JOUR 4410.002 Reporting of Public Affairs
FALL 2015
Mondays 3:30-6:20 p.m. GAB114
Professor: Dr. Tracy Everbach
Office: Sycamore 204B
Office hours: 1-3 p.m. Mondays, 3-5 p.m. Thursdays
Contact:
@TracyEverbach
214-995-8464-cell
Course DescriptionRead the newspaper, watch television, listen to the radio or go online. Public affairs reporting producesnews that’s vital to readers and viewers. As a reporter, one of your first assignments likely will be covering cops, courts, governments, civil servants and politicians. It’s what makes villages, towns, cities, states and federal governments tick. Public affairs stories sometimes address the most mundane issues, but in the long run, the subjects of these stories directly affect the lives of readers and viewers. Many of the most coveted awards in journalism are won by journalists who have gone beyond the ordinary, who have dug deep to reveal inconsistencies, illegal behavior and wrongdoings by those in the centerpiece of public affairs. Covering public affairs is one of the most important roles of a journalist: being a watchdog of those in power.
As part of this course, you will be reporting and writing stories about communities around you as well as participating in active, in-class discussions about public policy, community journalism and media ethics.
Course ObjectivesAt the end of this class, you should achieve the following and be ready to go out into the journalism workforce:
- Report and write stories about public institutions
- Learn the organizational structure and basic functionality of key public institutions, such as police departments, the court systems and the school boards/independent school districts
- Learn how to report, research and write short- and long-form investigative stories
- Learn about the depth and breadth of public documents and how to access them
- Understand how to file an open records request
- Understand the fundamental role of a free press, the role of the First Amendment and the importance of open government
- Learn the importance of fairness and ethics in covering government institutions and politicians
ACEJMC competencies
•Understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press for the country in which the institution that invites ACEJMC is located, as well as receive instruction in and understand the range of systems of freedom of expression around the world, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and petition for redress of grievances;
•Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications;
•Demonstrate an understanding of gender, race ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate, other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass communications;
•Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance and impact of mass communications in a global society;
•Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;
•Think critically, creatively and independently;
•Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work;
•Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve;
•Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness;
•Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts;
• Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.
Reading and Textbook Requirements
- Required: “The Elements of Journalism, What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect,” by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosentiel, (Three Rivers Press, 2007, 288 pages). Revised updated edition. INEXPENSIVE!
- Required: Associated Press Stylebook. Can download a mobile version or buy the book. ALSO INEXPENSIVE.
- Required: Read daily print or online editions of The Dallas Morning News, The New York Times and/or other daily newspapers, including the North Texas Daily and Denton Record-Chronicle. Read online news from other quality news outlets such as CBS News or BBC News. You cannot do this job without reading news!
- Read additional articles, essays and case studies as assigned.
- All articles written for the class must include a source list with the names, phone numbers and emails of people interviewed as well as any website used to source content.
Attendance You are expected to attend every class. Your participation is essential to your personal success. You cannot make up missed assignments if you have an unexcused absence. Treat this class as if it were a newsroom. Your responsibilities are the same as those for a job. If you’re going to be absent, call me/email me and bring to class following your absence a signed note or letter that supports your absence.You are responsible for all material covered during classes. Missing class will severely impact your grade.
Class assignmentsWe will be using Blackboard ( You must check it to get assignments and to post assignments. I will post your grades to Blackboard, and in most cases will grade your work electronically. If you miss a deadline in submitting a story, you will not be able to submit it late because Blackboard will lock you out. You will receive a zero for that assignment. Late assignments are completely unacceptable. You must learn to respect deadlines. Journalism cannot function without them.
You will be doing extensive reporting and writing in this class. All of your assignments must list your byline, the date, and must include a source list. Most assignments will be turned in online. Your story assignments should be written for publication in print or online. Some stories may be offered to the NT Daily and/or NTDaily.com.
You will be assigned a city beat where you will be responsible for generating the stories for this class. Time management is an essential component of this class along with your journalism skills, critical thinking and creativity.
ProjectYou will be writing an investigative story for your final project. There is no final exam in this class, only the project. You must turn in a story proposal on Oct. 19so that I can give you feedback on your final project.The goal of this project is to combine all of your journalism skills into an enterprise, investigative article. You will draw upon your experience on what we’ve learned throughout the semester. The expectation is that this 1,000- to 1,500-word article is a great opportunity for you to have a solid piece for your portfolio.
Guest speakersTo help make the class more relevant and interesting, we will invite working journalists as guest speakers to help you get an in-person opportunity to talk to journalists and make contacts.
NEW! Peer groupsYou will be assigned to a peer group for this class. You will meet with your peer group at the beginning and end of each class to update each other on stories, bounce off ideas and share experiences. This is a way that you can be accountable to each other and help each other make progress in the class. You may want to set up a social media group (such as Facebook) for your peer group, or create a text group to keep in touch with each other outside of class.
Grading
Role of a journalist essay 5%
City profile10%
City council meeting story10%
Police/crime story 10%
Court case story 10%
Politician story/public records research 5%
City figure profile10%
Wikileaks case study response 5%
Data journalism study response 5%
Final Project 20%
In-class exercises, participation, attendance 10%
You will be graded on your ability to turn in quality assignments on deadline. They must be accurate, clear, use AP style correctly, employ interviews with sources, and must be fairly reported. All of the above components will be part of determining your grade. You may view your grades on Blackboard.
Assignment requirementAll articles written for the class must include a source list with the names, phone numbers and emails of people interviewed as well as any website used to source content. If the source list is missing, 10 percentage points will be dropped from the grade.
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BOTTOM LINE FROM EVERBACH:Don’t steal, make up stuff, cheat, or repeat assignments, or you might not pass.
• ALL STORIES DUE at 11:59 p.m. MONDAYS
• EVERY STORY MUST CONTAIN A SOURCE LIST WITH CONTACT INFORMATION (PHONE AND EMAIL) FOR THE SOURCES.
• ALL STORIES SHOULD BE WRITTEN FOR A NEWS WEBSITE.
Tentative Class Schedule (subject to change—all changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard):
Week 1 – AUG. 24
Introduction to class. What is public affairs? How much do you know about your government? (Citizenship test.)
DUE Next week, Aug. 31, on Blackboard:
- Read Chapters 1 -4, “Elements of Journalism”
- Write an essay on the role of the journalist (Monday):Minimum 500 words, maximum 750 words, on what is a journalist’s role in American society. You must integrate specific examples/references from the reading. Avoid using “I,” “I think,” “I believe” – write this as if it was going to be published on the Op-Ed page. Due Monday on Blackboard.
Your essay will be graded on the following rubric:
-Ability to write clearly and in an organized manner.
-Proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style.
-Direct references to the reading material. Academic citations are not required, but you shouldmake in-text references to key themes you to support your argument.
Week 2 – AUG. 31
What makes a journalist? What is civic journalism? Why does it matter? City beats assigned. Community profiles. Defining the components of a community.
Covering meetings. Covering local government. Mapping your beat. Developing sources. Engaging sources. The role of civic leaders. Open records/open government.
Essay due on Blackboard.
DUE next class:
- Read “Engaging Communities: Content and Conversation,” by Joy Mayer, Nieman Reports: Be prepared to discuss.
Week 3 – NO CLASS: LABOR DAY
DUE next week:
Community profile:
- Based on your readings on how to define a community, write a 500- to 750-word word story on the community/city you are covering.
Your story will be graded using the following rubric:
-Direct quotes from interviews from residents, business owners, city officialsand/or other key people.
-Description of geography, demographics of the community, population,housing, education or other key indicators that describe the community.
-Brief description of community’s history.
-Ability to write clearly and in an organized manner.
-Proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style.
Week 4 – Sept. 14
Story ideas. Engaging sources. Watchdog journalism.
Community profile due on Blackboard.
DUE next week:
- Cover a local city council meeting. Maximum 500 words. Include source list. Add a copy of the city council agenda and any other related documents that are relevant to the story.
Grading rubric for this story:
-Relevant lead on story.
-Ability to recognize what is news.
-Direct quotes and paraphrases from various sources.
-Factual accuracy.
-Organization of story.
-Clear and understandable writing.
-Fairness
-Proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style.
Week 5 – sept. 21
Covering law enforcement. Crime beat basics. Key terms. Understanding the arrest process. What makes a good cop story? Understanding crime stats.
City council story due on Blackboard.
DUE next week:
Go to Poynter Institute's NewsU.org website: Enroll for FREE to take the “On the Beat: Covering Crime” course. This helps you teach yourself to cover crime stories.
Week 6 – sept. 28
Covering law enforcement. Key terms. The criminal justice system. Developing sources. Writing compelling cop stories.
DUE next week:
Go to Poynter Institute's NewsU.org website: Enroll for FREE to take the “On the Beat: Covering the Courts” course
- Write a 500-word story police or crime story on your beat. The story must include original reporting, interviews and quotes. Include a source list, and if it is based on an actual crime, include a copy of the police report. Be prepared to discuss.
Grading rubric for this story:
-Relevant lead on story.
-Ability to recognize what is news.
-Direct quotes and paraphrases from various sources.
-Factual accuracy.
-Organization of story.
-Clear and understandable writing.
-Fairness
-Proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style.
Week 7 – oct. 5
Covering courts & the legal process.
Police or crime story due on Blackboard.
DUE next week:
- Write a 500-word story oncourt case at city, county, state or federal court. The story must include original reporting, interviews and quotes. Include a source list, and if it is based on an actual crime, include a print out of the police report. Be prepared to discuss.
Grading rubric for this story:
-Relevant lead on story.
-Ability to recognize what is news.
-Direct quotes and paraphrases from various sources.
-Factual accuracy.
-Organization of story.
-Clear and understandable writing.
-Fairness
-Proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style
Week 8 – oct. 12
Writing profiles, eight paths to a story.
Court story due Monday on Blackboard.
Due next week: City figure profile story
Grading rubric for this story:
-Relevant lead on story.
-Ability to recognize what is news.
-Direct quotes and paraphrases from various sources.
-Factual accuracy.
-Organization of story.
-Clear and understandable writing.
-Fairness
-Proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style.
Week 9 – Oct. 19
Covering politics/elections/campaign financing. Following the money.
City figure profile due Monday on Blackboard.
DUE Next Week:
Read investigative story handed out in class. Be prepared to discuss.
- Write 500-word story on your assigned politician (U.S. House or Senate, Texas House or Senate), including campaign finances, key themes, platform, and other information. Credit all sources of information in the story.
- Final Project PROPOSAL Due.
Week 10 – oct. 26
The basics of investigative reporting. Accessing sources. Familiarize yourself with the IRE database:
Turn in your final project proposal Monday (on paper to Dr. Everbach in class).
Politician story due Monday on Blackboard.
DUE next week:
- Read all chapters in the free web version of the Introduction of the Data Journalism Handbook:
- Read New York Times article: “Guns, Maps and Data that Disturb,” plus ALL hyperlinks in the story.
- Post 300-word response to question about “Guns, Maps and Data that Disturb,” on Blackboard.
- Also familiarize yourself with the data journalism on this website:
(Be prepared to discuss both the NY Times and Austin American-Statesman articles.)
Week 11 – nov. 2
Data Journalism/Dissecting public documents/Freedom of Information and open records letters.
New York Times article response due Monday.
Websites to peruse/bookmark:
Student Press Law Center:
Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press, FOIA project:
Work on your final story.
Due next week:
Read: The “Friend or Foe?: WikiLeaks and the Guardian”Wikileaks case study posted on Blackboard.
- Write a 300-word answer to your pre-assigned group question that has been posted as an assignment on Blackboard. Post your answer on Blackboard. Justify your reasons with facts from the case study or additional research.
Week 12 – nov. 9
Public vs. private lives / government & news media /Wikileaks
Wikileaks response due Monday.
READ for next week:
Beginners Guide to Financial Statements:
The following sections at
-Covering Business: An Introduction:
-Covering Business: Finding Local Stories
-Mr. Math generator:
Week 13 – nov. 16
Business and financial reporting. Math for journalists.
Due Nov. 30:
- Go to Poynter Institute's NewU.org website: Log in and take the self-directed course on Handling Race and Ethnicity.
Week 14 – nov. 23 CLASS ONLINE
Work on your final story!
WEEK15 – NOV. 30 LAST CLASS
Ethics. Covering race/ethnicity/gender/disability/sexuality/social class.
Discussion of jobs and careers in journalism. FINAL STORIES DUE MONDAY, DEC. 7on Blackboard.
**NO FINAL EXAM**
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JOURNALISM REQUIREMENTS & GUIDELINES
JOURNALISM COURSE REGISTRATION
- Registration will begin on the dates noted in the schedule of classes each semester. The system is a live, first come/first serve program.
- By registering for this course, you are stating that you have taken the required prerequisites according to your catalog year and major/minor status. If the instructor later determines that you haven’t taken and passed these requirements, then you may be dropped at any point in the semester. If you have questions about your prerequisites, please see an advisor.
- A journalism major enrolled in any restricted 3000 and 4000 level classes must have taken and passed the GSP test, all foundational courses, and Math 1680/1681. Students must earn and maintain a 2.5 UNT and/or overall GPA (depending upon catalog year) to be eligible for major-level courses.
RE-TAKING FAILED JOURNALISM CLASSES
Students will not be allowed to automatically take a failed journalism course more than two times. Once you have failed a journalism course twice, you will not be allowed to enroll in that course for 12 months. Once you have waited 12 months after failing a course twice, you may make an appeal to the professor teaching the course to be allowed to enroll a third time.
TEXTBOOK POLICY
The Mayborn School of Journalism doesn’t require students to purchase textbooks from the University Bookstore. Many are available through other bookstores or online.
FIRST CLASS DAY ATTENDANCE
Journalism instructors reserve the right to drop any student who does not attend the first class day of the semester.
OFFICE HOURS
I’ll be in my office from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays; other office hours are available by appointment. My virtual office is always open; just email me, and I will respond within 24 hours, except weekends.
ATTENDANCE