SALEM STATE COLLEGE, Spring 2008
COM 371 – News Reporting and Writing
Meeting time/place: MWF 1:30-2:20, MH 303
Professor Brett M. Rhyne
telephone: 978-542-7088
e-mail: brett.rhyne@salemstate.edu
Office hours: WF 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m., MH 100B
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Catalogue Description: A continuation of COM 370, Fundamentals of News Writing,
this course stresses research, reporting principles and key formats. Students will conduct library and computer-oriented research, practice reportorial interviewing skills, and write articles on business, the courts, local government, sports and other beats.
Global goals: This course is the second in a series of communications department
courses designed to develop and strengthen all facets of students’ journalistic thinking,
writing and editing skills, as well as to help them become more familiar with journalistic
concepts and practices. Students are expected to become familiar with
• traditional and emerging reporting forms and techniques;
• a wide variety of advanced news story genres and forms;
• the context of the news of the day.
Course objectives: By course’s end, students will be able to
• pitch stories using a nut graf;
• produce four types of hard and three types of soft news stories;
• be able to produce stories for print, broadcast/podcast and the Web; and
• think and converse critically about the news of the day.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT (GRADING)
The percentage values of graded assignments are in parentheses.
If you miss class, you are responsible for the work you miss. This includes the distribution and, especially, filing of assignments on deadline; absence is not an acceptable reason for missing a deadline. If you have a legitimate reason for missing class, please notify me ahead of time. If you do miss class, for any reason, get the work you missed from your colleagues, not from me; remember, they are your best resource.
Required texts:
• On The Record: An insider’s guide to journalism (2002), Tom Wicker, available at the campus bookstore, online, and from previous students of mine.
• Read The New York Times weekdays.
10 textbook quizzes (TQ-A through TQ-J) (15 percent). These quizzes are designed to gauge your understanding of the textbook, Tom Wicker’s On The Record, as well as prepare you for Wednesday’s class discussion. I suggest you look at each quiz first before reading the chapter, as a guide; read the chapter; then take the quiz. Textbook quizzes will only be available for the one week indicated on the syllabus. Please be aware the chapters are not assigned for reading in order.
12 news quizzes (NQ1 through NQ12) (15 percent). These short quizzes are designed to gauge your knowledge of the news of the day as reported in The New York Times. Quizzes are graded on a scale of 10 and may be curved up to the highest score.
Seven news stories (10 percent each).
1. A breaking news story, written for the Web
2. A hard news story, produced as an audio podcast
3. A news-you-can-use story, produced as a video podcast
4. A human interest story, produced as a video podcast
5. A horserace news piece, written as a newspaper story
6. An exclusive, written as a newspaper story
7. A backgrounder, written as a newspaper story
Class participation (XC – 5 percent). Being able to express your ideas about stories (yours and others’) is an essential part of our craft. Class participation is expected. Extra credit will be awarded based on a formula of attendance x quality of participation.
There is no final examination for this course.
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. Deadlines for each assignment will be discussed in class, and must be met. Reporters will be penalized for filing stories after deadline.
Copy presentation. Please make sure your stories for print are double-spaced, with 12 pt. Times or Times New Roman font. TV scripts should follow TV script form. Examples of correct filing form are available on this course’s WebCT homepage. BOTH PRINT STORIES AND TV SCRIPTS should include, in the upper left-hand corner, this information:
Your by-line Hunter S. Thompson
Course/Instructor COM 370/Rhyne
Date Jan. 23, 2008
SLUG ROP-Fear&Loathing.012308.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.
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 Office for Students with
Disabilities and obtain appropriate services.
