Southern StateCommunity College

Curriculum Committee – February 2016

COMM 2206- Media Writing

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I.COURSE TITLE: Media Writing

COURSE NUMBER: 2206CATALOG PREFIX: COMM

II.PREREQUISITE(S): ENGL 1101

III.CREDIT HOURS: 3LECTURE HOURS: 3

LABORATORY HOURS:0OBSERVATION HOURS: 0

IV.COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Media Writing is designed to introduce students to the basic processes of reporting and writing for newspapers (electronic and print) and broadcast media. Students will also explore photojournalism and newswriting for the web as well as writing for advertising and public relations. The course also addresses the editing process, Associated Press guidelines, and legal and ethical concerns of the journalist.

V.GRADING:

Grading follows policy in catalog.

A – 90% and above

B – 80 – 89%

C – 70 – 79%

D – 60 – 69%

F – less than 60%

VI.ADOPTED TEXT(S):

Writing for the Mass Media

Ninth Edition / (or the most recent edition)

Copyright 2015

James G. Stovall

Pearson

ISBN 13: 978-0-13-386327-7

ISBN 10: 0-13-386327-1

VII.COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The student will be able to:

  • Develop a canon of journalistic ethics based on the freedom of the press clause in the First Amendment of the Constitution
  • Analyze how multiple competing interests affect reporters’ ethical roles and responsibilities in a democracy
  • Analyze the legal ramifications of libel and slander.
  • Generate storylines, pursue leads, conduct research, and conduct interviews for stories
  • Rank gathered facts in importance relative to subject and organize them into news articles
  • Write clear, concise, accurate, complete, balanced, and readable news stories using a standard method of development, such as the inverted pyramid, long-form, and short feature.
  • Work within deadlines for writing copy, editing, and data verification
  • Define what constitutes news and how news pieces differ from features and opinion pieces
  • Understand and follow the Associated Press style guidelines
  • Take photos and/or videos to illustrate stories.
  • Develop web resources.
  • Develop a student portfolio containing news stories and photography and /or videos, and an electronic press kit.

VIII.COURSE METHODOLOGY:

Lectures, reporting, writing, and editing assignments, a research paper about treatment by various news media of a news story followed throughout the semester, Students will produce a portfolio of reported, written, edited and rewritten articles or writings consisting of a variety of at least five instructor-assigned items such as features, profiles, meeting or speech coverage, long-form, travel, sports events, crime, ad copy, press releases, or documentary. At least two of these assignments should be accompanied by student-generated photographs and / or video.

IX.COURSE OUTLINE (SUGGESTED):

WEEK ONE

  • Discussion of types of journalism
  • Read Chap 1 / “Sit Down and Write”
  • Objectivity and ethics
  • Students write their obituaries.

WEEK TWO

  • Read Chap. 2 / “Basic Tools of Writing”
  • What’s in the news today? / Analysis of treatment of a major story
  • Read Chap. 4 / “Writing in the Media Environment”
  • Public information scavenger hunt
  • Decide what national / international story to follow throughout the semester
  • Grammar test

WEEK THREE

  • Read Chap. 5 / “Basic News Writing”
  • Writing leads and nut graphs
  • Read Chap. 6 / “Writing for Print Journalism”
  • Discussion of structure of a news story
  • Writing exercises
  • What’s in the news this week? / Analysis of treatment of a major story

WEEK FOUR

  • Read Chap. 3 / “Style and the Stylebook”
  • Quiz -- The Associated Press style and proof-reading symbols
  • News writing workshop
  • Write a story on deadline with information provided.
  • Discuss ideas for two stories to pursue.
  • What’s in the news this week? / Analysis of treatment of a major story

WEEK FIVE

  • News writing workshop, con’t
  • Read Chap. 12 / “The Writer and the Law”
  • Writing and editing exercises
  • Inverted pyramid governmental meeting story due.
  • What’s in the news this week? / Analysis of treatment of a major story

WEEK SIX

  • Read Chap. 7 / “Writing for the Web”
  • Finding, cultivating, and integrating sources into stories.
  • Discussion of cultivating sources on a news beat and sample problem to solve
  • What’s in the news this week? / Analysis of treatment of a major story

WEEK SEVEN

  • Writing for the Web workshop, con’t
  • Workshop on multi-platform reporting/writing/editing
  • Feature story due
  • What’s in the news this week? / Analysis of treatment of a major story

WEEK EIGHT

  • Read Chap. 8 / “Writing for Broadcast”
  • Planning, writing, and editing the audio-video news / feature story
  • What’s in the news this week? / Analysis of treatment of a major story
  • Student update of national-international story followed during this semester for 3-5-page final paper.

WEEK NINE

  • Writing for broadcast con’t
  • Read Chap. 9 / “Writing and Images”
  • Telling the story with video, writing, editing
  • Shooting effective digital photos and videos
  • Profile story due
  • What’s in the news today? / Analysis of news stories

WEEK TEN

  • Video news/feature/sports story with script due

WEEK ELEVEN

  • Read Chap 10 / “Writing Advertising Copy”
  • Read Chap 11 / “Writing for Public Relations”
  • Writing exercises
  • Photos for feature and profile stories due.
  • Discussion of electronic press kit

WEEK TWELVE

  • Writing for advertising and public relations con’t
  • Writing exercises
  • Submit a stand-alone weather, sports, or event photo with caption and headline.
  • Student update of national-international story followed during this semester for 3-5-page final paper.

WEEK THIRTEEN

  • Due / 3-5-page paper of national –international story followed.

WEEK FOURTEEN

  • Due / Edited portfolio of stories and photos/video.

WEEK FIFTEEN

  • Due / Electronic press kit.

WEEK SIXTEEN

  • Final exam and course evaluation.

X.OTHER REQUIRED BOOKS, SOFTWARE AND MATERIALS:

Students should have a flash drive or other device for saving work they complete for the course. Microsoft Office access is required for this course. MSO Word documents must be submitted.

Associated Press Stylebook (optional)

XI.EVALUATION:

The student will be evaluated on the basis of 1) weekly exercises and discussions, 2) quizzes and final exam, 3) story and photo/video submissions, 4) final portfolio and electronic press kit, 5) final 3-5-page paper.

Below is a suggested breakdown for student evaluation:

  • Story and video submissions – 20%
  • Weekly exercises and discussions – 20%
  • Quizzes and final exam – 20%
  • Final edited portfolio and electronic press kit – 20%
  • Final paper – 20%

XII.SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS:

None

XIII.OTHER INFORMATION:

FERPA: Students should understand that their work may be seen by others. Others may see student work when distributed, during group project work, or if it is chosen for demonstration purposes.

Students also should know that their work will be submitted to other entities for the purpose of plagiarism checks.

DISABILITIES: Students with disabilities may contact the Disabilities Service Office, Central Campus, at 800-628-7722 or 937-393-3431.