City University of Hong Kong

Course Syllabus

offered by Department of Media and Communication

with effect from Semester B 2019/20

Part I Course Overview

Course Title: Fundamentals of Persuasive Communication

Course Code: COM3107

Course Duration: One semester

Credit Units: 3

Level: B3
Arts and Humanities
Study of Societies, Social and Business Organisations
Proposed Area:
(for GE courses only) Science and Technology

Medium of
Instruction: English

Medium of
Assessment: English

Prerequisites:
(Course Code and Title) None

Precursors:
(Course Code and Title) None

Equivalent Courses:
(Course Code and Title) EN3568 Fundamentals of Persuasive Communication

Exclusive Courses:
(Course Code and Title) None

Course Syllabus
1
COM3107
 Part II Course Details

1. Abstract
(A 150-word description about the course)

This course aims to:

1. Introduce of the dominant principles and perspectives on persuasion.

2. Examine of the key concepts, theories, and research in the area of persuasive communication.
3. Analyze persuasive messages that occur in both interpersonal and mass mediated contexts.
4. Equip students with a set of skills in moving from theoretical persuasion analysis to the
practical production of persuasive messages in a variety of professional contexts such as
public relations, advertising, and political campaign across a range of media.

2. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

(CILOs state what the student is expected to be able to do at the end of the course according to a given standard of
performance.)

No. CILOs# Weighting* Discovery-enriched

(if curriculum related
applicable) learning outcomes
(please tick where
appropriate)
A1 A2 A3
1. Detect and discuss topics and fundamental processes ✓ ✓
underlying persuasive communication.
2. Examine major concepts and theories in the field of ✓ ✓
persuasion and persuasive communication
3. Critically analyze persuasive messages in various ✓ ✓ ✓
interpersonal and mediated contexts by using theories and
research relating to social influence.
4. Apply theoretical knowledge about persuasion to the ✓ ✓ ✓
practical production of persuasive messages in a variety of
processional communication settings.
* If weighting is assigned to CILOs, they should add up to 100%. 100%
#
Please specify the alignment of CILOs to the Gateway Education Programme Intended Learning outcomes
(PILOs) in Section A of Annex.

A1: Attitude
Develop an attitude of discovery/innovation/creativity, as demonstrated by students possessing a strong
sense of curiosity, asking questions actively, challenging assumptions or engaging in inquiry together with
teachers.
A2: Ability
Develop the ability/skill needed to discover/innovate/create, as demonstrated by students possessing
critical thinking skills to assess ideas, acquiring research skills, synthesizing knowledge across disciplines
or applying academic knowledge to self-life problems.
A3: Accomplishments
Demonstrate accomplishment of discovery/innovation/creativity through producing /constructing creative
works/new artefacts, effective solutions to real-life problems or new processes.

Course Syllabus
2
COM3107
 3. Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)
(TLAs designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs.)

TLA Brief Description CILO No. Hours/week

1 2 3 4 (if
applicable)
Lectures Students are required to attend ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ N/A
lecture regularly and on time
every week
Readings Students are expected to complete ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ N/A
all assigned readings each week
before attending the lecture.
In-class Students are asked to engage in ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
discussions group discussions during tutorial
on specific topics and/or case
studies assigned by the instructor.
Exercises/exams Each student is required to do ✓ ✓ ✓
class exercises or to attend
exams. The exercises or exams
require students to (1) identify
major concepts and (2) critically
analyze a persuasive message by
applying a theory of persuasion.
Group Students are required to complete ✓ ✓ ✓ N/A
assignment a group project in which they
would apply theoretical
knowledge gained from this class
to a real-world persuasive
communication scenario.
Specifically, each student group
is required to design a public
campaign to enhance awareness
of an assigned public health issue,
and critically analyze and support
their campaign strategy and
message according to theories
and research relating to
persuasion.

Course Syllabus
3
COM3107
 4. Assessment Tasks/Activities (ATs)
(ATs are designed to assess how well the students achieve the CILOs.)

Assessment Tasks/Activities CILO No. Weighting* Remarks

1 2 3 4
Continuous Assessment: _100___%
Participation in class ✓ 20%
discussion: Students’ active
participation in class discussion
through providing examples,
synthesizing, analyzing,
appraising and reflecting on the
given persuasive messages
would facilitate their learning.
Exercises/exams: Short or long
questions will be set in the
exercises/exams to test
students’ knowledge and
understanding of the subject.
Exercises/exams: Students will ✓ 30%
be asked to define key concepts
or theories in the
exercises/exams.
Group assignment: Students
will be asked to present the key
concepts or theories that they
use in their group assignments.
Students will be given real-life ✓ 30%
persuasive messages in the class
discussion/exercises/exams to
analyze.
Participation in class ✓ 20%
discussion: Students will be
asked to brainstorm how an
existing persuasive message can
be improved with the class
knowledge learned.
Group assignment: Students
will need to design persuasive
messages based on the theories
learned in class.
Examination: ____% (duration: , if applicable)
* The weightings should add up to 100%. 100%

Course Syllabus
4
COM3107
  

5. Assessment Rubrics
(Grading of student achievements is based on student performance in assessment tasks/activities with the following rubrics.)

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
Class Presentation Ability to work collaboratively on an assigned topic relevant High Significant Moderate Basic Not even
to persuasive communication in the contemporary society reaching
marginal levels
Quizzes Capacity to demonstrate knowledge of theoretical models High Significant Moderate Basic Not even
of persuasive communication and ability to apply these to reaching
analyse real-life examples marginal levels
Class discussions Explain principles of persuasive communications and High Significant Moderate Basic Not even
and participation analyse contemporary issues relevant to persuasive reaching
communication marginal levels
Online persuasion Ability to explain in detail and with accuracy methods of High Significant Moderate Basic Not even
project inquiry useful in analysing relationship between persuader reaching
and persuade. Capacity to apply knowledge and gain marginal levels
insights into a specific persuasive communication
challenges via planning of an online persuasive
communication campaign.

Course Syllabus
5
COM3107
  

Part III Other Information (more details can be provided separately in the teaching plan)

1. Keyword Syllabus
(An indication of the key topics of the course.)

Persuasion theories, cognitive processing, compliance gaining, promotional communication,

communication theory, public communication, consumer behaviour, public relations, rhetoric,
advertising, sales promotion, integrated marketing communications, promotional campaigns

2. Reading List
2.1 Compulsory Readings
(Compulsory readings can include books, book chapters, or journal/magazine articles. There are also collections of
e-books, e-journals available from the CityU Library.)

1. Perloff, R. (2017). The Dynamics of Persuasion: Communication and Attitudes in the 21st Century
(6th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
2. Larson, C. U. (2007). Persuasion: Reception and Responsibility (12th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Learning.
3. Borchers, T. (2013). Persuasion in the media age (3rd ed.). Waveland Press.

2.2 Additional Readings

(Additional references for students to learn to expand their knowledge about the subject.)
1. Eagly, A. H. & Chaiken, S. (1993). The psychology of attitudes. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt, Brace,
Jovanovich.
2. Stiff, J. B. & Mongeau, P. A. (2002). Persuasive Communication (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford
Press. Leiss, W., Kline, S., Jhally, S., & Botterill, J. (2005). Social communication in advertising:
Consumption in the mediated marketplace. NY: Routledge.
3. Alperstein, N. M. (2003). Advertising in everyday life. Hampton Press.
4. Buijzen, M., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2003). The effects of television advertising on materialism,
parent-child conflict, and unhappiness: A review of research. Journal of Applied Developmental
Psychology, 24(4), 437-457.
5. Wartella, E., & Jennings, N. (2002). Hazards and possibilities of commercial TV in the schools. In D.
G. Singer, & J. L. Singer (Eds.), Handbook of children and the media (pp. 557-570). Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
6. Valentino, N. A., Hutchings, V. L., & Williams, D. (2004). The impact of political advertising on
knowledge, Internet information seeking, and candidate preference. Journal of Communication, 54(2),
337-354.
7. Frith, K. T., & Mueller, B. (2002). Advertising and gender representation. In, Advertising and
societies: Global issues. New York: Peter Lang, Inc.
8. Berger, A. A. (2004). Sexuality and advertising. In, Ads, fads, and consumer culture (pp. 73-86).
Rowman & Littlefield Inc.
9. Strasburger, V. C., & Wilson, B. J. (2002). Children, adolescents, & the media. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
10. Gunter, B., Oates, C., & Blades, M. (2004). Advertising to children on TV: Content, impact, and
regulation. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum
11. Martin, M. C., Gentry, J. W., & Hill, R. P. (1999). The beauty myth and the persuasiveness of
advertising: A look at adolescent girls and boys. In M. C. Macklin, & L. Carlson (Eds.), Advertising
to children: Concepts and controversies (pp. 165-187). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
12. Martin, M. C., Gentry, J. W., & Hill, R. P. (1999). The beauty myth and the persuasiveness of
advertising: A look at adolescent girls and boys. In M. C. Macklin, & L. Carlson (Eds.), Advertising
to children: Concepts and controversies (pp. 165-187). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
13. Lowrey, T. M., Shrum, L. J., & McCarty, J. A. (2005). The future of television advertising. In A. J.
Kimmel (Ed.), Marketing communication: New approaches, technologies, and styles (pp. 113-132).
Oxford University Press.

Course Syllabus 6
COM3107