JOURNALISM

LindblomMath & ScienceAcademy

Mr. Dudek,

mrdudek.pbworks.com

Course Objectives

Understand and appreciate the fundamentals of journalism and how these fundamentals apply to a school publication.

Create a monthly newspaper that contains writing and pictures on issues that matter to the student body.

Learn and produce various types of news writing and present the finished product in a concise and professional manner.

Immerse oneself in the application of good interviewing techniques and the proper ways to publish interviews.

Utilize one’s creativity in the layout and design process of both newspapers and yearbooks.

Learn the different writing styles for print, broadcast and online news.

Meet deadlines on time in order to ensure productivity.

Course Requirements and Expectations

Attendance:

  • Come to class.If you are sick, the absence must be accepted attendance office as an excused absence. If I do not receive an excused absence, you will not be able to receive any credit for the work you missed, including any exams. You are responsible for any class notes, assignments, quizzes, or exams that you miss while you are absent. Most assignments will be made available on my Web site, mrdudek.com. Any work that was due that day must be turned in the next school day, even if it is a day the class does not meet.
  • Be on time.Part of your participation grade is coming to class on time. Being tardy will lower your grade. Excessive tardies will result in a call home to your parent/guardian.

Homework:

  • Assignments are due at the BEGINNING of the period. If you are absent the day that an assignment is due, that assignment is due on the day that you return to school. .

1. Late work will not be accepted. All assignments are due as you enter class or on turnitin.com, whichever the case may be.

2. If you are absent the day an assignment is due, make up work (for excused absences) is due before school begins the next day. This means if you were absent Tuesday, you must turn in the assignment Wednesday, even though we do not meet.

3. If you are absent the day an assignment is given, please check the Web site to see what you missed, or come see me. The assignment due date does not change.

  • News Articles MUST be turned before the day they are due. Because respecting deadlines is vital to a successful news publication, no late articles can be accepted. If you are absent the day an article is due, it is your responsibility to submit it before class begins that day. Articles will be due online.

During Class:

  • Participation– When the bell rings, please be in your seat and ready to participate. Participation means to contribute thoughtfully to in-class discussions, writing assignments, journaling, free writing, etc. Positive participation will result in a higher participation grade. Negative participation will result in a lower participation grade.
  • Preparedness – It is important that you come to class prepared (with books, notebook, pen, and any class work), having given careful thought to readings and preparation of assignments, so that class discussion and exchange will be of high quality. Attending class unprepared will result in a lowering of your “class participation” grade.
  • Please no food in class. Do not bring food into the classroom, regardless if you plan to eat it or not. Failure to comply will result in lost participation points. Beverages with sealed containers are acceptable.
  • No electronic devices. If it needs a battery or an electrical outlet, do not bring it to class. This includes (but is not limited to) cell phones, music devices, cameras, or anything that distracts from the learning environment.Failure to comply will result in lost participation points. Please do not even bring them to class. If see them, I am authorized to take them away. Please don’t make me have to do that.
  • Hall Passes –Always ask for permission before leaving the room.

Our Learning Environment:

  • Respect one another through speech and actions. In my class, I expect everyone (including me) to treat everyone with courtesy and respect. This behavior includes listening attentively to whoever is addressing the class. Only through mutual respect can we create a positive learning environment.
  • Accept PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTY. This applies to your work, your attitude, your attendance and your comprehension of the material. Adults take responsibility for their successes, and their failures.

Evaluation

The grading scale is as follows:

A100 - 90

B89 - 80

C79 - 70

D69 - 60

F59

Assignments will be graded on a points scale. Although this may change, the current point scale is as follows:

Yearbook assignments – 500

Newspaper assignments – 250

Tests / Projects – 200

Quizzes – 100

In-class work – 50

Homework – 50

Weekly participation – 10

Please note, this class is not simply a newspaper club that puts together a monthly newspaper. It is an honors journalism class that focuses on all the fundamentals of journalism. This is an academic class with all the requirements and expectations of an academic class. This includes being an active participant in class discussions, completing homework assignments, studying for exams, etc. Publishing a paper is just one part.