Graduate seminar syllabus (memoir)

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\makeoddhead{seminar}{COMM 640}{}{Graduate seminar, Fall 2026}
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\pretitle{\begin{center}\small\scshape Department of Communication, University Name\par
  \vskip 1em\LARGE}
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\title{Your paper}
\author{Instructor Name}
\date{COMM 640 \textperiodcentered{} Fall 2026 \textperiodcentered{} Thursdays 15:00--17:50,
  Room 101}

\begin{document}
\maketitle
\thispagestyle{seminar}

\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{@{}ll@{}}
\toprule
Instructor & Instructor Name, Room 214, \texttt{[email protected]} \\
Office hours & Tuesday 10:00--12:00 and by appointment \\
Teaching assistant & TA Name, \texttt{[email protected]} \\
TA office hours & Monday 14:00--15:00 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{center}

\section{Course description}
This seminar examines how the idea of \enquote{information} travelled from engineering
into the social sciences. We begin with the mathematical theory of communication
\parencite{shannon1948} and follow its uses and critiques in media studies, sociology and
the history of technology. Each meeting is a discussion led by participants.

\section{Learning outcomes}
Participants will be able to:
\begin{enumerate}
  \item summarise the technical core of information theory for a non-technical audience;
  \item trace how a concept changes as it moves between disciplines;
  \item lead an informed discussion of a demanding text;
  \item write a research paper suitable for a graduate conference.
\end{enumerate}

\section{Required materials}
The course reader (on the course page) and the works cited at the end of this syllabus.
Participants are asked to bring the week's texts, annotated, to every meeting.

\section{Weekly readings}
\begin{description}[style=nextline,leftmargin=2.2em]
  \item[Week 1 -- Introductions] Syllabus; course reader, introduction.
  \item[Week 2 -- The mathematical theory] \textcite{shannon1948}, parts I and II.
  \item[Week 3 -- Noise and redundancy] \textcite[part III]{shannon1948}; reader, unit 3.
  \item[Week 4 -- Cybernetics] Reader, unit 4 (early cybernetics conferences).
  \item[Week 5 -- Information in biology] Reader, unit 5 (the \enquote{genetic code}).
  \item[Week 6 -- Communication models] Reader, unit 6 (transmission and ritual models).
  \item[Week 7 -- Paper proposals] No reading; proposal workshop.
  \item[Week 8 -- Information society] Reader, unit 8.
  \item[Week 9 -- Infrastructures] Reader, unit 9 (cables, archives, standards).
  \item[Week 10 -- Data and quantification] Reader, unit 10.
  \item[Week 11 -- Critiques] Reader, unit 11.
  \item[Week 12 -- Presentations] Draft papers circulated one week before.
\end{description}

\section{Assessment}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{@{}lr@{}}
\toprule
Component & Weight \\
\midrule
Participation in discussion & 15\% \\
Weekly reading memos (10, 500 words) & 20\% \\
Leading one seminar meeting & 15\% \\
Paper proposal and annotated bibliography & 10\% \\
Research paper (6\,000--8\,000 words) & 40\% \\
\midrule
Total & 100\% \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{center}

\subsection{Grading scale}
A (93--100), A$-$ (90--92), B+ (87--89), B (83--86), B$-$ (80--82), C (70--79),
F (below 70). A grade below B$-$ does not count towards the degree.

\section{Policies}
\subsection{Attendance}
The seminar meets twelve times; attendance at every meeting is expected. Tell the
instructor in advance of any absence; more than one unexcused absence lowers the
participation grade.
\subsection{Late work}
Memos are due by Wednesday 18:00 so that everyone can read them. Late memos are not
graded. Extensions for the paper must be requested a week before the deadline.
\subsection{Academic integrity}
All written work must be your own and must cite its sources. Re-using a paper written for
another course requires the instructor's written permission.
\subsection{Accessibility}
Participants who need accommodations should contact the accessibility office and the
instructor; materials are available in accessible formats on request.

\section{Important dates}
\begin{tabular}{@{}ll@{}}
September 10 & First meeting \\
October 22 & Paper proposal due \\
November 26 & No meeting (holiday) \\
December 3 & Draft paper circulated \\
December 10 & Presentations \\
December 17 & Final paper due \\
\end{tabular}

\printbibliography[heading=subbibliography,title={Works cited}]

\end{document}

@article{shannon1948,
  author  = {Shannon, C. E.},
  title   = {A Mathematical Theory of Communication},
  journal = {Bell System Technical Journal},
  volume  = {27},
  number  = {3},
  pages   = {379--423},
  year    = {1948},
  doi     = {10.1002/j.1538-7305.1948.tb01338.x}
}

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