Course Syllabus PREL 450, 03 Cr.

Public Relations Workshop Lebanese International University Department of Communication Arts

Course Title: PREL 450. 03 Cr. Public Relations Workshop Class Schedule: Friday 9:30- 12:00 Saida Campus, MW 11:00-12:15 Beirut Campus Instructor: Abir Chaaban (Saida Campus), Dr. Walid Raad (Beirut Campus) Course Description: This is weekly workshop to implement concepts studied in Public Relations Concepts and Principles PREL 300, the practical application of mass communication theory and Public Relations professional writing. This course provides an opportunity for students to work as practitioners of Public Relations within the content of a simulated professional work environment. The course also starts with revising some key concepts related to the Public relations practice, such as image, identity, impression management, public opinion and public communication. Prerequisites: COMM 200: Introduction to Communication Studies COMM 255: Theories of Mass Media PREL 300: Public Relations Principles and Concepts PREL 375: Specialized Writing in Public Relations Course Objectives: By the end of this course students would have developed a practical experience in: Being involved in situational analysis, developing PR strategies aiming at changing attitudes about an issue or a cause. Developing a strategy to improve a firms image. Writing mission and a vision of an organization. Presenting a critical analysis of a cause/issue. Having a clear understanding of the details involved in public relations jobs. Conducting Media Analysis. Obtaining firsthand practical experience in both visual and graphic components of promotions. Writing a proposal for a public relations campaign. Presenting a public relations speech. Writing a press release. Text:

Course Kit will be produced by instructor and available at copy center. The readings in the course kit are reflected in the Class Schedule listed below Students are expected to refer to texts used in prerequisite courses as a reference mainly:
Thomas Bivins, Handbook for Public Relations Writing: The Essentials of Style and Format 4th ed. Ntc Pub Group, ISBN: 978-0844203508

Dennis L. Wilcox , Glen T. Cameron, Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics 10th. Ed, Pearson, ISB: 10: 0205770886 Internet Sources: International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication http://amecorg.com/ International Public Relations Association http://www.ipra.org/ Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management http://www.globalalliancepr.org/ Society for New Communication Research http://www.sncr.org/ UNDP Communications http://www.undp.org/comtoolkit/whycommunicate/why-core-concepts-what.shtml United Nations Meetings and Press Coverage http://www.un.org/en/unpress/index.asp Evaluation: Exercises, Class discussions and Analysis 30% Project Planning 30% Final Campaign Plan and Presentation 40% POLICIES AND PROCEDURES This course teaches you how to function in a professional environment where policies and procedures must be strictly adhered to. The following applies for the course policies and procedures. 1. Attendance at each class is mandatory at LIU 2. Excessive absences can reduce a students grade or deny credit for the course. 3. Plagiarism will immediately grant an F grade. 4. Late assignments will be penalized by reducing 5 marks from the potential mark for only one day of delay. Assignments that are more than one day late will not be graded. 5. Students are not allowed in class if more than 5 minutes late. Repeated tardiness will result in denial of entry to class after 10 minutes. A pattern of consistent tardiness (more than two times and/or more than 10 minutes) will result in a reduction of the final grade by 10 percent for each incident beyond two.

6. No excuses are accepted for failure to come to class. Excuses as being

busy doing other classes assignments are not acceptable.

7. Only official and valid permissions consistent with LIU procedures are

accepted for failure to come to class.

Public Relations Workshop Class Schedule and Assignments

Week

Topic

Reading/Assignment

Week 1

Course Overview Job Description: PR Officer Areas of Work Components of Public Relations Instructor Hand Out ( to be communicated by e-mail and on Facebook class group) : PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA 2006

Areas of Work for Public Relations Practitioner Components of Public Relations

Discussion Exercises end page of each reading

Week 2 Revising Key Concepts: Public Opinion Political Communication

LEtang, Jacquie Chapter 5 in Public Relations, Concepts, Practice and Critique (London, LA: SAGE 2008).

Two Public Opinion exercises Page 3

Lobbying Marketing Communication

100 Public Relations, Concepts, Practice and Critique

Exercise on Lobbying Page 115 Public Relations, Concepts, Practice and Critique

Instructor Assignment: Political Communication TBA

Week 3 Revising Key Concepts Reputation Identity Image

Chapter 3, Public Relations, Concepts, Practice and Critique

Identity: Exercise Page 52

Reputation: Exercise Page 59,

Impression Management: Exercise Page 66

Instructor Assignment Reputation, Identity and Image : TBA

Week 4,5 Data Collection and Media Analysis Agenda Setting Content Analysis Media Evaluation Media Framing Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal, 6(1), 1 34. 1 Media content analysis: Its uses; 4 Readings available electronically Chapter 6, Public Relations, Concepts, Practice and Critique

Analyzing Blogs

benefits and best practice methodology Jim Macnamara University of Technology Sydney

How to Measure Social Media Relations: The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Sameby Katie Delahaye Paine CEO, KDPaine & Partners, LLC Member, Commission on Public Relations Measurement & Evaluation

Journal of Communication ISSN 0021-9916, Thoughts on Agenda Setting, Framing, and Priming by David H. Weaver School of Journalism, University of Indiana, Bloomington, IN 47405

First Assignment: Create a blog or a facebook public group, concerning a political cause/issue of interest. Start researching a case study for your project

Week 6

The Elements of a PR Campaign

Media

Press Kits (Print and Electronic) Develop Media Lists Press Releases

Chapter 2, 3, Erica Weintraub and Austin, Bruce E. Pinkelton Strategic Public Relations Management: Planning and Managing Effective Communication Programs (Mahwah, New Jersey London: LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS 2001)

Media Training Public service announcements (PSAs) Op-Ed Articles Letters to the Editor Press conferences Media tours Special Events Trade Shows Speech Writing Photography Audio Tapes Internet Monitoring Community Meetings Specialized Fact Sheets By-line Articles Quarterly Newsletters Annual Reports Community Calendar Listings PR Campaign Measurement Crisis Management

Instructor PowerPoint Presentations 6

Week, 7,8

Research Methods

will be e-mailed to Students.

Week 9

Developing a Research Plan Determining Research needs Determining and Understanding Target Publics Elements of the Research Plan

Chapter 4, Erica Weintraub and Austin, Bruce E. Pinkelton Strategic Public Relations Management

Week 10, 11, 12

The Campaign Plan

Chapter 16, Erica Weintraub and Austin, Bruce E. Pinkelton Strategic Public Relations Management Exercise TBA

Planning : Discussion Topics: Analyze content of media coverage related to the Political cause/issue of interest. Core problem, with image Current attitudes What is the current situation of your issue/ cause What ideas you want to change How are you planning to do the change What activities do you wish to implement Why do you want to change these ideas Where do you plan to do your activities 7

Analyze official website of your political cause/issue

Collect Newspaper coverage on your cause/issue

Write a report on main concerns from press

coverage

Determine negative publicity concerning your cause/issue

Develop a counter strategy to improve the image of your cause/issue

Write a News Release ( Post on Blog or Facebook group)

Present your case and rationale to start planning your Campaign

Week 13, 14 Week 15

Individual Field Work Review of Plan and Presentations

Campaign Proposal to be submitted at the end of week 14