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right arrow Important Dates

Please make a note of the following key dates for Fall Semester 2010:

08/13
 Students are admitted into online courses.
08/16
 First day of class for JOUR 3200 students.
08/20
 Drop/add ends.
09/06
 Student holiday (extending Labor Day).
10/06
 Midterm.
10/11-12
 Fall Break.
11/07
 Web registration begins.
11/22-28
 Thanksgiving holiday.
12/06
 Last day of class.
12/08
 Senior grades due.
12/11
 Fall graduatation.

Note: You will be required to write 6 articles for the student newspaper, The Inkwell. On the weeks that assigned news articles are due, you must turn in articles by the deadline set forth by your section editor. All articles must be submitted as attachments (Rich Text Format ONLY)).At the time of submission to your editor, you must also copy me the article via email:tonyraymorris@gmail.com. Failure to meet deadline without prior approval from your section editor will result in "0" credit for the article.

You will also be expected to develop and maintain your own newsblog. Blogs are simple and easy to use internet websites. You can sign up and find to tools to develop and maintain your newsblog using: Wordpress.com, Blogger.com, or Blog.com. You will need to have your site up and running by the end of the fourth week of school (September 14). Once you have your site functioning, email me a link to the site.

You don't need anything complicated here, just the basic site will do, but you must include a minimum of four links to "helpful tips for journalists" on your site. I will expect a minimum of five news-posts to the site over the period of the semester. These posts must address a newsworthy issue related to AASU students, and must follow all online news writing rules. Additionally, you will need to have proper referent links to outside sources for your article. I will use the same writing rubric to grade your articles posted on your site that I use for articles published at The Inkwell. As a class, we will review, critique and grade your newblog during week 13 and 14.

Unit reading and writing assignments should be completed and ready to discuss by the start of classes. You are expected to complete all In-class exercises. In-class exercise will count towards your participation grade.

Finally, you are required to attend a minimum of one workshop/session (one hour) at the Fourth Annual Inkwell Journalism Bootcamp on Saturday, September 11. There are no exceptions, so plan now and arrange to be there for one hour between 9 am and 5 pm.

Week 1: August 17-23

Unit 1: Introduction(s)

Students familiarize themselves with course textbooks and requirements (written exercises, quizzes, news articles, newsblog). Discuss the nature of news, citizen journalism and convergence. Journalistic writing has it's own distinctive language, rules, and style. However, the new world is quickly changing and a new "citizen journalism" is taking the place of corporate journalism.

Tuesday Assignments:

  • Homework:
    • Read and be ready to discuss Chapters 1-2.
    • Complete exercise 5, Chapter 2. Turn in on Thursday

    • Thursday Assignments:

    • Discuss Chapters 1-2
    • Homework:
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapters 3-4
      • Complete Exercises 1, 2, & 3,Chapter 3. Turn in on Tuesday.
    right arrowWeek 2: August 24-30

    Unit 2: The Tools

    Preparing for the interview, telling compelling stories, setting up the interview, preparing questions, establishing rapport, ensuring accuracy and fairness, what to quote directly, problems in direct quotation, attributing direct and indirect quotes, handling on- and off-the-record information.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapter 3-4, In-class exercise: Interviews
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapters 5-6
      • Complete Exercise 4, Chapter 5. Turn in on Thursday.

    • Unit 3: Gathering Info and Numbers

    Accurate information, computerized information, editing for the Web, traditional sources of information, proportion, making sense of budgets, making sense of polls, mixing numbers and words.

    Thursday Assignments:

    • Discuss Chapter 5-6, In-class exercise: Reporting with numbers
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapters 7-8
      • Complete Exercise 5, Chapter 8. Turn in on Tuesday.

    right arrowWeek 3: August 31-September 6

    Unit 4: Inverted Pyramid & Writing to be Read

    Finding the lead, variations on the inverted pyramid lead, summary lead, multiple-element lead, danger signals, leads with flair, story organization, checking accuracy and attributions, accurate, specific details, tools of narration, coherence, conciseness and simplicity, correct and effective language. Other important writing tips.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapters 7-8 , in-class exercise, Chapter 7
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapter 9

    • Unit 5: Alternative the the Inverted Pyramid

    Chronology, news narrative, focus structure, service journalism.

    Thursday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapter 9, in-class exercise
    • Homework
    • Read and be ready to discuss Chapter 14
    		•

    right arrowWeek 4: September 7-13

    Unit 6: Beat Reporting

    Principles for reporter on a beat: be prepared; be alert; be persistent; be there; be wary; online coverage, local beats, city and county government, schools, higher education, police, religion.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapter 14, in-class exercise
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapter 12

    • Unit 7: Speeches, News Conferences and Meetings

    Preparation, covering speeches, news conferences and meetings: getting the content correct; participants; covering the event; arriving; positioning yourself and staying on; structuring and writing your story.

    Thursday Assignments

    • Discuss Chapter 12, in-class exercise
    • Homework
      • Read Chapter 16
      • Attend Inkwell Journalism Bootcamp (9/12)

    right arrowWeek 5: September 14-20

    Unit 8: Sports

    Sports reporting is beat reporting; be prepared; be alert; be persistent;, be there, develop contacts; be wary, and dig for the real story; covering the contests, following the money, writing about sports.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapter 16, in-class exercise
    • Homework:
      • Read and be ready to discuss "All She Has, $150,000, Is Going to a University" (pg. 30, ABNW), and "Mackenzie Football Star Another Gunplay Victim" (pg. 46, ABNW)
      • Email/submit title and memo of first Inkwell reporting assignment to include:
        • 5 W's and H
        • Type of story (meeting, event, interview, etc.)
        • Proposed format (inverted pyramid, chronology, focus, narrative, etc.). Due in class 09/16.
        • Bring rough draft of Article #1 to class on Thursday.

    • Unit 9: Submitting Article

    Proofing and editing articles to become an editor's best friend.

    Thursday Assignments:

  • Discuss assigned readings
  • Discuss editing and proofing for Article #1
    • Homework
      • Submit Article #1 (deadline assigned by your section editor: Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday of this week)
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapter 10

    • right arrowWeek 6: September 21-27

    Unit 10: Obituaries and Life Stories

    Basic obituary information and style, writing life stories, sources of information, newspaper policy, shoosing your words.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapter 10, in-class exercise
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss "Ray Bolger, the Immortal Scarecrow" (pg. 63, ABNW) and "Edward E. 'Ace' Clark, Ice and Coal Dealer" (pg. 66, ABNW)
      • Email/submit title and memo of second Inkwell reporting assignment to include:
        • 5 W's and H
        • Type of story (meeting, event, interview, etc.)
        • Proposed format (inverted pyramid, chronology, focus, narrative, etc.). Due in class 09/24
        • Bring rough draft of Article #2 to class on Thursday.

    • Unit 11: Submitting Article 2

    Thursday Assignments:

    • Discuss assigned reading
    • Discuss editing and proofing for Article #2
      • Homework
        • Submit Article #2 (deadline assigned by your section editor: Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday of this week)
        • Read and be ready to discuss Chapter 20

    right arrowWeek 7 : September 28 - October 4

    Unit 12: Writing for the Web

    Web as its own media form, how to write for the web: reader rules; writing is nonlinear; structure is everything; guidelines for writing fo rthe web, legal and ethical concerns.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapter 20
  • In-class exercise
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss "Caught in the Web: Evil at the Door" (pg. 75, ABNW) and "Metal to Bone, Day 1: Click" (pg 96, ABNW),

    • Unit 13: Read Chapters 16 & 17

    Thursday Assignments:

  • Discuss ABNW articles
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapter 18
    • right arrowWeek 8 October 5-11

    Unit 14: Investigative Reporting

    The process, the sources, new tools, the obstacles.

    Tuesday Assignments:

    • Discuss Chapter 18
    • In-class exercise
    • Homework
        • Read and be ready to discuss "For Lerro, Skyway Nightmare Never Ends" (pg. 186, ABNW)
        • Email/submit title and memo of second Inkwell reporting assignment to include:
          • 5 W's and H
          • Type of story (meeting, event, interview, etc.)
          • Proposed format (inverted pyramid, chronology, focus, narrative, etc.). Due in class 10/07
          • Bring rough draft of Article #3 to class on Thursday.

        Unit 15: Submitting Article #3

        Thursday Assignments:

        • Discuss ABNW article
        • Edit and proof rough draft Article #3
          • Homework
          • Read and be ready to discuss "A Beautiful Find" (pg. 196, ABNW)
          • Submit Article #3 (deadline assigned by your section editor: Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday of this week)
    right arrowWeek 9: October 12-18

    TUESDAY: NO CLASS - FALL BREAK

    Unit 16: Digging In

    One of the greatest assets we have as journalists is the long history of talented news writers who have opened up important and vital areas of political, social, and cultural aspects of our democracy. Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Melville, just to name a few, all wrote for newspapers. You will be introduced to some of the best contemporary news writing America has produced. Learn from them. They are your mentors.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss ABNW Articles
    • Homework
      • Email/submit title and memo of second Inkwell reporting assignment to include:
        • 5 W's and H
        • Type of story (meeting, event, interview, etc.)
        • Proposed format (inverted pyramid, chronology, focus, narrative, etc.). Due in class 10/14
        • Bring rough draft of Article #4 to class on Thursday

    Thursday Assignments

  • Proof and edit rough draft Article #4
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Chapter 22
      • Submit Article #4 (deadline assigned by your section editor: Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday of this week)

    • right arrowWeek 10: October 19-25

    Unit 17: Media Law

    Libel, defenses, invasion of privacy, protection of sources and notes, access to courts, copyright and fair use.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss Chapter 22
    • Homework
      • Email/submit title and memo of second Inkwell reporting assignment to include:
        • 5 W's and H
        • Type of story (meeting, event, interview, etc.)
        • Proposed format (inverted pyramid, chronology, focus, narrative, etc.). Due in class 10/21
        • Bring rough draft of Article #5 to class on Thursday

    • Unit 18: Submit Article #5

    Thursday Assignments

    Edit and proof rough draft Article #5

    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Prisoners With Midnight in Their Hearts (pg. 245, ABNW)
      • Submit Article #5 (deadline assigned by your section editor: Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday of this week)

    right arrowWeek 11: October 26-November 1

    Unit 19: More Reporting

    Stay on the path--straight and narrow.

    Tuesday Assignments:

  • Discuss ABNW Article
    • Homework
      • Email/submit title and memo of second Inkwell reporting assignment to include:
        • 5 W's and H
        • Type of story (meeting, event, interview, etc.)
        • Proposed format (inverted pyramid, chronology, focus, narrative, etc.). Due in class 10/28
        • Bring rough draft of Article #6 to class on Thursday

    • Unit 18: Submit Article #6

    Thursday Assignments

  • Edit and proof Article #6
    • Homework
      • Read and be ready to discuss Tugs At the Curtain, but Wizard's Lips Remain Frozen" (pg. 144, ABNW)
      • Submit Article #6 (deadline assigned by your section editor: Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday of this week)

    • right arrowWeek 12: November 2-8

    Unit 19: It's Blogger Time

    View and review newsblogs. What's out there, what's good and what's not.

    Tuesday/Thursday Assignments:

  • Discuss ABNW Articles
  • Discuss blog news sites
    • Homework
      • Work on newsblog

    • right arrowWeek 13: November 9-15

    Unit 20: Let's keep writing--It's All About the Web

    Let's see what you got. We will spend the next two weeks critiquing your blogsites and blog news.

    Assignments:

  • In-class critique of student blogs
    		•

    arrowWeek 14: November 16-22

    Unit 21: More Great Stories

    Still on those newsblogs.

    Assignments:

    • In-class critique of student blogs
    right arrow

    November 24-29 (Wednesday-Monday) Thanksgiving Break

    right arrowWeek 15: November 30-December 6

    Unit 22: Wrapping Up

    Students receive and provide course feedback.
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