Writing Across the Media: Sample Syllabi: Kris Bunton

Sample Syllabi: Mark Plenke

The Basics Class meets: Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m.-7:15 p.m. in 312 OEC Instructor: Mark Plenke Phone: Office 422-3568, home 866-9637 E-mail: plenkema@an.cc.mn.us Office hours: I'll be available after each class or by appointment. Because I'm on campus only for this class, I encourage you to call me at home if you need help with assignments.

Required texts: Writing Across the Media by Kristie Bunton, Thomas B. Connery, Stacey Frank Kanihan, Mark Neuzil and David Nimmer. Working With Words by Brian Brooks, James Pinson and Jean Gaddy Wilson. The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, Norm Goldstein, editor.

You'll also need: A dictionary A pair of 3.5-inch floppy computer disks. A student computer account at St. Thomas.

What's Covered: This course will introduce you to mass media writing for print and broadcast journalism, public relations, advertising and online media. You'll also learn reporting strategies and review the mechanics of writing and AP style.

Grading: Your grade will be determined by how well you do on two tests and 15 in- and out-of-class writing assignments. The exams will make up about 20 percent of your grade, the writing assignments the other 80 percent.

The tests will be given March 24 (midterm) and during finals week (our regular class time on May 17). They will include a writing exercise and objective questions about AP style, grammar, punctuation and spelling. You'll have reading assignments and in-class activities to prepare you for the exams.

With a few exceptions, the writing assignments will be assigned on Wednesdays, a first draft will be due the following Monday and a final draft will be due the next Wednesday. The class will function as a writer's workshop, in which you'll build skills as critical readers and writers while you help one another improve your writing. The final drafts will be gridded (instead of graded) to focus on your strengths and weaknesses as a writer on the key skills for each assignment.

Here's an example of a grid:

Exceptional   OK        Needs Work

____          ____      ____       Lead reflects main idea

____          ____      ____       Inverted pyramid structure 

____          ____      ____       Use of tense, person 

____          ____      ____       AP style

____          ____      ____       Mechanics 
 
____          ____      ____       Overall

Comments:

On out-of-class assignments, handing in a reasonable first draft on time will be worth 10 of the possible 40 points. The remaining 30 points will be awarded based on your overall score from the grid: 30 points for an exceptional assignment, 25 for "OK" work (approximately a low B) and 21 for a paper that needs work (approximately a D). Even with nothing but OKs on your work, perfect scores on your midterm and final will still earn you an "A." But it's likely that you'll need some exceptional papers to earn the top grade. Because deadlines are a crucial part of media work, I won't accept late work (unless you have a documented emergency that's been communicated to me before deadline). Late papers earn 0 points. Other issues: The only real ways to fail this course are to blow off the work or to cheat. Plagiarism on assignments and stealing or cribbing answers for a test will result in an automatic "F" for the course. A good part of the learning in this class takes place in class and you'll have papers due almost every class period, so attendance is crucial. If you think you'll have conflicts with work, school activities or other classes, reconsider your enrollment in this course. If you miss more than two class periods, we'll sit down to discuss your withdrawal from the class. Here's the class schedule for the semester: DATE BEFORE IN CLASS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, Feb. 1 No assignments Introduction to the class, introductions, writing and mechanical skills assessment, computer basics -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, Feb. Read Writing Across the Media, Cascade exercise - interviewing (WAM ) Ch.4 writing groups video Read Working With Words Assignment #1 - vignettes (WWW) Ch. 7 Read AP punctuation, pp. 268-277 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, Feb. 8 Write Assignment #1 Work in groups on Assn. #1 Read WAM Ch. 1 Reinterview for Assn. #1 Learn AP entry on numerals Discuss: Writing Across Media Read WWW Ch. 1, Appendix D and storytelling -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, Feb. 10 Revise Assignment #1 Writing news leads exercise Read WAM Ch. 5 College Bowl Read WWW Ch. 11 Assignment #2 - news leads for print -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, Feb. 15 Attend "Gender Balance" Writing the speech story -- presentation in 103 OEC or thematic vs. narrative structure "Violence in the Media" Work in groups on Assn. #2 lecture in the 3M Auditorium on 2/12, take notes for news story. Read WWW Ch. 6 Write Assignment #2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, Feb. 17 Revise Assignment #2 Broadcast basics Learn AP entries on none, College Bowl names, and nationalities and Assignment #3 races. - Broadcast news leads -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, Feb. 22 Write Assignment #3 Exercise for broadcast leads Read WWW Ch. 8 Work in groups on Assn. #3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, Feb. 24 Revise Assignment #3 Discuss: Audience differences Read WAM Ch. 3 College Bowl Learn AP entries on titles, Assignment #4 - News leads temperatures, time and today. for public relations -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, March 1 Write Assignment #4 Discuss: Ethical presentations Read WAM Ch. 2; WWW Ch. 2 Work in groups on Assn. #4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, March 3 Revise Assignment #4 Advertising activity Learn AP entries on saint, College Bowl school, second reference Assignment #5 - Ad headlines and sentences. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, March 8 Write Assignment #5 Discuss: What Makes a Story? Read WAM Ch. 6 Story structure activity/ Mark's Read WWW Ch. 3 anti-outline Work in groups on Assn. #5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, March 10 Revise Assignment #5 The inverted pyramid Learn AP entries on collective College Bowl nouns, catholic, co-, cities, Assignment #6 - Speech counties, city council, story for print county board and capitalization. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, March 15 Write Assignment #6 Assignment #7 in class - basic Read WWW Appendix C news story Reworking the speech for broadcast - quotations vs. sound bite Work in groups on Assn. #6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, March 17 Revise Assignment #6 Assignment #6 due What radio listeners need Assignment #8 - Radio story College Bowl -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, March 22 Familiarize yourself with AP Midterm review proofreading marks, p. 330-331 AP proofreading activity Write Assignment #8 Work in groups on Assn. #8 Read WWW Appendix A -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, March 24 Write Assignment #8 Midterm exam Review for midterm exam Assignment #8 due -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, April 7 Find a news site on the web Review midterm exam results that you like and bring the Writing for new media URL to class Preview Assignment #14 - Personality profile -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, April 12 Learn AP style entry on The Wonderful World of abbreviations. Data College Bowl Reread WAM Ch. 2 Assignment #9 - Electronic Read WWW Ch. 10 scavenger hunt Read AP section on libel -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, April 14 Write Assignment #9 Brainstorming ad activity Read AP style on state names, College Bowl abbreviations. Assignment #9 due Assignment #10 -- Public service ad -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, April 19 Write Assignment #10 Ethical situations group activity Read WWW Ch. 9 Work in groups on Assn. #10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, April 21 Revise Assignment #10 Writing to Pictures activity Revisit WAM Ch. 7 College Bowl Read AP entries on clarity, Assignment #11 - 30-second VO directions and regions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, April 26 Write Assignment #11 PR is more than press releases Read WAM Ch. 8 Work in groups on Assn. #11 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, April 28 Revise Assignment #11 Writing the TV package Learn AP style for half, College Bowl highway designations and Assignment #12 -- 1:30 package homicide. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, May 3 Write Assignment #12 Work in groups on Assn. #12 Assignment #13 in class -- breaking news press release -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, May 5 Revise Assignment #12 Writing the longer print story Learn AP style for -- Assignment #14 exercise governmental bodies, College Bowl geographic names, Assignment #14 -- interviews due good and well. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, May 10 Write Assignment #14 Work in groups on Assn. #14 Assignment #15 in class -- breaking broadcast news story -------------------------------------------------------------------------- W, May 12 Revise Assignment #14 Class assessment Learn AP style for anti-, Review for final exam ages, adviser, and that. Due: Assignment #14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- M, May 17 Study for final exam Final exam --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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