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| NEWS AND FEATURE WRITING Mass Communications 201 Spring 2001 9:55-11:10 TT Computer Center 113 Instructor: Don Stewart 661-1510 Office 111D CEMC Mass Com secretary: Mrs. Beverly Owens 661-1605 Syllabus subject tochage Prerequisite English 200; Mass Communications 110 highly recommended Ability to type approximately 35 words/minute. Course Objectives Each student should demonstrate: -- A devotion to accuracy and fairness -- Workplace responsibility -- An understanding of news values -- A knowledge of news style -- An ability to write a basic news story -- Critical thinking. Both reading and writing assignments are offered to promote research, analysis, synthesis and application of information in designing your product; a skill essential to the practice of good journalism. Required Texts News Reporting and Writing, 6th edition, by The Missouri Group: St. Martin's Press, 1999 Assignment Jonesville, Nicholas N. Plasterer, Louisiana State Press, Baton Rouge, La. 1977, Revised Edition The Associated Press Stylebook, Current edition. Deadlines One of the most important and inflexible rules in news writing is having your assignment ready by deadline. NO ASSIGNMENT WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DEADLINE, which in most cases will be the start of class on the due date. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. Make up assignments will be permitted if an absence is excused in advance. All makeup work for a grade must be turned in within one week of due date. For Mass Com Majors Before graduation, all seniors must present a portfolio to demonstrate what has been learned. You should keep all your returned written assignments in a file folder to be turned it at the end of the course. A reduced grade will be given if you fail to submit a complete folder. No challenge to a grade will be considered unless accompanied by a complete portfolio. Responsibility Real life work skills are among the objectives of this class. That means you should be here and be here on time. Responsibility also means you should come to class with all the tools you need: your workbook, text, AP Stylebook, pen, pencil for computerized tests, disk and dictionary. Being responsible helps your grade. Quizzes Pop quizzes will be given over assigned readings. There will be no makeup if you are absent on a quiz day. Attendance/Classroom Courtesy Attendance will follow school policy which means you must be present 85 percent of the time to receive credit for the course. Absences beyond four (4), excused or unexcused, will result in a grade of F or W. You can earn a 20-point bonus for perfect attendance and presence. This is extra credit awarded at the completion of the course. However, 5 points will be deducted for each absence, each tardy, each time you leave class early. Not all students who are enrolled in courses are interested in learning. For the sake of those who are I require students to refrain from overt signs of disinterest such as using the computer during discussion or videos, putting your head on your desk, side conversations with classmates distracting noise and collecting articles to leave before the class has been dismissed. Such discourtesy will result in penalty as described in grading section. Class officially begins when I take roll and ends when I indicate it is over. Be courteous by not talking to classmates during class except when directed by me. Please do not gather up your materials to leave before I've indicated the class is over. All assignments must be handed in on time or may be refused entirely or attached with an academic penalty. Minimum penalty for missing deadlines is 10 percent of the grade per day. If you are tardy, it is your responsibility to see me at the end of that class to have the absence changed. I will not amend my attendance record for previous classes. Conferences While my door is always open and I invite you to come discuss your progress with me, you are required to schedule at least one meeting with me after mid-term. You may check your grade anytime in my office. My office hours are posted or you can reach me by phone at the number listed above or by e-mail at [email protected] Grading Your final grade will be based on accumulative points during the semester. It is based on a percentage of the top grade. My scale is: 94% = A; 90% = B+; 84% = B; 80% = B+; 74% = C; 70% = C+; 65% = D. The distribution: -- 25 points for profile and broadcast package -- 25 points for personality profile -- 50 points for written midterm -- 50 points for AP midterm -- 50 points for class participation -- 100 points for final AP exam -- 100 points final exam. -- 5 points for each written & homework assignment -- Minus 5 points for distractions described above. Planned Schedule Discussion Reading In Class Jan.11 Introduction 16 Nature of News Chapter 1 *What is News? 18 Modern Newsroom Chapter 2 23 The Inverted Pyramid Chapter 3 *Hard News lead 25 Good Writing Chapter 4 *Writing v Reporting 30 Writing Leads WB Part I Feb. 1 Quotes & Attribution Chapter 6 *Language and Style 6 PR writing Chapter 9 *PR Writing 8 Writing Day Scholarship 13 AP Stylebook Practice Test 20 Obituaries Chapter 8 22 Writing Day Colton Obituary 27 AP Midterm Test March 1 Profiles *Interviewing Spring Break (March 5-11) 13 Follows Chapter 13 *Organization 15 AP Stylebook Test 20 Disasters Chapter 11 *Covering Disasters 22 Writing Day Fatal accident 27 Weather *Feature Stories 29 Writing Day Rainstorm April 3 Meetings Chapter 10 5 Writing Day Council meeting 10 Broadcast News Chapter 20 *Broadcast news 17 Present Broadcast Package in Class 23 AP Stylebook Test Real Life Profile Due Final Exam: 3 p.m., Thursday, April 26, this classroom. Attendance is mandatory. University Deadlines Feb. 7 Last day to drop course with W April 12 Last day to drop course </pre> |
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