A Web site for students and friends of journalism
© 2010 William A. Mulligan, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
Professor of Journalism, former department chairman
California State University, Long Beach
120____________
1. Professional standards and ethics.
2. Cultural awareness.
3. Current events and how to keep up with them.
4. AP style rules.
5. Using the tools of the trade, including the computer.
6. Understanding importance of the First Amendment to the news media.
7. Understanding the role of ethics in news reporting.
8. Using interviewing techniques.
9. Computer-assisted reporting.
10. Understanding the role of the reporter as a public servant.
Each letter grade will be converted to points on a scale of 1 to 100. All scores will be added and averaged at the end of the semester.
Your final course grade will be based on: articles, 50 percent; quizzes, 5 percent; attendance, 5 percent; Mid-Term Exam, 15 percent; and Final Exam, 25 percent.
Usually, grades of 90-100 equal an A; 80-89, B; and 70-79, C. And, usually, assignments/activities, 15 percent; news quizzes equal 10 percent of your grade.
Grades follow the university catalog:
A — Performance has been at the highest level, showing sustained excellence in meeting all course requirements and exhibiting an unusual degree of intellectual initiative.
B — Performance of the student has been at a high level, showing consistent and effective achievement in meeting course requirements.
C — Performance of the student has been at an adequate level, meeting the basic requirements of the course.
D — Performance of the student has been less than adequate, meeting only minimum course requirements. (However, no D story will be accepted. Such a story or work should be redone as time permits.)
F — Performance of the student has been such that minimal course requirements have not been met.
Unacceptable work or story, which would not be publishable, is poorly organized,
contains factual errors (including misspelled proper nouns) and newspaper style and grammatical errors.
A final grade of F shall be assigned as the result of cheating or plagiarism. The student also is subject to dismissal from the department and the university.
This schedule includes the topic of the week and related readings.
Week 1 — Jan. 26, 28 (furlough day; no class)
Introduction to news, citizen journalism. Read: Chapters 1-2, “Telling the Story,” and the four entries in the AP Stylebook: abbreviations, capitalization, numerals, punctuation (separate chapter). Lecture, lab. Also, read Appendix 1, 2 in text.
Week 2 — Feb. 2, 4
Interviewing, gathering and verifying information. Read: Chapter 3, “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab.
Week 3 — Feb. 9 (furlough day; no class), 11
Interviewing, gathering and verifying information. Read: Chapter 4, “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab.
Week 4 — Feb. 16, 18
Reporting with numbers. Read: Chapters 5, “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab. First quiz on Tuesday.
Week 5 — Feb. 23, 25 (furlough day; no class)
Inverted pyramid. Read: Chapter 6-7, “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab, quiz.
Week 6 — March 2, 4
Speeches, news conferences, meetings. Read: Chapters 8-10, “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab. Quiz.
Week 7 — March 9, 11
Broadcast writing. Read: Chapter 11, “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab, quiz.
Week 8 — March 16, 18 (furlough day; no class)
Required library session is with librarian Carol Perruso, former L.A. Times Web edition editor, in university library, on Tuesday in Room 113, Spidell. Attendance is required. Zero is recorded for this activity if absent.
Week 9 — March 23, 25
Midterm test review Tuesday; Midterm exam Thursday. Quiz, lab.
March 29-April 2, Spring Recess.
Week 10 — April 6 (furlough day; no class), April 8
Public relations writing Read: Chapter 12, “Telling the Story.”
Week 11 — April 13, 15
Writing on line. Read: Chapter 13. “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab, quiz on Thursday this week.
Week 12 — April 20, 22
Language. Appendix 3, ““Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab, quiz.
Week 13 — April 27, 29
Law. Read: Chapter 14, “Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab, quiz.
Week 14 — May 4, 6 (university furlough day; no class)
Ethics. Read: Chapter 15, ““Telling the Story.” Lecture, lab, quiz on Thursday this week.
Week 15 — May 11 (furlough day; no class), 13
Lecture, lab, quiz. Final exam review.
Final Exam, which is scheduled during Exam Week, May 17-22, is on Thursday, May 20, 8-10 a.m.
Description
The California State University, Long Beach catalog description of this course is:
120. Writing Across the Media (3)
Provides
introductory overview on writing techniques used in the print media, in
broadcast media, in online media and in preparation of materials for
media professionals by public relations practitioners. Focus is on
writing news stories and meeting deadlines. A grade of ‘C’ or better is needed to pass this course. Letter grade only (A-F). Lecture 2 hours, Laboratory 2 hours.
Class meetings have lectures and class discussions on story development. The lab part of the course will include practical exercises, including computer assisted research techniques.
Requirements
Student responsibilities are to: attend all classes; take complete notes; read, study and complete the assignments; prepare for and take the quizzes and tests; and do the assignment/activities following the professor’s instructions.
Work must follow Associated Press style and policies; be accurate; meet deadlines; submit with course grading sheet, if required; submit computer copy, as requested; and rewrite stories upon instructor’s request, as deadline time permits.
Late assignments not accepted. Assignments/activities are scheduled daily throughout the session. Deadlines are absolute.
The student is reminded to always keep backup copies.
News-review quizzes in Journalism 120 can be expected each week on the week's news and readings. Quiz news topics are chosen from the Wall Street Journal. Tips are posted daily on the Web site. News quizzes usually will be each Tuesday, beginning the fourth week (see Schedule in next column).
A missed quiz or lab shall result in an F for that day’s work. Class attendance is required under the university's attendance policy. Excused absences for serious and compelling reasons require proper documentation, which will be determined by the instructor.
Grade points are deducted for unexcused absences, tardiness or class disruption (cell phone or iPod use, leaving the room during lecture etc).
Diversity
This course recognizes the contributions of ethnic and religious minorities, senior citizens, gays and lesbians, and other groups, and, it incorporates the professional standards of fairness as outlined in The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual,the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, Investigative Reporters and Editors and American Copy Editors Society.
Diversity is encouraged in the readings and student writings.
Readings
Required:The Missouri Group, “Telling the Story,” fourth edition, 2010, with CD, along with the champion workbook, which the student should bring to each class.
The Associated Press Stylebook, which the student should bring this to each class, also. The book is required for all assignments/ activities (usually posted on mygradebook the day before the in-class assignment/activity lab.
Recommended:
Dictionary
Rene J. Cappon, “The Word.”
Strunk and White, “Elements of Style."
The Wall Street Journal (weekly news quizzes based on this paper).
Tests
The course has a traditional midterm and final exam, which is during exam week.
News and review quizzes are usually weekly, on Monday. Tips are posted daily at wmulligan.net under "News Now."
Reminders
Please avoid cell phones, iPods, arriving late and
leaving class (attendance points may be deducted). If emergency, see
instructor. Plagiarism equals zero in course. CSULB requires
attendance. Documentation required for excused absences. Department
policy information is available on syllabus addendum.
The schedule is subject to change.
