JRN270: Introduction to Journalism
Semester: Fall 2009
Time: MWF 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
Room: 407 PUMM
Professor: Andrew R. Cline, Ph.D.
E-mail: acline@missouristate.edu
Office: 384 CRAG
Office hours: MWF 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Office phone: 836-4923
URLs
IMPORTANT: You are responsible for all the information and instructions in this syllabus. Please read it carefully. Please ask questions about anything you do not understand.
Prerequisites: Completion of the Missouri State first-year English composition requirement.
Required Texts: Writing and Reporting the News (3rd edition), Lanson and Stephens; Working With Words (6th edition), Brooks; the Springfield News-Leader and one national daily of your choice (e.g. The New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal.)
Additional required materials: One USB flash drive. Bring it to every class so that you may store your work. Do not store your work on a lab computer.
Course Description and Goals
The purpose of JRN270 is to give you a grounding in the basic theories and practices of journalism, especially concerning its practice for print media and the "new media" of the World Wide Web. Further, this class will acquaint you with the history of American newspapers in order to give you a long-range perspective on the continuing evolution of journalism in the American context. The following competencies will be the focus of this class and must be demonstrated by you in order to pass with a grade of ‘C’ or better:
1. a basic knowledge of, and ability to produce, the standard news story for print and new media (including correct style, grammar and usage);
2. a basic knowledge of common types of news articles and their purposes;
3. a basic knowledge of journalistic ethics and responsibility;
4. the ability to copy-edit your work efficiently and effectively;
5. the ability to define news in a given situation based upon standard professional values and practices;
6. a basic understanding of how news consumers understand and use journalism;
7. a basic understanding of the changing role of journalism in American culture;
8. a basic understanding of the First Amendment and the role of journalism in public affairs.
9. a basic understanding of the weblog in news coverage and media criticism.
Educational Philosophy
JRN270 is a discussion/lab course. This class is a public forum. I will rarely give lectures. Instead, I expect the class, as a community of learners, to engage in intelligent and critical discussion about the topics listed in this syllabus and other topics as they may arise based on your interests. Cogent verbal participation is crucial to your success in this class.
Attendance
The Missouri State attendance policy states: “Because class attendance and course grade are demonstrably and positively related, the University expects students to attend all class sessions of courses in which they are enrolled.”
Excellent attendance is necessary to pass this course. I do not have a specific attendance policy designed to penalize you for lack of attendance. As far as I'm concerned, you attend at your choice (i.e. you reap the rewards or suffer the consequences of your choices). No in-class activity may be made up except as noted below.
Regarding attendance and illness: If you have symptoms of a communicable illness (e.g. fever and/or a severe cough--especially during flu season), for the sake of your health and the health of your classmates, please stay home and take care of yourself. I will excuse you from class work. If you show up to class hacking and wheezing, I will ask you to leave.
Regarding sports and other official Missouri State functions: You are excused to attend events sponsored by Missouri State for which you play an important role, e.g. an athlete traveling to play a sport. Please let me know about your participation before your absence.
Lab assignment make-ups: I am happy to excuse you from class as needed, but making up lab assignments presents certain difficulties. You may miss two lab assignments (except #8) without penalty, although missing even one is not a good idea. Otherwise, I offer no make-ups for lab assignments.
Many students think grades are painful to receive. Trust me, they are just as painful to give. So we're in this together. Considering the current structure of the academy and our society, it is necessary for me to rank your performance by assigning you letter grades based on my assessment of your work. Grades do not reflect your worth as a human being or even your potential to become a successful media professional (however you define that). A grade is a sign of a single performance in a class--nothing more.
A 'C' signifies average work/accomplishment. A 'C' is not a bad grade. I know some of you think it is a bad grade. And if you're one of those students who absolutely must earn an 'A' (for whatever reason), then I suggest you do excellent work.
I believe you are largely in control of the grade you earn in my class. Certainly, outside pressures intrude. You will find that I am happy to work with you so that you may achieve the level of success you seek. But this is important for you to understand: I place a much higher priority on learning and understanding than I do on grades. This means that if you approach this class with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to learn, your grade should take care of itself.
Okay, now for the standard line:
Your written work must be accurate (usage, grammar, content), correct in form and content as outlined in the assignments, and on time. I will evaluate your articles and weblog entries primarily on these criteria. Please avoid the following errors: 1- misspelling a proper name (e.g. person or company) or misstating a title, 2- misstating a fact or making a factual error. Such errors will be costly because they are costly in the professional practice of journalism.
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. I will grade you for the course in these areas:
Lab assignments: 20 percent
Lab #8 timed writing assignment: 20
Weblog reporting assignments (usually due every Friday): 20 percent
Mid-term style/professional conventions exam: 20 percent
Comprehensive final exam: 20 percent
Plus/Minus Grading: I will use Plus/Minus grading for this class. Tests are scored on a numerical basis as follows.
100-95 = A
94-90 = A-
89-87 = B+
86-83 = B
82-80 = B-
79-77 = C+
76-73 = C
72-70 = C-
69-67 = D+
66-63 = D
62-60 = D-
59-?? = F
MSU policy:
Grades are awarded to indicate the quality of a student’s work and are assigned as follows (point values per credit hour appear in parentheses): Consistent with the Faculty Senate action of February 14, 2008, the plus/minus grades will be implemented beginning with the Fall 2009 semester. The following are current grade definitions:
A (4.00): Outstanding work. Outstanding achievement relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was of the highest level. Excellence while meeting course objectives was sustained throughout the course. Not only was the student’s performance clearly and significantly above satisfactory, it was also of an independent and creative nature.
A- (3.70): Excellent work. Excellent achievement relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was clearly and significantly above satisfactory, and was creative and independent.
B+ (3.30): Near excellent work. Achievement was significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was clearly and significantly above satisfactory, and was creative and independent.
B (3.00): Very good work. Achievement significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was very good, although not of the highest level. Performance was clearly and significantly above satisfactory fulfillment of course requirements (For undergraduates: B = meritorious: For graduates B = adequate).
B- (2.70): Good work. Achievement at a level just above that necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was notable.
C+ (2.30): Slightly above satisfactory work. Achievement that meets the course requirements. Performance was slightly more than adequate.
C (2.00): Satisfactory work. Achievement that meets the course requirements. Performance was adequate, although marginal in quality (For undergraduates: C = adequate: For graduates: C = inadequate).
C- (1.70): Slightly below satisfactory work. Achievement that barely meets the course requirements. Performance has been slightly below satisfactory and was marginal in quality.
D+ (1.30): Passing work. Achievement below satisfactory in meeting course requirements. Student demonstrated below satisfactory achievement in meeting course objectives, yet fulfilled a sufficient enough portion of the course objectives that repeating the course is not necessary unless required by the academic unit.
D (1.00): Minimum passing work. Achievement barely worthy of credit. Student demonstrated unsatisfactory achievement in meeting course objectives, yet fulfilled a sufficient enough portion of the course objectives that repeating the course is not necessary unless required by the academic unit.
F (0.00): Failed – no credit. A failure to meet course requirements. The work of course objectives were either: 1) completed but not at a level of achievement that is worthy of credit, or 2) have not been completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an “I” (incomplete).
The final word on grades: I think the mark of a serious student is the willingness to seek help, assessment, and advice in person. That means if you hope to be a serious student of the mass media and/or journalism (and if you expect me to think of you that way), then I expect to see you in my office. I expect to converse with you regularly about class, Missouri State University, our local community, and the world at large. I expect you to bring me drafts of your articles so that we may work on them together. If you show interest and desire, I will not let you fail.
Deadlines: Journalism is a deadline-driven business. This class will operate like a news organization in that regard, so you must meet all deadlines.
Nondiscrimination: Missouri State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or concerns about possible discrimination to the Office for Equity and Diversity, Park Central Office Building, 117 Park Central Square, Suite 111, (417) 836-4252. Other types of concerns (i.e., concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed directly with your instructor and can also be brought to the attention of your instructor’s Department Head. Please visit the OED website at www.missouristate.edu/equity/.
Grievance Procedure: Missouri State is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or concerns about possible discrimination to Jana Estergard, Equal Opportunity Officer, Siceluff Hall 296, (417) 836-4252. Other types of concerns (i.e., concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed directly with your instructor and can also be brought to the attention of your instructor’s Department Head.
Disability accommodation: To request academic accommodations for a disability, contact the Director of Disability Services, Plaster Student Union, Suite 405, (417) 836-4192 or (417) 836-6792 (TTY), www.missouristate.edu/disability. Students are required to provide documentation of disability to Disability Services prior to receiving accommodations. Disability Services refers some types of accommodation requests to the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, which also provides diagnostic testing for learning and psychological disabilities. For information about testing, contact the Director of the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, (417) 836-4787, http://psychology.missouristate.edu/ldc.
Academic Honesty: Missouri State University is a community of scholars committed to developing educated persons who accept the responsibility to practice personal and academic integrity. You are responsible for knowing and following the university’s student honor code, Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures, available at www.missouristate.edu/assets/provost/AcademicIntegrityPolicyRev-1-08.pdf and also available at the Reserves Desk in Meyer Library. Any student participating in any form of academic dishonesty will be subject to sanctions as described in this policy.
Dropping the Class: It is your responsibility to understand the University’s procedure for dropping a class. If you stop attending this class but do not follow proper procedure for dropping the class, you will receive a failing grade and will also be financially obligated to pay for the class. For information about dropping a class or withdrawing from the university, contact the Office of the Registrar at 836-5520.
Cell phones, etc.: As a member of the learning community, each student has a responsibility to other students who are members of the community. When cell phones or pagers ring and students respond in class or leave class to respond, it disrupts the class. Therefore, the Office of the Provost prohibits the use by students of cell phones, pagers, PDAs, or similar communication devices during scheduled classes. All such devices must be turned off or put in a silent (vibrate) mode and ordinarily should not be taken out during class. Given the fact that these same communication devices are an integral part of the University’s emergency notification system, an exception to this policy would occur when numerous devices activate simultaneously. When this occurs, students may consult their devices to determine if a university emergency exists. If that is not the case, the devices should be immediately returned to silent mode and put away.
Class Behavior: Please do not 1) Sleep in class; 2) Do homework in class; or 3) Engage in willful ignorance.
Syllabus (subject to change)
WRN = Writing and Reporting the News
WWW = Working With Words
General Schedule (subject to change)
Mondays: Class discussion--bring a copy of the News-Leader.
Wednesdays: Class discussion--bring a copy of the News-Leader.
Fridays: Labs--bring your flash drive, or class discussion.
Week 1. 24 August
Class introduction
Introduction to journalism:
What is journalism? What is news?
Week 2. 31 August
Read: WRN Part 1 (all)
Read: WWW "Journalism Tips" in first half of the book.
Introduction to journalism:
News Judgment, Fairness, and the Language of News
Week 3. 7 September
Newspaper literacy
Labor Day Holiday 7 Sept. No class
Week 4. 14 September
Read: WRN Part 2 (chapters 4 and 6)
Leads and Attribution
Week 5. 21 September
Read: WRN Part 2 (chapters 7, 8, 9, and 10)
Quotations, Information, and Organization
Background and Context
The Inverted Pyramid Structure
Week 6. 28 September
Read: WRN Part 4 (all)
The art of reporting
Why shyness is not a journalistic virtue
The art of the interview
Also see the Interviewing Bibliography from the Poynter Institute
Week 7. 5 October
Read: Basic Stats for Journalists
Read: WRN Part 4 (continued)
How to gather and attribute quotes and other source material
Gathering and verifying information
The story in the numbers
Basic statistics for journalists
Lab #4
Week 8. 12 October
Monday: Test Prep
Wednesday: Exam
Fall Break 15-16
Week 9. 19 October
Read: Read: Basic Stats for Journalists (continued)
The story in the numbers
Basic statistics for journalists
Exam follow-up
Week 10. 26 October
Read: WRN Part 5 (chapters 18, 20, and 22)
Types of news articles and coverage beats
Covering speeches, news conferences, and meetings
Lab #6
Week 11. 2 November
Read: WRN Appendix E. Ethics, WWW Chapter 13
The SPJ Code of Ethics
"isms" and ethics
Lab #7
Week 12. 9 November
Read: WRN Appendix F. Law
Libel, Slander, and You
Spring Holiday 9-10 April
Week 13. 16 November
Read: WWW "Journalism Tips" in first half of the book.
Conventions and skills
Lab #8 - Graded lab - Do Not Miss
Week 14. 23 November
Vive la revolution!
Embracing the changes in journalism in the 21st centruy
Week 15. 30 November
Everyone's a press critic (that means you)
Week 16. 7 December
Final Exam Prep
Class Evaluation
Assignments
Weblog Assignments
The bad news just keeps coming. Newspaper circulations continue to decline. News organizations are laying off employees. Sometimes it seems that the American people no longer care about journalism. But this is the view from the old business model -- what many in the online world refer to as the MSM (mainstream media). Opportunities abound to practice journalism on the web. News organizations such as The New York Times have converged their print products with online versions that include video and audio. And some have even opened partnerships with radio and television stations--something unthinkable just a generation ago. Independent, web-based news organizations appear to be thriving. Talking Points Memo is a good example.
Journalists and other media professionals must be able to publish on the web. In order to help you learn these skills, I now require all students in all of my classes to publish a personal media weblog and to contribute to Neoteric -- a social media site dedicated to my journalism and media classes.
What is a weblog? Here's a little background:
There are many free services available to run a weblog. One of the most popular (and best, in my opinion) is Wordpress. Please sign up for a weblog at the Wordpress site. If you already have a site on your own server or another weblog service, it's OK to use it for class. Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn do not count. Please do not use these services for your media blog.
You will write regularly through the semester on your blog about journalism. You will be a media critic and a new-media reporter. Your blog is yours to use as you please, but for this class please do the following:
Reporting assignments: I will give you a specific reporting assignment each week in class (so good attendance is necessary). These assignments will ask you to consider a specific question, to report and write short articles, or to analyze something based on our reading and class discussions. Each assignment will require you to report, i.e. gather and attribute information from sources. There is no word-length requirement for these assignments. Effort, however, counts. Entries should include appropriate links and sources.
Re-post on Neoteric: After posting you assignments on you weblog, please post a headline, description, and link back to your blog on Neoteric.
Note for all web assignments: Copy editing counts. All entries should be free of typographical errors, usage errors, and style errors. And I expect accuracy. Do not misstate facts or misspell names.
You earn a grade of 'C' if you follow the minimum requirements above.
Note: I grade your body of work over the semester, not individual entries. I may respond in writing using your comment feature and/or I may print out your entry for class discussion. If you require more feedback, please ask for it.
Something to keep in mind: You may develop a real audience. And they will take you seriously, as they should. Further, others may link to your site and comment on individual entries. You can expect that readers will respond directly to you and even engage you in discussion. Be prepared. Don't just slap your entries together. Edit carefully. You don't want to be flamed or dismissed because of poor usage and grammar. And one final thing to remember: If you write it on the internet it will be archived and searchable.
Lab Assignments
You will complete 8 lab assignments in class, including a separately-graded lab article assignment (Week 13). Of the remaining seven lab assignments you must complete at least five. If you complete all seven, I will throw out your lowest two grades. These assignments are designed to give you practice in writing and editing under deadline pressure. Lab assignments cannot be made up (subject to the exceptions outlined in the attendance policy), so plan on attending class regularly.