SYLLABUS FOR WRITING FOR THE MEDIA I
Term: Fall, 2006
Course Number: Eng 311 (MFA 311)
Instructor: Dr. Chris Buczinsky
Office Phone: 219-473-4250
E-mail: cbuczinsky@ccsj.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 11:00-12:00, 3:30-4:30
Wednesday 3:00-7:00
Friday 11:00-12:00, 3:30-4:30
Instructor Background: I graduated from Northwestern in 1994 with my Ph.D. in English. Before coming to CCSJ, I was a high school journalism teacher in Flagstaff, Arizona, a newspaper columnist for The Arlington Post (Arlington Heights, Illinois), and an associate editor of The Wholesaler and The Plumbing and Heating Contractor News, two trade magazines in the plumbing industry. This is my second year at CCSJ. I am the faculty advisor for The Shavings, CCSJ’s student newspaper, and I teach Rhetoric and Composition, Writing for the Media, American Literature, Global Perspectives (The Americas), and Literary Theory and Criticism.
Course Time: Tuesdays 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Course Description:
This is a course of study in basic news reporting and writing for the various media, stressing objective communication in covering the news. Lecture, class discussion, and in-class writing will focus on understanding the news, collecting information, constructing news and feature stories, and understanding media issues such as accuracy, libel, and privacy. Prerequisite: ENG 103
Textbook: Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method (5th ed.) by Carole Rich (including workbook) Selected newspaper, magazine, and scholarly articles on the media.
Learning Outcomes/Competencies: Students in this course will learn
1. to understand the history, nature, and elements of the news
2. to gain control of the whole news writing process, from developing story ideas to collecting information to writing, revising, and editing.
3. to use a variety of written and online sources to collect information
4. to interview sources effectively, listening well and taking usable notes
5. to write objective news stories with hard leads, structured bodies, and effective endings
6. to write effective feature stories with enticing soft leads
7. to understand the fundamental ethical and legal issues involved in writing for the media (e.g. accuracy, libel, privacy, plagiarism, etc.) and to practice moral reasoning as it relates to media writing.
Related INTASC Principles (For Education Majors)
#1 The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry and the structures of the disciplines he/she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
#2 The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
#3 The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
Learning Strategies: Chalk Talks, Writing/Coaching, Small Group Work, Class Discussion
Assessment:
Final grades will be awarded based on your performance in six (6) areas:
a. Class Participation 50 pts.
b. Homework Assignments 150 pts.
c. Story Budgets (5) 50 pts.
d. Style/Grammar/Usage Quizzes 50 pts.
e. Five News/Feature Stories 500 pts.
f. Mid-Term Exam 100 pts.
g. Final exam 100 pts.
Total 1000 pts.
Grading Scale:
Letter grades will be assigned according to how well the student fulfills the requirements listed above. In assigning final grades I will use a traditional scale:
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970-1000 = A+ |
870-890 = B+ |
770-790 = C+ |
670-690= D+ |
0-590 = F |
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940-960 = A |
840-860 = B |
740-760 = C |
640-660 = D |
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900-930 = A- |
800-830 = B- |
700-730 = C- |
600-630 = D- |
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1. Class participation (50 pts). Class participation is the most subjective and difficult of all performance to measure, but that does not mean there are no concrete behaviors that help me to evaluate your participation fairly. The follow is a set of profiles will be my guideline:
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F 0-59 |
Regularly comes to class unprepared Never asks questions or participates in discussion Often gets off task when doing in-class exercises and writing Displays a negative, indifferent or belligerent attitude |
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D 60-69 |
Often comes to class unprepared Rarely or infrequently asks questions or participates in discussion Sometimes gets off task when doing in-class exercises and writing Sometimes displays a negative, indifferent, belligerent spirit. |
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C C 70-79 |
Regularly comes to class prepared Stays on task when doing in-class exercises and writing Regularly asks questions and participates in class discussion Generally displays a positive attitude toward class |
B80-89 |
All of C as well as the following: Is helpful to other students and the instructor Listens well and responds to the point |
A90-100
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All of C and B as well as the following: Probes with questions that display an active ownership of education Moves class discussion forward in new and interesting ways Generally goes above and beyond the call of duty |
2. Homework Assignments (150 pts.)
Homework assignments will include textbook reading, text and workbook exercises, and other activities that will help you apply the skills to be studied for the week. I assign them to help you learn; they are meant to practice not to evaluate your skills (news stories and exams serve this function). Full credit will therefore be given to all homework that is done with integrity; obviously slapdash work, of course, will not receive full credit.
3. Story Budgets (10 pts. each; 50 pts. total)
In the course of the semester you must submit five (5) story budgets. The budgets teach you to develop newsworthy story ideas, which is one job of a reporter. Each budget should include three (3) story ideas. Each idea should include
a. a one-word title or “slug”
b. a few sentences describing the story
c. a list of possible graphics that might accompany the story
The story budgets must be typed on standard 8 1/2 X 11 typing paper. For more information, see page 87 of your textbook.
4. Style/Grammar/Usage “Quizzes” (50 pts.)
At the beginning of many classes we will have a quiz over style, grammar, and usage issues. You do not have to study for these. They are merely learning devices. If you do the quiz, you receive full credit. The information learned in taking the quizzes, however, can and will be included on the mid-term and final exam.
5. News/Feature Stories (100 pts. each; 500 pts. total)
A large share of your final grade will depend on five (5) news/feature stories which you will write in the course of the semester. All of the stories must be written for possible publication in The Shavings, CCSJ’s school newspaper (i.e. they must be stories about the college or its students). You are required to write
Two (2) hard-news stories 200 pts. (50/150 each)
One (1) news story written under time pressure 50 pts.
One (1) feature story and 100 pts.
One (1) final story (your choice: feature or news) 150 pts.
The stories will be evaluated using the criteria listed below. Each story must have
4. A clear and effective structure.
8. Active, vigorous, and economical sentence structures and appropriate word choice.
9. Proper grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage.
10. Proper AP style.
All stories must be typed, double-spaced, stapled, and printed in 12 pt. Times New Roman font with one inch margins. Stories that do not follow this format will not be accepted.
Meeting deadlines is an indispensable part of being a successful journalist. In the real world, reporters get fired if their stories are consistently late. All stories must therefore be handed in on time. Late stories will receive a 0 (F).
Stories must be submitted on time even if you are absent on the night of the deadline. If you must miss class on the night of a story deadline, be sure to put the story in my campus mailbox before class or e-mail it to me at cbuczinsky@ccsj.edu. Note: you may e-mail stories to me only when you are going to be absent the night of the deadline. Under no other circumstances will I accept stories e-mailed to me.
6. The Mid-Term and Final Exam (100 pts. each; 200 pts. total). The mid-term and final exams will test your understanding of media writing concepts; they will also test your mastery of the skills needed to report and write for the media. The tests will include short answer, multiple choice, and true/false questions as well as the writing of a full-length news story.
Course Calendar:
Date Topics Reading Homework
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8/29 |
Introductions; Syllabus |
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9/5 |
Changing Concepts of News The Basic News Story Ways to Find Story Ideas |
Rich 1 Rich 2 Rich pgs. 52-57 |
WB 1-3, 1-4aWB 2-4 Budget 1 |
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9/12 |
Curiosity and Story Ideas Interviewing Techniques |
Rich 3 Rich 5 |
News Story 1 Due with (3) interview notes. WB 5-1 |
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9/19 |
Leads and Nut Graphs I: Hard Leads |
Rich 7 |
WB 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 Budget 2 |
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9/26 |
Story Structures: Inverted Pyramid, WSJ, Hourglass |
Rich 8 |
TB 1, 2, 3, Budget 3 |
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10/3 |
Catch-Up and Review |
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News Story 2 Due |
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10/10 |
Mid-Term Examination |
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Study for Exam |
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10/17 |
Storytelling and Feature Techniques |
Rich 9 |
WB 9-1a (Use Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart”) Budget 4 |
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10/24 |
Collecting Information II: Sources/Online Research |
Rich 4 |
WB 4-1, 4-2, 4-3WUP Due 10/29 9 a.m. |
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10/31 |
Leads and Nut Graphs II: Soft Leads |
Rich 7 |
WB 7-7 Budget 5Feature Story 1 Due |
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11/7 |
A Night At the Movies: All the Presidents Men |
No Reading
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No Assignment |
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11/14 |
Media Issues I: Accuracy/Libel/Privacy |
Rich 13 |
WB 13-1, 13-2 |
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11/21 |
Media Issues II: Ethics/Multiculturalism |
Rich 14, 15 Jayson Blair Case in The NY Times |
Final Story DueWB 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4
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11/28 |
Final Exam Review |
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12/5 |
Final Exam |
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Study For Exam |
TB=Textbook Exercises; WB=Workbook Exercises
WUP=Written Under Pressure
Please Note: Modifications to this calendar syllabus may be made to meet the needs of this specific class.
Class Policy on Tardiness and 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; it also includes all tardies of more than 15 minutes. 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.
Our class begins at 7 p.m. sharp. If you are tardy, I have to stop the class to get you up to speed. This is unfair to other students, and it wastes time. I reserve the right to lock the doors to all who are consistently late. I also reserve the right to mark you absent for the whole class if you develop a habit of leaving early (which is especially disruptive). In short, I want the pleasure of your company for the entire class period.
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. an illness at home, an unusual work situation), please ask my permission.
Center for Academic Excellence:
Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) 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. In addition to the face-to-face tutoring offered by the Center, online tutoring is available for students whose schedules do not permit them to meet with a tutor in person. Call the Center for Academic Excellence at (219) 473-4287, to schedule a tutoring appointment or for additional information about how to access online tutoring assistance.
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).
Note:
This course will be taught in conjunction with MFA 312. Advanced Writing for the Media (3 hours).