Your paper must be typed, double-spaced, in font size 12, with reasonable margins.
The paper should be about 4-7 pages of text (not including title page, references, etc.). The paper
will be graded on the quality of your critical analysis, plus writing, organization, grammar,
spelling, and punctuation.
Title Page
This page should indicate the title of your paper, your name, course name, the instructor’s name,
and the date
Introduction
• Public Relations Campaign Description. You need to briefly describe the campaign
message, the actor (e.g., an organization) who is responsible for the campaign, and any
relevant context of this campaign. Please feel free to provide screenshot or the link to the
campaign of it is available online or on social media.
Research
• Organization Research
o Brief history of the organization
o Any relevant social, political and economic environment in which the
organization operates
o Other organizational information, when available: mission, reputation, financial
status, products or services, public relations responsibility within the institution,
the interaction of public relations with other departments, and public relation’s
strengths and weaknesses, etc.
• Problem or Potential Problem Research
o Summarize why the organization conducted a particular public relations program
at a particular time: Is it because of a unique opportunity to favorably influence
public opinion or behavior toward the organization? Or is it in response to the
development of unfavorable opinion or behavior toward the organization? The
latter requires extensive research to determine the source of the problem.
• Publics/Audience Research.
o Summarize the target audiences or publics that the campaign has focused on
o Analyze why these publics were targeted
o Critique whether the organization has chosen the publics appropriately.
Planning (You are going to reference the materials learned from Week 2)
COMM3368 Public Relations Principles
Summer 2024
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• The general goal of this campaign
• Specific objectives for different publics
• Critique whether the general goal and specific objectives are formulated well (check the
criteria in the text!) and whether they are consistent and appropriate
Implementation (You are going to reference the materials learned from Week 2)
• Different strategies and tactics used in this campaign
• Critique whether the strategies and tactics are appropriate for the different
publics/audiences
Evaluation (You are going to reference the materials learned from Week 2)
• What you know about the general effectiveness of this campaign: Has it succeeded or
not?
• Assessment of individual objectives (go back to Planning!): Have these objectives been
achieved?
• Evaluation criteria: How do you know these objectives have been achieved? Has the
organization done any evaluation of its campaign?
Conclusions and Recommendations
• Summarize what you have learned about this campaign
• Provide 2-3 suggestions or recommendations in case a similar situation arises again
References or bibliography (if any)
Appendix or appendices (if any)
Examples include: relevant organization information such as financial information,
organizational structure, etc., competitor information, timeline of the case (if it is a crisis case),
public relations materials used in the case (such as news releases).
COMM3368 Public Relations Principles
Summer 2024
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Criteria for Assignment of Letter Grades to Case Analysis Paper:
A Excellent paper that integrates evaluation criteria from public relations theory,
techniques, and research. Astute selection of evaluation criteria. Criteria firmly
understood, clearly explained and well-applied. Arguments well-structured and clearly
supported by evidence from the case. Paper exhibits excellent writing and organization
skills.
B Good paper that articulates evaluation criteria, shows solid understanding of concepts,
and offers evidence in support of analysis. Application of criteria to case analysis may
have been uneven, or lack of evidence sufficient to clearly support specific arguments.
Writing is solid and well-organized for the most part.
C Acceptable paper, although understanding of concepts weak. Evaluation criteria present,
but incomplete (i.e., theory and techniques and research). Arguments at times
contradictory. Weak evidence offered in support of arguments. Discussion of some
concepts or evidence not made relevant to overall analysis. Paper may have
organizational problems that hinder argument and analysis.
D Poor paper in which evaluation criteria somewhat present, but unclear, inappropriate,
and/or incomplete. Analysis not supported by evidence or supported very weakly. Little
or no understanding of concepts demonstrated. Paper is largely descriptive, with little
deliberation or critical analysis. Paper may have major structural problems.
F Unacceptable paper in which author does not apply public relations theory, techniques or
research to the analysis of the case, which is the crux of this assignment. Evaluation
criteria absent or irrelevant to arguments. Concepts seem thrown into discussion, with
little explanation or evidence to suggest that author understands the terms used. Opinions
given are not grounded in public relations knowledge or supported by evidence from the
case. Paper is largely descriptive, with little, if any, deliberation or critical analysis. Paper may have major structural and writing problems.
may have major structural and writing problems.
