Term: Spring 2012
Course: CA370 - 101 Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. University Commons 1217

Instructor: John Sellers, M.A.
Intermediate Reporting and Writing
UCOM Adjunct Office: Hours by appointment
Office Phone: 380-2816 - Home Phone: 633-4837 - Cell Phone: 604-4451
E-mail: jis301@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

1. Goals and Objectives: This course focuses on how to efficiently gather information for good, solid, public journalism. As a practicum, the course is designed to engage potential print journalists of junior and senior levels in supervised practical application of previously studied print journalism theories. It provides opportunity for students to hone their skills and produce portfolio-quality material for publication.

2. Texts: Latest Editions Melvin Mencher. News Reporting and Writing, 12^th edition
Associated Press Stylebook (latest edition) or online subscription at apstylebook.com

Students will be expected to read, on a regular basis, The Mobile Press-Register, Vanguard and USA Today.

3. Course Description: Students will study an assigned text and participate in facilitated classroom discussions as they relate to their practical experiences reporting and writing for the University of South Alabama newspaper, the Vanguard. In cooperation with Vanguard staff, students will participate in two one-week intern sessions. They will be assigned stories in hard news and feature news categories, including breaking news and special, sporting and academic discipline-sponsored events.

4. Office Hours: UCOM 1109 Adjunct Office: Appointment Only

5. Attendance: To be successful in this class, attend every class. Absences deprive students of class work and participation grades. Excused absences for family emergencies or medical reasons require documentation. Medical excuses are accepted with a physician’s letter, or other document confirming dates of illness. A note from a medical office, or dispensary, where you registered, is not adequate. Emergencies will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students who miss class, without an excused absence, will receive no credit for the day’s assignment(s). Absences for a religious observance must be arranged at least a week in advance. Any assignments due in class on that particular day must be submitted in advance..

6. Exams: Four AP Style exams will be given during the term. The lowest style test grade will be dropped. Three of these exams will comprise 15 percent of the final grade.
Feature Story: The heart of classroom work will be a Feature News Story Project. Students will learn how to research for background and write a mid-term story, based strictly upon background research. Each student will submit a source list, including electronic library and Internet sources, as well as a list of books and articles used. This will sharpen analytical skills, encourage thorough attribution, teach source credibility, authority and perspective. This background story will be graded as a mid-term exam and count for 20 percent of final grade. Students will then interview at least two persons, who are experts or authorities on the topic. These interviews will be incorporated into the background story to complete the Feature Story Project. A report of interviews will be made part of the source material listing. The final story, complete with background and interview material, may be submitted for publication in the Vanguard or other local publications. It will count 25 percent of final grade. All stories must use a minimum of two appropriate sources (more will be better), and must include information on sources not found in local news reports. A list of all sources interviewed, or contacted, for a story must accompany the story. This list must include the name of the source (spelled correctly), title (if used as a source related to the person’s profession), explanation of why this person is an appropriate source for this story, the date and location the source was contacted and a phone number where the source can be reached for verification of information in the story. Stories without this information receive grades no higher than a “C.”
Vanguard Assignments: Each student will have two weeks duty during the semester working for the Vanguard. This means attending Vanguard staff meetings and communicating with the editor and staff whenever needed. Performance while assigned to Vanguard staff will be evaluated by the editor and staff of the newspaper. Stories will be subjected to the same scrutiny for content and writing as any Vanguard assignment and will be expected within all guidelines and deadlines set by the newspaper. Your Vanguard duty will count 20 percent of the final grade if your story is published. Unpublished stories will be handled on an individual basis, and will be graded accordingly. These assignments will not take the place of regular class attendance, nor will they substitute for stories assigned in class. All work submitted in this class must be typed, 1 1/2-spaced and in correct AP style.

7. Make-up Exams: There will be no make-up examinations. Stories submitted after deadlines will receive no better than an average grade.

8. Assignments Vanguard assignments will be made by the editor of the Vanguard. An assignment schedule online will provide links to exercises to be submitted electronically. These assignments are due on the date for which they are assigned. All work submitted in this class must be typed, 1 1/2-spaced and in correct AP style.

9. Late Copy: Since deadlines are strictly enforced in the real world of publishing, deadlines will be enforced in this class. Assignments that miss deadline will receive no better than an average grade and may receive a failing grade.

10. Final Grade:
Attendance, Exercises and Quizzes 20 Percent
4 AP Style Exams (Three Highest Scores) 15 Percent
Mid-Term Story 20 Percent
Vanguard Assignment 20 Percent
Final Story 25 Percent
Scale:
90.0 - 100 = A
80.0 - 89.9 = B
70.0 - 79.9 = C
60.0 - 69.9 = D
59.9 and below = F

11. Note: Since all classes do not progress at the same rate, the instructor may wish to modify the above requirements or their timing as circumstances dictate. For example, the instructor may wish to change the number and frequency of exams, or the number and sequence of assignments. However, the students must be given adequate notification. Moreover, there may be non-typical classes for which these requirements are not strictly applicable in each instance and may need modification. If such modification is needed, it must be in writing and conform to the spirit of this policy statement.

12. Disabilities: If you have a specific disability that qualifies you for academic accommodations, please notify the instructor/professor and provide certification from Special Student Services. (OSSS is located at the corner of Jaguar Drive Old Shell Road, 5828 Old Shell Road, phone – 460-7212.) It is the student’s responsibility to register with the OSSS and to give the faculty member a copy of the notification sheet containing information concerning the student’s needs. Students who have not notified the OSSS of a disability may not contest an instructor’s grading in a course based on the instructor’s failure to provide accommodations for his/her disability. Each student registered with the OSSS is expected to inform all of his/her instructors of the need for classroom accommodations. Accommodations are provided with the support of the OSSS.

13. Academic Disruption Policy: The University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Academic Disruption is published annually in The Lowdown, the student handbook. It is recommended that instructors cite this policy in the syllabus and state that students are expected to be cordial, courteous, and respectful of faculty members and fellow students.

14. Student Academic Conduct Policy: The University’s policy on academic conduct is also published annually in The Lowdown. Standards of academic conduct are set forth in the Student Academic Conduct Policy. By registering at the university, you have acknowledged your awareness of the Academic Conduct Policy, and you are obliged to become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as defined by the code. Please see The Lowdown for the complete Student Academic Conduct Policy. Each instance of academic dishonesty will be reported to the chair of the department. The student involved will receive written notification describing the alleged violation and the recommended penalty, along with a copy of the policy. The written notification will inform the student that if it is determined that previous incident(s) of Academic Misconduct have occurred, an additional or higher level charge may be brought. The student involved has ten (10) Class days from receipt of the written notification to submit a written response to the instructor and request a conference with the department chair and the instructor.

15. JagSuccess: JagSuccess is a program intended to help students be successful in 100-200 level courses. It is not available for students in this course. But, if a student feels the need for concentrated help, The University Writing Center is an instructional facility with writing consultants who focus on teaching writers. Students and others may receive help on any type of writing task at any stage of the writing process from idea generation, development, and revision, to grammar and editing strategies. Consulting sessions are held in the University Writing Center (207 Alpha Hall East).To make an appointment with a writing consultant, call the Writing Center (460-6480) or schedule your own appointment by clicking on the "Schedule" button in the menu on Writing Center site.

16.Diversity: The Department of Communication is committed to preparing students to work in a diverse society. As such, our classes will include lectures and activities, which promote an awareness of and sensitivity towards differences of race, ethnicity, national origin, culture, sexual orientation, religion, age and disabilities. Such an environment will contribute to the growth and development of each member of the class, as it will encourage students to embrace diversity as a positive aspect of learning and scholarship.

ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

The assignment schedule is online at www.dibbs.net under the CA370 link. This schedule will be handed out at the beginning of the semester, but because of various assignments for breaking news and events, it will be updated often, first on line, then printed and handed out as soon as possible. Reading and homework should be completed by assigned dates. Readings are primarily from News Reporting and Writing, except where chosen stories from the Associated Press Reporting Handbook will be linked online. Not every homework assignment will be graded on dates where multiple pages are assigned, but at least one of them will be graded for that date. Exercises are at:

https://paris.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073511994/student_view0/brush_up/

E-mail exercise results to jsjisellers@gmail.com

Jan. 17 – Introduction to the course: Diagnostic Quiz

Jan. 19 – Part One, The Reporter at Work: Chapter 1 – On the Job; “A Guide to AP Style” handout; Brush Up; Grammar Exercise 1: Subject-Verb and Spelling Exercise 1

Jan. 24 – Part Two, The Basics: Chapter 2 – Components of the Story; AP Editing Symbols; Brush Up; Grammar Exercise 2, Subject-Predicate and Style Exercise 1

Jan.. 26 – Part Three, Writing the Story: Chapter 3 – What is News?; Grammar Exercise 3, Sentence Patterns and Spelling Exercise 2

Jan. 31 – Chapter 4 – The Internet and Other Tools of the Trade; Grammar Exercise 4, Simple, Compound, Complex and Style Exercise 2

Feb. 2 – Chapter 5 – The Lead; Read leads on these stories Wilson, O'Neill and Baskervill; Grammar Exercise 5, Sentence Purposes and Spelling Exercise 3 Feb. 7 – Chapter 6 – Story Structure; Read these stories Deutsch, Italie and Haney; Grammar Exercise 6, Fragments and Style Exercise 3

Feb. 9 – Chapter 7 – The Writer’s Art; Grammar Exercise 7, Fused, Run-On, Comma Splice and Spelling Exercise 4

Feb. 14 – Part Four, Reporting Principles: Chapter 11 – Digging for Information; Grammar Exercise 8, Dangling Modifiers and Style Exercise 4

Feb. 16 – Chapter 12 – Making Sound Observations; Read Loh ; Grammar Exercise 9, Parallel Structure and Spelling Exercise 5

Feb. 21 – Mardi Gras; No Class

Feb. 23 – Chapter 14 – Finding, Cultivating and Using Sources; Grammar Exercise 11, Verb Tense Consistency and Review Exercise 1

Feb. 28 – Chapter 15 – Interviewing Principles and Practices; Grammar Exercise 12, Subject-Verb Agreement and Review Exercise 2

March 1 – Chapter 13 – Building and Using Background; Read Anthony and Bauder; Grammar Exercise 10, Keeping Tenses Consistent and Punctuation Exercise 1

March 6 – Chapter 16 – Speeches, Meetings and News Conferences; Grammar Exercise 13, Pronouns and Review Exercise 3

March 8 – Midterm Background Story Due; Part Five, Accidents to Education: Chapter 18 – Accidents and Disasters; Averages Exercise 1

March 12 – 18 SPRING BREAK

March 20 – Chapter 17 – Hunches, Feelings and Stereotypes; Grammar Test 1

March 22 – Chapter 19 -- Obituaries; Averages Exercise 2

March 27 – Chapter 20 – Police Beat; Percentages Exercise 1

March 29 – Chapter 21 – The Courts; Percentages Exercise 2

April 3 – Chapter 22 – Sports; Rates Exercise 1

April 5 – Chapter 23 – Business Reporting; Math for the Journalist, Test VII

April 10 – Chapter 24 – Local Government

April 12 – Chapter 24 – Education

April 17 – Chapter 25 – Reporters and the Law

April 19 – Chapter 26 – Defining the Appropriate

April 24 – Chapter 27 -- The Morality of Journalism

April 26 – Chapter 27 -- The Morality of Journalism – Class Work

May 1 – Final Story Project – Class Work

May 3 -- Final Story Project – Class Work

May 10 – FINAL COMPLETED FEATURE STORY DUE 12:30 p.m. (I will be in the classroom to receive your story from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.