Various tips for review writing

1) Don't waste the lead. It should make an assertion about the film. It may sum up in a sentence WHY, specifically,  you recommend/don't recommend this video/movie.

2) There should be a nutgraph that gives the reader a clear idea of where you are going in the review. It is the road map to the rest of the review.

3) In the body of the paper, describe some scenes and include a couple of pithy quotes.

4) Sum up the most important points in the movie/video. Write as if for readers who have NOT seen it.

5) A review is NOT a chronological plot summary, although you may briefly sum it up in a sentence or two.

6) As with any article, it should flow well, have well organized paragraphs with strong topic sentences/transitions and a clear, resonant ending.

Tips for writing movie reviews, for online publication, video game reviews and a few sample leads from movie reviews I wrote  a few years ago.

How to Write a Movie Review: Tips from the University of Chicago

Five Parts (Paragraphs) of a Movie Review

Opening: Catch the Reader's Attention
Think about how advertisements sell movies: "trailers" show you a few seconds of the movie to get you interested.

When you begin your movie review, make your own "trailer." If you liked the movie, then your trailer should make people want to see it; but if you didn't like it, the trailer should be something that shows why you didn't like it. Don't explain why you liked it or didn't like it; make the reader like or not like the movie by what you describe. Begin your review by retelling an incident or moment from the movie which you think captures the spirit of the movie as you understood it.

Alternative: Begin your review with another kind of story or interesting fact--about one of the star actors, or about the making of the movie, or about the director.

Second Paragraph: Take Care of Business
Near the beginning of the review, you have to tell the reader all the obligatory stuff--the title of the movie, the director, the studio, the main actors, the year it was made (if you watched it on video), the rating. This paragraph tells the reader the things they have to know about the movie. Also, in one sentence or two, you should explain very simply what the movie is all about--not necessarily what happens, but that might work, too, if you can say it in one two sentences.

Third Paragraph: Character and plot summary
What happens in the movie? You shouldn't tell everything that happens--and especially not the ending. But you want to summarize the basic plot of the movie, in more detail than you do in the paragraph above.

One way to do this might be to write a sentence about each main character.

Fourth Paragraph: A Key Moment or Idea
In this paragraph, go into detail about something important that interested you about the movie. If it was a musical, you should say something about the songs. Or if the soundtrack was good, talk about that. Or write more about one character who was really intriguing. Or retell another big moment from the movie and explain why it is important. If you think the "idea" behind a movie was really interesting, explain that idea and talk about it a little bit. In this paragraph, you must go into depth about the movie.

Fifth Paragraph: Evaluate the Movie
Do you recommend it or not? Who will like it (kids or adults)? The most important thing here is that you must also explain why you are making your recommendation.

You must justify your opinion--and that opinion should grow out of what you write in the rest of the review. Give at least two reasons why you liked or didn't like the movie.

From the BBC

The internet is a very different publishing medium from standard print. Less time is spent reading on the web and people have no patience to pause and re-read your work. This means that you must make reviews short, simple and clear.

Web design gurus reckon you should write 50% less for the web and we think that means a normal review should be about 300 words.

Some key points

Use simple sentences (One subject and one verb).
Make it concise.
Try to make each paragraph one short chunk of information.
Avoid drop intros and complex writing structures (keep it linear).
Use strong verbs like "decide" as apposed to "make a decision".
Don't use clever words that might make people pause.

Also think about the layout. Can you break up the text with bullets, quote boxes or subheadings?

Use active sentences

Passive: Thirty three pigs were tested for foot and mouth by vets from the ministry of agriculture. (This is passive because the subject comes first)

Active: Ministry of Agriculture vets tested 33 pigs for food and mouth.

The trick to good writing on the web is to be clever in the text without being clever with the style.

From eopinions.com

How To Write A Video Game Review

Jan 04 '06

The Bottom Line Write like the reader has never heard of the game before.

I’ve been an Advisor in the Games section for nearly a year, and since earning that title I have tried to rate just about ever new video game review. After all this time rating and leaving comments, I thought it would be a good idea to publish my criteria for a Very Helpful review. Consider this my public service announcement to the Gaming community.

Video games are unique in that they provide an interactive experience that differentiates them from watching movies or listening to music. Games require the active participation of the user and you can’t do much else while playing. That creates a level of intimacy between the game and the player. Once you’ve spent enough time playing a particular game, you should have enough experience to write a compelling review of it.

Regardless of the game genre, there are several key elements that you must touch on in the review in order for it to be considered complete. Without the right amount of detail to cover these key things, you most likely will not earn a Very Helpful overall rating.

The key elements of any video game review must cover genre, story, gameplay, graphics, sound, and controls. Often the gameplay and controls go hand in hand. Not all games have a story. Some games incorporate several different genres. The amount of detail you put into your review will differ depending on the type of game. Here’s a breakdown:

Genre

Simply ask yourself, “What kind of game is this?” Is it a sports or racing game? Is it a role playing game? If so, is it turn-based or real time? Is it a first person shooter? Is it a strategy game? There are many different types of games out there, and you should categorize the one you are reviewing. This will help serve as an introduction to the review. Many people browsing reviews may stumble across a game on Ebay and not know anything about it other than a title. If you don’t properly introduce the game, the reader won’t be informed.

Story

Most video games, with the exception of sports of racing titles, have some kind of story. Role playing games often rely on a good story to keep the player interested. Knights of the Old Republic is a good example of this. Often the plot description is enough to tell the reader whether or not the game is serious or childish enough for them. Video games aren’t just for kids.

Gameplay and Controls

How is the game played? This is where you describe the basic way in which you play and whether or not it is any fun. Many games within the same genre have unique playing styles that differentiate them from the competition. For example, both Half-Life and Unreal Tournament are first person shooters, but their gameplay is completely different. Should the player use a mouse and keyboard or the joystick? Did the game have a learning curve? This section is, in my opinion, the most important part of the review.

Graphics and Sound

Your review should address the audio/visual quality of the game. It helps to provide a couple of examples or comparisons to other games, so long as you don’t rely entirely on those comparisons. Is the animation smooth and the colors bright? Did you notice any graphical bugs? A big thing with PC games is to mention how well it runs and briefly describe your computer hardware. Sound effects and music are a big deal in games now, especially with some titles using digital surround sound. I can tell you from personal experience that the Call of Duty games have some of the best sound around. If the game features voice acting, you should tell if it is convincing or cheesy. Many well known actors are lending their voices to games, and you should mention them, if possible.

Conclusion

The best way to write a good review is to consider yourself a prospective gamer who has never seen or heard of the title before. If you were going to buy this game, what would you want to know about it before making the purchase? If you keep that in mind while you write, your review should contain enough detail to properly inform the potential buyer or player if they should invest their money or not bother.

Also remember that it is very important for you to mention whether or not the game is any fun. You can go on and on with technical details of the game and never admit to enjoying it. Sometimes even the dumbest story, lamest graphics, or poor sound can still lead to a very fun game. If you think a game is great or not, tell why. After all, it is a game, and games are supposed to be fun.

Keep playing and writing! 

Here are some leads from movie reviews I have written:

**How much you like "Happy-Go-Lucky," a British comedy directed by Mike Leigh, depends on how taken you are with Sally Hawkins, the star. As Poppy, she's a kind-hearted single girl living i... more

**So this is how some people live in very big shabby-chic houses in suburban Connecticut. That was what I was thinking as I watched the utterly absorbing and moving "Rachel Getting Married."... more...

** "Pride and Glory" is a fairly predictable entry in the cops-gone-bad genre. While the violence is over the top, the acting is first-rate and it's got enough goo... more... 

**"Appaloosa" is a stylish, old fashioned western with a little contemporary humor and an interesting female character. That would be Renée Zellweger's Allie French, a shrewd, not-so-delicate miss w... more...

**With Spike Lee movies, you always know you are in for ambitious, sometimes provocative and yet old-fashioned productions, with sophisticated musical scores, lush cinematography, archetypal characte...

**An "Odyssey" for this age with an unusual heroine, "Trouble the Water" has some of the most dramatic footage of Hurricane Katrina's impact on New Orleans ever recorded. Kimberly... more...

**"American Teen" is packed with so many touching, awkward moments and it's so deftly edited, viewers could be excused for thinking it's a work of fiction - not a documentary. In fact, revi... more...

**Slow-going at first, "Man on Wire" all comes together at the end, when the French adventurer Philippe Petit realizes his dream of walking on a high-wire 1,350 feet above the ground betwee... more... <

**"X-Files: I Want to Believe," a blast-from-the-past of a film based on the long-running, drama-sci fi hybrid TV series, doesn't live up to either the TV show or its earlier big screen inc... more...

**"The Edge of Heaven" gets under the skin like an anxiety nightmare in which the dreamer is trying to make contact with someone but is never quite able to for reasons that seem surmountabl... more...

**A Pixar production, "WALL-E" has all the special computer-generated effects that fans of the animation studio's "Toy Story," "The Incredibles," "Cars" and &q... more... 

**Who would have thought that anabolic steroids aren't the Frankensteinish, rage-inducing poison they are usually represented to be? I, for one, assumed that "Bigger, Stronger, Faster," a d... more...

**The audience at Cinemark in Hadley, Friday night, started clapping as soon as the opening notes of the "Sex and the City" theme song sounded. But the song, so beloved by many, quickly cha... more...

**"The Visitor" is nothing like the feel-good movie suggested by the previews, although it's understandable that you might expect a light-hearted film: It tells the story of an aging white ... more...

**"Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" is like a vintage merry-go-round - a whirl of pastel, pretty images and upbeat music, sweet as cotton candy and just as insubstantial. Set in 1939 London,... more...

**Heartbreaking and beautiful, director Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" ("Le Scaphandre et le Papillon") is the ultimate life-affirming movie, and it's a tru... more...

It could be that the enigmatic and quirky "Romance & Cigarettes" - a musical for goodness sake - is best described as director John Turturro's intensely personal vision. So raunchy in... more...

**In medieval morality plays, the bad guy is none other than the devil himself. This also seems to be the case in the jarring, atmospheric "No Country for Old Men." It's far from the most s... more...

Pictures from Ana Reyes and Mark Stencel

Joe McGinniss Speech

Worksheet for chapters on accidents, obituaries and courts

Chapter 18 Accidents and Disasters

1) If vehicle A hit vehicle B according the accident report by police, driver A is clearly at fault and the news story should say so. True or False and why?

2) Eyewitness accounts of an airplane accident by people on the ground are notoriously unreliable, according to the book. True or False

3) When do reporters use the word "disaster"?

4) An elderly man crashed a $50,000 Porsche into a $500,000 statue in the center of town, destroying it, and he was killed. What is the most important detail that you should lead the story with?

Chapter 19 Obituaries

5) Should the reporter approach some stories/obituaries with the intention of writing routinely?

6) Which of the following information is required in all obituaries? A) name, age, occupation and address of deceased B) Date and place of death C) Cause of death D) Date of birth and birthplace E) Survivors in the immediate family F) Friends G) Pets H) Memberships, military service I) Awards and achievements J) Height and weight K) funeral arrangements L) Where to send donations in the deceased's honor.

7)Where does the reporter gather material for the obituary?

8) True of False: Obituaries are one of the most if not the most widely read -- and with greater attention to detail -- sections of the newspaper.

9) How does the manner in which the subject died influence how the obituary is written (371)?

10) Does an obituary have a theme?

11) Should embarrassing material be omitted from an obituary?

Chapter 21 Courts

12) True or False: There are two judicial systems: state and federal

13) True or False: Key differences between a criminal and civil trial is that the accused must be found be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and the verdict must be unanimous in a CRIMINAL l trial but in a CIVIL trial, which involves damages and contracts, the likelihood of the defendant's liability is at issue and only 9 of 12 jurors must agree on the verdict.

14) What's an arraignment?

15) What's an indictment?

16) The lawyers for the prosecution and defense can reject potential jurors based on their sex or race. True or False?

UPDATED schedule - SPRING 2012

FEB 27 FEATURE PITCH.
ATTEND LECTURE --
DUE WED/FEb 29 : 1) EVERYBODY WRITE 350 words about the lecture in the format of a speech paper and post it on your joint blogs.
2) Turn in completed worksheet
3) Have read Chapter 21 on Courts

WED/Feb 29 -- Short class. Discuss lecture and worksheet; work on joint blogs


MAR 5 FINAL DRAFT PROFILE DUE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT)
Visitor to class
Review for QUIZ
DUE WED/MAR 7 : Have read Chaps 11 on layerd reporting and 14 on sources and completed worksheet
Have written 350 words on class visitor (Write it like a short article -- with a good lead!)
MAR 7 MID-TERM QUIZ
Discuss Chap. 11 and 14.
Turn in pieces about class visitor

MAR 12 FIRST DRAFT FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE.
Class to attend lecture by author Joe McGinnis
DUE WED/MARCH 14: 350 words about Joe McGinnis talk
MAR 14 Mid-semester blog presentations
Discuss issue ideas, experts. In-class work on blogs. NEXT: Issue pitch

*************************************NO CLASS week of MARCH 19 – SPRING BREAK ************************************
MAR 26 Issue pitch.
MAR 28 In-class work on Issue papers. NEXT: read Chap 20 on police.
APRIL 2 Discuss Police chapter. In-class work on issue, blog. Next: read Chaps. 26 on Taste in Journalism and 27 on Morality.
APRIL 4 FEATURE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE. Discuss Chapters 26 and 27
APRIL 9 . In-class work on Issue paper.
APRIL 11 FIRST DRAFT ISSUE (with four voices, two of whom are "experts") due. PEER EDIT NEXT: Read Chaps. 24 and 25 on Government and Reporters and the Law.
APRIL 16 – NO CLASS
APRIL 18 ISSUE (1,000 words INCLUDE WORD COUNT) DUE Discuss Open Meeting, definitions of slander etc.;
APRIL 23 Discuss Chapters 24 and 25, review writing. END OF SEMESTER QUIZ
APRIL 25 Watch film and write REVIEW (10 percent of final grade) on deadline, due at end of class.
MAY 1 LAST DAY OF CLASS/RECAP

Articles and AP Tip Schedule - Spring 2012

FEB 27 --
FEB 29 -- Karissa

MARCH 5 -- (reporter visits)
MARCH 7 -- Ryan

MARCH 12 -- (attend lecture)
MARCH 14 - - Justin

SPRING BREAK

MARCH 26 -- Lizzy
MARCH 28 -- Anjulei

APRIL 2 -- Liza
APRIL 4 -- Samantha

APRIL 9 -- Rachel
APRIL 11 -- Jess

APRIL 16 -- NO CLASS
APRIL 18 - Chris, Steve

APRIL 23 -- Anjulei
APRIL 25 -- Robby

Speech paper tips/In-class blog assignment

Speech paper tips:
- Lead should do more than just say the event occurred; should be direct and reader friendly
- Double- and triple-check name spellings! It’s Rachael with an extra A!
- AP style is to NOT capitalize academic subjects and job titles unless the title comes RIGHT before the job holder’s name
- In general, write in past tense
- News stories do NOT have essay-style conclusions
- Keep your opinions/judgments out of the story. Don’t editorialize or make grand claims

In-class blog assignment: JOURN 300/Interviewing for information, meaningful content and quoteworthy quotes
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?

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.

Spell check. Proofread. Post it on the class blog.

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.”)

Justin's photos from Collegian tour

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?

FALL 2017 -- Blog assignment

Journalism 300 blog assignment/FALL 2017
We'll do the blogs in pairs and there will be time to work on them in the computer lab. Midway through and at the end of the semester, the blog pairs will do a presentation on the blogs, projecting them on the screen in the computer room. Class members are expected to post constructive comments on the blogs.

Using Wordpress, start a blog that can function like a website with static pages, slideshow, tracking.

I) HOME PAGE

1) Should briefly describe the blog and 2) Have links or tabs to the following pages:

II) PAGES

1) List of EVENTS of interest to journalism students in the UMass area. The class may attend one or more of these, if possible. Each entry should include the following information 1) speaker/presenter 2) Topic/Title 3) Where 4) When 5) )Brief blurb about the event 6) Link to more/related info

2) EXAMPLES from work produced for the class by one or both of the blog partners A) Speech story B) Profile C) Feature D) Issue story . These should be thoroughly proofed and polished. One or more of these stories should be accompanied by a SLIDESHOW. (If your sources do not want their names published, you can use partial names AFTER completing the assignment that you turn in for a grade.

3) A blog post describing what went into CREATING THE BLOG, for instance why you decided to pick a certain template; how you decided which stories to include as examples, which one would include a slideshow and what went into getting the photos for the slideshow. The piece should also mention any interesting data you are able to gather using a service like Google Analytics or Statcounter about who is visiting the blog and why.

4) A page with topic of YOUR CHOICE.

III) SLIDESHOW should enhance/illustrate the story that accompanies it. It should include thoroughly proofed captions

IV) EMBEDDED DATA COLLECTING service like Statcounter or Google analytics

FALL 2012 SYLLABUS

JOURN 300 :NEWSWRITING and REPORTING, FALL 2012 -- M/W 3:35-5:30 p.m. -- DuBois 767

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, three or four people 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) and review (10 percent), minor papers, including first drafts (10 percent), blog (10 percent), participation/homework, worksheets and quizzes etc (10 percent).


HONESTY

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

FALL 2012 SCHEDULE

JOURN 300/CAREY/ FALL 2012--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 3-4 people will bring in an article to discuss and post an "AP Style tip" to the blog.

SEPT 5 Introduction, In-class writing assignment. NEXT: 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.


SEPT 10 Discuss Chap. 5 and speech options, in-class exercise on leads. NEXT: Read Chap. 16 on speeches, write 200-word summary for next class.
SEPT 12 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.

REVISED:
Monday, Sept. 17 (today) -- 1) Write a mini-profile (300-400 words or so) about someone in the class. See instructions below.
2) Start a blog with one person or two people in the class. (Instructions on right-hand side of this blog.) Send me the address of your blog.

Wednesday, Sept. 19 -- NO CLASS. Meet me at 6 p.m. in the Campus Center Auditorium for pizza and the conference "It's Your Call." Write 500 words about it -- remember, it should have a great lead and several quotes from people who attend it, in addition to the basic who, what, where, why, when and how many people were there.
NEXT: read chapters 2 and 3 and a four-sentence profile "pitch," in which you explain who you plan to write your 1,000-word profile about and briefly what makes this person a good subject of a profile.

Monday, Sept. 24  -- Pitch your profile to the class. Discuss chapters 2 and 3.
NEXT: For Wednesday, bring in a "pre-first draft" of your profile, consisting of a potential lead, nutgraph and some quotes from your subject.

Wednesday, Sept. 26 -- Peer edit the profile pre-first drafts.
NEXT: Read Chap. 7 on the Writer's Art. Write 100-200 words SHOWING (vs. telling) something (would be good if it is for your profile) and post it on the class blog.

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

Wednesday, Oct. 10 -- Five hundred words on Maria Sacchetti visit due. 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.

Back to original schedule:
OCT 15  Peer edit pre-first draft Feature drafts. (lead, nutgraph and direcct quotes.)
OCT 17 FINAL DRAFT PROFILE DUE (1,000 words, INCLUDE WORD COUNT) In-class work on feature and blog, discuss Chap. 21 on Courts.


OCT 22 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.
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

UMass Spring 2012 calendar

Last Day of class Fall 2011

Chapter reviews on local government and journalism and the law

JOURN 300/FALL 2011

Chapter 24/Local Government and Education

1) What is an ordinance? (478)

2) What is a resolution? (478)

3) What is a bylaw? (Answer: a law enacted by a town, for instance Amherst's noise bylaw.)

4) Who crafts and who enacts/signs laws in a town? in a state? In the country?

5) What is a quorum?

6) What is the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law (see below) designed to do?

7) Name six reasons a governmental body may give in order to hold a meeting outside of public view (known as an executive session.)

Chapter 25/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. Below is the Massachusetts General Law with a few annotations by me.

TITLE VII. CITIES, TOWNS AND DISTRICTS

CHAPTER 39. MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

TOWN MEETINGS

Chapter 39: Section 23B. Open meetings of governmental bodies

Section 23B. All meetings of a governmental body shall be open to the public and any person shall be permitted to attend any meeting except as otherwise provided by this section.

No quorum QUORUM IS THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF A BOARD NEEDED TO VOTE of a governmental body shall meet in private for the purpose of deciding on or deliberating toward a decision on any matter except as provided by this section.

No executive session EXECUTIVE SESSION IS A CLOSED DOOR MEETING shall be held until the governmental body has first convened in an open session for which notice has been given, a majority of the members have voted to go into executive session and the vote of each member is recorded on a roll call vote and entered into the minutes, the presiding officer has cited the purpose for an executive session, and the presiding officer has stated before the executive session if the governmental body will reconvene after the executive session.

Nothing except the limitation contained in this section shall be construed to prevent the governmental body from holding an executive session after an open meeting has been convened and a recorded vote has been taken to hold an executive session. Executive sessions may be held only for the following purposes:

(1) To discuss the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health rather than the professional competence of an individual, provided that the individual involved in such executive session has been notified in writing by the governmental body, at least forty-eight hours prior to the proposed executive session. Notification may be waived upon agreement of the parties. A governmental body shall hold an open meeting if the individual involved requests that the meeting be open. If an executive session is held, such individual shall have the following rights:

(a) to be present at such executive session during discussions or considerations which involve that individual.

(b) to have counsel or a representative of his own choosing present and attending for the purpose of advising said individual and not for the purpose of active participation in said executive session.

(c) to speak in his own behalf.

(2) To consider the discipline or dismissal of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual, provided that the individual involved in such executive session pursuant to this clause has been notified in writing by the governmental body at least forty-eight hours prior to the proposed executive session. Notification may be waived upon agreement of the parties. A governmental body shall hold an open meeting if the individual involved requests that the meeting be open. If an executive session is held, such individual shall have the following rights:

(a) to be present at such executive session during discussions or considerations which involve that individual.

(b) to have counsel or a representative of his own choosing present and attending for the purpose of advising said individual and not for the purpose of active participation.

(c) to speak in his own behalf.

(3) To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the governmental body, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel, to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel.

(4) To discuss the deployment of security personnel or devices.

(5) To investigate charges of criminal misconduct or to discuss the filing of criminal complaints.

(6) To consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, if such discussions may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the governmental body and a person, firm or corporation.

(7) To comply with the provisions of any general or special law or federal grant-in-aid requirements.

(8) To consider and interview applicants for employment by a preliminary screening committee or a subcommittee appointed by a governmental body if an open meeting will have a detrimental effect in obtaining qualified applicants; provided, however, that this clause shall not apply to any meeting, including meetings of a preliminary screening committee or a subcommittee appointed by a governmental body, to consider and interview applicants who have passed a prior preliminary screening.

(9) To meet or confer with a mediator, as defined in section twenty-three C of chapter two hundred and thirty-three, with respect to any litigation or decision on any public business within its jurisdiction involving another party, group or body, provided that: (a) any decision to participate in mediation shall be made in open meeting session and the parties, issues involved and purpose of the mediation shall be disclosed; and (b)no action shall be taken by any governmental body with respect to those issues which are the subject of the mediation without deliberation and approval for such action at an open meeting after such notice as may be required in this section.

This section shall not apply to any chance meeting, or a social meeting at which matters relating to official business are discussed so long as no final agreement is reached. No chance meeting or social meeting shall be used in circumvention of the spirit or requirements of this section to discuss or act upon a matter over which the governmental body has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power.

Except in an emergency, a notice of every meeting of any governmental body shall be filed with the clerk of the city or town in which the body acts, and the notice or a copy thereof shall, at least forty-eight hours, including Saturdays but not Sundays and legal holidays, prior to such meeting, be publicly posted in the office of such clerk or on the principal official bulletin board of such city or town. The secretary of a regional school district committee shall be considered to be its clerk and he shall file the notice of meetings of the committee with the clerk of each city or town within such district and each such clerk shall post the notice in his office or on the principal official bulletin board of the city or town and such secretary shall post such notice in his office or on the principal official bulletin board of the district. If the meeting shall be of a regional or district governmental body, the officer calling the meeting shall file the notice thereof with the clerk of each city and town within such region or district, and each such clerk shall post the notice in his office or on the principal official bulletin board of the city or town. The notice shall be printed in easily readable type and shall contain the date, time and place of such meeting. Such filing and posting shall be the responsibility of the officer calling such meeting.

A governmental body shall maintain accurate records of its meetings, setting forth the date, time, place, members present or absent and action taken at each meeting, including executive sessions. The records of each meeting shall become a public record and be available to the public; provided, however, that the records of any executive session may remain secret as long as publication may defeat the lawful purposes of the executive session, but no longer. All votes taken in executive sessions shall be recorded roll call votes and shall become a part of the record of said executive sessions. No votes taken in open session shall be by secret ballot.

A meeting of a governmental body may be recorded by any person in attendance by means of a tape recorder or any other means of sonic reproduction or by means of videotape equipment fixed in one or more designated locations determined by the governmental body except when a meeting is held in executive session; provided, that in such recording there is no active interference with the conduct of the meeting.

Upon qualification for office following an appointment or election to a governmental body, as defined in this section, the member shall be furnished by the city or town clerk with a copy of this section. Each such member shall sign a written acknowledgement that he has been provided with such a copy.

The district attorney of the county in which the violation occurred shall enforce the provisions of this section.

Upon proof of failure by any governmental body or by any member or officer thereof to carry out any of the provisions for public notice or meetings, for holding open meetings, or for maintaining public records thereof, any justice of the supreme judicial court or the superior court sitting within and for the county in which such governmental body acts shall issue an appropriate order requiring such governmental body or member or officer thereof to carry out such provisions at future meetings. Such order may be sought by complaint of three or more registered voters, by the attorney general, or by the district attorney of the county in which the city or town is located. The order of notice on the complaint shall be returnable no later than ten days after the filing thereof and the complaint shall be heard and determined on the return day or on such day thereafter as the court shall fix, having regard to the speediest possible determination of the cause consistent with the rights of the parties; provided, however, that orders with respect to any of the matters referred to in this section may be issued at any time on or after the filing of the complaint without notice when such order is necessary to fulfill the purposes of this section. In the hearing of such complaints the burden shall be on the respondent to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the action complained of in such complaint was in accordance with and authorized by section eleven A 1/2 of chapter thirty A, by section nine G of chapter thirty-four or by this section. All processes may be issued from the clerk’s office in the county in which the action is brought and, except as aforesaid, shall be returnable as the court orders.

Such order may invalidate any action taken at any meeting at which any provision of this section has been violated, provided that such complaint is filed within twenty-one days of the date when such action is made public.

Any such order may also, when appropriate, require the records of any such meeting to be made public, unless it shall have been determined by such justice that the maintenance of secrecy with respect to such records is authorized. The remedy created hereby is not exclusive, but shall be in addition to every other available remedy. Such order may also include reinstatement without loss of compensation, seniority, tenure or other benefits for any employee discharged at a meeting or hearing held in violation of the provisions of this section.

Such order may also include a civil fine against the governmental body in an amount no greater than one thousand dollars for each meeting held in violation of this section.

The rights of an individual set forth in this section relative to his appearance before a meeting in an executive or open session, are in addition to the rights that an individual may have from any other source, including, but not limited to, rights under any laws or collective bargaining agreements, and the exercise or nonexercise of the individual rights under this section shall not be construed as a waiver of any rights of the individual.

Court visit

Journ 300 students talk to lead prosecutor on the 2010 Granby murder case First Assistant District Attorney Steven Gagne (center), Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Handel Suhl and Springfield Republican reporter Fred Contrada after Friday's bail hearing.

Fred Contrada's story: "Cara Rintala, accused of murdering her wife, Annamarie Cochrane Rintala, held without bail"

COURT DATE LIKELY TO BE POSTPONED TILL WEDNESDAY -- SO QUIZ ON MONDAY!

The court date is likely to be postponed until Wednesday, Nov. 26.

So, long story short -- I'm going to keep you posted. AS SOON AS the court date is confirmed, meaning IF I hear BEFORE NOON on Monday that it has been moved to Wednesday, we WILL have class and do the quiz and blog presentations tomorrow/Monday (and would not have class on Wednesday).

If the hearing is NOT moved, we will NOT have class tomorrow and would have class, the quiz and presentations on Wednesday.

In either case, I'll let you know by noon Monday, OCT 24.

Could EVERYBODY get back to me about whether they can come or not. There will be a 500-word piece due on whichever event you end up attending.

See below some instructions on how to get to the court, which is on 15 Gothic St., a side street off the main street (also known as Route 9) running through Northampon. I know one of the PVTA busses will take you right into Northampton from UMass.

We should meet and head inside and to the courtroom NO LATER THAN 1:30 p.m. (This is 15 minutes earlier than I said before, but we need to be early to be assured of getting seats. You'll have to go through a metal detector and cell phones absolutely have to be turned off in the court room. You won't be able to bring cameras inside.)

Email me if you have any questions. Talk to you soon!

Massachusetts Ave becomes N Hadley Rd.	0.5 mi
	4.	Merge onto RT-116 S towardHadley/Northampton. If you reach Roosevelt St you've gone about 0.3 miles too far	1.8 mi
	5.	Take the RT-9 W ramp towardNorthampton/Pittsfield/Mass. Pike.	0.1 mi
	6.	Stay straight to go onto Russell St/RT-9 W. Continue to follow RT-9 W.	5.6 mi
	7.	Turn right onto Gothic St. Gothic St is just past King St Hampshire Law Library in Courthouse is on the right If you reach Center St you've gone a little too far	0.04 mi
	8.	15 GOTHIC ST is on the right. If you reach Allen Pl you've gone about 0.1 miles too far