Be careful. Journalism is more addictive than crack cocaine. Your life can get out of balance.

~Dan Rather

I always thought writing was the foundation and the basis for journalism in the same way being able to draw is the foundation for art.

~ Bob Schieffer

Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.
         ~ Joseph Pulitzer

Course Description

This course is designed to give you an opportunity to improve on your journalistic writing skills and help you develop a deeper understanding of the role that journalistic writing plays in mass media. You will be introduced to the nature of news, citizen journalism and convergence, interviewing, quotations and attribution, gathering and verifying information, reporting with numbers, telling the story, writing to be read, how to approach writing multiple types of stories, beat reporting and investigative reporting. There are three texts required for the course, News Reporting and Writing, America's Best Newspaper Writing, and an AP Stylebook. You will be required to produce professional journalistic work for the AASU student newspaper, The Inkwell. Once you are set up with The Inkwell, you will be required to write six articles (approx. 200-500 words) over the period of the semester. I will also need to know the name and title of your section editor. This editor will help me to assess your progress and improvement over the course of the semester.

You will also develop and maintain your own newsblog. This site will give you experience that you will need to be a reporter in the Web 2.0 world in which most journalists work today.

Course Goals

This course is designed to help you discover, uncover, respond to and evaluate your abilities as a journalist. We will study many forms of the journalism process, including:  writing leads, developing stories, revision, editing, interviewing and researching. You will write stories (6) for the student newspaper, The Inkwell. You will also write a minimum of 5 stories for your newsblog. We will meet once in the semester to discuss your progress in the course (areas of success and where you need improvement). The course is designed to give you the hands-on practical experience and preparation for moving into your area of expertise.

• To think critically about news context/content
• To develop the basic elements and skills of news writing/editing
• To develop a working understanding of covering beats (meetings, speeches, police, courts, disasters, strategies, features, editorials, etc.)
• To develop a working resume' and letter of introduction and make you first approach to getting work in your field
  

Course Outcomes

• To sharpen skills in developing journalistic writing modes (including magazine, promotional, editorial, etc.)
• To enhance awareness of the importance of purpose, audience, and tone in writing
• To become acquainted with the various levels of print and online professional writing skills
• To improve journalistic writing skills through the successful completion of multiple news or magazine articles
• To refine writing skills through varied sentence construction and appropriate word choice.
• To gain self-confidence in journalistic writing
• To develop an understanding of the value of the computer as an aid in composing, particularly the tools of word processing, spell checking and electronic thesauruses
• To introduce basic research and Associated Press documentation skills

Course Requirements

1) Attendance is required and necessary. More than four absences are grounds for failure. There will be times in the semester when you really need the days off, so don’t miss meetings without good reason. If you know you are going to miss a meeting, let me know. Missed assignments will not be excused because of absences. Athletes: any special arrangements for athletes must be made with the professor at least two weeks prior to the event. Do not come late to meetings. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late, for any reason, you will be marked as absent. Likewise for leaving meetings early. You will be credited with an absent if you are tardy three times. Late attendance and absences will affect your participation grade. If you miss more than three meetings, you will not receive an "A" for your participation grade.
2) 6 articles

3) Newsblog and 5 online news articles
3) Portfolio w/Self-assessment
6) Participation in editing and proofing sessions.
7) Thoughtful, active and responsible participation in the process, including contact with writing resources.You are expected to be prepared for every meeting. This means completing all reading and writing assignments on time. Failure to do so will greatly affect your participation grade.

Late articles or drafts are not acceptable and you will receive zero credit for them without prior permission, and even then under only extreme circumstances or emergency conditions.