Strategic
Public Relations Communications EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS | SPRING TERM 2010
WINTER TERM 2009 Week 1
Week 2 - 5
Overview & Intro to PROpenMic
Research, planning and prep for PROpenMic management
Week 6
Week 7
PROpenMic Week
Professional development: networking & portfolios
Week 8 - 9
Portfolio Review & Final
Speeches & Presentations
Mini reviews; final portfolio
Connect Instructor: Kelli Matthews Email: kmatthew@uoregon.edu Office: 215D Allen Office Hours: noon - 1:30 Tue/Thu or by appointment
Textbook Made to Stick by Chip & Dan Heath Available via Amazon Barnes & Noble The Duck Store Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds Available via Amazon Barnes & Noble The Duck Store
Course Description During this class, you will prepare messages in clear, concise terms for strategic communication applications. You will learn to communicate in ways that connect with publics using a variety of material. You will exercise advanced communication skills by delivering messages in an appropriate persona, tone, voice and style that will also retain audiences’ attention. You will develop knowledge for assessing whether social media are appropriate for particular situations, and you will learn rules for engaging in online communication with publics. Through this course you will discover in both traditional communication and in social media the powerful influence of strategic communication.
Prerequisites: J350 Public Relations Principles, J440 Public Relations Writing
Work of the Course The assignments in this course were created to approximate the nature of tactics that you might be responsible for executing with three to five years of experience in public relations. I expect you to think as a professional and stretch yourself to write and produce as a professional. My objectives for the course: • Apply theories from J350: Public Relations Principles to write strategically for defined outcomes • Build on the foundation from J440: Public Relations Writing by using an appropriate voice and style for publics • Advance technical skills developed in J440, paying special attention to strong verbs, brevity and colorful language • Execute specialized forms of writing for a portfolio, such as new media and presentations • Develop an understanding of how to strategically use social media and evaluate online efforts
My Expectations You will be expected to think, to be creative, to manage multiple deadlines and to pay attention to detail. If something is unclear – come see me. If you want to brainstorm ideas – come see me. I’ve designed this class, and the assignments, to reflect the nature of work that you’ll find in many agencies.
Grading Criteria To ensure a consistent, clear grading policy, I will use the following grading scale, which is based on content, in addition to the number and severity of the edits I make to your documents.
F (0.0 or 59 or below): Unacceptable You need to make at least 16 edits (basic, advanced or both). The work demonstrates unsatisfactory comprehension and performance.
Basic Edit Examples Spelling error, fragment, missing period, factual error, poor content
The Assignments
Advanced Edit Examples Wordiness, passive voice, AP style, lack of strategic thinking, poor framing, organizational problems, comma placement, not following class format, lack of parallel structure. I will accept passive voice when I cannot improve your sentences by using active voice. A (4.0 or 90-100): Excellent You can make between zero and three advanced edits. Your work exhibits excellent comprehension and performance. The material is ready for publication and shows outstanding scholarship, mastery of facts, narrative flow, writing and news judgment.
You will complete eight major assignments, most with multiple components. Most assignments are due the Tuesday after the week they are assigned, a few have alternate due dates, please refer to the class calendar. Graduate students will be expected to complete 3 additional writing assignments as determined by their interests and will be added onto one of the topic units listed. Grading Criteria: Each assignment grade is taken as a raw score and the point value is assigned based on the complexity (assignments with more components have a higher point value).
Some assignments are eligible for a revision. The final B (3.0 or 80-89): Above Average grade will be determined by averaging your first and You can make four to seven advanced edits. Your work second versions. does not have basic errors. It exhibits good comprehension and performance. The material is written well. It shows mastery of the subject and good scholarship, but you need to make minor changes before publication. C (2.0 or 70-79): Meets Minimum Standards You can make eight to 11 edits (basic, advanced or both). If the work has a basic edit, it starts at a C. In the real world, a major edit jeopardizes a quick promotion and if caught by a client, it would damage the organization-client relationship. Firms have lost clients because of spelling errors. D (1.0 or 60-69): Does Not Meet Standards You would need to make 12-15 edits (basic, advanced or both). If the work has at least two basic edits, it starts at a D. The work exhibits borderline comprehension and performance.
GRADING SUMMARY Social Media Press Release
Points 20
Personal Blog Assignment 13 posts + 6 comments
Points 10 points each post 5 points each comment
Social Media Profiles/Participation
Points 10 points each
Twitter, LinkedIn
PROpenMic Community Management Quality of content, participation
PROpenMic Site Map Analysis of site, sections and best content
PR Podcast Outline of podcast
Video Treatment/Project Description
Presentation Slide deck & speech
Points 100 Points 20 Points 20 Points 20 Points 100
E-Portfolio
Points 20
Individual Portfolio Review
Points 20
Attendance & Participation
Points 20
Course Calendar Download the course calendar at www.prosintraining.com/J452
Classroom Protocol You are expected to be in class on time, every time the class meets. Every student is expected to accept responsibility for getting assignments, understanding precisely what is expected, and getting the work done to a high professional standard on or before specified deadlines.
Disabilities Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term.