ISSUE
TRACKING GUIDELINES
(pdf
version, with grading sheet, 108K)
NM2219 Principles of Communication Management
Dr. Linda M. Perry • Dr. Iccha Basnyat
The
first objective of this term project is for you to learn how to
watch for and track issues that may affect your employer, your profession,
your country or you. This is a crucial first step for managing issues.
The second objective is for you to learn how to strategically manage
issues' impacts on an affected organization or governmental body
using public relations theories and principles learned in class.
For
this project, you should watch for issues that affect public
opinion at home or globally and that would respond to public
relations tactics you are learning about in class. Remember
that an issue is subject to debate. It involves a controversy, or
a problem to be resolved. The issue may impact local, state, national
or international businesses, organizations or public officials.
Watch
for current issues and be prepared to discuss two or three by
the time of your first discussion group meeting, the week of
24 Aug. Your instructors will lead discussions
on current issues, including your choice, at that first group meeting.
You will break up into groups of 5 to 7, and each group should settle
on tracking one issue by the week of 1 Sept. No
two groups within a tutorial should track the same issue. By the
week of 8 Sept., your group should agree on an organization
or government body that can be affected by the issue.
In
addition to local media, monitor at least one major daily newspaper
outside of Singapore for developments in your issue. Excellent
reports will be taken from several news sources. Clip all articles
you can find about the issue, or print out articles found on the
Internet. Write the date and source on each clip. Hint: Google
has an excellent tracking device to help you find articles on your
issue. If your issue dies or is resolved, pick another quickly.
As you collect the clips, write a short summary about each
development. (If you were doing this for an employer, you would
track several issues of interest to, or that may have an impact
on, your organization. The summaries would be given to your superior
daily.)
Most
issues are complex enough to have many facets. Each group member
should concentrate on one such facet, and each group member should
have about 12 to 15 clips by the time the report
is due. There may be some overlap. Each member must compile an annotated
bibliography (containing short summaries of each article
or new updates) submitted with the group's report. Be sure to put
your name on your bibliography.
By
the week of 3 Nov., your group should be prepared to deliver
a short (7-15-minute) presentation to your tutorial, with
a written outline summarizing the issue and your group's
recommendation. To address the issue on behalf of the organization
you have chosen to represent, propose at least one public relations
objective and at least one tactic to achieve that
objective. The excellent report will consider more than one tactic,
as appropriate. The presentation must not go over the time
limit set by the instructor. Points earned for the presentation
will be determined by content and by how well the presenters were
prepared and followed these criteria. Audio/visual aids to comprehension
are a plus.
By
17 Nov., each group should submit a three- to five-page
report of its issue. This report should include an objective
summary of the issue and how it has developed up to the
time of the report. The summary should be brief and concise,
not more than three pages, double-spaced. The report will include
a discussion (at least one page of the report) on how the
issue relates to what you have learned in class. For example,
you might report how good public relations practices could have
averted the problem, or could have (or did) manage the problem.
You might report how public opinion was formed about the issue,
affected a situation, or was engineered or manipulated. An excellent
report will discuss at least three principles,
theories or other elements learned in class and correctly applied
to your issue. In addition, you will propose at least one
realistic and measurable public relations objective and tactic
to address the issue on behalf of your organization. The excellent
report will propose more than one tactic, as appropriate. Set at
least one measurable objective for each tactic. Finally,
the excellent report will reflect any feedback received on the outline
and/or presentation.
The
report is to be typed, double-spaced, with the
clips, printouts or photocopies attached. Add a
page of bibliographic references, citing at least 10 articles,
etc., used in the group's summary and recommendations. The excellent
report will have at least 15 citations. The citations may be in
footnote style or in a reference list. Also enclose each group member's
annotated bibliography and a copy of the Issue Tracking
Grade Sheet (see pdf version of these instructions to print
out the grade sheet) with your issue and group members’ names
clearly written on the lines provided. Append a cover sheet
and package the report neatly in a large envelope with your group's
names and majors, the issue addressed and
your tutorial instructor's name written on the outside. The
number of points earned (out of 100) will be determined by the quality
of the summary and the application section and by how well criteria
were met and directions were followed. Writing, grammar and spelling
are important.
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