USC Annenberg School of Journalism: Core Curriculum
Basic Print Reporting (J302/ Introduction to Computer-Assisted Reporting(J304)
[Offered as Combined Courses]
COURSE CALENDAR
WEEK 1
J302 – Class Topics: Course Overview & Syllabus Review
o General introduction to class process and procedures
o What is reporting? What are beats?
o Beat assignments and logistics; transportation issues
o Professional dress, conduct, safety
o Tape recorder requirements
o Fact-checking and integrity of reporting
o Writing beat notes, story proposals, budget items
o Sources and source lists
J304 – Class Topics: Course Overview & Syllabus Review
o What is CAR?
o Why learn CAR, math and statistics if you are a writer?
o Math for Journalists: numbers in the news
o Diagnostic math test
Assignments:
J302 – Visit Hawthorne, locate sources, relevant city documents; write a beat note
J304 – Study Sarah Cohen’s “Numbers in the Newsroom/Using Math and Statistics in News,” Chapter 2
Readings:
o Mencher, Chapter 13, “Finding, Cultivating and Using Sources”
o “The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics” (Can be found on the Internet through Google)
o Metzler, Chapters 1, 2 (Suggested)
WEEK 2
J302 – Class Topic: Getting Started as a Professional
Quiz
o Journalism Ethics – Discuss SPJ Code
o Review newsroom procedures
o Feedback on scouting trip to Hawthorne
o Student reporter rights; freelance writing
o Further discussion of how to write beat notes, story pitches and budget items
o Shoe leather vs. telephones vs. e-mail
o Discuss first story assignment
o How to develop story ideas
J304 – Class Topics: Math for Journalists
o Simple math and how to employ it effectively
o Means, medians and modes
o Percentage changes and rates
Assignments:
J302: Write a 400-word story on someone involved in your new beat assignment who has news value. Write a beat note.
J304: Study for Math Test due Week 3 (Counts as 15% of Final Grade)
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 3,4 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Chapter 17, “Hunches, Feelings and Stereotypes”
o “Al’s Morning Meeting” newsletters from last week (I will send them to you via e-mail)
o Handouts on statistics and CAR
WEEK 3
J302 – Class Topic: Building a Beat
Quiz
o Interviewing Skills
o Diversity and inclusion
o Hard news vs. soft news
o Time pegs – keeping stories fresh
o Finding helpful sources and newsworthy people
o Using tape recorders
o Discussion of Al Tompkins’ story suggestions and how they might apply to our city
J304 – Class Topic: Math Test (Open Book)
Assignments:
J302: Write a 300-400-word story. Write a beat note.
J304: Continue with CAR and statistics course readings
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 5,6 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Chapter 24, “Local Government and Education”
o CAR handouts; Excel for Journalists
WEEK 4
J302 – Class Topics: Spend much of Monday at City of Hawthorne
Work in teams; visit police, fire stations, City Hall, Public Works, recreation facilities, etc. Dig for story ideas and find new sources.
J304 – Class Topics: Introduction of Computer Assisted Reporting
o Where to find reliable story material and data on the Internet
o Research sources on the Web – Google Scholar, Wikepedia, Search Engines
o Locating databases – crime, school data and political contributions
o Downloading data into spreadsheets
o Boiling down Excel fields to what you want to analyze
o Crunching numbers in Excel
Assignments:
J302: Compile a list of story ideas and sources based on your extra time spent in Hawthorne. Be prepared to discuss them at the next editorial meeting. Write a beat note.
J304: Read materials on Excel for Journalists and practice your Excel skills.
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 7,8 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Chapter 20, “The Police Beat”
o California Judges Association, Chapter 4, “Pretrial Criminal Procedure” (Suggested: On reserve in Research Room)
WEEK 5
J302 – Class Topic: Covering the Police Beat
Quiz
o Preparing for crime stories – homicides and other felonies
o Dealing with Watch Commanders
o Arrests and persons “held for questioning”
o Should you name a suspect; when is someone in custody considered a suspect?
o A primer on libel law and how to deal with police reports – what’s “privileged” or part of the court record and what is not
o District attorneys, grand juries, information hearings
o Indictments and the court record
o Libel and defamation
J304 – Class Topic: Crime Statistics
o Accessing public crime records – LAPD, sheriff, CHP and local police department
o Crime statistics and major databases: FBI Uniform Crime Reports
o Turning numbers into stories
o In-class exercise on crime statistics
Assignments:
J302: Write a 500-word crime, criminal justice or police story. Write a beat note.
J304: Write a story pitch based on the crime statistics developed in class
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 9,10 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Chapter 7, “The Writer’s Art:; Chapter 8, “Features, Long Stories and Series”
o Handouts on U.S. Census data; Hawthorne city budget
WEEK 6
J302 – Class Topic: Covering City Hall
Quiz
o Forms of local government
o Role of the press in government
o Covering local politics and elections
o Covering city council meetings
o City budgets: how to read them and what they can tell you
J304 – Class Topics: The U.S. Census
o How to locate and download U.S. Census data
o What does it mean? Controversies in Census data usage
o 2000 Census city profiles
o Finding 2000 Census data for communities with American Fact Finder
Assignments:
J302: Read Hawthorne city budget materials and write a memorandum on what you see in it. What are good or risky elements, where has the City Council made wise or unwise choices? Be prepared to discuss your memo at the editorial meeting. Write a beat note.
J304: Analyze U.S. Census data as it applies to Hawthorne and surrounding cities: What does it tell you? Write a story pitch (or more than one) based on your analysis.
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 11,12 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Chapter 6, “Story Structure,” Chapter 12, “Building and Using Background”
o Handouts on public records, public meetings, First Amendment rights of reporters; statistical methods
WEEK 7
J302 – Class Topics: The Long-Form Story
Quiz
o Analyze story structures
o The value and dangers of using chronology
o Alternative story structures; nonlinear writing
o The use of sidebars and news packages
o Discuss public records and meetings: when can you be denied information or access?
J304 – Class Topics: Polls and Public Data
o Discuss polling and surveys in politics
o The dangers of relying on anecdotal evidence, hearsay, single eyewitnesses and Common Wisdom
o The values of “Precision Journalism”
o How do public records relate to computers and spreadsheets?
o Statistical methods and sampling procedures
o Probabilities, margins of error and statistical significance
Assignments:
J302: Write a 400-word story; write a beat note
J304: Write a story pitch on an example of polling that relates in some way to Hawthorne
Readings: Metzler, Chapters 13,14 (Suggested)
WEEK 8
J302 – Class Topics: Finding the Untold Stories
Quiz
o Mid-term editorial analysis – what do we know about our community, where are the holes in our coverage? Is our coverage diverse enough?
o What skills do you most need to work on?
o Discuss stories that are hard to cover and lack time pegs
J304 – Class Topics: Introduction to Excel
o How to request and review data: FOIA and the Brown Act
o Creating a spreadsheet
o Entering and formatting data
o Simple formulas and sorting
o In-class drill on use of spreadsheets
Assignments:
J302: Write a 500-page story. Write a beat note.
J304: Create a spreadsheet of crime data for your city and surrounding cities.
Readings:
o Mencher, Chapter 21, “The Courts”
o California Judges Association, Chapter 1, “California Courts”; Chapter 5, “Trial Procedure;” Chapter 7, “Access to the Courts” (On reserve in Resources Room)
o Examples of trial stories (To be handed out)
WEEK 9
J302 – Class Topic: The Courts
Quiz
o Criminal procedure and the judicial system
o Criminal vs. civil courts
o Key phases of a trial – when to be there
o Preparing to cover a trial
o What happens if the judge closes trial proceedings?
o Writing the trial story
J304 – Class Topics: More on Excel and handling crime data
o Importing online data
o Rates and ratios
o Filtering and subtotals demonstration
o In-class exercise: import crime data for Los Angeles County from Attorney
General’s Office
Assignments:
J302: Write a 400-600-word story. Write a beat note. (This might be a good week to fulfill your trial story requirement)
J304: Compare crime rates from city to city and city to country, using data and spreadsheet developed in class; write a story pitch proposing ways to use this information in a story.
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 15, 16 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Review Chapter 24, pages 496-505, “Covering the Schools”
WEEK 10
J302 – Class Topics: Covering Education
Quiz
o How schools, school districts are managed at local and state levels
o School finances – the governor, legislature and ballot propositions
o Current education issues
o Covering school board meetings
o Discuss proposals for final project – finding ideas for in-depth stories
J304 – Class Topics: More on Excel; Handling School Data
o Introduction to pivot tables and charts
o In-class exercise on school data
Assignments:
J302: Write a 600-800-word story (note length). Write a beat note. If you have not done so yet, write a story pitch (or more than one) for your final story and submit for my approval. Schedule a time to discuss the proposal with me.
J304: Write a story pitch based on the in-class exercise on school data.
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 17,18 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Chapter 16, “Speeches, Meetings and News Conferences”
WEEK 11
J302 – Class Topics: Speeches and News Conferences
Quiz
o Finding speeches and news conferences; how to cover them
o Press release journalism and how to avoid
o Public relations people and government information officers: how they can be helpful (or not)
o Staged news – what is reality? When does it matter?
o How to deal with misleading re-enactments and props
o Discuss final projects
J304 – Class Topics: Introduction to Campaign Contributions
o Finding campaign data at the Secretary of State’s Web site
o In-class exercise: Downloading data to Excel
o Cleaning up and condensing Excel campaign tables
o Turning campaign data into stories
Assignments:
J302: Find a speech or news conference to cover in our city and write a 600-word story. (This may also be done earlier in the semester, in which case, do a story from your beat.) Write a beat note.
J304: Finish Excel table done in class and write a story pitch based on it.
Readings:
o Metzler, Chapters 19,20 (Suggested)
o Mencher, Chapter 27, “The Morality of Journalism”
WEEK 12
J302 – Class Topics: Journalism Ethics Revisited
o What have we learned about the role of the reporter this semester?
o Discuss ethical problems encountered on assignments
o Are reporters truly independent or is this a myth?
o How can you be passionate, concerned and objective?
o Have the sources you have been accumulating been reliable?
o Preserving neutrality in the community
J304 – Class Topics: The Ethical use of Statistics
o “How to lie with statistics” – It happens all the time
o Who conducts the survey and why does that matter?
o What does statistical significance mean and how to evaluate it
o What is the role of the pollster in campaigns?
o Push polls and unethical uses of polling
o Beware of hidden variables: epidemiology as the “slippery science”
Assignments:
J302: Find and be prepared to discuss a blog or listserv that covers Hawthorne
J304: Find an example in the news of a fallacious or unethical use of polling and be prepared to discuss it in class
Readings: Articles about community journalism on the Online Journalism Review
WEEK 13
J302 – Class Topics: Community Journalism
o Formats and approaches to covering local news
o How could local news be covered better?
o Letting the community have a voice in coverage
o The citizen as reporter or stringer
o Local journalism blogs and wikis
o Who is a journalist? Why?
o Update on status of final project
J304 – Class Topics: More on Campaign Finances and Pivot Tables
In-class exercise: Download data on Assembly candidates in fall 2006 and organize the data to highlight campaign contribution patterns.
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Assignments: Work on final project; prepare for CAR final exam
WEEK 14
J302 – Class Topics: The Semester That Was; Reporting as a Career
o Looking back and ahead on the last day of class
o Types of reporting: General Assignment, Specialists
o Specialty fields – which one might be right for you?
o Building on our successes
o Finding stories that no one else will
o Discuss drafts of final projects
J304 – Class Topics: The Future of Precision Journalism
o The “Black Art” of polling interpretation
o How graphics and new computer-generated perspectives can change opinions
o Where is all of this CAR stuff heading?
Assignments: Work on final project; prepare for CAR final exam
WEEK 15
J302 – Class Topics: Pitch Final Projects and Prepare for CAR Final Exam
o Discuss final projects
o In-class CAR exercises
J304 – CAR Final Exam (Counts 25% on the Final Grade)
Assignment: Final project (In place of the Final Exam and counts 25% on the Final Grade)
WEEK 14
J302: Final Project Is Due