NEWS REPORTING

MCOM 383

Instructor: Prof. Beth Haller

Phone: 704-2442

Office: VB 205B

Email: bhaller@towson.edu

Web page: http://www.towson.edu/users/bhalle/ 

Course prerequisites:

You MUST have already taken and passed MCOM 255 (Newswriting) with a C or better. You CANNOT take this class concurrently with Newswriting. 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.

Course description:

MCOM 383 is a reporting and writing course with an emphasis on public affairs reporting. You will learn to gather news, report on a variety of news beats, and research news stories for accuracy, comprehensiveness and interpretation. Everything you write should have correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You should evaluate all your stories for completeness, taste, and readability as well. Your goal will be to write with clarity and accuracy under deadline pressure. The kinds of information gathering and writing you learn in this class should be applicable to writing for newspapers, magazines, public relations releases, corporate publications, newsletters, etc., all of which expect good writing and reporting of information.

Textbooks/:

An Introduction to News Reporting: A Beginning Journalist’s Guide by Yopp and Haller

The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual

The Baltimore Sun (Read it daily)

Supplies:

Three-ring binder for stringbook

A calculator

Computer disks or a JumpDrive

Course format:

You should already know how to write basic news stories, so this class will function as a reporting and writing workshop. We will undertake in-class assignments to familiarize you with certain aspects of news reporting. We will also be covering the Towson campus as reporters on a variety of beats. Because meeting deadlines is one of the most important concepts in news reporting, late papers will be lowered by one letter grade for each day they are late. My lectures will highlight the book, but you should read the chapters carefully yourself and will be expected to apply the material learned in your writing and on exams. You will be expected to read each day's Baltimore Sun to keep up with the highlights of each day's news. Unannounced current events quizzes may be given sporadically.

Grading:

Stringbook: 70 percent

In class work/attendance: 10 percent

Midterm: 10 percent

Final: 10 percent

Grading criteria for written assignments and course in general: (I expect you all to produce the best written work of which you are capable.)

90 - 100           (“A” or “A-“) Publishable work. It is a story that is clear, interesting, and well-written. It has thorough reporting, good organization, effective quotes, smooth transitions and no spelling, grammar, 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-“) Publishable with some editing. It may have some minor spelling or grammatical errors. The lead is effective. The body is cohesive and well-organized. The reporting covers almost all of the important information. 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+” or “C”) Requires extensive editing to publish. Several sections must be rewritten. The lead may be buried or fail to focus on the most important aspects of the story. The body of the story is disorganized and contains many minor errors. In reporting, it missed some pertinent information. 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 or work.

60 - 69             (“D+” or “D”) Needs a complete rewrite to be published. The facts are presented ineffectively. The story contains an unacceptable number of spelling, grammar, or accuracy errors. 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")* Contains major factual error(s). Names are misspelled. The facts are so distorted that they could not be rewritten and published. 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 medical reasons or documented circumstances beyond their control" (Towson University Undergraduate Catalog).

* 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).

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.

ASSIGNMENTS

NOTE: Please take care to keep up with your beat stories. If you have not completed at least 9 stories, including several of the longer stories, by Nov. 6, you should WITHDRAW from the class.

STRINGBOOK -- You will be assigned to a variety of beats, both on campus and off, and will produce at least 3 stories per week from these beats (about 21 stories total). At the end of the semester, you will turn in the stringbook, which contains all your semester’s beat coverage. Six to seven of the stories in your final stringbook must be:

* One speech or event story (must be at least 1,000 words and contain at least 3 human sources.)

* One SGA meeting story (must contain more than just what went on at the meeting. Please follow up on at least one significant topic discussed by interviewing those involved with the topic.)

* Two or three police stories (on-campus or off, which should combine a police report with comments from a spokesperson. Please attach police report to story.)

* One education, business, OR sports story (must be at least 1,000 words and contain at least 3 human sources.)

* One feature or interview story (must be at least 1,000 words and contain at least 3 human sources.)

* Many of your other beat stories may be short briefs or elaboration of news or events happening around campus. wwwnew.towson.edu/pressroom/newsroom.html can help generate story ideas.

            Exchanges:  I greatly reward published clips so a published story counts as 2 in the stringbook. Your published clip should follow the criteria of a news or feature story presented in this class. (i.e. it should not be a rewrite of a press release, a rehash of another publication's story, an opinion piece, column, or entertainment review.) The published articles should be included in the stringbook. You are encouraged to go to The Towerlight at the beginning of the semester, so you can give them any beat stories for publication. It is also acceptable to receive story ideas or assignments from Towerlight editors. Published or not, they can be included in your stringbook.

The stringbook beat story assignments will be due weekly. (You should aim for 3 per week but 2 one week and 4 another is acceptable occasionally.) Each story in the stringbook should include:

            * The completed story, typed, double-spaced, in proper news format and AP style.

* Source list (Names, titles, phone numbers, possibly age and address if relevant) of all people or information used in the story and the date of the interview. (Stories without source lists will not be graded).

* You must attach any document material, i.e. police reports, flyers, press releases, departmental documents, statistics, media guides, etc.

Note: Very short stories or briefs may not receive a letter grade but will be counted as a stringbook story if they are in proper news format and on a newsworthy or beat-related topic.

EXAMS -- These will be traditional tests with multiple choice, true-false, short answer, etc., as well as writing tests in which you will be give information and be expected to write a story. Material will come from the book, class notes, class discussion, and speakers.

                       GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN WORK IN NEWS REPORTING

            * Make sure you submit a story source list and attach any document materials with each story.

            * Do not plagiarize other people’s work. Cite a source whenever you use any information that did not specifically come from your brain.

            * Do not fabricate material or submit work you have done for another class. (Note: All work must be done DURING the current semester).

            * Stories must be typed, double-spaced, in correct news form, and follow correct news style.

            * Proofread and correctly copyedit your copy! All spelling. punctuation, grammar, AP style, and factual errors will cause you to lose grade points.

Rewrites:

You will be allowed to do rewrites on all stringbook assignments. If you make a 79 or below, you will be required to do a rewrite. Rewrites are due the next week. The original must be turned in again with the rewrite. Up to five points will be added to the original grade for a well-done rewrite.

 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:

            I do not tolerate plagiarism or fabrication of any kind. Journalists 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 Print Journalism:

            * Not citing the source of information used in a story.

            * Using other people's reporting notes. (You may, however, double check the accuracy of your facts and quotes with other reporters who attended the same interview or event.)

            * Using sentences or paragraphs from other people's stories or writings without giving credit or proper attribution. This means if you are using a press release as source material, you must cite the source and paraphrase it to put the release’s information into your own words.

            * Turning in someone else's story and pretending it is yours.

                                                 What is Fabrication in Print Journalism:

            * 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 you attended in the past. You must represent the information in a story accurately. For example, you must actually attend the meeting you are assigned to cover this semester.

            * 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. The case will be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs hearing process as well. The penalty for these offenses in stiff in journalism because if you commit these in a most media workplaces, you would be fired.