Tag Archives: writing

James Lee Selected to Serve as Editor-in-Chief

Journal of Applied Social Science

Journal of Applied Social Science

Justice Studies Professor and Chair, James Lee, has been selected to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Social Science (JASS). JASS is the journal of the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology (AACS).

“I am humbled by the confidence that the board of AACS has in me,” said Lee about being selected.

JASS publishes research that has a pragmatic, problem solving orientation. Applied social science involves using established theories and research methods to collect and analyze data for practical problems faced by organizations or communities. The work often involves a relationship between researchers and clients. JASS contributes to evidence-based knowledge, publishes evaluations, research articles and reports, and methodological advances in social sciences.

JASS is a valuable resource for finding effective programs and solutions to address real life problems as well as learning what doesn’t work. Lee says that the journal can be useful for students who will be called upon to solve problems for organizations in the future.

“JASS provides lessons for students about how to properly collect and analyze data to address social problems,” said Lee.

Lee’s responsibilities will require him to be the arbiter of quality for the journal and identify the most critical issues in applied sociology. “Editors must be energetic and attentive to the major discussions going on in an area of study,” said Lee about how this position holds great responsibility and effort.

Lee plans to do his best to keep this valuable journal available to researchers, practitioners, and those who value evidence-based policies and practices. The College of Applied Sciences and Arts and the Department of Justice Studies are proud to host this nationally recognized journal.

KGO Radio Interview With Dr. Richard Craig

Dr. Richard Craig

Dr. Richard Craig

Tune into KGO Radio 810 Monday, February 8, at 10 a.m. as Dr. Richard Craig will be interviewed on the Ronn Owen’s show. Live streaming is available at kgoradio.com.

Dr. Craig, professor for the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, will be live on the radio to discuss his new book, Polls, Expectations and Elections: TV News Making in U.S. Presidential Campaigns, and how it relates to the presidential primaries.

Polls, Expectations and Elections - TV News Making in U.S. Presidential Campaigns

Polls, Expectations and Elections – TV News Making in U.S. Presidential Campaigns

Dr. Craig’s book uses a comprehensive content analysis of transcripts of CBS Evening News broadcasts during presidential election campaigns from 1968-2012. The transcripts are used to demonstrate how television news has gone from simply reporting poll data to portraying it as the only motivation for anything candidates do while campaigning.

Copies of the book are available for purchase from amazon.com. To order a review copy for instructional use, click here.

The 2015-16 academic year will serve as Dr. Craig’s 16th here at San José State University. He was recently promoted to full professor in August 2015. Visit ProfCraig.com to learn more about him and his work.

School of Journalism and Mass Communications Partners with Adobe

True to San José State University’s (SJSU) reputation as the best place in Silicon Valley to learn how to prosper in the 21st century economy, SJSU’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications (JMC) faculty and student staff members from SHiFT Magazine and South Bay Pulse are pushing the limits of digital technology. Like so many successful Silicon Valley start-ups, seed money came from experienced players and visionaries. Early contributors to the magazine program included SJSU’s Lucas College of Business and Hewlett-Packard (HP) Labs in Palo Alto, California.

“HP Labs helped us overcome the cost and distribution challenges,” says SJSU professor Tom Ulrich, magazine sequence advisor and digital publication program manager. “Our beautifully rendered magazines are available to a worldwide audience via HP’s print-on-demand service for about fifteen cents per page.”

Students create new digital magazine "The South Bay Pulse"

Journalism students create new digital magazine “The South Bay Pulse” to cover 25th Annual Cinequest Film Festival (photo: Christina Olivas)

With cost of printing and world-wide distribution in hand, Ulrich and engineers at Adobe Systems agreed to explore the most sophisticated tools for producing groundbreaking print and digital publications.

Last February, the staff produced the red carpet event at Cinequest. Staff members streamed the event live to subscribers across the world with Adobe software and $6,000 worth of off-the-shelf electronic equipment. They replaced the million dollar transmission trucks parked in front of the California Theater with portable electronic gear that every department on campus can afford.

“While still in its infancy,” Ulrich says, “we are convinced that these digital tools allow our students to rewrite the rules of broadcast journalism.”

As part of our ongoing experiment, the journalism program added South Bay Pulse, a digital weekly entertainment guide, to its stable of publications. In the summer of 2015 as part of the Adobe Challenge, staff members tested the December 2015 release of Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite (DPS) software.

“With SHiFT magazine and South Bay Pulse, we are performing primary research in the undergraduate classroom,” says Ulrich. “In addition to contributing our ideas to Adobe’s next product release, we are the only group on campus to own an Apple developer’s ID.”

Adobe Systems professionals train South Bay Pulse students

Adobe Systems professionals train South Bay Pulse students

While Adobe created DPS in 2010 to clear the path for a prominent magazine publisher to move from print to the digital world, students from JMC are now helping to move the new industry standard forward.

“Staff members were chosen over students from other Bay Area universities to join seasoned programmers at Adobe to help develop the next generation of digital publication software,” Ulrich says. “Our students graduate not just knowing how to use these visionary tools. They are prepared to lead the industry.”

SLA Silicon Valley Hosts Dr. Sandra Hirsh for Inaugural Book Club Meeting

Information Services Today: An Introduction

Information Services Today: An Introduction

The Silicon Valley Chapter of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) hosted its inaugural book club gathering with a very special book and guest: Dr. Sandra Hirsh, professor and director of San José State University’s College of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Information and editor of Information Services Today: An Introduction. SLA is an association of information professionals with chapters in more than 80 countries.

An SLA Silicon Valley chapter member, Hirsh was invited to join the lively discussion of her textbook, which includes the perspectives of many iSchool instructors such as Wayne T. Disher, Dr. Mary Ann Harlan, Dr. Cheryl Stenstrom and Dr. Michael Stephens. Since its release in March 2015, the book has been adopted by a number of library and information science instructors around the country.

“It was really an honor to speak about my new book with the Silicon Valley SLA Chapter,” Hirsh says, describing the text as “a valuable foundational textbook for Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) students as well as current information professionals who want to learn new areas, brush up on topics which have evolved since they were in school, and learn from the leading thought leaders (both from academia and practice) in the field.”

Over dinner at Billy Burke’s in San José, Hirsh shared the goals and key themes of the book, special features like webcasts, discussion questions, and an online supplement. The group discussed everything from reference services to managing technology and demonstrating value through assessment, to issues like open access and information licensing.

Chrystelle Browman, SLA director-at-large and programs chair, notes that one topic of particular interest to the group fostered a discussion on “leadership vs. management, and the limitations on the words ‘library’ and ‘librarian’.” In response, Hirsh shared her own background in the LIS field, and the role that played in the perspectives represented in the textbook, such as the use of the terms “information professionals” and “information organizations.” “We also talked about the importance of continuing to learn—even after getting the master’s degree,” Hirsh adds.

As chapter president Cory Laurence explained in her invitation to join the book club, “there’s a lot of reading to be done as a librarian, and it’s the kind of reading that is really enhanced with discussion.” Information Services Today highlights current issues and trends, and provides expert insight into the emerging challenges and opportunities of the future, identifying career management strategies and leadership opportunities in the information profession. Hirsh was inspired to create this new textbook because “the underlying principles of our field are valuable, no matter what.”

With Hirsh and Information Services Today, the book club event was a bona fide success!

SLA Silicon Valley members take a photo during the Inaugural Book Club Meeting at Billy Burke's in San José, CA.

SLA Silicon Valley members take a photo during the Inaugural Book Club Meeting at Billy Burke’s in San José, CA.