This class is designed for the aspiring journalist. Our primary focus is writing “spot” news, although exist to write features and editorials (see here). Basic news-writing competency and knowledge of basic journalistic technique and principles is assumed.

Each week, you will engage in original news research and writing. You will cover a consistent news beat or your choice. You will have some flexibility in the types of stories you write within your beat. You will gain practical editing experience as you critique one another’s stories.

Objectives

To build upon basic journalism skills by producing a variety of stories worthy of publication;
To practice the rules and conventions of Associated Press style;
To become familiar with state and federal libel law and journalistic ethics.

How This Class Works

Every Tuesday beginning September 4^th, you will come to class with a completed news story to submit in electronic format.

Each of you will get feedback about your rough drafts during class from at least three other students. As a group we will discuss in class as many stories as time allows. We won’t have time for every story, every week, so we’ll work on a rotating basis so that everyone benefits.

I will e-mail my comments to you by Thursday. You will then revise your stories before submitting them to the Seahawk.

You must submit each story to the Seahawk by the newspaper’s designated deadline. Submission of your stories to the Seahawk is required.

Note: The decision whether to publish your story in the newspaper rests solely with the editors. I have absolutely no involvement in that decision, and publication of your work by the Seahawk is never guaranteed. We will discuss the rationale for that in class.

On Thursdays throughout the semester, we will spend class time improving our research, writing and editing techniques, discussing current events, critiquing newspapers and other news sources, learning AP style, brainstorming story ideas, or workshopping stories.

You are strongly advised to schedule a short, mid-semester conference with the instructor before Oct. 18. This could be especially useful if you are unsure of your performance or progress.

We will have no class during the last week of the semester. I urge you to schedule a final conference with the instructor during this time to discuss your portfolio preparation.

Course Requirements

Sound Ethics

The importance of personal integrity and journalistic credibility cannot be overstated. I expect you to conduct yourself professionally and impeccably.

As a first principle, plagiarism, academic dishonesty, and any fabrication of fact, quotation, chronology, or intention will not be tolerated. You are expected to be familiar with UNCW's academic honor code (download the UNCW Code of Student Life from this page).

The two most serious types of ethical breeches are plagiarism and fabrication.

What is plagiarism?

Presenting someone else's work as your own, without proper acknowledgement.
Use of someone else's opinions, word arrangement or sequence of ideas without proper acknowledgement.
A violation not only of universal codes of ethics and honor but potentially of U.S. copyright law as well.

What is fabrication?

Making up quotes or information from a real source.
Making up quotes or information from an imaginary source.
Making up information and not citing a source at all.
Attributing real quotes or information to a source other than the actual source.

Everyone is expected to do honest, original work, always. Violations of this honor code—fabrication of a story or a single quote—will result in an F for the course AND university judicial action as well.

The potential for other ethical dilemmas exists in the practice of news writing. If you find yourself facing a challenging ethical decision or question, please share it with the instructor before it becomes a problem. Please share it, as well, with the class, as it could be a valuable learning tool for others.

Materials

Associated Press Stylebook 2007
Portable storage device (jump or flash drive preferred) to save and transport your copy
A functioning UNCW e-mail account. This will be our exclusive mode of contact outside class. If you have technical problems, immediately contact the Technology Assistance Center (962-HELP).

Prerequisite

ENG 202 (Introduction to Journalism) or consent of instructor

Assigned Work

Weekly story

Each story must be submitted to the instructor and separately to the Seahawk newspaper on deadline.

Most of your stories will be spot news. You also have the option (and are encouraged) to write pieces of the following types:

a) An in-depth, multisourced news story on a trend or issue affecting members of the UNCW community

b) A personality profile on a newsworthy or otherwise notable individual

c) A news feature — may be serious or light

d) An editorial — once only, following fall break; must be based on prior reporting

e) Sorry, no music, movie, theater, restaurant or product reviews.

At minimum, all stories must reference (by quotation or paraphrase) at least two named, human sources whom you, yourself, interviewed. Most stories will require more than two human sources, as well as research into non-human sources (e.g., statistics, background, published reports, etc.) in order to provide context. Stories submitted that fall short of the source minimum are not acceptable, neither in class workshops nor as part of your final portfolio.

You must submit to the instructor a source list (names and accurate contact information for each human source used) for each story. Do not submit this list to the Seahawk unless requested by your editor.

Submit all stories in MS Word format. If you use MS Works or any other word processing software, submit your work in rich-text format (*.rtf). You will save your work to a shared folder on one of the computers in Bear 165. All work submitted to the Seahawk must be in electronic format as well.

Tip: For every story you have published in the Seahawk, you should save all your notes and source information for at least a year, if not longer, in case any complications should arise.

Three Graded Quizzes

Three timed, open-book quizzes on AP style, plus one short-answer quiz on libel and copyright will be given. AP-style questions will derive from a list of commonly used terms (handout to come). The libel quiz will be drawn from the AP Stylebook. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped.

Five Exercises

These exercises provide opportunities to analyze story structure and explore technical skills in interviewing, writing leads, and doing background and online research.

Final Portfolio

Due at semester's end

The portfolio will comprise the following:

Five of your best stories (your choice) previously reviewed by the instructor

An introductory essay (3 pages, minimum) in which you reflect on three issues:

specific challenges you faced in writing each story,

new journalistic skills or understandings acquired as a result of this class or these challenges, and

your own evaluation of how effectively each story achieves its journalistic goals.

Regular Attendance

English 302 is highly interactive, so attendance is mandatory.

You are allowed to miss only 2 classes without penalty. A half-letter grade will be deducted from your final grade for each absence beyond those first two. More than four absences, regardless of the cause, will likely result in a failing grade.

Attendance will be checked at the beginning of class. If you arrive after attendance is completed, you must request, after class, to be counted present. Otherwise you will be counted absent.

Lateness in excess of 20 minutes will be counted as half an absence.

Please do not ask to leave early unless you have a true emergency.

In-Class Policies

No Internet surfing, checking e-mail, or IMing during class. One warning will be given if you’re found online doing something unrelated to class. Each subsequent infraction will result in a 10-point deduction from your in-class participation grade
Pease turn your cell phones OFF before class begins.
Food and beverages are prohibited in this computer class.

Evaluation Criteria

The following rubric will be used to evaluate your writing.

Points Description

9-10 (A): A publishable work, meaning the article is clear, interesting, well written and well structured, built upon solid news values and elements* including a great lead, impeccable sourcing, and good quotes. The writing is fluent, controlled and well edited. Excellent work.

8 (B): Some editing required for it to be publishable, usually because of minor errors in spelling, grammar or syntax. News values are clearly evident. Information is accurate, the lead is good, sourcing solid, and the body is fairly well organized. Above average work.

7 (C): Major editing is required for the piece to be publishable. The lead may be unclear or buried, or it focuses weakly on the key elements of the story. News values or news elements are in question. Sourcing is adequate. The body of the article may lack organization or focus, and minor technical errors are apparent. Satisfactory.

6 (D): A complete rewrite needed for the work to be published. Facts may be presented poorly, new values and elements are absent or obscured, errors that should have been corrected before presentation are frequent, sourcing may be inadequate. Essentially, a rough draft. Unsatisfactory.

0 (F): Factual errors are prevalent, focus is unclear or non-existent, research or sourcing may be nonexistent or dubious. Technical errors abound. Overall, the piece is so lacking that it cannot be properly rewritten or published. Unacceptable.

* Notes

News values are conflict, human interest, importance, proximity (to audience), prominence (of people), timeliness (& currency), unusualness.
News elements include accuracy, attributions, balance, fairness, objectivity, focus, clarity (focus, directness, interest), context.
Technical control refers to the soundness of leads, sourcing, organization, transitions, grammar, mechanics and AP style.

Grading

Your weekly stories will not be graded until your final portfolio is submitted. Rather, I will respond to your work holistically and in detail during the semester to assist you in improving your work through revision.

Quizzes (3)	15%
Exercises (5)	25
Participation, Seahawk submissions	20%
Final Portfolio	40%

Some Final Notes

You can’t aspire to journalism and not read journalism. Like any other competent journalist, you are expected to read newspapers on a daily basis. Doing so will help shape your understanding of the nature, range and tone of news stories.

As for the workload: If you feel that writing one story each week is too demanding, perhaps journalism is not for you. You might reconsider taking this class. Professional journalists work on several stories simultaneously, both short-term news reports and in-depth investigations and features that can take weeks to complete. Developing a variety of story ideas that demand varied approaches is a good way to hone your skills and extend your range.

Do not fall behind. Early in the semester we’ll begin brainstorming story ideas that you can work on simultaneously throughout the semester. The brainstorming should never stop.

Course Outline

Dates and Assignments subject to change.

WEEK	DATE	WRITING	TOPICS
1	8/23	—	Introduction
2	8/28	—	Story structure
	8/30	Story analysis	Leads
3	9/4	First news story due
	9/6	Leads	AP style; Interviewing
4	9/11
	9/13	AP Quiz 1; Interview
5	9/18
	9/20		AP style, editorials
6	9/25
	927	NO CLASS
7	10/2	AP Quiz 2
	10/4
8	10/9	FALL BREAK
	10/11		Editorials
9	10/16	Editorial
	10/18		AP Style, editorials
10	10/23
	10/25	AP Quiz 3
11	10/30
	11/1		Backgrounder
12	11/6
	11/8	Backgrounder	Online Research
13	11/13
	11/15	Research report	Libel, copyright
14	11/20
	11/22	THANKSGIVING
15	11/27
	11/29		Libel Quiz
16	12/4

Last updated 070830

English 302-001

Journalism Workshop

Fall 2007

Course Description