SALEM STATE COLLEGE, Fall 2007
COM 370 – Fundamentals of News Writing
Meeting time/place: WF, 11 a.m.-12:15 a.m., MH 303
Professor Brett M. Rhyne
telephone: 978-542-7088 office: MH100B
e-mail: brett.rhyne@salemstate.edu
Office hours: WF, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. and by appointment, MH 100B
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Catalogue description: News Writing covers the fundamentals of writing news stories
and covering news events. Emphasis will be upon writing a range of news ledes, and
developing and organizing news stories and obituaries.
Global goals: This is the first course in the journalism sequence; as such, it covers the
basics of writing news and working as a reporter at an information company. Students are expected to become familiar with
• a wide variety of basic news story genres and forms;
• the structure of information companies and the information industry; and
• the news of the day and AP style.
Course objectives: By course’s end, student will be able to
• write news briefs and convert press releases into news briefs, write talk stories, meeting
stories and obituaries, pitch stories with a nut graf, and understand the difference
between, functions of, and when to apply direct and delayed ledes appropriately;
• think critically about the news industry and read a newspaper critically; and
• converse intelligently about the news of the day and use proper AP style.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT (GRADING)
The percentage values of graded assignments are in parentheses.
Seven news briefs (25 percent). Due every other Monday, these news briefs are
intended to give students practice in this essential journalistic form. The lowest grade of
the seven will be dropped. Please take these seriously, since briefs may be forwarded to
the student newspaper for publication at the instructor’s discretion; your grade in this
course is based solely on your performance in this class, and is not connected in any way to the student newspaper.
Textbook quizzes (20 percent). These 10 short quizzes are designed to gauge your
understanding of the textbook, Tom Wicker’s On The Record. I suggest you look at each
quiz first before reading the chapter, as a guide; read the chapter; then take the quiz.
Textbook quizzes are graded on a letter scale, and are not curved. You may take these
quizzes on WebCT at any time; they must all be completed by Monday, Dec. 3. I strongly
encourage you not to wait until you’re up against deadline to read the book and take the
quizzes.
Entry/exit exam (10 percent). Given at the beginning and the end of the course, these
take-home exams are designed to gauge how well students have learned the course
material. The entry exam serves a baseline against which the exit exam is measured.
Twelve news & style quizzes (10 percent). These short quizzes are designed to gauge
your knowledge of the news of the day and your correct usage of AP style. You are
encouraged to use the AP Stylebook as a reference.
One talk story (10 percent). You need to attend a talk of your choosing and write a story
about it.
One meeting story (10 percent). You must attend one SGA meeting (Tuesdays, 4:30
p.m., MLK Room) during the semester and write a story about it; we will agree on a
schedule in class.
One obituary (5 percent). A graded exercise writing an obit.
Four short assignments (2.5 percent each = 10 percent). Four graded exercises to help
you practice crucial skills: writing a direct lede, writing a delayed lede, writing a nut graf,
and localizing a national story.
Class participation (XC – 5 percent). I encourage you all to participate fully, since this
is the best way for us to establish a relationship and for me to offer you guidance and
evaluate your abilities. The most important criteria is that writers show
conscientiousness, enthusiasm and creativity while doing their work. Extra credit also
will be given for active participation at The Log, which means attending weekly staff
meetings. The Log staff meets Mondays at 11 a.m. (community time) in the Log office,
Ellison Campus Center basement.
There is no final examination for this course.
Required texts:
• On The Record: An insider’s guide to journalism (2002), Tom Wicker, available at the
campus bookstore and online; there is also a copy on 24-hour loan at the Library.
• AP Stylebook (2007), Norm Goldstein, ed., available from the instructor ($12).
• The Salem State Log Stylebook & Handbook (Fall 2007), available from the instructor
($1).
• Read the Boston Globe weekdays.
Attendance. Attendance is mandatory for all scheduled class meetings. If you think you
are going to miss a class meeting, please notify me in advance. You are responsible for
all class assignments, regardless of your attendance. Please do not contact me to get work you have missed; in these cases, your classmates are your best resources.
Deadlines. Reporters have deadlines because other members of the production team rely on them to file their stories on time. It’s good practice for you to file your stories to me on — or before — their deadlines; please file them as a Word e-mail attachment to me at brett.rhyne@salemstate.edu. All deadlines for this course are 11:59 p.m. of the evening the assignment is due. Assignments filed late will not be accepted, unless the late filing has been previously agreed to by me.
Copy presentation. Please make sure your stories are double-spaced, 12 pt. Times
Roman font, and include, in the upper left-hand corner, this information:
Your by-line Hunter S. Thompson
Course/Instructor COM 370/Rhyne
Date May 24, 2006
SLUG ROP-Fear&Loathing.81.1.doc [section, story, vol.:iss., file type]
Word count/inches 350 words/12 inches [30 words = approx. 1 col.-in.]
Slugs. Slugs belong in three places: the story header, the file name, and the subject line of the e-mail.
Laptop policy: A laptop computer is becoming an increasingly important resource for
reporters. By using well-equipped laptops, mobile journalists — “mojos” — can
communicate with their editors, research, write and file their stories without ever having
to go to the newsroom. While a laptop is not a requirement for this course, I would
strongly encourage you to bring yours to class and use it to report, write and file your
stories. Many laptops are able to record conservations; if you want to record any
conversation with your laptop, remember that Massachusetts law requires you to ask the permission of the person you are recording.
When you bring your laptop to class, you are expected to use it appropriately and
responsibly. Appropriate laptop-related behaviors include making sure your laptop
battery is charged before coming to class; keeping the sound muted at all times; being
punctual so as to avoid disrupting class when setting up your laptop; closing your laptop during class discussions, video/film viewings or when I ask you to; and not using instant message programs, Web browsers, media players or any program not directly related to the course during class time. If you choose not to follow these rules/procedures, you will be asked to leave and withdraw from the class. I reserve the right to expand on these rules and procedures during the semester. Please see me if you have any questions or concerns with these rules/procedures or if you need to discuss the use of the laptop with me.
SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT AND THE AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Salem State College is committed to providing equal access to the educational experience for all students in compliance with Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act and to providing all reasonable academic
accommodations, aids, and adjustments. Any student who has a documented disability
requiring accommodation, aid, or adjustment should speak with the instructor
immediately. Students with disabilities who have not done so should provide
documentation to and schedule an appointment with the Officer for Students with
Disabilities and obtain appropriate services.
CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK 1: BRIEFS & CONVERTED PRESS RELEASES
(1) Wednesday, Sept. 5: Introduction to course; quiz #1
(2) Friday, Sept. 7: The Log publishes
WEEKS 2-3: STAND-ALONES & DIRECT LEDES
Monday, Sept. 10: brief #1 due
(3) Wednesday, Sept. 12: discussion: filing form & slugs, briefs, stand-alones and
contemporary story form
(4) Friday, Sept. 14: news quiz #2; AP style quiz A; discussion: police stories,
accidents and disasters
Monday, Sept. 17: The Log publishes; entry exam due
(5) Wednesday, Sept. 19
(6) Friday, Sept. 21: quiz #3; direct lede assignment due
WEEKS 4-5: MEETING & TALK STORIES
Monday, Sept. 24: brief #2 due
(7) Wednesday, Sept. 26
(8) Friday, Sept. 28: quiz #4
Monday, Oct. 1: The Log publishes
(9) Wednesday, Oct. 3
(10) Friday, Oct. 5: quiz #5
WEEK 6: WHERE DO STORIES COME FROM?
Monday, Oct. 8: Columbus Day (no class); brief #3 due
(11) Wednesday, Oct. 10
(12) Friday, Oct. 12: quiz #6
WEEK 7: NEWS VALUES
Monday, Oct. 15: The Log publishes
(13) Wednesday, Oct. 17: localizing a national story assignment due
(14) Friday, Oct. 19: quiz #7
WEEK 8: NUT GRAFS & PITCHING STORIES
Monday, Oct. 22: brief #4 due
(15) Wednesday, Oct. 24
(16) Friday, Oct. 26: quiz #8
WEEK 9: NEWSPAPER STRUCTURE & THE BEAT SYSTEM
Monday, Oct. 29: The Log publishes
(17) Wednesday, Oct. 31: nut graf assignment due; discussion: the three-legged stool,
the desk system
(18) Friday, Nov. 2: quiz #9
COM 370 Fundamentals of News Writing syllabus – p. 5
WEEKS 10-11: DELAYED LEDES
Monday, Nov. 5: Veteran’s Day; brief #5 due
(19) Wednesday, Nov. 7
(20) Friday, Nov. 9: quiz #10
Monday, Nov. 12: The Log publishes
(21) Wednesday, Nov. 14
(22) Friday, Nov. 16: quiz #11; delayed lede assignment due
WEEKS 12-13: OBITS
Monday, Nov. 19: brief #6 due
(23) Wednesday, Nov. 22
Friday, Nov. 24: no class – Thanksgiving break
Monday, Nov. 26: The Log publishes
(24) Wednesday, Nov. 28
(25) Friday, Nov. 30: quiz #12; obits due
WEEK 14: HISTORY & ECONOMICS OF JOURNALISM
Monday, Dec. 3: brief #7 due; last day to complete textbook quizzes (online)
(26) Wednesday, Dec. 5: discussion: jobs in journalism
(27) Friday, Dec. 7: last day of class; course evaluations; exit exam due