come to class, please.

Useful Links

APA Style Referencing

Referencing

Bibliography

Weekly Courses Content

Detailed Grades

Presentation

%10

You are going to prepare a presentation which topic is on the list.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Presentation should not be more than 10 minutes and 10 slides.
• Slides should not include full of text and reading is not acceptable.

Assignment 1

%25

This assignment is going to be a case study. Each student should choose a case to apply at least one theory to define situation and find a way to solve/improve it.

Evaluation Criteria:

Grade will be given according to application of the theory to solve the problem or improve the issue.

Assignment 2

%25

Each students will write an article about a topic is going to be given in the class.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Article must be at least 3000 words (abstract is not included).
• APA style reference.
• 200 words abstract, 5 keywords and title.
• Websites are not acceptable as reference, especially Wikipedia.

Final Exam

%40

Evaluation Criteria:

The final exam will be a written assessment covering the entire course material. Students must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, theories, and practical applications discussed throughout the course.