JOUR 1100 Digital Reporting I Dr.

Thorn Fall 2013 Textbooks: Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual Online Bender et al., Reporting for Media, 2011 London, Barbara and Jim Stone Short Course in Digital Photography, 2011 Week Aug. 27 Sept. 3 10 17 24 Oct. 1 8 8 15 22 29 Nov. 5 12 19 26 Dec. 2 Final class NO FINAL EXAM Final Project Due; Topic Overview, News Values Photo basic Basics: format, copy, AP Grammar, Newswriting Style Basic Leads Complex Leads Photo Multiple paragraph stories Quotations, Attribution Using Light Readings Bender 1,2 London, 1 App. B Bender, 3,4 Bender, 5 Bender, 6 London Bender, 9 Bender, 10 London

Using Press Releases Bender, 20 Future Stories Bender, 21 Interview Bender, 11 Photo Portrait London Speeches and Meetings Bender, 13 Group Shot Briefs Handout Fall Break 10/17 - 10/20 Sports Stories Handout Tweeting Feature Stories Bender, 15 Photo: Capture Action Bender, 22 Blogging Feature: Local color Photo: Multiple images Feature: Profile Photo: Night Shot Thanksgiving Break 11/27 - 12/1

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JOUR 1100 Dr. Thorn Page 2

JOUR 1100 is the basic course in writing for news media, and it is designed to provide substantial practice in the basic forms of journalism along with experience in obtaining and verifying information. As a laboratory course, JOUR 1100 devotes considerable time to exercises in writing and information gathering. The typical 2-hour class will be a mixture of lecture, writing, critiquing, and discussion. Basic photography as used in conjunction with written stories is another element in the class. The textbook contains two very valuable appendices: a city directory which is linked to the exercises, and an abbreviated AP style section. Preparation for Class: Readings are assigned for each week and class as the necessary preparation for the work to be done in the laboratory. Reading the Journal Sentinel and the Marquette Tribune are also necessary preparations for class, because time will be given to discussion of news elements and writing style. Major news web sites -- latimes.com, washingtonpost.com, nytimes.com are strongly recommended as well. News quizzes are a daily possibility. Attendance: You cannot complete lab assignments if you are not in the lab for class. If your absence arises from serious illness or injury (i.e., broken arm, loss of a hand) or the death of a parent or sibling, it will be excused on the basis of a letter from Dean Joyce Wolburg, who tracks such tragic situations. If your alarm clock did not work, or if you just couldnt face the early hour, the absence is unexcused. All absences result in a 0 (zero) for the days lab work and quiz. For an excused absence you may replace the 0 (zero) with a grade by completing the work by the class following your return. Lengthy excused absences (2 or more classes) require a conference with Dr. Thorn to work out the class assignment situation. Assignments: Most of the assignments will be given in class and completed in class. A few assignments will involve work outside class, e.g., covering a speech on campus, developing a local feature story, taking photographs, and the final project. Deadlines are absolute. In-class assignments must be completed prior to the end of class; outside assignments must be turned in by the time given on the assignment sheet. All stories must adhere to AP style and conform to the copy format provided in this syllabus. Handwritten work is simply unacceptable. If one computer breaks down, find another. Accuracy in fact and spelling are essential professional traits. Misspelled names and factual

errors are not tolerated in news rooms because they undermine the publications credibility. One goal of the class is to inculcate the habit of double checking names and facts, even those given by a source. Misspellings and factual errors will be noted with a split grade, e.g., 8/F. There is neither a midterm nor final exam in this course, although the AP style exam comes during midterm exam week. In lieu of a final, each student will submit a final project for which you will receive formal instructions after midterm. Each student will have at least 2 (two) conferences of about 10 minutes during the semester. One occurs during the week before midterm exams; the other comes after Easter break. Grading All exercises and quizzes will be graded on a numerical scale which reflects their value. Short assignments will be graded on a 5 point scale; moderate assignments have a 10 point scale; long assignments have either a 20 or 40 point scale. The grade for the course will be derived from the total points earned in all assignments, adjusted for the number of split grades (8/F). Passing the AP style exam with a grade of 90% or better is required to complete JOUR 008. You may retake the exam as many times as necessary to achieve a passing grade, but you must schedule each exam after the first one. Goals and Objectives This reporting class combines basic instruction in writing and gathering news as well as basic photography as it is used in multi-media journalism. Specific goals: 1) Each student will have a Weebly web site for JOUR 1100 using the standard template; 2) Students will learn to blog and tweet to enhance reporting; 3) Students will use photography as part of their reporting, both single images and slide shows; 4) Provide extensive practice in writing in various forms used in journalism. 5) Learn and practice critique of written work in class 6) Mastery of AP style 7) Live interview opportunities will include local public figures; 8) Understanding of the various sources for news content 9) Create a multi-media final project -- a profile with photo Emergency Evacuation: If the warning horns sound in the building, immediately evacuate the classroom according to the plan posted on the wall. Until construction is completed on the northwest stairwell adjacent to the classroom, the nearest exit is to the right down the hallway to the southwest stairway. Academic Honesty In accordance with the high standards of excellence set forth by, and for, all members of the Marquette University community, the College of Communication finds it imperative that each student understand that the responsibilities associated with high standards of excellence include ensuring that all class work undertaken in this College is performed in an environment that promotes serious scholarship and moral rectitude. Therefore, the College herein delineates a zero-tolerance policy for acts of academic dishonesty. All acts of suspected

academic dishonesty will be thoroughly investigated in a manner that is fair, timely, and efficient and done so in a manner that protects the rights of both the faculty member and the student. Any individual that is found to have committed an act of academic dishonesty may receive a penalty, up to and including expulsion from Marquette University. http://www.marquette.edu/mucentral/registrar/policy_honesty.shtml Plagiarism, the presentation of someone elses work as your own creation, is a major violation of academic honesty which can result in immediate dismissal from the course and referral to the Dean for further action, which may be as serious as dismissal from the University. In the world of journalism plagiarism is presenting someone elses work as your own. This will get someone fired immediately and virtually end a journalism career. Dont do it. Fabrication This creative form of journalism cost a reporter at the Washington Post her Pulitzer Prize, her job, and her career. She created a composite character from several inner city kids she knew and wrote compelling features about his battle to survive ghetto life in Washington, D.C. Dont do it. This is falsification, and it permanently damages the reputation of a journalist who engages in it. Students, both graduate and undergraduate, have been summarily dismissed from the journalism program, the College and the university for plagiarism and fabrication. We take this very seriously; so should you.

Class Plan This class plan does not include holidays like fall break, Thanksgiving, Spring Break or Easter. It will have to be adjusted in the 15.1, 15.2, 16.1, and 16.2. It might be valuable for a specific group of students to move the lecture on basic leads to one of the first weeks and make room by shifting the other topics down

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Topic Read Write Overview A. Focus on writing/reporting, but basic photo also B. Class structure: daily writing exercise, correct last days errors, lecture C. Story format, AP style D. Bring each day: Bender text, AP Stylebook; on photo days bring SD card E. Grading create specs from rubrics Handbook pp.189-194 F. Complete assigned reading before the first class of the week. G. In class writing assignment: Personal Bio (Appendix) H. Lecture: Journalism Today (Bender pp. 3-9). I. Handout: Copy marking symbols (Hbk. P. 37) J. Homework: Copy editing exercise 1 or 2 from Bender (pp. 14-16) Write a simple lead from a fact set for in-class writing Oral correction of writing problems from last class exercise (see sample) Lecture: Using the AP stylebook In-class AP style exercise: Bender #3 (pp. 17-19). Exchange papers, grade in class. Lecture 2: Basic News Leads (Bender Ch. 8 pp. 187-194 more will come later) Assign: Reading from Photo text Write simple lead from new set of facts. Oral correction of writing problems Lecture: Camera Basics (PowerPoint; Hbk. 161) Class photo exercise (30 min.) in area around Law School, Museum, Gesu Parish Rectory Download images to a new folder created on the iMac desktop. Write simple lead from new set of facts Oral correction of writing problems Lecture: How to open a photo in PhotoShop, crop and save new version. Exercise: Bring a photo from the last class into PhotoShop, crop and save new version. Repeat for each photo. Demonstration: How to adjust an images contrast and balance. Exercise: play with the contrast and balance for one image. Save the new version. Create a Weebly account with tabs for exercises, photos, stories and final project Move photos and exercises into Weebly account.(Hbk. 159) Write simple lead from new set of facts Oral correction of writing problems Lecture: Grammar and spelling (Bender, Ch. 2) (Hbk. Pp. 31-41) In-class oral exercise: Ex. 1 & 2, Homework: Ex. 4, 5, 6

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Write simple lead from new set of facts Oral correction of writing problems Exchange Ex. 4,5,6 and grade Lecture: Newswriting Style (Bender Ch. 3) Discuss Ex. 1 (p. 62) in class Oral in-class exercise: pp.63-64; pp. 65-66 either in class or as homework Write simple lead from new set of facts Oral correction of writing problems Exchange homework, grade in class Lecture: Stereotypes (Bender pp. 67 - 77) Oral exercises Bender pp. 67 -73; perhaps Ex. 5 as homework Write more complex lead from new set of facts Oral correction of writing problems Photo Design (Power Point) Class exercise (weather permitting): Multiple distances, light effects, texture around Joan of Arc Chapel; return to classroom, download images, put them in Weebly. Crop the

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best one. 5.1 Write more complex lead from new set of facts Oral correction of writing problems Students demo their best photos from previous day Lecture: Newswriting Style terms from Ch. 4, Language of News In class oral: Ex 1 4 Homework: Ex. 6 & 7 Write simple lead from new set of facts Oral correction of writing problems Exchange homework, grade in class Lecture: News Values (Bender Ch. 5), Objectivity, accuracy, fairness and balance (Hbk. Pp. 24 -29) In-class discussion of Ex. 1, p. 122-125 Lecture 2: Pick up on what to avoid in leads (Bender, pp.195-199) In class/complete as homework: Ch. 8, Ex. 2. From one set of facts write a lead beginning with each of the 5Ws and H Oral correction of writing problems Exchange homework, grade in class Lecture 1: Storytelling Forms (Hbk. Pp. 42-76) Lecture 2: Libel, privacy (Bender Ch.6) (Hbk. 11) Write a lead from new set of facts or use one from Bender pp. 206 -211) Oral correction of writing problems; discuss each type of the 5Ws and H.+ Lecture: Alternative Leads (Bender, Ch. 9) In class: discussion of Ex. 1 (pp. 232-233) Homework: Ex. 2 or 3: write in standard format Write a lead from new set of facts or use one from Bender pp. 206 -211) Oral correction of writing problems Collect homework, put samples on digital image projector for discussion

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Lecture: Body of a News Story (Bender, Ch. 10) Pull up stories from web editions of major papers for class discussion Homework: one set of facts from Exercise Ch. 10. 7.2 Write a lead from new set of facts from the story pool. Oral correction of writing problems Return graded homework; collect homework Lecture: Quotations direct and indirect, attribution (Hbk. P. 113). In class discussion: Ch. 11 Ex 1 and 2 Homework: a story from the exercise pool or Ex. 4. Write a 4/5 paragraph story from the exercise pool heavy on quotations. Oral correction of writing problems Lecture: Portraits and Group Shots (Power Point) Demonstration: convert color image to gray scale in PhotoShop & save new version. Exercise: Pair up with a camera from the Wakerly and take each others portrait; form a group of 4 and take a portrait of 3 and an award granting photo. Download photos, put in Weebly account. Crop and adjust balance of one of each: portrait, group of 3, award granting. Students create one set in color, one in B/W Write a 4/5 paragraph story fact set in the pool heavy on quotations. Oral correction of writing problems Students demonstrate their photos Lecture: How to read a resume, prepare questions for an interview. (Hbk. P. 104) Ethical dimensions (Hbk. 14) Handout: a resume Homework: Prepare a set of questions from the resume for an interview next class Write a 4/5 paragraph story fact set in the pool that is heavy on quotation. Oral correction of writing problems In-class interview. Take photo to go with the story Homework: write an interview story, submit with a photo Write a 4/5 paragraph story fact set in the pool that is heavy on quotations. Oral correction of writing problems Debrief students on the interview session Lecture: Covering Speeches and Meetings (Bender Ch. 15) Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a speech in the pool Oral correction of writing problems Lecture: Multiple Item Stories (e.g., Wisconsin legislature, Milwaukee Common Council) examples from newspaper web sites. Homework: write a 6/7 paragraph story from a multiple-incident fact set. Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a multiple item fact set in the pool Oral correction of writing problems Collect homework Lecture: Tweets and Blogs (Hbk. 96 - 98) Exercise: Open and Twitter site, Blog site

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Write a 4/5 paragraph story fact set in the pool Oral correction of writing problems Lecture: Role of news media in social environment (Handbook pp. 7-10; homework p. 10) Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a fact set in the pool Oral correction of writing problems Lecture: Feature Stories (Bender, Ch. 15; Hbk. Pp. 72-80; 85 -94) Homework: Check out a camera and write the story chosen from the site list (appendix) Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a fact set in the pool Oral correction of writing problems. Lecture: Stopping action, panning for action Exercise: Check out cameras, use shutter speed to stop motion of a bicyclist on campus, pan to background for bicyclist. Download images into Weebly account. Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a fact set in the pool Oral correction of writing problems. Review student photos on stopping action Lecture: Specialized News Stories (Bender Ch. 16) Opinion Stories (pp. 96 -97) Homework: Students bring to class at least one story that fits the specialized stories types to class from websites of online newspapers. Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a fact set in the pool. Oral correction of writing problems. Lecture: Dealing with numbers (Digital I Handbook pp. 115 131 Exercise: from handbook Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a fact set in the pool that involves statistical data Oral correction of writing problems. Lecture: Online data bases Exercise: from handbook, p. 122. Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a fact set in the pool that involves numerical data Oral correction of writing problems. Lecture: Reading data on an issue In class work: form teams to work on Exercise 1, p. 127 and have each team answer the question On p. 128 or create your own as suggested on p. 131. Feature: Profile Write a 4/5 paragraph story from a fact set in the pool that involves numerical data Oral correction of writing problems. Observation (Hbk. P. 102) Lecture: Night Photography (Power Point) Assign: Final Project: Each student chooses a different store around Wells St. and 16th and 17th Streets. Take daytime and night photos of the store, interview the owner or someone who there. Write a 3-page story and include at least 3 photos, including the owner or someone who works there. No class, individual meetings. Final class

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Assignment appendix Personal Bio You have just won the Milwaukee Press Club Writing Award, a $2,500.00 scholarship for your feature story on a college students perspective on life in Milwaukee. Write a 5-6 paragraph biography which will be included in the brochure for the Press Clubs awards. Be sure to includes what you hope to be doing 5 years after graduation from MU, your previous education, any journalism related work and education youve had in the past, your high school, hometown(s), and something about your parents and family. If someone has been particularly inspirational for you, think about including that also.

J1100 Site Story possibilities 1) Table where Pres. Bill Clinton and German Chancellor Kohl ate dinner at Miss Katie's 2) Special Mexican drinks in lunch area at Mercado El Ray on S. 16th 3) Elevator doors, renovations at Ambassador Hotel 4) Armless crucifix at Joan of Arc 5) Statue of Fonzie from "Happy Days" 6) Kehr's Candies (Public Market) 7) St. Paul Fish (Public Market) 8) Pere Marquette Park 9) Turner Hall 10) Army Surplus, 700 block of W. Wisconsin 11) Monument at Milwaukee Fire Station #1 12) Uhle tobacco store 13) Old St Mary's Church 14) Mader's 15) House of Peace 16) Gertie the duck 17) Milwaukee Rescue Mission 18) An exhibit at the Milwaukee County Historical Society 19) Discovery World 20) Statue of Gen. Douglas McArthur