Spring 2013 article and AP tip schedule

Journ 300 Schedule to bring in an article and AP tip and example of how to use it to share with class. Fill in article questions sheet (link at top-right of blog at Journ300.blogspot.com) to hand in. Bring in printed copy of article.

JAN 23 

JAN 28 Mark

JAN 30 Emily, Peter

FEB 4  Ellie

FEB 6 Araz, Diana

 
FEB 11  Aviva, Zac

FEB 13 Jeff, Alyx

FEB 18 NO CLASS/PRESIDENT'S DAY

FEB 20  Jason, Mitch

FEB 25 Shannon, Emily

FEB 27 Peter, Sofia

MARCH 4 Mark, Ellie

MARCH 6 Araz, Diana

MARCH

MARCH 13 MID-TERM QUIZ Discuss Chap. 11 and 14

*************SPRING BREAK (NO CLASSES MARCH 18 & 20)**************

MARCH 25  Aviva, Zac

MARCH 27 Jeff, Alyx

APRIL 1 Jason, Mitch

APRIL 3 Shannon, Emily

APRIL 8 NO CLASS -Veterans Day

APRIL  10 Peter, Sofia

APRIL 15 NO CLASS/PATRIOTS DAY

APRIL 17 Mark, Ellie

APRIL 22 Araz, Diana

APRIL 24 Aviva, Zac

APRIL 29 – Jeff, Alyx

MAY 1 - LAST DAY OF CLASS

SPRING 2013 SYLLABUS

JOURN 300: NEWSWRITING and REPORTING, SPRING 2013 -- 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 importance of fairness, accuracy, telling the truth and serving the public good

MARY CAREY maryelizacarey@gmail.com, 413-588-4274

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 studentswill 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) and review (10 percent), minor papers, including first drafts (10 percent), blog (10 percent), participation/homework, worksheets and quizzes (10 percent).

HONESTY

Any instance of plagiarism or any other form of cheating is cause for course failure.

SPRING 2013 SCHEDULE

JOURN 300/CAREY/ SPRING 2013--M/W 3:35-5:30 p.m.-Dubois 767

This is a tentative schedule of topics subject to revision to accommodate the news, campus goings-on that we’ll attend and classroom visitors. Check the blog (Journ300.blogspot.com) for updates and changes. Note: Each day one or more students will bring in an article to discuss and post an "AP Style tip" to the blog.

JAN 23 Introduction, In-class reporting assignment. NEXT: EMAIL TO ME BY TONIGHT: 500 words with LEAD and NUTGRAPH about class visit; read Chap. 5; write 300-word summary for next class. Bring three or more ideas of speeches/events to attend, ideally during class time, at UMass or nearby in the coming days.

JAN 28 Discuss Chap. 5 and speech options, in-class writing. NEXT: Read Chap. 16 on speeches, write 200-word summary for next class.

JAN 30 Discuss chapter on speeches, how to write a speech story. In-class work on blog. NEXT: Read Read Chap 15 on Interviewing Principles to discuss. Write 6 "bullet points" based on information in chapter.

FEB 4  **********SPEECH/EVENT PAPER ON JAMES WELLING PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT DUE********Discuss Chap 16; in-class interviewing exercise NEXT: Write a brief profile pitch to present Wednesday.
FEB 6 Present profile pitch. NEXT: Read Chaps. 2 and 3.

FEB 11 In-class work on Profile -- Discuss Chaps. 2 and 3
FEB 13 In-class work on profiles. NEXT: Read Chap. 7 on the Writer's Art. Write 100-200 words SHOWING something (vs TELLING) and post it on the blog

FEB 18 NO CLASS/PRESIDENT'S DAY

FEB 20 FIRST DRAFT PROFILE DUE (INCLUDE WORD COUNT) Discuss feature stories. Discuss Chapter 7 and SHOW v. TELL examples. In-class work on profiles. NEXT: in-class feature pitch, read Chap. 8 on Features.

FEB 25 Have read Chapter 8 on features to discuss. PEER EDIT first draft profiles. NEXT: Read Chapter 18 on Accidents and Disasters and Chapter 19 on Obituaries.

FEB 27 Discuss chapters on accidents and obituaries. NEXT: read Chapter 21 on Courts.

MARCH 4 FEATURE PITCH.

MARCH 6 In-class work on feature and blog, discuss Chap. 21 on Courts

MARCH 11 FINAL DRAFT PROFILE DUE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) In-class work on feature drafts. Discuss Issue paper requirements, including interviews with 2-3 "experts." NEXT: read Chaps. 11 on layered reporting. and 14 on sources.

MARCH 13 MID-TERM QUIZ Discuss Chap. 11 and 14

*************SPRING BREAK (NO CLASSES MARCH 18 & 20)**************

MARCH 25 FIRST DRAFT FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE. PEER EDIT Discuss issue paper ideas and strategy. Next: Issue pitch.

MARCH 27 Discuss issue ideas, experts. In-class work on blogs. NEXT: Issue pitch

APRIL 1 Issue pitch.

APRIL 3 In-class work on Issue papers. NEXT: read Chap 20 on police FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE.

APRIL 8 REVISION**** WE DO HAVE CLASS**********Work on Issue papers

APRIL 10 FIRST DRAFT ISSUE (1,000 words with 4 voices, 2 of whom are "experts") due PEER EDIT Discuss Police chapter. In-class work on issue, blog. Next: read Chaps. 26 on Taste in Journalism and 27 on Morality.

APRIL 15 NO CLASS/PATRIOTS DAY

APRIL 17 Discuss Chapters 26 & 27

APRIL 22 END OF SEMESTER QUIZ In-class work on Issue paper. Discuss Chapters 24 and 25,

APRIL 24 NEXT: Discuss Chaps. 24 and 25 on Government and Reporters and the Law; review writing. ISSUE (1,000 words INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE Discuss Open Meeting, definitions of slander etc.;

APRIL 29 - Watch film and write REVIEW (10 percent of final grade) on deadline, due at end of class.

MAY 1 LAST DAY OF CLASS/RECAP 

Spring 2013 calendar

Thanks for a great class! (Click on photo to see everybody.)

LAST DAY

LAST DAY - FALL 2012 - JOURN 300




Film review grading criteria: A range – Is clearly written with a clear lead and nutgraph; organized and flows well, includes quotes and detailed descriptions of specific scenes; touches, even if briefly, on important themes in the movie, including that Bias’s death had far-reaching ramifications with respect to U.S. drug laws; does not have many typos and AP style errors B range – Does some of the above but not all C-F range – Poor content, not well organized, hard to read, ungrammatical, full of AP errors



Class grading criteria: Profile (counts for 15 percent of final grade), feature (15 percent), coverage of a speech (10 percent), issue piece (20 percent) and review (10 percent), minor papers, including first drafts (10 percent), blog (10 percent), participation/homework, worksheets and quizzes (10 percent).



Re-CAP of some take-away points:

1) First day LEADS

• Follow the lead rules in the book – must be grammatical, no cliches, don’t start with a quote

• Makes an assertion. Is NOT a classic bad lead. Gets to the HEART of the event. (If you had ONE thing to say about the event, what would it be?)

2) Interview practices (blog posts on another student)

• Establish a relationship; don’t interrupt, be prepared with good questions; get the correct spelling of all names

• Ask open-ended details that allow your interviewee to tell you anecdotes; press for DETAILS

3) Speech paper on artist Henry Hargreaves

• Lead needs to get to the heart of the event

• Research in advance and prepare good questions; interview a lot of people who attended for a more lively piece with greater perspective. Go the extra mile and contact the subject of your paper.

4) Event paper on “It’s Your Call” conference

• Lead must get to the heart of the event. If you interview a lot of people, which you should, and they have similar critiques of an event, definitely mention that

5) Interview with Globe reporter Maria Sacchetti

• Research ahead of time. If it’s a writer, read some of her work. Ask probing questions. Lead should get to the heart of her visit.

Maria’s advice: 1) If you have a goal, go for it first. Then reassess. 2) Do your best to tell the true story.3) Don't assume you know; be humble. 4) Work at your writing -- a foreign language if you're trying to learn one -- every day. 5) Appeal everything. 6) Go to job fairs. Wear a suit. Stand in line. Be nice. They might not hire you (but they might remember you). 7) Embrace math. Math is essential. 8) Always be careful and well-prepared when you travel abroad for a story. You don't want anything bad to happen. "Because then you can't tell the story."9) Do your expenses.10) Have fun. Learn salsa dancing, photography. Keep learning.

6) Profile

• A good interview is key! Ask probing questions. Get concrete details and anecdotes. DESCRIBE

7) Election interviews

• Research the candidates and issues; be informed.

• Use your people skills to get voters to talk to you

8) Feature

• Picking a good topic is KEY. Spotting a trend and writing a story that hasn’t been written before is impressive!

9) Issue

• Picking a good topic is KEY.

• Identify experts and contact them ASAP

• Interviewing sources in-person is much better than by phone or email (BEING THERE is key)

• Experts are the ones who offer opinions/analysis. Your sources talk about their personal experiences

10) Review

• Lead should make it clear if you recommend/don’t recommend the movie and why

• Write as you would speak!

11) Summaries

• Synthesize information. Doesn’t have to be in the same chronological order as what you are summarizing

12) Blogs

• Should be well organized and reader-friendly; AP style and grammar should be correct; photos add a lot

Reporters and the Law; writing reviews

1) The Lead: Recommend/do not recommend the movie/video for THIS/THESE SPECIFIC REASON(S). Write down the reasons you would recommend the movie and figure out which one (or more) you want to highlight in the lead. In the nutgraph, you can briefly mention some of the other reasons. You will then explain further in the body of your paper, using one or more scenes as example(s).

How to come up with a lead:

• First, sum up the movie/video in a sentence or two. (This will take some thinking!)

• Then, analyze how the various elements of the movie/video worked together to figure out what contributed to your liking/not liking the movie. Some movie elements are: visual qualities, dialogue, characterization (were the characters believable, likeable, unlikeable – or were they just like cartoon/stock figures?), music, story/plot etc. Some video qualities are clarity of story/plot/message and how compelling it was, quality of interviews, the interviewees (similar to the characters; were they believable? Compelling?), visuals, dialogue etc

Example: Would I recommend “Life of Pi” directed by Ang Lee? Yes.

• What it’s about: Based on a children’s book, it’s about a teenager from India’s dangerous, nearly year-long experience trying to survive on a life boat -- alone with a ferocious tiger -- following a ship-wreck.

• Reasons I liked “Life of Pi”: 1) It was beautiful 2) It reminded me of snorkeling, only the fish and other creatures shown were more colorful ( and there were more than I’ve ever seen snorkeling which lifted the scenes into the realm of fantasy while still being believable – as if were a heightened reality. Plus, I saw it in 3-D and that also heightened the experience.) 3) The story was compelling. It was simple and yet it had a twist at the end that made it that much more moving and thought-provoking as well as sad. 4) There was a gripping shipwreck scene 5) The actor who played the main character was very believable as was the ferocious tiger (which was not actually on the lifeboat with the boy and was, in part, computer-generated.)

Possible lead? “Life of Pi,” about a teenaged Indian boy who survives for months on a life boat with a ferocious tiger, is by turns gripping, beautiful, and sad; but above all it is magical.

2) The Nutgraph: Sum up the elements of the movie/video that made you like/not like it and that you will discuss in the review

Sample NUTGRAPH: Directed by Ang Lee (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Brokeback Mountain,”) “Life of Pi,” makes good use of 3-D effects in portraying underwater scenes that are realistic yet so spectacular that they appear fantastical while telling a simple story about a boy’s determination to live. Though based on a children’s book, the story has a twist at the end (DON’T GIVE IT AWAY AS THAT WOULD BE A “SPOILER,” WHICH YOU SHOULD AVOID) that makes the story that much more thought provoking and compelling.

3) Body of the paper: Expands on all the points you make in the nutgraph by describing one or more specific scenes that exemplify the qualities you praised/criticized

Reporters and the law:

1) What is libel?


2) What is slander?


3) True or False: During a period of particularly intense racial tensions in the United States, The New York Times ran an advertisement in 1969 that an all-white jury found to be libelous toward L.B. Sullivan, a Montgomery, Ala. city commissioner responsible for the police department. Sullivan was awarded $500,000 in damages.

But the Supreme Court heard an appeal of the case, The New York Times vs. Sullivan, in 1964 and in its decision took away states' power to award damages in a libel action brought by public officials against critics of their official conduct.

The Supreme Court wrote that a public official must prove the statement was made with "actual malice," whether it was false or not.



4) Did Supreme Court Justice Brennan write that the right to criticize the government is "the central meaning of the First Amendment" guaranteeing freedom of Speech? True or False



5) Explain who qualifies as a "public figure" and why. A) a police officer B) a newspaper columnist C) Brad Pitt 4) The editor of the Collegian



6) What are privileged proceedings? Is a court hearing a privileged proceeding? Is a political rally a privileged proceeding?

___________________________________________________________

Massachusetts Open Meeting Law: Governmental bodies must post a notice to say there will be a meeting 48 hours in advance of it to give the public a chance to attend. A quorum (majority or the number of members present needed to vote) may not get together and discuss SUBSTANTIVE issues outside of the public's view. There are nine exceptions under which a board may hold a closed-door session although it must later make the results of decisions reached available to the public. Exceptions include to consider or discuss: 1) reputation, character etc (vs professional competence) of someone 2) disciplining/firing an employee 3) collective bargaining strategy 4) deployment of security 5) criminal charges 6) real estate purchases 7) grant requirements 8) job applicants 9) mediation

Happy Halloween

Polling places in Amherst

From the Town of Amherst website:
Precincts
The Town of Amherst is divided into ten precincts which contain a total of eight polling locations.

Precinct	Location
1	North Congregational Church, Church Hall, 1193 North Pleasant Street
2	North Fire Station, 603 East Pleasant Street
3	Immanuel Lutheran Church, 867 North Pleasant Street
4	Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk
5	Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk
6	Fort River School, 70 South East Street
7	Crocker Farm School, 280 West Street
8	Munson Memorial Library, South Amherst Common, 1046 South East Street
9	Wildwood School, 71 Strong Street
10	Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk

You may also go to the  State Elections Division website to look up your polling location.

Hours 
The polling hours for all elections and all polling places are 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Prohibited Activities 
State law prohibits the display of political paraphernalia within 150 feet of the entrance to the polling location. Signs, stickers, and even lapel buttons are not permitted within this restricted zone. State regulations also prohibit political solicitation within the restricted zone. 

Voters may take their own personal notes into the polling place as an aid to assist their voting.  This information cannot be shared with other voters or left in the polling place.

No Class Monday due to Hurricane Sandy

Hi Everybody -- Take care and let me know if  you need anything. Plan to bring in your Feature first drafts (1,000 words, interviews with/quotes from 4 or more sources) Wednesday and we'll do some peer editing.
Here's the schedule for the remainder of the year:

OCT 29-- NO CLASS DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY  
OCT 31 FIRST DRAFT FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE. PEER EDIT Discuss issue paper ideas and strategy. Discuss chapters 11 and 14.  Next: Issue pitch. Discuss issue ideas, experts. 

NOV 5 Issue pitch. Discuss interviewing voters at poll tomorrow/Election Day Nov. 6 
TUESDAY, NOV. 6 --Interview voters at polls on Election Day. Write 600 words.
NOV 7 In-class work on Issue papers. Discuss Election Day interviews. NEXT: read Chap 20 on police FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE.


NOV 12 NO CLASS -Veterans Day
NOV 14 FIRST DRAFT ISSUE (with 4 voices, 2 of whom are "experts") due PEER EDIT Discuss Police chapter. In-class work on issue, blog. Next: read Chaps. 26 on Taste in Journalism and 27 on Morality.


NOV 19 Discuss Chapters 26 & 27
NOV 21 NO CLASS- Thanksgiving is NOV 22

NOV 26 END OF SEMESTER QUIZ In-class work on Issue paper. Discuss Chapters 24 and 25, 
NOV 28 NEXT: Discuss Chaps. 24 and 25 on Government and Reporters and the Law; review writing. ISSUE (1,000 words INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE Discuss Open Meeting, definitions of slander etc.;


DEC 3 - Watch film and write REVIEW (10 percent of final grade) on deadline, due at end of class.
DEC 5 LAST DAY OF CLASS/RECAP

Covering the Oct. 16 UMass police chief and dean of students' meeting with neighbors

Tom interviews Hwei-ling and Bob Greeney

Nick interviews UMass Police Chief John Horvath

What's coming up...

Feature pitches today.

Remember, a feature is like a profile in that it tries to bring something to life by describing the subject in specific detail and quoting sources talking about the subject in concrete, specific detail. The only difference is the feature is about an event/trend/group/thing etc. vs a person.

(The story, for example, by Maria Sacchetti about the two brothers who are Chilean consuls is a mini-feature. It starts with a descriptive scene of their headquarters, introduces the 76-year-old brothers and then describes how they are representative of other sometimes quirky mom-and-pop type consulates throughout the United States.)

You must include quotes from a minimum of FOUR SOURCES in the feature.

As with the profile, we'll do 1) a 200-300 word "pre-first draft," which we'll peer edit next Monday, Oct. 15; 2) a 1,000-word first draft, due Oct 29 and final draft, due Nov. 7.

Today, besides the feature, we'll briefly go over the chapters on accidents and obituaries and if we have time, we can do some work on the blogs. Ideally, you should have created your blogs by now. Don't forget to send me the addresses so I can post them on the class blog!

I'm looking forward to reading your 500-word pieces, due today, on Maria Sacchetti's visit.


Wednesday, Oct. 10 -- Feature pitch, Discuss accidents/disasters and obituaries chapters. Five hundred words on Maria Sacchetti visit due.

NEXT: Read Chapter 21 on Courts. Bring in written 250 words pre-first draft feature with potential lead, nutgraph and direct quotes.


Back to original schedule:

OCT 15 Peer edit pre-first draft Feature drafts. (lead, nutgraph and direct quotes.)

OCT 17 In-class work on feature and blog, discuss Chap. 21 on Courts FINAL DRAFT PROFILE DUE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) In-class work on feature drafts Discuss Issue paper requirements, including interviews with 2-3 "experts."


OCT 22 NEXT: read Chaps. 11 on layered reporting. and 14 on sources.

OCT 24 MID-TERM QUIZ (on terms, concepts and AP tips discussed in class as well as Chapters 2,3, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21) Discuss Chap. 11 and 14 and covering elections.


OCT 29 FIRST DRAFT FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE. PEER EDIT Discuss issue paper ideas and strategy. Next: Issue pitch.

OCT 31 Discuss issue ideas, experts. In-class work on blogs. NEXT: Issue pitch


NOV 5 Issue pitch. (Interview voters at polls on Election Day. Write 600 words.)

NOV 7 In-class work on Issue papers. Discuss Election Day interviews. NEXT: read Chap 20 on police FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE.


NOV 12 NO CLASS -Veterans Day

NOV 14 FIRST DRAFT ISSUE (with 4 voices, 2 of whom are "experts") due PEER EDIT Discuss Police chapter. In-class work on issue, blog. Next: read Chaps. 26 on Taste in Journalism and 27 on Morality.



NOV 19 Discuss Chapters 26 & 27

NOV 21 NO CLASS- Thanksgiving is NOV 22



NOV 26 END OF SEMESTER QUIZ In-class work on Issue paper. Discuss Chapters 24 and 25,

NOV 28 NEXT: Discuss Chaps. 24 and 25 on Government and Reporters and the Law; review writing. ISSUE (1,000 words INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE Discuss Open Meeting, definitions of slander etc.;



DEC 3 - Watch film and write REVIEW (10 percent of final grade) on deadline, due at end of class.

DEC 5 - LAST DAY OF CLASS/RECAP

Boston Globe immigration reporter Maria Sacchetti's visit. (Click to see everybody.)

10 suggestions from Maria:

1) If you have a goal, go for it first. Then reassess.
2) Do your best to tell the true story.
3) Don't assume you know; be humble.
4) Work at your writing  -- a foreign language if you're trying to learn one --  every day.
5) Appeal everything.
6) Go to job fairs. Wear a suit. Stand in line. Be nice. They might not hire you (but they might remember you).
7) Embrace math. Math is essential.
8) Always be careful and well-prepared when you travel abroad for a story. You don't want anything bad to happen. "Because then you can't tell the story."
9) Do your expenses. 
10) Have fun. Learn salsa dancing, photography. Keep learning.

Updated class schedule

Updated class schedule, beginning with today's class (Notice the deadline to turn in the profile final draft has been moved up to OCT. 17):

Monday, Oct. 1 FIRST DRAFT PROFILE DUE (INCLUDE WORD COUNT) Peer edit. Discuss feature stories, Chapter 7 and SHOW (vs. tell) examples. Discuss Maria Sacchetti stories; generate questions for her. Feature pitch postponed till OCT 10.

Wednesday, Oct. 3 -- Class visitor Maria Sacchetti, a UMass alumna and immigration reporter for the Boston Globe. Take notes and write 500 words about her visit. Due Wednesday, Oct. 10.
NEXT: Read Chapter 18 on Accidents and Disasters and Chapter 19 on Obituaries.

Monday, Oct. 8-- No class (Get ready to do feature pitch on Wednesday)

Wednesday, Oct. 10 -- Feature pitch, Discuss accidents/disasters and obituaries chapters. NEXT: Read Chapter 21 on Courts. Bring in written 250 words pre-first draft feature with potential lead, nutgraph and direct quotes. Five hundred words on Maria Sacchetti visit due.

Back to original schedule:
OCT 15 Peer edit pre-first draft Feature drafts. (lead, nutgraph and direct quotes.)
OCT 17 In-class work on feature and blog, discuss Chap. 21 on CourtsFINAL DRAFT PROFILE DUE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) In-class work on feature drafts Discuss Issue paper requirements, including interviews with 2-3 "experts."

OCT 22  NEXT: read Chaps. 11 on layered reporting. and 14 on sources.

OCT 24 MID-TERM QUIZ (on terms, concepts and AP tips discussed in class as well as Chapters 2,3, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21) Discuss Chap. 11 and 14 and covering elections.

OCT 29 FIRST DRAFT FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE. PEER EDIT Discuss issue paper ideas and strategy. Next: Issue pitch.

OCT 31 Discuss issue ideas, experts. In-class work on blogs. NEXT: Issue pitch

NOV 5 Issue pitch. (Interview voters at polls on Election Day. Write 600 words.)

NOV 7 In-class work on Issue papers. Discuss Election Day interviews. NEXT: read Chap 20 on police FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE.

NOV 12 NO CLASS -Veterans Day

NOV 14 FIRST DRAFT ISSUE (with 4 voices, 2 of whom are "experts") due PEER EDIT Discuss Police chapter. In-class work on issue, blog. Next: read Chaps. 26 on Taste in Journalism and 27 on Morality.

NOV 19 Discuss Chapters 26 & 27
NOV 21 NO CLASS- Thanksgiving is NOV 22

NOV 26 END OF SEMESTER QUIZ In-class work on Issue paper. Discuss Chapters 24 and 25,

NOV 28 NEXT: Discuss Chaps. 24 and 25 on Government and Reporters and the Law; review writing. ISSUE (1,000 words INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE Discuss Open Meeting, definitions of slander etc.;

DEC 3 - Watch film and write REVIEW (10 percent of final grade) on deadline, due at end of class.

DEC 5 - LAST DAY OF CLASS/RECAP

Chapters 2 & 3 worksheet (Be able to answer all these questions by class on Sept. 24)

Chapters 2 & 3 worksheet

CHAPTER 2: COMPONENTS OF THE STORY:
1) What's most important: A) accuracy B) getting both sides on the record C) a lively writing style?

2) Which is the better description and why: A) She was unusually tall. B) She was an inch over 6 feet tall.

3) Give of examples of A) a firsthand account B) secondhand account C) thirdhand account

4) Should the reporter make it clear in the story whether an account is firsthand, second or third? Is there a scenario in which you would not need to attribute information?

5) Explain A) on the record B) on background C) on deep background D) off the record

6) Which sentence would you pick to follow this one: The temperature reached an all-time high yesterday at noon. A) The air conditioning failed at UMass. B) The mercury hit 102 degrees, breaking the April 10, 1968 record of 98 degrees. C) Dogs howled and cats slunk under bushes looking for shade.

7) True or False: Objective journalism is the reporting of the visible and verifiable.

CHAPTER 3: WHAT IS NEWS?
1) Who said this in 1883: "Always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues of all parties, never belong to any party, always oppose privileged classes and public plunderers, never lack sympathy with the poor, always remain devoted to the public welfare, never be satisfied with merely printing news, always be drastically indpendent, never be afriad to attack wrong, whether by predatory plutocracy or predatory poverty."

2) Describe a news story that fits each of the following criteria for what is news: A) Information about a break from the normal flow of events, an interruption in the expected, deviation from the norm B) INformation people can use to help them make sound decisions about their lives.

3) Give a example of a news story that exemplifies each the following criteria (for a total of 9 stories):
A) Timely

B) Impact

C)Prominence

D) Emotional proximity

E) Geographical proximity

F) Conflict

G) The Unusual

H) Currency

I) Necessity


4) What are some other factors that play into the selection of news published?

In-class interviewing assignment - Sept. 17

In-class blog assignment: JOURN 300/Interviewing for information, meaningful content and quoteworthy quotes EVERYONE IN THE CLASS SHOULD WRITE ONE AND POST IT ON THis CLASS BLOG ON THE CLASS PROFILES PAGE. You may choose to post them on your joint blogs too.


Assignment: Interview a classmate about his or her home town. Get a basic feel for the city/town. For instance, how big approximately? Urban or rural? What is it known for? How do people there describe it? How is it described by outsiders? It's about your subject's town but also about how growing up in that city/town helped shape your subject.

Make it personal. Ask your subject to recall a moment he or she may recall when he/she reflected on the nature of the town. Did he or she always want to leave there? Does he/she want to go back?

Identify some QUOTEWORTHY quotes. Don’t just throw the quotes in. INTRODUCE them. Look for specific, concrete, colorful details. AVOID clichés. Think about every word. Think about the tone etc.

Include a photo, unless your subject is opposed to it. Be sure to credit the person who took the photo or mention where it came from.

Write for a general audience of readers who may not be familiar with some of the places or expressions you use.

Write in third person. Keep the reporter out of the story.

Spell check. Proofread. Post it!


Example from a past class:

Moving from the Bronx to White Plains, NY at age 5, Shamique White was surprised at how small her new town was. (DOESN’T JUST SAY THE SUBJECT IS FROM WHATEVER CITY/TOWN BUT ESTABLISHES THE THEME OF THE PIECE, WHICH IS ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF MOVING FROM A BIG CITY TO A MORE SUBURBAN COMMUNITY/INTRODUCES THE FOLLOWING QUOTE.)

"I called it a ghost town," she said.(KEEP PARAGRAPHS SHORT FOR READABILITY AND IMPACT.

When she was young, White would spend her summer days playing at the park down the street from her home with other kids from her neighborhood when she was in White Plains. (CONCRETE IMAGE)

But on most weekends, sometimes for weeks at a time, White would go to the Bronx to go to church with her grandmother. (CONCRETE IMAGE)

"I went to school in White Plains, but I didn't hang out in White Plains," White says of her younger years. (MEANINGFUL QUOTE)

As she entered into middle school and then on to high school, White Plains began to grow more metropolitan. Lots of people moved from the city to her town and commuted to work in New York City, only a half hour south. Businesses also began to flourish in a downtown section that had a city-like feel. But the town still maintained some of its rural charm in certain neighborhoods. (GOOD DEMOGRAPHIC INFO PUTS THE SUBJECT’S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE INTO CONTEXT.)

The kids of White Plains joined into one public high school after being in five different elementary schools and two middle schools. White made close friends in high school, where the arts and basketball and track were popular activities for students.

Even though White went back and forth between the Bronx and White Plains at first, she still calls White Plains home. (NICE ENDING, BRINGS US BACK TO THE THEME. THE PIECE HAS A NARRATIVE “ARC.”)

Fall 2012 calendar

Welcome to Fall 2012