Reporting and Writing for the
Mass Media – Jl MC 201, Section 5
Spring Semester 2006 Syllabus
Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication,
Iowa State University
Welcome
to Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media, an introductory journalism course
in the Greenlee School. This course is designed to help you develop
professional reporting and writing skills and practice writing publishable
assignments on deadline. It will provide instruction of media writing as a
basis for upper-level courses in the Greenlee School of Journalism and
Communication. This includes the development of fundamental reporting skills.
Jl MC 201 also will offer a broad overview of media-writing careers and will
help you develop an approach to starting your professional life. If you are a
major in this school, you must earn no lower than a “C+” in the course –
or a 76.5 (77). A grade lower than this will require you to re-take the course
in the future before you can move onto Jl MC 202.
Office
hours are below. I’m available after lab for quick questions. For more involved
questions or to discuss your career plans or grades, please come by during
office hours or schedule an appointment. Contact me at least 48 hours in advance
to set up an individual conference.
Professor: Dr. David Bulla
E-mail: dbulla@iastate.edu
Office: Hamilton Hall 116
Office phone: (515) 294-0658
Office hours: 10:30
a.m. -noon on Mondays and Wednesdays
Class Web site: http://www.oocities.org/d_bulla/David_Bulla/201.html
_________________________________________
General
requirements for enrollment in Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media
*
You must have completed ENGL 105 or tested out.
*
You need to be able to type a minimum of 20 words per minute.
*
You must have one of the following: (a) a 26 or higher on the ACT English Exam;
a 590 or higher of the SAT Verbal Exam; or a passing score on the Greenlee
School’s English Usage Test.
*
You must have a strong command of written English. If you have significant
grammatical or spelling problems, it is your responsibility to remedy your
problems.
*
Failure to meet all of these requirements will affect your grade in the course.
_________________________________________
Required
Textbooks and Materials
· Norm Goldstein, ed., The Associated
Press Stylebook and Libel Manual,
Associated Press, 2004.
·
Lauren
Kessler and Duncan McDonald, When Words Collide, 5th ed., Wadsworth Publishing Company,
2000.
·
Carole
Rich, Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method, 5th ed., Wadsworth Publishing Company,
2004.
I will supply
you a list/schedule of weekly readings on the first day of class.
Recommended
Materials
·
Tape
recorder – Would be helpful for interviewing assignments
·
Dictionary
or other word/spelling guide
·
Reporter’s
notebook
___________________________________
Creating
a Good Learning Environment
Let’s
work together to have a good learning experience. I will:
·
Start
and end class on time.
·
Make
every lecture relevant to learning media writing style, preparing for a specific
lab and/or helping you learn about media careers.
·
Create
exams that include some questions that can be answered only by having attended
lecture.
·
Work
with the lab instructors to make sure that all labs have comparable instruction
and the same grading criteria.
Please
do your part by:
·
Attending
every class. The course is designed so lecture material from the first part of
each class will help you prepare for lab assignments.
·
Being
seated by the start of class.
·
Not
visiting with classmates during class. Your conversations are distracting to
those seated around you and to me.
·
Being
active learners – listening, taking notes and participating.
·
Turning
off cell phones and audible pagers.
·
Not
bringing food, drink and tobacco products into the lab.
_________________________________________
Seeking
Help
I
want to help you be successful in this course. If you need individual
assistance beyond the help you receive in lab, it is your responsibility to
meet with me during office hours or set up an appointment for another time. If
you are serious about wanting to improve your performance in the course, the
time to seek help is as soon as you are aware of a problem – whether the
problem is low grades in lab work or an illness.
_________________________________________
Computer
Expectations
During
the course you will be expected to e-mail homework assignments to your lab
instructor and conduct research through the Internet. You will need your own
e-mail account. As an Iowa State student, you can obtain an iastate.edu
account. To set up your ISU e-mail account, go to the following Web site: https://asw.iastate.edu/cgi-bin/acropolis/register.
_________________________________________
Lectures
●
Grade for lecture portion of course – Before every class, I will
spend about a half hour or so introducing the goals of the week. Each week, we
will be doing one major assignment, from now until mid-December. The lecture
portion of the class grade counts 25 percent of your overall grade in the
course. The lecture grade is based on the average of two exams, your midterm
and final. No make-up exams will be given unless you make arrangements with me
in advance and can provide documentation for the absence. Exams will be based
on your note-taking in class, readings and general information imparted in both
the lecture and lab.
●
Attendance – Be here. It’s as simple as that, or, as Woody Allen
says, 90 percent of success is being where you are supposed to be. If you don’t
show up for work at a newspaper, you will receive a pink slip.
●
Absences – If you are absent from class, check with a classmate to
determine what you missed. Don’t ask me what you missed. You are responsible
for getting notes from the lecture portion of class that you missed from a
classmate. If you miss a lecture that is the basis of a lab assignment, such as
an in-lecture interview, you should get notes from a classmate. But be aware
that using someone else’s notes for an article is not as effective as writing
from your own notes. See me if you missed getting handouts distributed in
class.
●
Posting of lecture grades - Exam scores will be posted on WEB CT. It is
your responsibility to check WEB CT to learn your scores and to keep a record
of your scores. If you think your posted grade is incorrect, you must notify me
so the grade can be checked.
●
Going over exams - We will not go over exams during lecture. If you want
to go over an exam, you may do so for one week following the posting of the
grades. See me during office hours.
Excused Absences from
Class
Excused absences include
university-sanctioned field trips, a religious observance, illness, or a
serious illness or death in your family. We require documentation, such as a
letter from your doctor or a letter from the university. We are in sympathy
with people who can’t find a parking place, who oversleep or who don’t feel
well but don’t seek medical treatment. However, none of those reasons will
count as excused absences.
Labs
●
Grade for lab portion of the course - The lab grade counts 75 percent of
your overall grade. The grade is the average of your scores for assignments in
Labs 2-15. No lab grades are dropped. Lab grades are not curved. I will give you three extra-credit options:
(1) publish you environment-health-science story in the Daily or some other
commercial newspaper; (2) create a personal portfolio; or (3) write a Web long
on a single journalistic topic. Individual conferences for the portfolio will
be held after the final exam. Based on your performance in the individual
conference (a mock job interview), you can earn up to 20 points, which will be
added to your lowest lab grade. A set of guidelines and a scoring rubric will
be provided to help you prepare your portfolio. It will include a resume, cover
letter and at least three articles re-purposed for publication (placed in a
two-column, newspaper-style format).
●
Grading of Your Articles, Convergence Assignments, P.R. Work and Ads
- For
the sake of consistency among labs, all instructors use the same grading
standards. Your grade on each writing assignment will consist of the points
earned for content minus the points deducted for errors and mechanics. Specific
information about the grading of lab assignments is included in your lab
syllabus.
Grading
Scale (for writing
assignments and the course overall)
A 90-100 C+ 77-79 D 60-66 Formula
for calculating your grade:
B+ 87-89 C 70-76 F 59 and below Lecture grade (average
of two exams)
B 80-86 D+ 67-69 +
Lab grade multiplied by 3
Total divided by 4 = overall grade
Scores of .5
or higher are rounded to the next whole number (84.6 becomes 85). Hence, 76.5
is the cutoff for advancing to Jl MC 202.
_________________________________________
Academic
Honesty
●
Each of you should be aware of your commitment to academic honesty. This
commitment is part of the registration process, and, as an ISU student, you
sign a statement each term agreeing to adhere to the Iowa State University’s
rules and regulations concerning academic honesty.
●
When you are given out-of-lab time to work on a lab assignment, you are
expected to do your own work. Friends may proofread your work, but the
reporting and writing must be your own.
●
Plagiarism is a serious offense – in this course, in this college and in
media-writing careers. You must attribute information to a source. If you use
information from a publication, you must credit that publication. Using someone
else’s work as your own will result in a zero for the assignment.
●
If you are aware of a climate – in lecture or lab – that promotes
academic dishonesty, please notify me, your lab instructor or contact the Dean
of Students Office, 1010 Student Services Building, or visit the following Web
page: http://www.vpundergraduate.iastate.edu/advising/handbook/misconduct.html.
_____________________________________
Notes
and Taping of Course Lectures
●
In a media career (whether in journalism or public relations), you will attend
meetings where you must listen carefully, select key points and take notes. One
of the goals for you in this course is to become more effective in taking
notes.
●
You should attend the lectures and take your own notes. Classmates’ notes or
commercially produced notes do not replace being in lecture and doing your own
listening, thinking and note-taking.
● Taping in-lecture interviews to help you
prepare to write a lab assignment is OK.
Special Situations
Please address any special needs or special accommodations with me at
the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware. Those seeking
accommodations based on disabilities should obtain a Student Academic Accommodation
Request (SAAR) from the Disability Resources (DR) office (515-294-6624). DR is
located in Room 1076 of the Student Services Building.
Extra-Credit
Opportunities
These
points are added to an individual lab score (not to your overall lab
average).
·
25
points – Get your environmental/health/science article published in a
publication approved by me no later than the last Friday of the regular
semester. The Iowa State Daily or the Ames Tribune are the most likely
accredited publications.
·
20
points (maximum) – Schedule and then attend a portfolio review and
interview with me after the final exam.
·
20
points (maximum) – Write a Web log about a single journalistic topic.
Written in first person. Due by the end of the class for Lab 15.
·
Current
events quiz – given occasionally. Points gained in CEQ will be added to
that week’s main assignment. CEQ will be five questions about news from ISU,
Ames, Iowa, U.S. and the world. You are encouraged to read the Iowa Daily
Student,
Ames Tribune,
Des Moines Register, and a regional or national newspaper or major news Web
site on a daily basis. You also encouraged to watch/listen to major news shows
– television network news, BBC, NPR, cable, etc. ...
How
I Grade Lab Assignments
Your
grade on each writing assignment consists of the points earned for content
minus the points deducted for errors and mechanics. To ensure consistency among
labs, all instructors use the same grading standards.
Step
One: Content
The
content grade is based on criteria for each specific writing assignment. A
rubric (a listing of grading criteria) will be provided for most
assignments. The criteria vary
depending on the particular lab assignment -- news stories, news releases or
advertising copy. To be “A” work, a writing assignment, with minor editing,
should be publishable in the Iowa State Daily. General criteria for
all assignments include writing style, organization, clarity and
appropriateness for topic and audience.
Step
Two: Mechanics
After
determining the content grade, the points will be deducted for grammatical
errors, spelling errors, factual errors and AP style errors. The points are
deducted as follows:
· - 5 points = Grammar
and punctuation errors.
· - 5 points = AP style
errors.
· - 5 points = Improper
copy symbols or copy sloppily marked.
· - 5 points = Failure to
prepare copy correctly.
· - 15 points = Spelling
error. Deducted both for misspelled words and typos. If the same word is
misspelled more than once in a story, 15 points will be subtracted only once.
· - 10 points = Failure to
make a deadline, which means turning in anything late. Additional points will
be deducted for assignments turned in more than one day late.
· - 50 points = Factual
error. This includes errors and typos in proper nouns, numbers, addresses,
dates and quotes, and inaccurate information. (In Lab 2, a fact error = - 10. In Labs
3-4, a fact error = - 25.
Beginning in Lab 5, a fact error = - 50).
See
the lecture syllabus for the grading scale as well as an explanation of how to
calculate your overall grade.
Office
Hours
I
will be in my office during the hours listed above, and I can be available at
other hours if you make arrangements with me in advance. During office hours we
can discuss specific problems you are having, go over past assignments to see
how to improve them, and discuss activities you can do to improve your skills.
I want to encourage you to take advantage of office hours to speak with me
one-on-one.
I
will not discuss individual lab grades in lab. If you have a question about how
I’ve evaluated your writing, please come in to see me during office hours or at
another time we work out. If you do have a question about a specific grading
issue in a lab assignment, you must talk to me within two weeks of the lab when
you wrote the assignment.
Please
Note
· I will start class on time and expect you to be
on time. Often a quiz will be given or directions presented in the first part
of class.
· I will end lab on time. Even if you don’t have a
class following the end of lab, I won’t allow extra time to finish an
assignment. If you do not turn in your assignment on time, I will deduct 10
points for failure to meet a deadline.
·
Please
use the computers only for our lab activities. Do not check your e-mail, view
Web sites
or
do instant messaging during lab.
·
No
guests are allowed in class.
· After the initial assignment of proofreaders’
marks and AP style, you are responsible for using correct AP style and
proofreaders’ marks on all assignments for the rest of the semester.
· Every student must meet with me at least once
during my office hours (or at a time we schedule) before Lab 6.
Jl MC 201, Section 5
Spring 2006 Class
Schedule
Lab 1 Monday,
Jan. 9 – Wednesday, Jan. 11
Orientation
to Jl MC 201 and computer training. Syllabus and other class handouts. Goals of
the course. The First Amendment.
Assignment:
Practice writing assignment. No grade for this lab.
Lab
2 Monday,
Jan. 16 – Wednesday, Jan. 18
No
class Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. University closed. Homework due at beginning
of lab on Wednesday: Completed resume. Assignment: Write cover letter based on directions
provided in lecture and the textbook. Begin Lab grades.
Lab
3 Monday,
Jan. 23 – Wednesday, Jan. 25
Assignment:
Write two news stories based on information provided. You will write one story
outside of class and complete it prior to lab. You will write the other story
on deadline in lab.
Lab
4 Monday,
Jan. 30 – Wednesday, Feb. 1
Assignment:
Write one longer news story from information provided in lab. [More than
one source of info]
Lab
5 On Monday bring a
memorandum explaining your environmental/health/science topic and focus, target
publication, two background (documentary) sources, and listing five questions
you need to answer in order to write the article. [The first draft of the
environmental/health/science article is due in Lab 9.]Monday, Feb. 6 –
Wednesday, Feb. 8
Homework
due at the beginning of lab: Write a memo – using the correct format –
about yourself to be used as background information for a personality profile.
Assignment:
Write a news story with a feature lead from information provided. [Multiple
sources and direct quotes] You will use a soft lead and a nut graph in this
story.
Lab
6 Monday,
Feb. 13 – Wednesday, Feb. 15
Homework
due at beginning of lab:
GSJC
Librarian Dru Frykberg will visit Monday to discuss your
environment-health-science article.
A
typed draft of a news feature story on based on an in-class interview of journalist
Chuck Offenburger. The notes you took during the interview will make provide
you with the information for this story.
Assignment:
Revise the news-feature story.
In
lab, you will be matched with a classmate for the personality profile
assignment (due Lab 7).
Lab
7 Monday,
Feb. 20 – Wednesday, Feb. 22
Homework:
1) Turn in memorandum on your environment, health or science article. Also
complete Rick Bragg reading and answer questions about the reading. Finally,
complete mechanics practice.
2)
On Wednesday, bring a typed draft of personality profile based on interview you
conducted with a classmate. Also bring interview notes to lab.
3)
On Monday, we will have a review for the midterm exam.
Major
Class Assignment for Wednesday, Feb. 22: Midterm. Fifty multiple-choices based on the
lectures, your readings and the labs. Midterm will be on Wednesday. No food,
drink or tobacco products. Please turn cell phones and pagers off. Do not wear
a hat in class. Bring a No. 2 pencil.
Lab
8 Monday,
Feb. 27 – Wednesday, March 1
Homework:
1) At least 48 hours before lab, send me an e-mail on your
environmental/health/science article. Update me on your progress, provide the
names of at least two people you are interviewing, and list five interview
questions you will ask each person.
2)
NO CLASS MONDAY, FEB. 27, 2006. WE WILL HAVE INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES INSTEAD.
3)
On Wednesday, Chad Harms will be our in-class interviewee. Students will then
write a story by 10:15 a.m. based on the interview. Assignment: In lab, write
and revise news-feature story on in-lecture interview.
Lab
9 Monday,
March 6 – Wednesday, March 8
Homework
and Assignment: Bring two typed copies of completed
environmental/health/science draft to one-on-one meeting with lab instructor.
Meetings will be held during lab time. You will receive a zero if you do not
keep your scheduled appointment and do not have two typed rough drafts, one to
turn in and one to use for taking notes.
Monday,
March 13 and Wednesday, March 14 – No Class. Spring Break
Lab
10 Monday,
March 20 – Wednesday, March 22
Assignment:
Write a news release based on information provided in fact sheet distributed in
lab.
Environmental/health/science
article draft returned to you.
Lab
11 Monday,
March 27 – Wednesday, March 29
Assignment:
Environmental/health/science article due at beginning of lab. Turn in notes on
background research, interview questions and notes, drafts and list of people
you interviewed (including their phone numbers).
Lab
12 Monday,
April 3 – Wednesday, April 5
Assignment:
Writing for broadcast. We will re-purpose a print story for radio broadcast,
using the conventions of writing for the air.
Lab
13 Monday,
April 10 – Wednesday, April 12
Assignment:
Write a human-interest feature. Use interviews, document-based research, and
observation.
Lab
14 Monday,
April 17 – Wednesday, April 19
Assignment:
Write ad copy for an athletic shoe.
Lab
15 Monday,
April 24 – Wednesday, April 26
Writing
for the Web. Will purpose your science-health-environment story for publication
on the Web and for broadcast. You will edit it down to 400 words and provide
relevant links and graphic information. You will also write me a memorandum
explaining how you re-purposed your article for the Web. The second part of the
assignment will be writing a Web log – notebook – about something
interesting you have experienced in journalism this semester. Finally,
evaluations. Bring a No. 2 pencil.
Extra
credit
– For up to 20 points, you may write a 400-word Web long on some aspect
of journalism that you have learned this semester. It should be focused,
concise and personal.
Note: Friday, April 28 is
the deadline for turning in published environmental/health/science articles for
extra credit. Please bring your tear sheet as proof of publication.
FINAL
EXAM
will be the week of May 1-5. It will be 75 multiple-choice questions on
reporting, writing, grammar, AP style, law and ethics. It is cumulative (all 15
weeks). No food, drink or tobacco products. Please turn cell phones and pagers
off. Do not wear a hat in class. Bring a No. 2 pencil.