Jl MC 201 Lab 1 May 14-May 15

1. Roll call. 2. Index cards. Each student will provide biographical information for the instructor, including class, area of speciality in the college, e-mail address, telephone number and street address. Please bring a photocopy of an ID next week so I can tape it to your index card. 3. Basics about the nature of the course. 4. Introduction to the tools of Jl MC 201, including A.P. Stylebook, reporter's notebook and tape recorder. 5. Media writing skills: (1) news-writing style, (2) interviewing skills, (3) learning to develop sources, (4) writing for an audience and (5) being creative. 6. Media writing values: (1) Working on deadline, (2) learning media writing style, (3) learning types of stories, (4) becoming responsible for your copy and proofreading, and (5) working within a team. 7. The writing process. See Chapter 8 in Carole Rich's textbook (fourth edition), pp. 137-150. 8. The media writer's motto: F-A-T. Fair, accurate and thorough. Our class motto: C-C-C. We will be clear, concise and consistent writers. The four C's of the journalistic process: Conceive, Collected, Construct and Correct. 9. Computer use: How to use the JLMC lab server and Microsoft Word. We will also discuss style and form for each assignment -- that is, file names and slug lines. 10. (a) Syllabus and contracts; (b) other handouts. 11. For Lab 2: Your resume is due at the beginning of class Wednesday, may 16. Make sure you have found a media company personnel director with his/her name spelled correctly, official title, snail mail address, e-mail address and telephone number. 12. Lab 1: What's in the Bag: Writing Assignment. Graded. 13. Lab 2: Writing a cover letter. 14. Read Chapter One of Rich by Wednesday's class. Read Chapter Two by Monday, May 21. 15. For homework Tuesday night, re-write your icebreaker essay. Correct all mechanics errors.

Jl MC 201 Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media Iowa State University Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication 10B Hamilton Hall, Ames, IA 50011 dbulla@iastate.edu ©David W. Bulla 2006-2007 http://www.oocities.org/d_bulla/David_Bulla/201_lab1.html Back to 201 Home