JOURNALISM I Syllabus
Mr. List/ Room 563
2015-16school year
Objectives:
*Offer an overview of the history of newspaper journalism and the current state of journalism.
* Learn and practice the basics of writing a journalistic story, using a variety of approaches and cover a wide-range of topics.
* Introduce photojournalism, including how to cover an event photographically and properly use photos in the newspaper.
* Prepare students who are interested in being part of the staff of the DBHS student newspaper, The Bull’s Eye, during the 2016-17 school year.
Fall semester plans:
Testbook: Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism
Topics covered:
History of newspaper journalism
Introduction to newspapers and the role of journalists
Introduction to news writing and reporting
Plus:
Various writing assignments
Speakers: A variety of working journalists
Weekly current events tests
Style and grammar lessons
Occasional tests on 20th Century cultural history
Assignments writing for the Bull’s Eye
Spring semester plans:
Testbook: Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism
Topics covered:
Other types of newspaper stories: Features, criticism, editorials, columns, investigative, sports
Writing headlines, captions and creating newspaper layouts
Law and ethics in journalism
Writing for the web and television
Basics of photojournalism
Plus:
Various writing assignments
Speakers: A variety of working journalists
Weekly current events tests
Style and grammar lessons
Occasional tests on 20th Century cultural history
Assignments writing for the Bull’s Eye
Grading:
100--98% A+
97.9-94% A
93.9-90% A-
89.9-87% B+
86.9-84% B
83.9-80% B-
79.7-77% C+
76.9-74% C
73.9-70% C-
69.9-67% D+
66.9-64% D
63.9-60% D-
59.9--0% F
Every point you earn in Journalism I will have equal weight. If you fail to turn in three homework assignments worth 10 points each, it is no different than scoring a 0 on a 30-point test. There will be opportunities throughout the semester for extra credit, including when a story you have written appears in the Bull’s Eye or on the website. Take advantage of them because I will not invent extra-credit work at the end of the semester because your grade isn’t what you expected it to be.
More on grading: On many of your assignments, I will not grade the first draft that you submit. Instead I will mark it up with corrections and suggestions. When I get the next draft I expect you to incorporate those changes and correct what was wrong the first time. Nothing is worse than to ignore the edits and turn in the same paper two or three days later. Also, your paper may come back to you covered with red marks and be graded an A, while another student’s paper will have few marks and gets a B. In other words, not all editing marks are equal; for grading I am looking for your ability to write a well-structured, factual and interesting story, even if your grasp on grammar is weak.
Using internet sources:
Donot rely on a single source and do not use the exact phrasing from any source. That is called plagiarism. Use the facts you find online but put it in your own words. If you find something that you feel is essential to use as it is written, then put it in quotations and give credit to the writer or the website.
Example: Apart from writing, William Golding’s “occupations included schoolmaster, lecturer, actor, sailor, and musician,” according to Nobelprize.org.
If you want to include someone else’s opinion, it must be in quotes and credited.
Better is to paraphrase it as such: Among other jobs Golding held before his writing was published were schoolmaster, lecturer, actor, sailor and musician.
Many stories you write for class will be submitted to the website “Turn It In,” which is designed to identify any phrases that are copied from another source. “Turn It In” indentifies exactly which websites your information is taken from and how much of it you copied exactly. It will also notice when you reuse something from any other student paper that has been submitted to “Turn It In.”
Also remember (if you are considering ways to get around doing your own work): You will be writing enough papers both in class and for homework that I will soon know your writing style and level. I will easily identify papers that are not actually written by you.
Any paper you turn in that is in part copied from another source will receive a grade of zero and a referral to your GLC.
Plagiarism is an especially distasteful crime in the world of journalism. It will get a prize-winning reporter fired and usually results in the writer never working again in the business. For that reason, it is essential that you never turn in writing in this class that isn’t your own.
Cheating on tests:
Obviously, using notes or an electronic device will result in a zero on the test and a referral to your GLC. Looking at another student’s test answers is cheating and will result in a zero on the test and a referral to your GLC. Whispering or mouthing the answers to another student during a test will result in a zero on the test and a referral to your GLC.
Please read pages 8 and 9 of the DBHS Student Planner for an overview of the school policies on cheating.
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Journalism I students:
Please sign below to indicate that you have read and discussed the syllabus information and the rules and regulations regarding the class. Please return this portion of the syllabus by Friday, Aug. 28.
Student Name (print) ______Period ______
Student Signature ______Date ______
Parent/Guardian Name (print) ______
Parent/Guardian e-mail address ______
Parent/Guardian Signature ______Date ______
NOTE TO PARENT/GUARDIAN: Throughout the year, I will be showing movies in class that focus on journalism. Some of them include occasional and brief use of inappropriate language. Please initial below to give your approval to your student watching the following films:
“Absence of Malice”______“All the President’s Men” ______
“Shattered Glass” ______“Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times” ______
“Good Night and Good Luck” ______“The Fifth Estate”______