REPORTING AND NEWS WRITING
BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY 273
BOISE, IDAHO
SPRING 2011
Instructor: White, Ph.D.
Telephone: 426-3320
Office Hours: By appointment, before and after class
Class Web Site: http://bsu273.blogspot.com
Mission Statement:
Students will learn the fundamentals of news judgment, reporting and writing and of the Associated Press style. While these skills are directly applicable for work in newspapers, they also apply to careers in broadcast and other electronic and converged media, public information and public relations.
Required Text:
Harrower, Inside Reporting, A practical guide to the craft of reporting. ISBN: 978-0-07-352614-0
Kramer, Telling True Stories, Harvard University. ISBN: 978-0-07-337891-6
*** PLEASE BRING YOUR AP STYLEBOOKS WITH YOU TO EVERY CLASS ***
Associated Press Stylebook & Briefing on Media Law. ISBN: 978-0-465-01262-6
Associated Press Guide to Punctuation. ISBN: 978-0-7382-0785-8
Prerequisites:
Successful completion of E102 (English Composition) or the equivalent. This is a news reporting class – and to that end, you will learn to absorb and organize “facts” and to present them in written form on a deadline. You must have adequate typing or word processing skills for this course.
Attendance:
Attendance is a critical part of the course – missing excessive classes will result in an “F” grade. You are responsible for your own attendance. Many assignments will be “in-class” and cannot be made up. I realize emergencies do arise – and I will work with you should you have to miss class. I carefully watch the attendance records – and if it becomes an issue please know your grade will be reduced significantly and in some cases you may fail the course. Make-up work must be completed within one week.
Cell phones:
Turn off all cell phones and pagers while in class. NO TEXT MESSAGING in class. Your grade can be compromised if you text message or use your cell phone while in class.
WWW Links:
Frontline
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/
Nieman Foundation
http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/NiemanFoundation.aspx
Pulitzer
http://www.pulitzer.org/
Society of Professional Journalists
http://www.spj.org/
Idaho Press Club
http://www.idahopressclub.org/
Tool Box:
Idaho Judicial Repository
https://www.idcourts.us/repository/start.do
Idaho Secretary of State
http://www.sos.idaho.gov/
Ada County Assessor
http://www.adacountyassessor.org/propsys/
* * * Other public databases, USDA, et al.* * *
Field Trip:
We will take at least one field trip over the course of the semester.
New Media: * * * TBD * * *
On-line publications, starting your own “virtual” journalism.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE
Essay Assignments:
Each week you are expected to read the Idaho Statesman and The Arbiter by Tuesday’s class. Every Friday you will turn in an essay (250 words) outlining the highlights of the week’s international, national, state, and local news.
10%
Quizzes:
There will be “open-book” quizzes over the AP style guide.
10%
Attendance:
20%
Assignments:
Assignments must be turned in on deadline. Assignments will not be accepted after deadline. Late assignments have missed the press run – they are old and useless. The following is a partial list of assignments we will complete:
Feature
Profile
Movie
Food
Music
Investigative
Breaking
Political
Editorial
Quality:
Be very careful to not misspell a name or proper noun – give yourself time before deadline to proofread and pencil in corrections on your work.
The “coaching” approach is used in the class – and to that end I am here to help you be successful in this course. If you have any questions, need any help – please seek out my help – and during lab I am more than happy to work with you and answer any questions that you may have.
Stories will fall into the following grading categories:
Category A – practice, non-graded
Category B – Pass/Fall
Category C – Letter grade
* * * If rewrites are allowed, they are due the next class date * * *
40%
Final/Portfolio:
In lieu of a final exam – there will be a significant investigative story. It will be akin to breaking a major “above the fold” story. More details on the length and specifics will be provided as we approach the end of the term.
20%
TOTAL 100%
CLASS SCHEDULE
* * * subject to revision * * *
Week 1 Introduction to the course
Review AP
Harrower Assignment 1-3
The story of journalism
What is “professional journalism” vs. amateur journalism, et al.
How newsrooms work, what is news, et al.
Your job as a fact finder
Week 2 Inverted pyramid
Five W’s
News basics
Week 3 Public Records
Prep for AP quiz
Week 4 Note taking, fact finding
On-line resources
Investigative reporting/basic news story
The courthouse – what you need to know
AP Test
Week 5 Lab exercise – basic news story
Harrower Chapter 4
Lecture
Week 6 Harrower Chapter 5
Fact finding
Note taking
Interviewing
Week 7 Harrower Chapter 6
Note taking
Interviewing (part II)
Hand writing versus electronic
Week 8 Covering speeches and public meetings
Politicians
Harrower Chapter 7
Fire, accident, and disaster stories
Week 9 Harrower Chapter 8
Writing opinion
Breaking news
Week 10 Harrower Chapter 9
Law and ethics
Week 11 Editing
Copy Editing
“Editor-in-Chief”
Advertising versus editorial – “the war stories”
Revenue analysis
Week 12 AP
Harrower 10
Broadcast media writing
The feature story
Week 13 Above the fold news
Writing for public relations
The press release
“Puff” – what is it – and where did it come from?
Week 14 Tool Box
TV/RADIO
Week 15 Sports writing
Where is media evolving?
Electronic versus print
Evals
How much journalists make
Week 16 Media futures, et al
Closure of the course
FINALS Please do not make travel arrangements over the final class date – it is very important that you are able to make the final class date.
BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY INTEGRITY POLICY
Academic dishonesty is a serious offense. Please make it a point to review the Boise State University Student Handbook regulations on academic dishonesty. Do your best to practice integrity in your pursuit of knowledge in this class. If you are unsure about some procedure and think it may constitute academic dishonesty please see me before submitting the work.
If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office as early as possible so that your learning needs may be appropriately met.
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