COMM 2310 Media writing lab
Spring 2003 MW 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Please note this syllabus is subject to change.
Click here for an online AP Stylebook. It's not the most recent one, but it's worth bookmarking.
Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual
Dictionary (Webster's preferred)
Selected Style Rules from lecture syllabus
Pencil (editing in ink will result in a zero)
Things that will help you in this class
Thesaurus
Reporter's notebook
Microcassette recorder
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 713-220-7674 Houston Chronicle
Copy desk after 5 p.m.
EMERGENCIES ONLY
You are expected to know what is going on in the world. You can keep up with the news by reading daily papers, watching broadcast reports or sifting through the Internet. A news quiz will be assessed at least once a week. Some will be written; others will be oral. They will be given at the start of class, so it is a good idea to make it to class on time. Hint: Pay close attention to top-headline, front-page, top-of-the-hour stories.
Knowing Associated Press style and grammar
In the syllabus there are several dozen rules taken from the ?Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual? and on the basics of grammar. Although you are not required to memorize every listing in the stylebook, you are expected to know those singled out. You will have style quizzes throughout the semester. It is a good idea to learn how to navigate the stylebook, so that you can quickly find rules not listed in the syllabus when working on daily exercises. Points will be deducted for every style, spelling and grammar mistake. Note: The stylebook also has a very useful section on punctuation.
Spelling and the study packet
I have prepared several practice exercises and notes. Click here for a spelling list. Those included are overlooked every day by writers. You don?t have to be one of those people. You will be quizzed on those listed and others. Click here for spelling exercises. Here for editing. Here for numbers. Here for lay/lie. Here for commas. Work on them. Discuss them. Refer back to them.
Outside stories
You will write three stories on your own time outside of class. Each story will count as fives grades. For more information about these stories click here.
Grading
In the fourth week of class, five points will be deducted for every spelling, grammatical and style error. Your grade will quickly deteriorate if you do not study. All daily assignments are weighted evenly. The three stories you will do later in the semester will count as five grades each. This means that if you have about 50 poor or failing grades, 15 good grades will do little for your average. Click here for futher explanation of your assignment grades.
Absences
If you have an illness, accident, injury or family emergency that will force you to miss class, you must e-mail me in advance of the class or classes you?re going to miss. If that?s impossible, you must call the school and have them leave a message for me.
Making up work
If you contact me about missing class, as described above, you will be given the missed assignments during the next class upon request. I will not seek you out to give you makeup work. Things get hectic, so, if you must, ask me repeatedly.
Cheating
Any suspected cases of plagiarism, fabrication or other type of academic dishonesty will be prosecuted according to university policy. This could lead to your expulsion. So, my advice to you is to go with your gut and make your own grades.
Extra credit
Look for grammatical errors, typos or factual errors in news publications. Bring such "catches" to class, and five points for each will be added to a daily exercise grade. Printouts from the Internet will be accepted. An end-of-the-semester extra credit project can be found here.