COM 112: Media Writing
Fall 2009
Section 01 (TR 12:30–1:45 p.m.)
Section 02 (TR 2–3:15 p.m.)
Rowland 206
Prof. Stephanie Anderson Witmer
Office: Rowland 126 E-mail: hone: 717-477-1525
Office Hours: Tues. 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. & 3:30–4:30 p.m.; Wed. 11 a.m.–noon
Course Website:
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Writing for the Mass Media, 7th ed., James G. Stovall (Stovall)
Associated Press Stylebook (AP Stylebook)
Working With Words, Brian S. Brooks and James L. Pinson (WWW)
Working With Words Workbook, Brooks & Pinson (WWW Workbook)
Webster’s New World Dictionary
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
COM 112 is designed to teach you the building blocks of effective writing. Throughout the semester, the course will focus on the fundamentals: grammar and spelling as well as Associated Press style. COM 112 provides an introduction to writing techniques used by the media including techniques for newspapers, radio and television and public relations.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:
- develop an understanding of the professional emphases they will take as a Communication/Journalism major or minor
- understand news values and audiences
- construct messages for various mass media outlets
- gather, analyze and synthesize information from various sources for presentation
- write coherent and accurate stories
- possess and use correct grammar, spelling and Associated Press style
Professional Values and Competencies for C/J Majors & Minors:
The Communication/Journalism Department faculty sets the goal of developing within each student the following core professional values and competencies as defined by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC): [competencies addressed in this course are in bold]
1. Understand and apply First Amendment principles and the law appropriate to professional practice.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of groups in a global society in relationship to communications.
4. Work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.
5. Think critically, creatively and independently.
6. Conduct research and gather information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work.
7. Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve.
8. Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for grammatical correctness, appropriate style, clarity, accuracy and fairness.
9. Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information.
10. Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts.
11. Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.
Academic Dishonesty Policy:
Plagiarism and cheating will be handled according to the University’s Academic Dishonesty Policy found on pages 48-50 in the 2007-2009 Shippensburg University Undergraduate Catalog. Penalties for any violation of the Academic Dishonesty Policy include grade reduction, assignment of a failing grade for the course, suspension and expulsion from the University.
American Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement:
Students with disabilities are not required by law to identify themselves to Shippensburg University and the Office of Disability Services. However, if a student desires accommodations, the student is obligated to complete the necessary forms and provide disability documentation at the time other requests are made. It is the policy of Shippensburg University to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal law, state law, and the University’s commitment to equal education opportunities. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Services, which is located in 120 Horton Hall, or via phone at 717-477-1329.
Learning Center Resources:
If you feel you need extra help to improve your academic performance in this course or any of your other courses, please consider making an appointment with a tutor or learning specialist in the Learning Center (LC). The LC is located on the lower level of Lehman Library, right below Starbucks, and can also be reached at 717-477-1420.If you’re struggling with any portion of the course, please let me know ASAP so that we can work together to improve your understanding and performance.
CLASS FORMAT:
Most class periods will involve lectures or class discussions; however, students will be expected to complete assignments related to course materials during class. Written assignments will be developed and worked on during class, as well as outside the classroom, and critiqued during class periods.
ATTENDANCE:
Students are expected to attend each class with his or her homework and reading assignments completed. In-class quizzes or assignments CANNOT be made up and will receive zero points. If you miss a class for anything other than doctor-documented illness, death in the family or a SU-approved absence, you will not be allowed to make up the work and will receive a zero for the assignment. Late work will not be accepted for unexcused absences.
Whenever possible, students should contact the instructor prior to class if they are going to be absent to make arrangements to make up the work. Tardiness exceeding 10 minutes will count as an absence. Students who accumulate more than three unexcused absences for the semester will have a letter grade reduction in their final grade.
PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION:
A requirement of the Communication/Journalism Department is that students pass a proficiency examination and achieve a grade of “C” or better in COM 112 in order to proceed in the major or minor. The proficiency exam covers spelling, grammar and AP style. Students must pass the exam with a 70 percent to pass COM 112. The proficiency exam counts as 50 percent of the final grade in COM 112. Even though a student is achieving passing grades in the course work, if he or she does not pass the proficiency exam, the course must be repeated. Students are given two opportunities during the semester to take and pass the proficiency exam. The first opportunity will be right after Fall Break, and the second opportunity is during the final exam period. The final exam date will be announced later in the semester.
EVALUATION:
The final grade for this course will be determined by the evaluation of in-class and out-of-class assignments, quizzes and exams students complete during the semester. The final average will then be converted to a letter grade as used by Shippensburg University.
Grading:
Proficiency Examination50%
Writing and In-class Assignments, Quizzes40%
Attendance/Participation10%
Grading Procedures:
Student performance on exams and quizzes, and the quality of completed homework and writing assignments (good writing techniques, absence of spelling or grammatical errors, etc., for writing assignments) is the basis for grading, along with attendance and class participation. The readability and overall quality of a written assignment will be assessed first. Spelling (i.e., misspelling of a source’s name or an address), grammatical errors (i.e., run-on or incomplete sentences) or punctuation errors will result in a .25 deduction from the initial overall score for each error. Edit your work carefully. Read it several times (have a friend read it, too) before turning it in for a grade.
Homework:
For the first half of the semester, most homework will be grammar and AP exercises from the textbooks or online. Some assignments will be graded while others will earn points simply for completing them on time. The second half of the semester’s homework will be written work, including news and broadcast stories and press releases. These assignments will earn a letter grade (see below).
Description of Scores (written assignments):
A — This is work that is publishable or usable as is. It has no errors. It shows a superior command of facts, news judgment, organization, and writing. News judgment includes an engaging lead and selection of newsworthy facts and quotes. Organization includes items such as transitions, readability and following the inverted pyramid style when appropriate.
B — Could be published with some revision. Reflects good news judgment, organization and writing.
C — An average job. Not a story or press release that someone would stop and read unless he or she really needs the information. Some basic organizational or writing problems.
D — A poor piece. It lacks fundamental judgmental and or writing skills. May have a fact error or major spelling or grammatical errors. Omission of two or more important facts (story is not complete). Contains major problems in organization and language usage. Fails to meet basic writing standards. Needs substantial editing, rewriting and reorganization.
F — Unacceptable work. Piece has too many fundamental problems or fails to meet deadline.
Deadlines are important in any media-related profession. Deadlines are not merely guidelines; they are final dates for submittal of assignments. Written assignments and homework are DUE on the assigned date. Late work will not be accepted and will receive a 0 unless it is late because of an excused absence.
EXTRA CREDIT:
Online exercises have been developed to reinforce class activities and lectures. The materials that you will need for online exercises are located in the Assignments folder. The materials are divided into weekly folders and will be available from Monday through Sunday midnight each week. Online activities include listening to grammar podcasts, reading assignments, interactive quizzes and writing assignments. These exercises will address grammar, punctuation, and/or AP style deficiencies. A total of 15 extra-credit points may be earned by completing the weekly online exercises.
COM 112 Semester Schedule
(subject to change; see Assignments folder on Blackboard for more detailed explanation)
Week 1- Course Introduction; class interviews
Sept. 1 & 3- Chapter 1/Sit Down and Write
- Grammar & spelling pre-test
Week 2- Chapter 2/Basic Tools of Writing
Sept. 8 & 10- Discussion & Quiz
- Writing and rewriting skills
- Grammar & Spelling
Week 3- Chapter 2/Basic Tools of Writing
Sept. 15 & 17 - Grammar & Spelling
- Introduction of AP and News Writing Style
- Quiz
Week 4- Chapter 2/Basic Tools of Writing
Sept. 22 & 24- Punctuation, Brevity and Clarity
- Quiz
Week 5- Chapter 3/Style and the Stylebook
Sept. 29 & Oct. 1- Using the stylebook
- Quiz
Week 6- Chapter 3/Style and the Stylebook
Oct. 6 & 8- Using the stylebook
- Proficiency Exam Review
- Quiz
Week 7- Fall Break; Proficiency Exam
Oct. 13 & 15- No Class Tues.; Exam Thurs.
Week 8- Chapter 4/Writing in the Media Environment
Oct. 20 & 22- News values and story structure
- Accuracy
- Ethical considerations
- Quiz
Week 9- Chapter 5/Basic News Writing
Oct. 27 & 29- Inverted Pyramid
- Leads
- Quiz
Week 10- Chapter 7/Fundamentals of Writing for the Web
Nov. 3 & 5- Headlines, Summaries & Web logs
- Chapter 8/The Potential for Journalism
- Lateral Reporting
- Quiz
Week 11- Chapter 9/Writing for Broadcast
Nov. 10 & 12- Broadcast writing style
- Quiz
Week 12- Chapter 11/Writing for Public Relations
Nov. 17 & 19- Research, planning, communication, evaluation
- Publics
- Quiz
Week 13- Group Project Presentations & Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 24 & 26- Presentations Tues.; no class Thurs.
Week 14- Broadcast recording
Dec. 1 & 3
Week 15- Review for Proficiency Exam
Dec. 8 & 10
Week 16- Final Exam Week
Dec. 14–18- Proficiency exam
IMPORTANT NOTE: Students who score lower than a 70 on the first proficiency exam must take the exam again during final exam week. Students who score a 70 or higher may take it again if they wish in an attempt to get a higher score. (There is no other final exam for this course.) The higher of the two scores will be counted, even if you do better the first time than the second time. You must score at least a 70 AND earn a C in COM 112 in order to move forward in the major or minor. If both of these requirements are not met, you will need to repeat COM 112, and any other COM courses will be dropped until you’ve passed Media Writing.
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