General Studies (GNST) 201 - Lecture 01
Inquiry Seminar in Communication and Culture - Shopping Culture in Calgary
Winter 2007
MWF: 11-11-50 SS 315

Instructor:	Dr. Lorry W. Felske
Office Location:	SS 212
Office Phone:	220-5781
E-Mail:	felske@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	blackboard.ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	MW: 13-14:00; T: 13-15:00            or by appointment.

 Course Description

This course provides the opportunity for students to pursue shopping culture in North American urban contexts, specifically Calgary, as an area of research activity. Students with a curiosity about consumption culture would be most interested in this course. Possible topic areas for student inquiry are numerous. They range from the design features of shopping centres and individual stores to the nature of customer culture, and fundamental issues such as globalization and the intensification of a consumption based society. Students will undertake small research assignments that prepare them for writing a longer research paper at the end of the course. Class discussions and a focus on the writing skills of students are essential features of the course

Objectives of the Course

To introduce students to the depth and breath of urban studies.

To develop a student's appreciation of urban life in Calgary.

To improve the academic and intellectual skills of students.

To introduce students to the idea of interdisciplinary studies.

To engage students with various components of academic research.

To make students aware of the cultural context in which they think and live.

To engage students in thinking about contemporary issues of concern to all urban citizens.

Textbooks and Readings:

Paco Underhill. Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. Touchstone/Simon and Schuster, 2000.

Available at the University of Calgary bookstore; commercial bookstores in Calgary may also stock this book.

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Class Participation: 25% Regular attendance and discussion in the seminar are important.

Written Assignment #1: 10% Due Sept. 28^th, 2007

Written Assignment #2: 10% Due Oct. 15^th, 2007

Written Assignment #3: 10% Due Oct. 29^th, 2007

Written Assignment #4: 10% Due Nov. 14^th, 2007

Research Paper: 35% Due Dec. 7^th, 2007

All assignments must be completed or a grade of F may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor.

Copies of this document, assignment descriptions and resources will be available on a Blackboard site (http://blackboard.ucalgary.ca/). You will need to know your Information Technology username and password.

Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  No


Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see the U of C Research Ethics "Information for Applicants," sections 3.0 to 9.0, inclusive: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/research/html/ethics/info_undergrad.html

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be handed out in class.