Exploring Mass Communication - Hear from the Author

Hi Folks,

The people at Sage College Publishing asked me to explain who I am and provide you a bit about the thought process that went into my latest book, Exploring Mass Communication. The former might require a shot of sodium pentanol, so let’s start with the latter.

This book was written with the idea that students shouldn’t have to play a game of “Where’s Waldo?” to figure out what matters in a chapter. I used an approach that tries to amuse and entertain while also providing educational opportunities and critical-thinking prompts. I built each chapter in layers, so you could give the students a brief, a moderate, or a detail-oriented experience with the topic at hand. Within each chapter, I provide a robust view of the topic that goes beyond the traditional mainstream history, tapping into a diverse stream of often overlooked groups and individuals.

Why should you trust me or this book to help your students? 

The biggest thing this book does is provide students not only with WHAT they need to know, but also WHY they need to know it and HOW it can apply to their lives in the present and future. 

So why should you trust me or this book to help your students? (Pauses for shot of sodium pentanol…) 

OK, here’s why:

• I read every intro book out there, at least twice, and they were so boring, I couldn’t imagine doing any worse. 
• I believe in the philosophy of, “If you wouldn’t read it, don’t write it,” so I only wrote content if I thought it would be interesting and engaging to college students. 
• I listen to students in all of my classes when they describe exactly what they hate about textbooks and I avoid all those mines in the minefield that is writing.
• I’m one of you, a teacher/professor/instructor/person at the front of the room, who wants the students to learn important things in a simple, clear and concise way. That’s how I approached the book.
• I’m here to help you. If you need ANYTHING extra to make your class work well with this book, all you have to do is email me and I’ll write a blog post, develop an assignment, drop in via a Zoom call or whatever else you ask of me. I’m at your disposal because the whole reason I am in education is to help people.

I hope that helps. Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at the book.

Vince (a.k.a. The Doctor of Paper)

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