Calumet College of St. Joseph

 

SYLLABUS FOR APPLIED JOURNALISM

 

 

Term:  Fall, 2001-2002 (011) (Sept. 3 – Dec. 7)                                            

Course Number: English 470

Instructor:   Dr. Chris Buczinsky

Office:  519

Office Phone: 219-473-4250

E-mail: cbuczinsky@ccsj.edu

Office Hours: Monday            2:00-5:00

                        Wednesday      12:00-3:00

                        Thursday          3:00-7:00

                        Friday              8:30-10:30

 

Instructor Background: I graduated from Northwestern in 1994. I spent four years as a performer of children’s poetry, then spent two years as an editor of two trade magazines. This is my first year at CCSJ. I teach Rhetoric and Composition, Writing for the Media, and a variety of literature courses. I am also the faculty advisor for The Shavings, CCSJ’s student newspaper.

 

Course Time: Tuesdays 2:00-500

 

Course Description:

This course gives students practical experience as a reporter or photo-journalist on the college newspaper. Students receive weekly assignments from the paper’s editors and meet weekly with the journalism instructor to discuss completed assignments. They will also work on the layout of the paper. All work will be done using appropriate technology and software. Journalism students must take this course at least once and may repeat it a second time.

Prerequisite: ENG 311, 312, and 340

Cross-listed with MFA 470

 

Textbook: Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method (4th ed.) by Carole Rich

 

Learning Outcomes/Competencies:

 

Students in this course will learn how to:

 

 

Learning Strategies:  Experience learning, teacher mentoring and instruction.

 

Assessment:

 

Final grades will be based on:

a.       a portfolio of news stories

b.      an evaluation of the school newspaper

c.       weekly attendance and participation

 

Class Policy for Assignments:

 

All assignments must be handed in on time, or if late, with a proper explanation.  Late papers will adversely affect the student’s grade.  I will not accept late papers the last week of classes. All papers will be/have:

 

a.       typed

b.      double-spaced

c.       stapled

d.      printed in 12 pt. New Times Roman font ONLY

e.       one inch margins

 

Papers not done in this format will not be accepted.

 

Class Policy on Attendance:

 

In accordance with English program policy, any student missing more than NINE (9) hours of class will receive an F.  These nine hours include both excused and unexcused absences.  Please be aware these hours include birthdays, sport events, illness, work, etc.  If a problem arises with your absences, please come and talk to me immediately.

 

Grading Scale:

 

Letter grades will be assigned according to the student’s fulfilling the requirements listed above (See Assessment, Class policy for Assignments, and Class policy on Attendance.) Quizzes, exams, and final news stories will be graded on a traditional scale:

 

97-100 = A+

87-89 = B+

77-79 = C+

67-69= D+

0-59 = F

94-96 = A

84-86 = B

74-76 = C

64-66 = D

 

90-93 = A-

80-83 = B-

70-73 = C-

60-63 = D-

 

 

 

Class Policy on Electronic Devices:

 

Please turn off all cell phones, beepers, etc.  It is disruptive to have them going off during class.  If there is an important reason why you must have your phone or beeper turned on (e.g. illness at home, work situation), please inform me before class begins.

 

 

Course Calendar:

 

Date

Topic

9/3

Introduction/Planning

9/10

Shaving’s Staff Meeting

9/17

Intro to Photoshop and QuarkXPress:

9/24

Intro to Newspaper Design

10/1

Reporting/News Writing

10/8

Reporting/News Writing

10/15

Newspaper Production

10/22

Newspaper Production

10/29

Reporting/News Writing

11/5

Reporting/News Writing

11/12

Newspaper Production

11/19

Newspaper Production

11/26

Prepartion of Portfolio

12/3

Final Portfolio Review

           

 

Class Participation:

 

This class is a practicum.  This means what goes on during our meeting is extremely important.  It is absolutely imperative that you attend all classes and participate fully in the exercises, as well as doing all the required writing.  (Also see section above on Attendance Policy.)

 

Please Note: Modifications to this syllabus may be made to meet the needs of this specific class.

 

Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.

 

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner 2001/2002 p.27)  Please be aware that your paper may be submitted for examination for plagiarism to Turnitin.com, a plagiarism-check Internet company with which the college has contracted.

 

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. A written request for the withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses.

 

The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Division (DCD) students should consult the DCD Student Handbook for information on DCD withdrawals.

 

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).