Overview
You will be responsible for completing five memos on the assigned reading. You may choose any five weeks to write the memos, but I suggest you get started early in the term. There will be no excuses if, for instance, you skip the first five weeks but then have an emergency in week 8 that precludes turning in a memo that week. These memos should be about 1000-1200 words and deal with all of the assigned readings (or other materials listed under "readings") that week. The memo is about readings for that week, not the readings for the previous week.
Memos should include a mix of summary and analysis or critical reaction. Examples of satisfactory analysis would be:
- Contrast to readings from another class
- Contrast to readings from a previous week of this class
- Show how current events illustrate the theories in the reading
- Show how current events demonstrate the theories in the reading to be dated and in need of revision
Memos will be graded using four points on a ten point scale:
- 10 = Summarized and gave analysis on all the readings. Did a reasonably good job but doesn't need to be Pulitzer-worthy.
- 8 = Something is missing. Could be there is summary but no analysis. Could be writing quality is especially poor.
- 5 = Something major is missing. e.g., left out one of the readings.
- 0 = Obviously didn't do the reading and just faking it.
Memos are due via TurnItIn Mondays at midnight. Memos that are submitted more than a few minutes late will be graded 50% off.
I attached the first reading as a PDF and the second reading is Valente, Thomas W. 1993. “Diffusion of Innovations and Policy Decision-MakingLinks to an external site..” Journal of Communication 43(1):30–45.
Let me know if you have any questions, please do not use any outside recourses. Thank you!