JOURN 300:
NEWSWRITING and REPORTING, SPRING 2014-- M/W 3:35-5:30 p.m. -- DuBois 767
Journalism
300 is a hands-on, nuts-and-bolts news writing and reporting class in which we
learn and discuss:
•
What is news
•
How to identify and pitch a good story
•
How to report and conduct interviews
•
The news story "formula," especially leads and nutgraphs
•
Kinds of stories and how to tell them
•
The journalistic principles of fairness, accuracy, telling the truth and
serving the public good
Email
me anytime at MARY CAREY maryelizacarey@gmail.com, 413-588-4274
(cell)
Class
blog: Journ300.blogspot.com
REQUIRED
TEXT:
Melvin Mencher, News Reporting and Writing (latest edition)
ADDITIONAL
REQUIRED READING
AP
Style Guide online
Daily
newspapers and news magazines. Try to scan online and in print at least one of
the local newspapers including the Collegian, Daily Hampshire Gazette or
Springfield Republican every day. Also be aware of what’s on the front page of,
for instance, the Boston Globe and New York Times. Each class, one or more
students will bring in a newspaper article and comment on some aspect of the
news, news coverage, style, choice of stories or contrast between coverage.
Being conversant with what is in the news is essential to writing it.
GRADES
Grades
are based on timely and thoughtful completion of in-class and out-of-class
writing assignments and quizzes, multi-media blog, attendance and in-class
participation. Writing criteria include news judgment, clarity of writing,
grammar, accuracy, organization, spelling, conciseness, use of AP style, and
meeting deadlines. Although the big picture things like news judgment and solid
reporting are important, misspelling names and other seemingly minor
shortcomings can ruin a story and your reputation, so they will count.
Numerical equivalent of grades: A=95, A-=92, A-/B+ =90, B+88 etc.
ATTENDANCE
Not
making appointments or missing the action will also undermine your career and
the class. You MUST tell me BEFORE class if you are going to be absent and it
has to be a legitimate excuse. (I read my e-mail regularly and have a phone
message machine at home.) Otherwise you will receive zeroes for the day’s
assignments. Please do not be late or leave early. More than three absences
and/or repeatedly being late or leaving early will result in a significantly
lowered final grade, with the grade being lowered by a full half grade for each
absence over three.
CELL
PHONE RINGERS MUST BE TURNED OFF. NO TAPING WITHOUT PERMISSION – IT'S ILLEGAL.
NO READING FACEBOOK, UMASS MEMES etc ONLINE DURING CLASS!
WRITING
ASSIGNMENTS
In-class
writing assignments usually won’t be longer than 2-3 typewritten pages. Most
major assignments are 1,000 words or 4 pages. First drafts must be in turned in
on-time for credit. Not turning in a first
draft or turning in an insufficiently complete first draft will result in a
zero for the first draft and a significantly lower final draft grade. Among
your assignments are a profile (counts for 15 percent of final grade), feature
(15 percent), coverage of a speech (10 percent), issue piece (20 percent)
analysis on deadline and deadline writing assignments (20 percent),
blog (10 percent), minor assignments, quizzes, participation (10 percent).
HONESTY
Any
instance of plagiarism or any other form of cheating is cause for course
failure.
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