Office Hours:
8:30-9:30 a.m. TTH, 2 p.m.- 3 p.m. TTH, 6 - 7 p.m. Tuesdays, and by appointment. Feel free to send me E-mail messages with questions about the class.

Course prerequisites:
You MUST have already taken and passed MCOM 601 (Media Writing) with a C or better or have taken and passed undergraduate level journalistic writing classes. You should already know how to write basic news stories because this class will function as a reporting workshop.

Course description:
MCOM 715 is a reporting and writing course with an emphasis on public affairs reporting through research and data analysis. The kinds of information gathering 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.
You will learn to report on a variety of news beats, and research news stories for accuracy, comprehensiveness and interpretation.

Textbooks/Supplies:
Getting the Story by Schulte and Dufresne
Computer Assisted Reporting by Brant Houston
The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual (recommended)
A good paperback dictionary
The Baltimore Sun (Read it daily)

Course format:
We will undertake in-class data analysis techniques to familiarize you with certain aspects of news reporting. We will also discuss and hear speakers talk about a variety of reporting areas or beats. You will be required to cover several assignments from specific news 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. I will rarely be lecturing from 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 Sunto keep up with the highlights of each day's news.

Grading:
Midterm: 25 percent
In class work/attendance: 25 percent
Beat story: 25 percent
Final beat story: 25 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") 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 test, and have good questions and discussion in class.

80 - 89  ("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 test, and have good questions and discussion in class.

70 - 79  ("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 test, and have not participated in class discussions or work.

60 - 69  ("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 test, 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 test, 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 "illness or another reason beyond the control of the student." Unless the course is completed by the last day of the next semester, the I becomes an F. (Towson University Graduate Catalog, p. 16).

* 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. 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 Graduate Catalog, p. 17).
 

ASSIGNMENTS:
MIDTERM EXAM -- During the first half of the semester, you will learn to analyze spreadsheets and databases and use the Internet for news reporting research. All of this is known as computer-assisted reporting. The midterm will consist of material from the two textbooks, as well as you applying these skills to budgets and databases provided and knowing how to conduct research using the Internet.

BEAT STORIES -- You will be given a choice of a variety of beats for which you can undertake reporting projects. The beats on which you can conduct projects are courts, crime, education, business, politics, or science/environment. These should NOT be spot news or meeting/event/speech coverage. However, if you attend a meeting or speech that gives you the idea for the reporting project, it is fine to include material from that event in the larger story. In fact, I will have a list of some Baltimore County government meetings and attending several will give you ideas for your beat stories.

-- Beat story 1 should include:
 * Reason for the reporting project idea (To be turned in at least a week before the story is due).
 * Source list (Names, titles, phone numbers, possibly age and address if relevant) of all people or information used in the story.
 * The completed story typed, double-spaced, in proper news format and AP style. (1000- 1500 words)
 * Attach a document list, i.e. a list of flyers, press releases, departmental/agency documents, court cases, statistics, media guides, etc. that you used in the story.
 * Illustration/graphic potential. Make the illustration assignment that might go with the story. Is there a statistical chart that might best illustrate your story?
 DEADLINE: April 14.
 

-- Final Beat story should include:
 * Reason for the reporting project idea (To be turned in at least a week before the story is due).
 * Source list (Names, titles, phone numbers, possibly age and address if relevant) of all people or information used in the story.
 * The completed story typed, double-spaced, in proper news format and AP style. (1500- 2000 words)
 * Attach a document list, i.e. a list of flyers, press releases, departmental/agency documents, court cases, statistics, media guides, etc. that you used in the story.
 * Illustration/graphic potential. Make the illustration assignment that might go with the story. Is there a statistical chart that might best illustrate your story?
 DEADLINE: May 19.
 

PRACTICUM OPTION --  Because hands-on media experience is so crucial, you have the option of doing your beat stories for The Baltimore Sun Baltimore County Bureau, 1300 Bellona Ave. (where Charles St. and the 495 beltway intersect). (Your practicum CANNOT be done during class time!) The contact person is David Rosenthal, the Bureau Chief, 410-494- 2920. If you would like to have two published beat stories at the end of the semester, you should talk with him about a story you could do that would fit the needs of the Bureau and meet the assignment criteria. (Please talk with me if you have questions about whether the story meets my assignment criteria).

 GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN WORK IN NEWS REPORTING
 * Make sure you submit a story source list 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.
 * Stories must be typed, double-spaced, in correct news form, and follow correct news style.
 * Proofread and correctly copy edit 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 rewrite on beat story 1. If you make a 79 or below, you will be required to do a rewrite. Rewrites are due within a week. The original should 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 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.
 * 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 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. 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.
 
 
 READING SCHEDULE:

WEEK & READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS
(Readings are for the week and should be read before attending class.)
  Newswriting review
Jan.  27 Getting the Story, Chap. 1
________
  Journalistic Tools
Feb. 3 Getting the Story, Chap. 2-3
________
  Computer-Assisted Reporting and Government
Feb 10 Getting the Story, Chap. 4
    Computer-Assisted Reporting, Chap. 1-2
________
  Spreadsheets and government reporting
Feb. 17 Getting the Story, Chap. 5
    Computer-Assisted Reporting, Chap. 3 (Bring book and disk to class)
________
  Analyzing Databases
Feb. 24 Getting the Story, Chap. 6
    Computer-Assisted Reporting, Chap. 4 (Bring book and disk to class)
________
  Analyzing Databases
March 3  Getting the Story, Chap. 7
    Computer-Assisted Reporting, Chap. 5, 9 (Bring book and disk to class)
________
  Internet/Web research for reporting
March 10 Getting the Story, Chap. 8
    Computer-Assisted Reporting, Chap. 6-8 (Bring book and disk to class)
________

March 17 Midterm
_______
March 23-29  SPRING BREAK
_______

Note: You may want to read ahead if you plan to write a beat story that we have not discussed in class yet.
_______
  Beats: Courts
March  31 Getting the Story, Chap. 9-10
_______
  Beats: Crime
April 7  Getting the Story, Chap. 11-12
_______
  Beats: Education
April 14 Getting the Story, Chap. 13
  Beat story one due
_______
  Beats: Politics
April 21 Getting the Story, Chap. 14
_______
  Beats: Business
April 28 Getting the Story, Chap. 15-16
_______
  Beats: Environment and Science
May 5 Getting the Story, Chap. 17-18
_______
 
May 12 Lab time/brainstorming with professor on final beat story

Final exam: May 19, Final Beat story due