MAGAZINE PUBLISHING, MCOM 359
Instructor: Prof. Beth Haller
Phone: 410-704-2442
Office: Van Bokkelen 205B
E-mail: bhaller@towson.edu
Web page: http://pages.towson.edu/bhalle/
Course Objectives:
Who should take Magazine Publishing?
· Each student will be expected to contribute at least two stories to the final magazine developed, so only students who have already taken MCOM 255 (Newswriting) or MCOM 357 (Public Relations Writing) can take Magazine Publishing. You CANNOT take this class concurrently with Newswriting or PR Writing. The records of all students on the class list will be checked in the computer to verify that they have the prerequisite. Please drop the class if you do not meet the prerequisite.
· Students with plenty of time outside of class to devote to the group magazine project, which is a major portion of the grade. Everyone in the group will have a hand in researching, writing, editing, and designing the final magazine.
· Students who are self-starters and creative, but can work with a group. All magazines are group efforts, so you will need to learn to coordinate your work to produce all aspects of the magazine, just as this takes place in the “real world.”
· Students who can meet deadlines and follow directions. Because you will be creating an entire magazine, you will have to make sure each component is completed on time. Your work will affect the entire group so you must behave conscientiously and complete the assignments expected from you.
· Precision writers and editors who like a challenge. Sloppy assignments are doomed because every typo, spelling mistake, grammar mistake, loses points and with a 72-page magazine that can mean a low grade very quickly.
Required Textbooks/Supplies:
The Magazine from Cover to Cover, by Johnson and Prijatel
Magazines that you will purchase on your own
A JumpDrive to be used for your group’s prototype. (Cost should be split by the group.)
Individual computer disks for stories and single photos.
Grading:
Magazine Analysis: 15 percent
Midterm: 15 percent
Final Exam: 15 percent
Group Magazine Project: 40 percent (Half of grade is group grade for prototype and half is for student’s individual participation.)
In-class assignments/Attendance/Class participation: 15 percent
Grading criteria for written assignments and course in general: (Whenever written assignments are given, I expect you all to produce the best written work of which you are capable.)
90 - 100 ("A" & “A-“) On the written assignments, this means the paper is clear, organized coherently, and well-written. It is an effective discussion of the topic. It has no spelling, grammar, format, or accuracy errors. In terms of the course, this means you have almost perfect attendance, scores in this range on the tests, and have good questions and discussion in class.
80 - 89 ("B+", “B” & “B-“) On the written assignments, the paper is cohesive and well-organized, although it may have some minor spelling or grammatical errors. The discussion covers almost all of the important information and follows proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have good attendance, scores in this range on the tests, and have good questions and discussion in class.
70 - 79 ("C+" & “C”) On the written assignments, the paper is disorganized and contains many minor errors. The discussion missed some pertinent information or does not follow proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have poor attendance, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions.
60 - 69 ("D") On the written assignments, the paper ineffectively discusses the topic; it is not coherent or understandable. It contains an unacceptable number of spelling, grammar errors and/or inaccurate information or does not follow proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have missed more classes than you have attended, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions. Students may receive upper level elective credit with a D, but this course will not count among MCOM credits.
Below 60 ("F")* The paper contains major factual error(s) related to the topic. The information presented is completely incorrect. The paper does not meet the requirements in page length, focus, or format. In terms of the course, this means you have missed more classes than you have attended, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions. If you are caught cheating in any way, you will automatically receive an F in the course. If you attend the final exam and your average is below 60, you will receive F rather than an FX.
("FX")* This is an administrative failure for non-attendance or failure to withdraw. If you do not withdraw from the course by Towson’s preset deadlines for the semester and stop attending the class, this is the grade you will receive.
("I") Incomplete. At Towson University, students may only receive an Incomplete with "verifiable circumstances" and “where students have completed most of the term” (Towson University Undergraduate Catalog). I recommend a medical withdrawal over an incomplete. In many years of teaching, I have had only one student finish an Incomplete.
* If you receive an F or FX, you may only repeat the course once. After repeating the course, students will only receive credit for the course once and the highest of the grades will be calculated. The lower grade will remain on the transcript with an "R" before it to indicate the course was repeated. For the transcript to reflect the repeated course, students MUST submit a Repeated Course Form to the Records Office. Transcript adjustments are NOT automatic (Towson University Undergraduate Catalog).
Guidelines for all assignments
* No late papers will be accepted after the last day of the semester’s classes.
* Any late papers will lose up to a letter grade for each day they are late.
* Do not plagiarize or fabricate.
Academic Dishonesty:
I do not tolerate plagiarism or fabrication of any kind. You should adhere to the University's policy on cheating and plagiarism. If you are caught breaking this policy, you will be prosecuted to the full extent that the policy allows. You should adhere to the highest possible standards of ethical behavior for this class.
* All assignments must be typed in the form requested and should contain your name, the date, and the assignment topic in the upper left-hand corner. (No folders or binders are necessary for papers. Just staple the pages together.)
* Proofread and correctly edit your papers!
Students with Disabilities:
If you are registered with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), please see your instructor during the first two weeks of class to arrange your specific accommodations. If you believe you may need accommodation and have not registered with OSD, please do so by calling ext. 42638.
Student Athletes:
Within the first two weeks of class, you must have a letter from the coach explaining your place on the team and a schedule of any away games or competitions during the semester. You must take any tests and prepare any assignments that conflict with this schedule before the test or due date, not after.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
I DO NOT tolerate plagiarism or fabrication of any kind. Magazine publishers value their integrity and strive to present the truth to their audiences to the best of their ability. You will be asked to live up to these standards as well. You should adhere to Towson's policy on cheating and plagiarism. If you are caught breaking this policy, you will be prosecuted to the full extent that the policy allows.
What is Plagiarism in Magazine Publishing:
* Not citing the source of information used in a story. If you use information from a press release, you must cite it as the source as well.
* Using sentences or paragraphs from other people's stories or writings without giving credit.
* Using someone else's story and pretending it is yours.
* Copying text from the Internet and pretending you wrote it.
What is Fabrication in Magazine Publishing
* Making up direct or indirect quotes in stories. Quoted material should be what a real person actually said.
* Making up people, events, or facts in a story.
* Making up an entire story from an event that never happened.
* Making up a story from an event or interview you attended in the past. You must represent the information in a story accurately.
* Making up a story from other people's notes or other people's accounts of an event.
The Penalty:
* The penalty for plagiarism and/or fabrication of any assignment in this class is an automatic F in the course. If there is any dispute about whether the offense occurred, the case will be referred to a disciplinary hearing. The penalty for these offenses in stiff in journalism because if you commit these in a most media workplaces, you would be fired.
Except for advertisements, all content for the magazine prototypes must be as original as possible. All stories in the magazine should be written by the group members and each story will have a source list that will be handed in separate from the final magazine. Within the articles, all sources should be properly attributed. However, if you use a sidebar that features essentially PR material, you also must give proper credit. Example: List provided by the Taos Chamber of Commerce. If you find a photo taken by someone else that you want to use, you must give full credit, i.e. it should have the photo credit accompanied by information about where it originally appeared. Example: Photo by J. W. Smith, Reuters. Originally published in People Magazine, August 17, 2001. Finally, much free clip art and photos are available on the Internet, but they will not reproduce in magazine quality because the dpi is too low. However, if you want to scan these in and there is permission for copying given on the site, you may use these. The photo editor of your magazine prototype must type up a list of all web sites, indicating which art or photos were copied from them, and submit it with the final magazine prototype.
Your attendance in this class will affect your grade in three important ways. First, your attendance will directly affect your grade if you miss more than two classes (see below for details). Secondly, a major portion of the grade in this course is the group magazine project. Your absences can hurt your group’s project (40% of the final grade), therefore affecting other students’ grades, which is unacceptable. Third, it has been my observation that students who have a casual attitude toward attendance almost always do not earn a passing grade because exams (30% of your grade) will come from class lectures and discussions. Therefore, attendance is integral to 85% of your final grade.
The roll will be taken at the beginning of each class. If you arrive at the class significantly late (20 minutes or more, leave class early, or have to be asked to leave class (disruptive behavior or sleeping), it will be counted as an absence. Two absences – for any reason – are allowed without affecting your final grade. Each absence after two will lower your final grade by 5% unless there is a written notification by a doctor or university official. Two or more absences (which means you have missed 2 weeks of class) could result in an F for the final grade regardless of your performance in the course.
You should use the “allowed absences” to cover all personal emergency situations, including common illness that requires rest at home or visit to a health clinic, death in the family, car problems, taking care of family or friends, etc. There are no additional “excused absences.” Exception may be made only in a case of a true medical emergency that requires extended hospitalization. In this case, you are allowed to miss up to three classes. However, you will be advised to seek a medical withdrawal from the course if you have to miss three or more weeks of classes.
Observance of religious holidays, recognized by the University of Maryland System, are not considered absences under this policy. Also, if you miss class for “participation in university activities at the request of university authorities (athletics, forensics, etc.),” it will not be considered an absence if you submit a letter from the coach/university official/professor explaining your place on the team/activity and a schedule of any away games or events during the semester. This letter must be submitted by the second week of the current semester. You must take any tests and prepare any assignments that conflict with this schedule before the test or due date, not after.
When you miss a class, it is your responsibility to cover all the information given during the class as soon as possible from someone in the class. This includes lecture notes, assignments, schedule changes, etc. It is a good idea for you to find someone for exchange of information for a missed class.