What happens in the Newswriting class? We cover basics of nonfiction writing and the elements of news, such as leads, use of sources, and objectivity. You will write news stories on deadline in class, plus write features by exploring topics on your own. This style of writing is basic for print and electronic news, public relations, and even business. And, we'll read news media and discuss coverage of current issues.
Jour 207 Newswriting
Syllabus for Fall Quarter 2008, 4 credits
1 - 2:50 p.m., T, R
Carolyn Dale, Associate Professor
Office: Communications 278
e-mail: Carolyn.Dale@wwu.edu
Office hours: 8:30 – 10 a.m. Tues. and Thurs. and by appointment.
This newswriting class will introduce writing news and feature stories. Students will write some stories during class, plus three longer stories outside of class. We will discuss news values, ethics, and law, especially as they pertain to current events. Reading news regularly and leading a discussion are also part of the requirements.
Two quizzes will cover lectures and assigned readings. We will work on improving writing, with emphasis on leads, news angles, grammar, completeness, quotations, accuracy, research and interviewing sources.
Please see the Journalism Department handout Introduction to Journalism 207 for information on course procedures, instructor's expectations, catalog description, texts, supplies and story preparation. This packet also has a handy introduction to AP Style.
The lab for the course has Macintosh computers with CD drives and a laser printer. We will use Word software, which works on both Mac and PC platforms. Students find it best to have a separate USB storage device for their Journalism classes. The lab is open outside of class; please plan enough time ahead for printing out assignments before they are due. Students are expected to do their e-mail and Web browsing outside of class.
We will discuss current events frequently while we deal with issues such as press ethics, legal concerns, fairness and balance, objectivity, impact on communities, and the differences among print, online and broadcast media. Please feel free to bring up topics from your news reading and viewing at any time. In addition, students will work in pairs to lead discussions analyzing news coverage from a specific section of a daily newspaper. Each team will lead discussion once, and all students are expected to take part in discussions led by other teams.
Grading practices: Writing assignments will be graded on their accuracy, completeness, leads, organization and clarity, grammar, spelling and AP style. Outside stories are also graded on some feature-writing elements. In-class assignments are due at the end of the session, and outside assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day specified. Outside assignments will be graded down one full letter grade for each day they are late.
The first several exercises will not be graded, though they will be evaluated. Two exercises may be rewritten for a higher grade; the rewrites are due on the dates specified.
Two quizzes are given during the quarter. These will consist of short-answer or short-essay questions and will cover lecture material as well as readings assigned in the text.
The exercises will be graded on a 12-point scale:
11-12 = The story is solidly reported, is free of fact or name errors, has a strong lead, flows logically and uses good grammar and AP style.
9-10 = The story has no fact errors, but needs editing to make it read clearly or to improve the lead.
7-8 = The story lacks some basic facts or includes errors that interfere with clarity, completeness, fairness or balance.
5-6 = The story is missing substantial amounts of pertinent information and requires additional research and rewriting to make it publishable.
0-4 = The work contains factual errors.
The outside stories are graded similarly, but on a 20-point scale.
Grades for the quarter are based on 200 possible points:
Five in-class exercises at 12 points each = 60
Two quizzes at 25 points each = 50
Three outside stories at 20 points each = 60
Leading news discussion: 15
Attendance and participation: 15
Grades are figured as 90 percent = A, 80-89 percent = B, 70-79 percent = C, 60-69 percent = D, and 59 percent or less = F, with plus and minus grades given to borderline scores. Please feel free to contact me any time you have concerns about your progress.
Important Dates:
Tuesday, Oct. 21, Outside story #1 due
Thursday, Oct. 30, Quiz on lectures and chapters 1-3 and 6-9 of text
Tuesday, Nov. 4, First rewrite due
Thursday, Nov. 6, Outside story #2 due (date may vary)
Thursday, Nov. 20, Quiz on lectures and chapters 10, 14 and 15
Tuesday, Dec. 2, Outside story #3 due
Thursday, Dec. 4, Second rewrite due
Dec. 8 Finals week, returning papers.
Reading assignments and lecture topics:
The following reading assignments are for the text "Telling the Story." Please bring your Associated Press Stylebook to class; you will need to refer to it during writing exercises. We will also work on grammar in several class sessions, using "When Words Collide."
Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 Basics of the news story: angles, lead, body, quotes, attribution.
For Tuesday, read ch. 1 and 2; for Thursday, ch. 6 and 9. We will write exercises in class and discuss them.
Oct. 7 - 9 Basics of the feature story: theme, description and structure. For Tuesday, read ch. 7. On Thursday, we will write in class.
Oct 14 - 16 The concept of framing the news; using interviewing techniques. Tuesday: Read ch. 3; Teams 1 and 2 will lead news discussions. Thursday: first graded in-class writing exercise.
Oct. 21 - 23 Covering speeches and meetings: preparing for outside story #2. Tuesday: Outside story #1 due; read ch. 8 in text. Teams 3 and 4 will lead discussions. Thursday: review for quiz; writing clinic.
Oct. 28 - 30 Tuesday: writing in class. Thursday: quiz; work on rewrites.
Nov. 4 - 6 Outside story #2, related to election, due; (specific date to be set). Tuesday: first rewrites due. Read ch. 10 on beat reporting. Thursday: in-class writing exercise.
Nov. 11 - 13 Tuesday: Veterans Day holiday (no class). Thursday: Ethics and law; read ch. 14 and 15. Teams 5 and 6 will lead news discussions.
Nov. 18 - 20 Tuesday: in-class writing exercise. Thursday: Quiz; Team 7 will lead news discussion; preparation for outside story #3.
Nov. 25 - 27 Tuesday: In-class writing exercise. Thursday: Thanksgiving holiday (no class).
Dec. 2 - 4 Tuesday: Outside story #3 due; Teams 8 and 9 lead news discussions. Thursday: Writing clinic, second rewrites due.
Dec. 8 Finals week: all graded papers returned.