Syllabus Spring '14: Social Media in Public Relations

Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Spring 2014

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Spring 2014: CMAT 490 – Communication Seminar: Social Media in PR
Tues/Thurs, 12:30PM—01:45PM | TETC 116B
Course Policies

Course Website:
http://drvinitaagarwal.com/ [QR Code below]| @vinitaagarwal | My Classes
Course Twitter Hashtag: #VASocialMediaPR
_____________________________________________________________________________
Instructor Contact Information:
Dr. Vinita Agarwal
Assistant Professor of Communication Arts
Office: Fulton Hall 272
Email: vxagarwal@salisbury.edu
OH: T/TH: 1:45PM—2:30PM, W, 11:00 AM—02:30 PM and by appointment
_____________________________________________________________________________

Prerequisite
CMAT 101 and 102 with grades of C or better.
Course Description
CMAT 490—Social Media in PR will involve the study of strategic communication principles
guiding social media planning and integration using tools such as blogging, podcasting,
YouTube, Facebook, RSS, Pinterest, and Twitter to identify and engage key
influencers. Students gain knowledge and experience in strategic implementation of social media
initiatives in PR contexts such as social media crises, corporate communications, issues
management, and reputation management. CMAT 490 is an enhanced course, requiring intensive
study in any one area of speech or communication studies, ideally in the student’s track.
Substantial research paper/academic project and class presentation are required.

i.

Learning Objectives
As an advanced social media seminar for students who have completed pre-requisites, core
curriculum, and electives in the field of public relations, course learning processes and outcomes
will take many forms. This course provides students proficiency in understanding and integrating
the principles and practice of PR with the social media campaign strategy and implementation
process. This course employs a service-learning approach that promotes learning through
community engagement. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Demonstrate responsiveness and engagement with social media networks through designing and
implementing a social media campaign in the community utilizing problem analysis,
measurement, testing, implementation, and evaluation.
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal


ii. Leverage social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest to
accomplish public relations goals
iii. Develop and curate content for your key publics by applying Web 2.0 principles in textual-,
visual-, audio-, and video-based contexts
iv. Using a service-learning pedagogical approach, the students design and implement social media
campaign strategy for a community client or a social issue through systematic research, goalsetting, monitoring, content optimization, and benchmark measurements to
a. Utilize organizational resources to achieve public relations goals
b. Engage key publics through social media applications and services
c. Build social media presence among key target publics
d. Measure the effectiveness of social media campaign strategy
Required Textbooks (Available through the Salisbury University Bookstore)
Ø Safko, L. (2010). The social media bible: Tactics, tools, and strategies (3rd ed.) New Jersey:
Wiley. (Abbreviated: S)
Ø Scott, D. M. (2011). The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use social media, online video,
mobile applications, blogs, news releases & viral marketing to reach buyers directly (3rd
ed.). New Jersey: Wiley (Abbreviated: DMS)
Ø Additional reading list per last page of syllabus and materials as distributed by the instructor.
Recommended
Ø Goldstein, N. (Ed.). (2011). The Associated Press stylebook and briefing on media
law. Fully revised and updated Ed. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.
Ø Barger, C. (2012). The social media strategist: Build a successful program from the inside out.
McGraw Hill
Equipment Policy
Extensive use of technology is expected. You may use the Marantz audio flash recorder for audio
recordings or video flip cameras for video recordings. These will be checked out (using your SU ID)
from Media Services (Room 334, TETC, Hours: TR, 9 AM—11 PM, Fridays, 9 AM—5 PM and
closed on Saturdays). This is available only for a day (late returns fined).
Copyright Statement
The content (lectures, assignments, handouts) are the property of the instructor and protected under
copyright law. You may not publicly distribute or display or share my course materials or lecture
notes without my written permission.
Teamwork
In the spirit of a service-learning approach, along with your team members, you will serve as a social
media consultant team to design, implement, and evaluate a social media campaign for a community
issue/organization. In the case of special circumstances, in consensus with other team members, nonperforming team members may not receive credit for work completed by the team collectively. Team
members will need to demonstrate good-faith efforts to warn/update non-performing member, keep
appropriate performance documentation, and meet with me in a timely manner (i.e., not last minute)
to prepare and submit their formal decision in such cases.
Attendance and Participation
Attendance is mandatory. Your effective participation will, of course, be directly proportional to the
quality of your portfolio work in the class.



Absences will negatively impact your grade. If you must have a doctor’s appointment during class
time, I will need to receive advance notice before the concerned class via email and see
documentation during my office hours upon your return to class. You are responsible for coordinating
and submitting make-up work with me within a week of your return to class in order to receive makeup credit. Similarly, for university or sports related responsibilities, please make arrangements with
me in advance in order to receive credit for missed class work. If an unforeseen issue necessitates
prolonged absence (i.e., greater than seven missed classes during the semester), evaluate your course
standing and/or consider dropping the course in a timely manner. This is particularly important if you
are a graduating senior and this is your final semester so you may best avail your opportunities.
As this is a social media course, professionalism with your colleagues and target audiences is an
important element of your contribution. Participation will obviously take many forms that will
necessarily include, but also go beyond your in-person, face-to-face class engagement. Your
creativity, enthusiasm, and contribution value on different platforms as well as frequency of
engagement and resonance with your target audience will count toward participation. This includes,
for example, responding to your class colleagues’ posts on your content as well as being responsive to
other’s content via useful and relevant feedback. It also includes taking a proactive approach to your
learning and being self-directed in critical application of learning content to your professional goals.
Your unique participation style and content should be tailored appropriately to the context, the
interaction, and the audience. I strive to provide you feedback coupled with a great degree of creative
control in experimenting with and discovering your content niche but will expect commitment to
excellence in performance and professionalism of engagement in return.
Course Ethos
As advanced PR students, I will expect professional behavior standards corresponding to those
expected of new hires in the industry. From my end, I will strive to provide each of you with the
resources and guidance necessary to achieve the course objectives and toward your development as
members of a globalized, cosmopolitan community of professionals. Do make use of my office hours
and availability to assist you with your learning objectives. All learning entails questions and
clarifications and productive, informed discussion. Thus, your ability to demonstrate critical
engagement with content through promoting positive in-class discussion will facilitate not only your
learning, but also that of our class members.
Any personal accommodations made during the semester will be at my discretion weighing individual
circumstances against the principle of fairness and justice to other class members.

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Deadlines, Late Policy, and Make-Ups
Deadlines are critical for professional success in today’s work environments, and paramount for PR
professionals. Here are a few general guidelines:
Monitor your grades.
All grade assignments will be taken as final one class period after the graded assignment has been
entered on Grade book in My Classes.
Do not discuss grade-related matters at end of class or via email.
Late assignments will be assessed a late penalty downgrading it by a letter grade for each class period
it is late and will not be accepted after two class periods from the due date.
You are responsible for making up any missed work or content.



Grading Policy
I strive to enter your grades within a week of their submission. You are responsible for monitoring
your grade on My Classes. All grades are considered final after one week of being returned to class.
You have up to one week from the day grades are returned to you to bring any concern to my notice.
Requests that bring up grade-related concerns more than a week old will not be reviewed. The review
process assumes you accept the possibility the grades can be revised upward/downward upon review.
I do not keep records of in-class assignments more than a week after grades are made available.
In general, my grading is based on the following broad rule-of-thumb: “C” work meets the basic
outlined criteria, “B” work does an excellent job of meeting the outlined criteria, and “A” work not
only does an excellent job of meeting the outlined criteria, but also surpasses expectations to
demonstrate innovative applications of the content that go beyond the outlined criteria. “D” work
does not meet one of the basic criteria outlined for the assignment at an acceptable level, and “F”
work is substandard and does not meet basic expectations on two or more of the outlined criteria.
Community Engagement Ethos
Given the service-learning ethos of the course, your responsible conduct with a community
issue/partner will be a large part of your out-of-class commitment. As you represent Salisbury
University on these projects, your professionalism and work ethos are paramount at all times.
As the course simulates a real-world professional environment, as with any business partner, client, or
team relationship, you should plan for and be ready to work around unanticipated factors in the course
of successfully designing and implementing your goals or minimizing their negative impact on your
desired outcomes. These could include, for example, unexpected changes to yours, your colleagues,
or your community partners’ scheduling times, establishing communication channels that apply to
your context, appropriate goal-setting, and working to manage stakeholder expectations satisfactorily.
Through learning and implementing social media principles during the course of this project I expect
you will be a responsible, proactive, and productive member of your team, class, and community.
Support Services
For trouble with your connection, access to the course website or the materials therein please contact
IT at 410-677-5454, at TETC Room 113 or via email at helpdesk@salisbury.edu.
Emergency Policy
In the event of an emergency, announcements and information will be communicated via instructor
email, My Classes course website, and SU’s home page. Course-related information will be updated
by the instructor on My Classes and course website and via university email.
Office of Student Disability Support Services (OSDSS)
The OSDSS provides guidance, access to resources, and accommodations for students with
documented disabilities including: medical, psychiatric, and/or learning disabilities, and/or mobility,
visual, and/or hearing impairments. They can be reached at 410-677-6536.
Academic Integrity
The CMAT department expects you have read and understand the University’s policy as described in
the Student Policy on Academic Integrity in your SU Student Handbook
(www.salisbury.edu/Students/handbook/welcome.html) and thereby agree to honor these standards.
Academic dishonesty as a serious offense and ALL incidences are subject to disciplinary action
including, but not limited to, separation from the university.


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Assignment Description
In the spirit of a service-learning ethos, the assignments work in individual and collaborative contexts
that will give you the opportunity to apply public relations principles in real-world social media
campaign strategy design and implementation. Through the assignments you will gain a hands-on
experience with social media campaign implementation utilizing fundamental principles to guide your
strategic use of the digital tools in the ever evolving and networked PR world today. Ideally, you will
utilize the assignments to build your digital portfolio as well as in designing your social media
campaign strategy to achieve your community issue goals. Detailed instructions will be provided at
appropriate times during the semester.
Blogging (100 points total). You will utilize blogging as a tool to carve your thought leadership on a
PR issue of your choice. The break-up will include:
o Micro-blogging (50 points total). You will maintain a micro-blog on a content management
platform (e.g., Twitter) on your selected PR content area. You are required to Tweet or
otherwise engage in engaging content creation at a minimum of 5 times a week (7—10 times is
desirable). In addition, you will also participate through re-tweeting or replying to others tweets.
You will be required to create an account or, if you already have one, to submit the number of
followers you currently have and tally the end of the semester.
o Blogging (50 points total): You will maintain a Wordpress AND a Tumblr blog on a PR content
area of your choice. You are required to generate content appropriate to each platform at a
minimum of 3 times a week on both blogs. The idea is to gain proficiency with style, content,
and engagement characteristics distinctive to each platform and to optimize content delivery
based on the channel. Along with success in meeting strategic goals, you will also generate
engagement, followers, and feedback as well as responsiveness to feedback.
Social Media Tactics & Tools Mini-Projects (150 points total): Mini-projects, class work, and quizzes
focus on readings and successful engagement and evaluation of a social media tactic. May include inclass reading assessment mini-exams to assess grasp of readings for the day and preparation for class.
Social Media Service-Learning Project (100 points). This course incorporates a service-learning
pedagogical approach. In small teams, you will design, implement, and evaluate your social media
campaign to address a social issue facing the local community. This semester-long project will
require substantial out-of-class time and work commitment, networking with appropriate NPOs and
agencies, travel, meetings, research, design, and implementation (with approval of all stakeholders)
your social media plan. You will also evaluate your plan’s success and present it to a select audience
comprising the instructor, our class colleagues, community, and faculty members.
Personal Branding (50 points): Your final project evaluates your application of theory in constructing
your professional identity. Research, message testing, implementation and evaluation will be utilized
and coherence, resonance, and relevance of your message content, ethos, and expertise with your
target audience will be assessed.
Hoot Suite Certification (25 points): Working individually, you will successfully complete the Hoot
Suite Social Media certification.
Portfolio (25 points): Submitted during finals week, this will encapsulate your overarching goals and
course achievements as a social media public relations consultant/ social media campaign design in
your field and will incorporate online and hardcopy submission formats. Includes theoretical critique.

Grading
Assignment
Total Points
Ø Blogging and Micro Blogging
100
Ø Social Media Tactics & Tools Class & Mini-Projects
150
Ø Social Media Service-Learning Project
50
Ø Personal Branding
50
Ø Hoot Suite Certification
25
ØCMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal
Portfolio
25
_________________________________________________________
Total
400
_________________________________________________________


Grade Breakdown
A= 90.0% & above; B= 80.0%-89.0%; C= 70.0%-79.0%; D= 60.0%-69.0%; F= 59.0% & below
v Important Semester Dates:
Jan 27th –May 13th: Session dates | Jan 27th: First day of classes| Jan 27th –Jan 31st | Add/drop| Mar
17th – Mar 23rd: Spring Break | Apr 4th: Last day to Withdraw with a grade of (W)| May 13th: Last day
of classes| May 14th : Reading day| May 15th –May 21st : Finals week| May 22nd Commencement

Meeting
(T) Jan 28th
(TR) Jan 30th

(T) Feb 4th

(TR) Feb 6th

(T) Feb 11th

(TR) Feb 13th

(T) Feb 18th

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: SOCIAL MEDIA IN PR
(Reading #s on Last Page of Syllabus)
Readings
Assignments
WEEK # 1
Introductions, Syllabus, Ch1 (S)—What is social about
social media?
ü Readings for TR
SOCIAL MEDIA & PR
Ch. 2 (S); Ch. 1 & 5 (DMS) Reading # 1. *Tools &
Tactics
WEEK # 2
BLOGS
Ch. 6—Blogs (S), Ch. 13—Microblogs (S), & Ch. 17—
RSS (S); Ch. 17—Blogging (DMS)
Reading # 2 and # 3.
*Tools & Tactics
WEB 2.0
Ch. 3—Emailing (S)
Ch. 2—New Rules & 13—Effective Writing (DMS)
Ch. 16—Social Networking (DMS)
Reading # 4.
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 3
WIKIS
Ch. 7—Wiki (S), Ch. 23—Social Media Trinity (S)
Ch. 3—Reaching Directly (DMS), Ch. 4—Wiki and
Social Media (DMS)
Reading # 5.
Reading # 11.
*Tools & Tactics
SEO & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Ch. 18—SEO (S), 19—SEO Marketing (S), Ch. 22—
Analyze Existing Media (S); Ch. 11—PR Plan (DMS) &
Ch. 12—Thought Leadership (DMS)
Reading # 6.
Ch. 22—SEO (DMS) *Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 4
MOBILE MARKETING
Ch. 20—Mobile (S), Ch. 21—Interpersonal (S); Ch. 8—

ü Set-up

ü Blogging/ Micro-blogging

ü UGC SM Strategy

#Mini-Tactic
ü Strategic Communication



Going Viral (DMS), Ch. 10—Real-time PR (DMS), Ch.
15—Mobile Marketing (DMS)
Reading # 7.
(TR) Feb 20th

(T) Feb 25th
(TR) Feb 27th
(T) Mar 4th

(TR) Mar 6th
(T) Mar 11th

AUDIO
Ch. 9—Podcast (S), Ch. 10—Audio Sharing (S), Ch. 24—
Integrating Strategies (S); Ch. 6—Podcasting (DMS: pp.
81—85), Ch. 18—Podcasting (DMS: pp. 258—262)
Reading # 8
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 5
AUDIO
Mini-Tactic Presentation and Feedback
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
Community and service-learning work
WEEK # 6
IMPLEMENTATION & MEASUREMENT
Ch. 25—Identify Resources (S), Ch. 26—Implementation
& Measurement (S)
WEBINAR
Mini-Tactic Presentation and Feedback
WEEK # 7
VIDEO
Ch. 8—Photo & Image (S) & 11 (S) *Tools & Tactics

(T) Mar 18th

VLOGGING
Ch. 11—Vlogs (S); Ch. 6—Video (DMS: pp. 75—80) &
Ch. 18—Vidcasting (DMS: pp. 251—257)
Reading # 9.
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 8
Spring Break! J

(TR) Mar 20th

ü #Mini-Tactic
ü Community engagement

ü #Mini-Tactic

Spring Break! J

(T) Mar 25th

Planning for SM

WEEK # 9
VIDSHARING
Ch. 12—VidSharing (S) & Ch. 14—VidCasting (S)
Reading # 10.
*Tools & Tactics

(TR) Mar 13th

(TR) Mar 27th
(T) Apr 1st

(TR) Apr 3rd

FEEDBACK
Class Feedback

ü No class!

ü #Mini-Tactic

WEEK # 10
MEDIA RELATIONS
Ch. 7—News Releases (DMS), Ch. 19—News Releases
(DMS), Ch. 21—Media Relations
Presenting Top Paper at CSCA, MN/ Team meetings

ü Community Engagement



(T) Apr 8th
(TR) Apr 10th
(T) Apr 15th
(TR) Apr 17th

(T) Apr 22nd
(TR) Apr 24th

WEEK # 11
JustGive: Transmedia Storytelling & Crowdsourcing
WEB SITES
Ch. 9—Website Content (DMS); Ch. 15—Virtual Worlds
(S), Ch. 16—Virtual Gaming (S)
WEEK # 12
Mini-tactic presentation and feedback

ü #Mini-Tactic

WEB SITES
Ch. 4—Web Pages (S), Ch. 5—Internet Forum (S)
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 13
WEB SITES
Personal web sites. Social media integration
Presenting at Top Paper Panel at ECA, RI/ Personal
branding work day
WEEK # 14
WEB SITES
Ch. 14—Web Content (DMS), Ch. 23—Make it Happen
(DMS) *Tools & Tactics

ü Individual work day

(TR) May 1st

Community Work Day

ü Team meetings

(T) May 6th

WEEK # 15
Community Engagement Presentations

(TR) May 8th


(T) May 13th

WEEK # 16

(TR) May 14th

Reading Day!

(T) Apr 29th

Finals Week
May 15—21

Presentations
Presentations
Presentations

ü No class.
Mon, May 19th, 10:45AM—1:15PM
Portfolio



Reading List
(NOTE: Reading #s correspond to those in syllabus)
1. boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship.
Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13, 210-230. [Read all pages]
2. Stefanone, M. A., & Jang, C-Y. (2008). Writing for friends and family: The interpersonal nature
of blogs. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13, 123-140.
3. Markin, G. A. A. (2005). To blog or not to blog. That is the question? Public Relations Quarterly,
50, 31-33. [Read all pages]
4. Martin, K. N., & Johnson, M. A. (2010). Digital credibility & digital dynamism in public
relations blogs. Visual Communication Quarterly, 17, 162-174. [Read pages 162-165].
5. Hargittai, E. (2007). Whose space? Differences among users and non-users of social network
sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13, 276-297. [Read pages 276
278]
6. Papsolomou, I., & Melanthiou, Y. (2012). Social media: Marketing public relations’ new best
friend. Journal of Promotion Management, 18, 319-328. [Read all pages].
7. Kelleher, T. (2009). Conversational voice, communicated commitment, and public relations
outcomes in interactive online communication. Journal of Communication, 59, 172-188.
[Read pages 172-178].
8. McClung, S., & Johnson, K. (2010). Examining the motives of podcast users. Journal of Radio
and Audio Media, 17, 82-95.
9. Lange, P. G. (2008). Publicly private and privately public: Social networking on YouTube.
Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13, 361-380. [Read pages 361-364].
10. Westerman, D., Spence, P. R., & Heide, B. V. D. (2014). Social media as information source:
Recency of updates and credibility of information. Journal of Computer-Mediated
Communication, 19, 171-183. [Read pages 171-173].
11. Utz, S. (2012). Show me your friends and I will tell you what type of person you are: How one’s
profile, number of friends, and type of friends influence impression formation on social
network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 15, 314-335. [Read pages
314-323, 325—329].
*Additional readings and material will be distributed by the instructor as necessary during the semester.


Syllabus Spring '14: Social Media in Public Relations

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