JOUR A110: News Writing and Reporting

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	12/02/2020
Top Code	060200 - Journalism
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S), Pass/No Pass (B)

Course Description

Beginning journalists will acquire the skills to write practical news stories under deadline pressure with a focus on accuracy, balance, and style. Writing assignments will include police stories, obituaries, speech coverage, round-ups, and feature stories. ADVISORY: ENGL C1000 or concurrent enrollment. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: JOUR 110.C-ID: JOUR 110.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Write a completely balanced news article utilizing reporting, research and writing skills traditional to journalistic style.

Course Objectives

1. Demonstrate an ability to write a clear and concise lead.
2. Accurately use the Associated Press Stylebook and other reference materials.
3. Demonstrate a basic understanding of what is news and how to report as evidenced in the types of stories and topics students develop.
4. Demonstrate accuracy and balance newspaper writing and editing.
5. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the First Amendment and journalistic responsibility in the articles students write.
6. Form the skills needed to progress onto the campus newspaper or enroll in a feature writing class.
7. Conduct a thorough, informative information-gathering interview.
8. Cover a mock press conference and produce a full new story of the event.

Lecture Content

Students will learn to report and write for newspapers under the following outline: ONE Introduction to newspapers with a suggestion that one is read daily. Discussion of the First Amendment. Discussion of newspapers importance in society. Require each student to get a computer log-on. Overview of the textbook and instruction on using references for accuracy. TWO Discussion of what is news. Discussion importance of accuracy and balance. Discussion on leads and the need for simple, complete sentences. Instruction on writing complete sentences, not headlines. Writing assignment – first person overview of student using short, concise sentences. Review editing marks. THREE Overview of Associated Press style and introduction to stylebook. Group discussion on leads and group writing a lead using the First Amendment as news story. Current events quiz. Reading assignments from textbook Discussion of writing in the past tense. Writing assignment – leads. FOUR Style quiz Edit leads and rewrite if needed Review common mistakes – assume your reader knows nothing. Writing assignment – leads. FIVE Discussion of inverted pyramid and information presented in order of importance. Avoid chronologies Details of writing – avoid formal language Writing for the reader. Review of common mistakes in leads assignment and rewriting. Current events quiz SIX Current events quiz Discussion of sexism and political correctness. Objectivity SEVEN Importance of accuracy in obituary writing. Writing assignment da sh; write own obituary. EIGHT Review common mistakes in writing obituaries. Interview another student in the class for obit. Write another students obit with accuracy. Discussion of use of attribution and correct grammar. NINE Discussion of police reporting. How to get information. Dangers of using police jargon in stories. Writing assignment – rewrite police blotter item. Discussion of attribution, when to clean up quotes, how to punctuate. TEN Guest lecturer from local police department. Student note taking on lecture. Writing assignment to cover the police speech. ELEVEN Discussion of common errors in police speech coverage. Accuracy of quotes and content. Discussion of more complicated stories. Rewrite police speech story TWELVE Discuss again inverted pyramid. Mock press conference with questions from crowd. Write press conference story. THIRTEEN Review mistakes in press conference stories. Deadline assignment to interview three strangers on campus and write story. FOURTEEN Discussion on developing a story from a news tip to a publishable article. Interview a stranger on most important thing that happened in their lives. Write story. FIFTEEN Cover live event. Write event story on deadline. SIXTEEN Outline final project guidelines and expectations and give final project assignments. Help with contacts, questions and outlines. SEVENTEEN Offer guidance on final project. Do first edit of stories. Rewrite stories. Project deadline is day and time of final exam.

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Live Online Lecture (02S)

Instructional Techniques

Instructor lecture in the techniques used by journalists coupled with deadline reporting and writing skills developed in a newsroom-like setting.

Reading Assignments

As directed by instructor from textbook selection

Writing Assignments

Students will write news and feature stories with minimal style and spelling errors and will demonstrate an understanding of what makes news. Stories will reflect an understanding of basic journalistic style.

Out-of-class Assignments

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will write and rewrite a variety of news, feature, interview, mock press conference, and speech stories throughout the semester. Clarity of understanding of journalistic techniques and obligations will be demonstrated in student work.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Jacobsen, S., Minthorn, D., Christian, D. The Associated Press Stylebook, 10th ed. Chicago: Associated Press, 2012 Rationale: latest 2. Required Fedler, Fred, et al. . Reporting for the Media, 10th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 2012 Rationale: -

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