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Final Project Guidelines

Overview This course offers you an introduction to the field of public relations. You will develop a foundational basis around the history and ethics of the field, while also exploring what constitutes public relations in a more modern context. You will also become acquainted with the foundational best practices used in public relations and develop the fundamental writing skills required in the field. This course will help you become more acquainted with what public relations is, and learn how to convey that to others in a professional presentation.

The final project for this course is the creation and evaluation of a public relations campaign for a field or industry of your choice. The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency because it is common practice to create and evaluate public relations campaigns. The final project focuses on using the four step public relations plan (research, planning, implementation, and evaluation). You will work on each step throughout the course to create a final plan.

The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three and Five. The final product will be submitted in Module Seven.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 COM-227-01: Explain how the history of the public relations field influences the contemporary practice of the profession  COM-227-02: Determine an approach to addressing ethical issues in public relations supported by the professional ethics code in public relations  COM-227-03: Develop engaging work appropriate to the field of public relations that accurately reflects AP writing style and best practices  COM-227-04: Utilize the four-step public relations process for informing the development of public relations projects

Prompt

Specifically, you must address the critical elements listed below. Most of the critical elements align with a particular course outcome (shown in brackets).

I. Research: For this part of the summative assessment, you will perform the first step of the four-step public relations process, research. You will describe the best practices and appropriate ethical practices in public relations in your presentation.

A. Create at least two slides that provide an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making on conflicts of interest using examples from the ethics code and connecting them to the field you have selected. [COM-227-02]

B. Create at least two slides that provide an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making regarding competition among public relations professionals using examples from the ethics code and materials presented in the course. [COM-227-02]

C. Create at least two slides that provide an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making regarding the protection and advancement of accurate and truthful information using examples from the ethics code and materials presented in the course, these should connect to the type of industry you have selected. [COM-227-02]

D. Discusses best practices for creating presentations in public relations. The notes section should be used, and sources should be properly cited. [COM-227-03]

II. Planning: For this part of the summative assessment, you will perform the second step of the four-step public relations process, planning. You will provide an overview regarding the history of public relations and how it exists today for the industry you have selected. Your slides will be tailored to the audience of that industry.

A. Create three slides, in your presentation, that discuss the history of PR for your industry, include any major milestones, and how the field uses PR today. [COM-227-04]

B. Explains what research was found to support ethics and best practices. The notes section should be used and references provided. [COM- 227-04]

C. The presentation must reflect information for your target audience. [COM-227-03]

III. Implementing: For this part of the summative assessment, you will perform the third step of the four-step public relations process, implementing. You will create your public relations presentation that contains historical content meant to educate the audience about the history of the field and how it exists today. In your presentation you must:

A. Review your overview of the history of public relations including critical milestones and how the field has grown over time. Does any new information need to be added/changed?

B. Explain the idea of modern public relations. Be sure to support your response with evidence from the course or research. For example, how is public relations viewed today in this field? How is social media used in public relations? This should be at least two slides. [COM-227-01]

C. Explain how the history of the field has influenced the perceptions of the practice today. Be sure to support your response with evidence from the course or research. For example, how has the past behavior of professionals in the field influenced the perception of modern public relations? Include at least two slides that discuss how PR is used in this field today. What is the preferred strategy and why is it effective. [COM-227-01]

D. Determine an approach that could be used in addressing ethical issues regarding public relations. Be sure to support your response with evidence from your research and your plan. This could include crisis, violation of policy, development of new technology, etc. [COM-227-02]

E. Utilize best practices and AP writing style throughout your presentation and speaker notes. Be sure that your work accurately and appropriately aligns with best practices and AP writing style. [COM-227-03]

IV. Evaluation: For this part of the summative assessment, you will perform the fourth step of the four-step public relations process, evaluation. You will reflect on your presentation, identifying potential errors or issues in your presentation and how you might go about addressing or improving those issues. Finally, you will speak to how the four-step process could be used in other avenues of your life. (This will be submitted separately within a Microsoft Word document.)

1. Explain potential ways that any errors or issues in your presentation could be improved and justify your response. [COM-227-04]
2. Explain how your completed presentation benefited from the four-step public relations process. For example, how did the research step assist in developing your presentation? The planning, implementing, and evaluation steps? How did the process as a whole benefit the presentation? [COM-227-04
3. Explain how you could use the four-step process to plan for personal, professional, or academic experiences in the future. Be sure to support your response with examples. For example, how could the process be applied to an upcoming personal vacation? A project you have been assigned at work? A research assignment in another course? [COM-227-04]

Milestones Milestone One: Planning In Module Three, you will submit the planning section of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Implementing In Module Five, you will submit the implementing section of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Final Submission: Public Relations Campaign In Module Seven, you will submit your final project. This will include your PowerPoint presentation, along with a Microsoft Word version of your evaluation. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your public relations campaign must be 18–22 slides in length and must be written in Associated Press style. The evaluation portion of your final project must be submitted as a 1- to 2-page Microsoft Word document.

• Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value Research: Conflicts of
• Interest Meets “Proficient” criteria, and examples provided demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of the professional ethics code in public relations regarding conflicts of interest
• Provides an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making on conflicts of interest using examples from materials presented in the course
• Provides an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making on conflicts of interest, but overview is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or does not use examples from materials presented in the course
• Does not provide an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making on conflicts of interest
• Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value Research:

• Competition Meets “Proficient” criteria, and examples provided demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of the professional ethics code in public relations regarding competition
• Provides an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making on competition using examples from materials presented in the course
• Provides an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making on competition, but overview is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or does not use examples from materials presented in the course
• Does not provide an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides decision making on competition

Research: Accurate and Truthful Information

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and examples provided demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of the professional ethics code in public relations regarding the protection and advancement of accurate and truthful information
• Provides an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides the protection and advancement of accurate and truthful information, using examples from the materials presented in the course
• Provides an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides the protection and advancement of accurate and truthful information, but overview is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or does not use examples from materials presented in the course
• Does not provide an overview of how the professional ethics code in public relations guides the protection and advancement of accurate and truthful information

Research: Best Practices

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and examples provided demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of the best practices for creating and delivering presentations in public relations
• Provides an overview of the best practices for creating and delivering presentations in public relations, using examples from materials presented in the course
• Provides an overview of the best practices for creating and delivering presentations in public relations, but overview is cursory, contains i naccuracies, or does not use examples from the materials presented in the course
• Does not provide an overview of the best practices for creating and delivering presentations in public relations

Planning: Presentation

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response clearly and precisely demonstrates consistency in presenting information
• Creates a presentation that is logical, uses the notes section, and is tailored to a specific audience
• Creates a presentation flow of information is provides some detail, but the flow of information is cursory or illogical
• Does not create a presentation that provides relevant information

Planning: Research on Ethics and Best  Practices

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates keen insight into how previous research on ethics and best practices are applied
• Explains how presentations incorporate previous research on ethics and best practices
• Explains how presentations incorporate previous research on ethics and best practices, but explanation is cursory or contains inaccuracies
• Does not explain how presentations will incorporate previous research on ethics and best practices

• Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value Planning: Audience Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
• response demonstrates a keen and sophisticated awareness of the needs of the audience being presented to
• Presentation is developed for the audience being presented to
• Presentation is somewhat developed for the audience being presented to, but information is cursory or is inappropriate for the audience
• Does not target the presentation to the audience

Implementing: History of Public Relations

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates keen insight into the critical milestones in public relations and how they relate to the growth and history of the field
• Provides a brief overview of the history of public relations, including critical milestones and the growth of the field
• Provides an overview of the history of public relations as presented in the course, but overview is cursory, not brief, or does not include the critical milestones and growth of the field
• Does not provide an overview of the history of public relations as presented in the course

Implementing: Modern Public

Relations

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates keen insight into the idea of modern public relations
• Explains the idea of modern public relations, supporting with evidence from the course or prior research
• Explains the idea of modern public relations, but explanation is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or is not supported with evidence from the course or prior research
• Does not explain the idea of modern public relations

Implementing: Practice Today

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response makes cogent connections regarding the relationship between the past history of public relations and the modern practice of public relations
• Explains how the history of the field has influenced the perception of the practice of public relations today, supporting connections with evidence from the course or prior research
• Explains how the history of the field has influenced the perception of the practice of public relations today. but explanation is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or is not supported with evidence from the course or prior research
• Does not explain how the history of the field has influenced the perception of the practice of public relations today

Implementing: Approach

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the professional approaches to addressing issues of ethics used in the field of public relations
• Determines a professional approach that could be used in addressing ethical issues regarding public relations with evidence from prior research and planning
• Determines a professional approach that could be used in addressing ethical issues regarding public relations, but determination is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or is not supported with evidence from prior research and planning
• Does not determine a professional approach that could be used in addressing ethical issues regarding public relations
• Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value Implementing: Best

Practices and AP Writing Style

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and presentation and accompanying speaker notes demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of when and how to use best practices and AP style in public relations projects
• Utilizes appropriate best practices and AP style throughout the presentation and accompanying speaker notes
• Utilizes best practices and AP style throughout the presentation and accompanying speaker notes, but utilization contains inaccuracies or is not appropriate
• Does not utilize best practices and AP style throughout the presentation and accompanying speaker notes
• Evaluation: Improved Meets “Proficient” criteria, and makes a cogent defense of potential improvements
• Explains potential ways that any errors or issues in the presentation could be improved and justifies response
• Explains potential ways that any errors or issues in the presentation could be improved but does not justify response, or explanation is cursory or illogical
• Does not explain potential ways that any errors or issues in the presentation could be improved

Evaluation: Four-Step Public Relations

Process

• Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response makes cogent connections regarding the benefits of the individual steps of the four-step process and the process as a whole
• Explains how the completed presentation benefited from the four-step public relations process
• Explains how the completed presentation benefited from the four-step public relations process, but explanation is cursory or illogical
• Does not explain how the completed presentation benefited from the four-step public relations process

Evaluation: Personal, Professional, or Academic Experiences

• Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides cogent examples regarding the personal, professional, or academic applications of the four-step public relations process
• Explains how the four-step public relations process could be used to plan for personal, professional, or academic experiences in the future, and supports with examples
• Explains how the four-step public relations process could be used to plan for personal, professional, or academic experiences in the future, but explanation is cursory or illogical
• Does not explain how the four- step public relations process could be used to plan for personal, professional, or academic experiences in the futur