Matthew

J. Kushin, PhD | mattkushin.com Shepherd University

Course Syllabus .:. 1

COMM 399: Fundamentals of Strategic Social Media

Fall 2012 | 3 Credit Hours Lecture: Location: KN L10G Time: M/W/F 9:10am-10am Text: Likeable Social Media by Dave Kerpen Zarellas Hierarchy of Human Contagiousness: Dan Zarella
Zarella available as ebook if desired. Both available on Amazon.com

Additional required readings available online Course Documents & Assignments accessible on Sakai: courses.shepherd.edu Course Overview: This course will focus on new and social media and their implication & applications for strategic media professionals (e.g., public relations). We will blend conceptual knowledge with hands-on skills. LEAP Goals: Learning Outcomes: #2: Intellectual & Practical Skills throughout the Curriculum Inquiry & Analysis Critical Thinking Oral & Written Communication Information Literacy Collaborative Work Lifelong Learning Inquiry & Analysis Critical Thinking Oral & Written Communication Information Literacy Collaborative Work Lifelong Learning Assessment based on ability to: Demonstrate understanding the strategic use of new communication technologies for media industries, information gathering, group collaboration and project completion, and career advancement. Establish a foundation of skills and understanding to be developed and expanded upon in future courses. Apply key concepts relevant to new and social media to interpretation of manifestations of social networks in online environments. Utilize technology to improve critical thinking and writing Apply basic strategic applications of social media tools, with a focus on 4 key intertwined areas: o Monitoring: Strategies for identifying, cultivating, monitoring, and analyzing information on the social/real-time web. o Metrics: Strategies for setting goals and what to measure on social media. o Optimization: Strategic use of optimization strategies to maximize potential exposure to communication content online. o Engagement: Strategies for targeting and engaging potential publics online. Exams 20% each Group Projects (2) 12% each Personal Branding Project 11% Participation & Group Challenges 15% Group Evaluation 10% Final Grades: Final grades will be determined with the following scale. There is no rounding:
A = A- = 94-100% 90-93.9% B+ = 86-89.9% B = 83-85.9% B- = 80-82.9% C+ = C = C- = 76-79.9% D+ = 73-75.9% D = 70-72.9% D- = 66-69.9% F =0-59.9% 63-65.9% 60-62.9%

Professor: Matthew J. Kushin, PhD email: mkushin@shepherd.edu Phone: 304-876-5361 Office hours: L10K MW:10-12/T:11-1, or by apt.

Matthew J. Kushin, PhD | mattkushin.com Shepherd University

Course Syllabus .:. 2

Tentative Schedule [Week] Date

[1] 8/27

Day

Topic
New assignments to be assigned in italics. Due assignments in bold

Reading Due

Section 1: Monitoring/Listening
Mon Weds Fri Intro to Class; Group Formation Intro to Social Media; Social Media Issues & Criticisms
Group Sign Up

Likeable Social Media Chapters 1 &2 http://bit.ly/FSM_UnderstandingAudience http://www.ftrain.com/wwic.html Unlocking Social Media for PR Chapter 1 & 2 (ebook) http://cnet.co/FSM_KevinSmithPR http://mashable.com/2010/08/16/pr-social- media-future/

Public Relations & Social Media

[2] 9/03

Mon Weds

Labor Day No Class Social Media Audience

Mod 1 Challenge 1: Audience

Fri

Social Media Conversation

Mod 1 Challenge 2, Part 1: What are they saying?

[3] 9/10

Mon Weds Fri

Sentiment Analysis

Mod 1 Challenge 2, Part 2: What are they saying?

Influencers: Two Step & Diffusion Digital Influence: Real-Time Web

Mod 1 Challenge 3, Part 1: Influencers

[4] 9/17

Mon

Digital Influence: Content Sites

Mod 1 Challenge 3, Part 2: Influencers

Monitoring Stations

Fri

Monitoring You and the Competition; Complaints & Negative Posts

Social Media Monitoring Challenge #4: Monitoring & Complaints

http://bit.ly/FSM_UAlostbag http://bit.ly/FSM_UAlostbag2 http://bit.ly/FSM_UAlostbag3 http://bit.ly/FSM_tweetcomplaint http://nyti.ms/FSM_sentiment DeFluer - Opinion Leaders.pdf http://bit.ly/FSM_Influencers http://www.prsa.org/Intelligence/PRJournal/ Documents/2012Segev.pdf http://technorati.com/what-is-technorati- authority/ http://bit.ly/FSM_whatsquant Unlocking Social Media for PR Chapter 3 (ebook) note: bring earphones Likeable Social Media Chapter 6 & 7 (bring copy of book) note: bring earphones http://gapingvoid.com/2007/12/31/social- objects-for-beginners/ http://gapingvoid.com/2007/10/24/more- thoughts-on-social-objects/ Bring your class notes, copies of participation challenges, & a copy of Likeable social media! Project completed in class. You must be present to receive credit for Part 1

[5] 9/24

Mon Weds

Trends in Online Behavior; Google Insight Lab Guide

Mod 1 Challenge 5: Google Insights

Social Networks: Key Terms: social capital; social object; ties; Exam Review

[6] 10/01

Fri Mon

Exam #1 Project #1: Day 1

Part 1

Matthew J. Kushin, PhD | mattkushin.com Shepherd University

Course Syllabus .:. 3

Weds

Project #1: Day 2

Part 2

Fri

Project #1: Day 3

Bring your class notes, copies of participation challenges, & a copy of Likeable social media! Project completed in class. You must be present to receive credit for Part 2 Project completed in class. You must be present to receive credit for Part 3 Likeable Social Media: Chapters 3 & 4 http://bit.ly/FSM_FBinsights http://vimeo.com/profkushin/bitlyurlshorten er http://bit.ly/399_recommendablelife http://to.pbs.org/FSM_personalbrand1 http://read.bi/FSM_personalbrand2 http://bit.ly/FSM_personalbrand3 Likeable Social Media Chapter 8 & 9 Unlocking Social Media for PR Chapter 4 & 5 (ebook) http://www.copyblogger.com/content- marketing/ http://bit.ly/FSM_blogteam http://bit.ly/FSM_BrandCommunity1 http://bit.ly/FSM_BrandCommunity2 Likeable Social Media Chapters 12 & 13 Hierarchy of Human Contagiousness p. 1-26 Hierarchy of Human Contagiousness Finish http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/11021 .aspx Note: You will need to have finished reading Zarellas Hierarchy of Human Contagiousness to complete the participation assignment today! Bring copy with you to class bring copy of Likeable Social Media Note: presentations. Must be present for credit. Likeable Social Media Chapters 10 & 11 Bring your class notes, copies of participation challenges, & a copy of Likeable social media! Project completed in class. You must be present to receive credit for Part 1 Bring your class notes, copies of participation challenges, & a copy of Likeable social media! Project completed in class. You must be present to receive credit for Part 2

Section 2: Metrics, Engagement & Content Strategies

[7] 10/8 Mon Weds Engagement Metrics: Planning for & Measuring Campaign Success on Social Media
Mod 2 Challenge 1: PR Plan

Engagement Metrics: Tools & Evaluation

Mod 2 Challenge 2: Evaluating Metrics

Fri

Brands: Getting Personal

[8] 10/15 [9] 10/22

Mon Weds Fri Mon

Content Curation
Personal Brand Assignment: Strategy Pre-Report

Lab day: Brand Strategy

Personal Brand Assignment: Strategy Pre-Report

Fall Break No Class Content Kingdom: Content Marketing & PR

Weds

Brand Communities: Engaging Members on Facebook

[10] 10/29

Fri Mon

Mod 2 Challenge 3: Brand Community Comparison

Brand Community Finish; Optimization: Date, Time, Tone, And More

Mod 2 Challenge 4: Optimizing Day, Time, Tone

[11] 11/5

Weds Fri Mon Weds Fri

Mod 2 Challenge 5: Effective Engagement Strategies Mod 2 Challenge 5: Effective Engagement Strategies

Optimization: Search
Mod 2 Participation 6, Part 1: Keywords

Optimizing: Press Release; Other Considerations: Basic SEO & Linking

Mod 2 Participation 6, Part 2: SEO Press Release

Project #1: Day 1

Part 1

[12] 11/12

Mon

Project #2: Day 2

Part 2

Matthew J. Kushin, PhD | mattkushin.com Shepherd University

Course Syllabus .:. 4

[13] 11/19 [14] 11/26 [15] 12/03

Weds Fri Mon Weds Fri Mon Weds Fri Mon Weds Fri

Project #1: Day 3 Class canceled; NCA Thanksgiving Holiday No Class Thanksgiving Holiday No Class Thanksgiving Holiday No Class Crowdsourcing: Collective Intelligence Personal Brand Strategy: Post Report Crowdsourcing Challenge
Mod 2 Participation 7: Crowdsourcing

Project completed in class. You must be present to receive credit for Part 3

Guest Speaker: TBD Lab Day I will open the lab for anyone wanting to work on their personal brand and/or wanting my help Personal Brand presentations
Personal Brand Strategy: Post Report

Personal Brand Presentations (#2) Wrapping up semester; Final Exam Review; High-5 awards

Note: Readings are to be completed by the date listed below. Schedule is subject to change. All assignments due by the start of class on the due date unless specified otherwise.

Final Exam Date & Time: Dec 12, Weds, 9-11am Additional Information
Consider the below various media as free supplemental services that you have the option of using. They include:

Twitter: o @profkushin A stream of updates and reminders. Topics relate from my whereabouts (to help you hunt me down on campus), to reminders for classes, to things going on in and around UVU, to news and bits related to mass comm and new media. Note: for class-related questions dont use Twitter use email or phone. o @mjkushin: personal account. Includes all profkushin posts plus unrelated stuff Im sharing & thinking.

Course Policies Participation Grade: A portion of your grade comes from participation. These are not free points distributed to students just for showing up. They must be earned. This grade is calculated based on various participation challenge assignments I will assign throughout the semester, general participation in classroom discussion and evidence of preparation (e.g., attending class having completed the readings), and the students contribution to a productive, inclusive and respectful educational environment for the professor and fellow students. Team Participation Challenges: There will be lots of in-class team participation challenge assignments. They are graded out of 5 points. They will be graded on either 1) how well the group addresses the overarching problem question or 2) 1 question will be chosen at random from the assignment to be graded. 5 points= All questions complete & thoroughly done. Great work. 4 points= 1-2 questions not completed or work is good but does not properly address questions, issues . Less than 4 Greater effort needed; work is not serious; incomplete. Absent on a day a participation challenge is due? You may do a make up assignment for missed participation challenges for up to 1 absence. These will be presented in class on Fridays ONLY and must be presented by the Friday after your absence. You may receive full credit for completing the make up. You must notify me by Weds class that you will be presenting on Friday. The assignment is: To find a FREE social media tool that has not been discussed in class by the professor or presented as a make-up assignment by another student. The tool should be related to course material (monitoring, metrics, etc). Present a

Matthew J. Kushin, PhD | mattkushin.com Shepherd University

Course Syllabus .:. 5

5-minute overview of the tool, and teach students what its strategic use is and specifically how to use it in this way. Good resources: justtweetit.com | productivewebapps.com Attendance, Being On Time, & Leaving Early: Department Attendance policy: 3 unexcused absences permitted, full grade deduction for each absence thereafter, and 5 or more is automatic F. Attendance will be taken every class. You MUST attend your classes regularly and engage in the requirements for each class; otherwise, your financial aid may be revoked either partially or in full. This would result in an amount due by you to the University immediately. Please refer to shepherd.edu/faoweb for more details. If you know you will be missing classes work with me ahead of time. High-fives will be given to students who miss no more than 2 classes at the end of the semester; two-handed high fives for students who miss no classes. Class participation is important for the success of the class and to your success. You are expected to attend class regularly and on time and to stay for the duration of class. Students who arrive more than 5 minutes late or leave lecture before it is complete without notifying the instructor prior to the start of class will receive a reduction in their overall attendance & participation grade. Do not expect a warning or notification of grade reduction. Classroom Environment: Play (mp3 players, games on handheld devices, etc), reading non-course related materials, or working on assignments for other classes is distracting. Were all here to learn and people pay a lot of money for their education. Use of Internet devices to take notes & gather information to inform classroom discussion is strongly encouraged. But browsing & social interaction are not so please minimize use during class. If your use of any device becomes disruptive, it will negatively impact your participation grade. Although I may speak with you about this, do not expect a warning prior to reduction nor for the instructor to inform you that your grade has been reduced. If your ringer goes off during class, please turn it off. If you feel the call may be an emergency, please step out of class. Make-up Exams: Make up exams will be offered only once per student with proper documentation (e.g., doctors note) of absence and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Make-up exams will be offered during office hours and must be complete by the end of the same working day the student returns to class. Make up exams will not be offered beyond 2 weeks after it is scheduled on the syllabus. Late assignments: Late means turned in ANYTIME AFTER the end of scheduled class time on the due date. 2 minutes late and 2 hours late are treated equally. Late assignments will be accepted for a 20% reduction in grade (except participation challenges see above for late work rules for participation challenges). Late assignments will not be accepted beyond 1 class period late. Students are responsible for remembering to turn in assignments (online for major papers) or in person prior to end of class on the due date. In the rare case that a student is not able to attend class on the date an assignment is due, the student may submit the assignment electronically BEFORE the end of class on the assigned day for full credit. . If you are having email/internet issues, you can fax it to the communication department or slide it under Dr. Ks office door. There will be no exceptions to the late assignment policy. Email & Electronic Communication Policy: I will prioritize & make every effort to respond to communications sent during virtual office hours ASAP. However, for electronic communication occurring outside of established Office Hours: v Students can expect to get a response to an email from me within 48 hours of sending it, often much sooner. If you dont hear from me within 48 hours, send a polite reminder. v If you send me an email or any other electronic communication and I do not respond to it, then I did not receive it. You will always get a response from me if I received something. v Students should not expect responses on weekends or after 6pm. v Email subject lines should include: Class Title & Your name. e.g., Comm 2000 Jane Doe

Matthew J. Kushin, PhD | mattkushin.com Shepherd University

Course Syllabus .:. 6

v In case of real emergency needing response ASAP, add [emergency] to subject line. Dont abuse this! Academic Dishonesty. Each student in this course is expected to abide by the Shepherd University Academic Integrity Procedures found in the Shepherd University Student Handbook (http://www.shepherd.edu/students/studenthandbook.pdf). By submitting academic work, students warrant that the work is their own and that unauthorized materials or resources were not used. Plagiarism, fraud, unauthorized use of resourcescheating in all its forms is not tolerated. All members of the Shepherd community are responsible for maintaining their own academic integrity and for reporting suspected academic dishonesty. Plagiarism is the act of stealing and using, as ones own, the ideas of another or the written expression of the ideas of another. Students guilty of academic dishonesty in any course will receive sanction from the course instructor and may face sanctions by the University, particularly if there is a second reported offense. Sanctions may include dismissal from the University. In this course you will fail any assignment you plagiarize on. Additional sanctions may be taken at the discretion of the instructor including but not limited to reporting the incident to the proper university authorities. Disability Support Services: Disability Support Services at Shepherd University believes that every student should succeed, and works closely with students to meet their needs. Students requesting any disability related accommodation should contact the Disability Coordinator at 304-876-5453. This includes students with learning disabilities needing classroom accommodations, students requesting specific housing accommodations for health- related reasons, and all other disability accommodations. Accommodations need to be documented and provided to instructors. Please see http://www.shepherd.edu/mcssweb/dss/default.html for more information. .