COMMUNICATION STUDIES 203

Introduction to Journalism

and

ENGLISH 203

Introduction to Journalism

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Fall 2004

12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday

Royall Hall 206

Mr. Patrick Dobson, lecturer: 816-235-6488, pdty9@umkc.edu

Office hours:

M, W, F: 11 a.m.-noon

T, Th: 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., and by appointment

REQUIRED READING:

We will need to know what journalism is. Therefore, we will read the Kansas City Star, the Wall Street Journal, and the National Catholic Reporter. The Sunday edition of the Star each week will be a requirement, particularly the front and Metropolitan sections of that paper. I will bring the WSJ and NCR to class as adjuncts to this.

We will also look closely at local print publications, including The Pitch and U-News, and online newspapers, such as EKC. National Public Radio, network radio news, and local and national television newscasts are also recommended. They will sometimes be required, as we will be writing critiques of news reports seen and heard there.

See the attached list of texts. These can provide valuable information as you work your way through the course.

SUMMARY:

This is the introductory course to the journalism sequence at UMKC. We will examine various aspects of journalism from the ground up—in class and where it counts and in our vast urban laboratory. You will learn the basics of news and news writing in three very general types of stories: news stories, feature stories, and investigative stories. In addition, you will learn, through practice and lecture, about ethical and legal considerations in producing and delivering the news.

The above is our general sense of direction. Concretely, at semester’s end, you will be able to determine if you like the news and if the news likes you. At this point, it doesn’t matter whether your interest is in television, radio, print, or new media. The basics are the same. Fine distinctions will develop as your studies progress.

REQUIREMENTS:

You will be writing every week. About the second week of class, you will receive a story schedule that will change during the semester to our advantage.

The best stories come from reporters and writers. As such, you will need to come to class prepared to think, explore, and create. You will be expected to generate your own story ideas from the beginning according to the guidelines discussed in class.

EXAMS:

Per university regulation, there will be a final exam. It will be a work of journalism. We will have approximately three examinations based on your news reading, listening, and watching, as well as class lecture. Missed tests of any kind cannot be made up. This is a journalism course, however, and that means writing stories.

GRADING:

Evaluation of a news story is not a precise science. That’s why the most important relationship a reporter can develop is the one he has with his or her editor or editors. It need not be a friendly one, nor one of mutual admiration. But it must be one of respect and trust. Therefore, open communication is a must. You need and deserve to know how your editor—me—receives your work. All stories will receive a letter grade. Expect red ink, and expect to learn from it. Be sure to ask questions.

Class participation is important, particularly as we workshop stories. Therefore, participation will account for at least 15 percent of your grade. This means constructive and useful contributions (or absence of them) to class discussions over the course of a semester can significantly affect your grade up or down.

Roughly, stories will account for about 60 percent of your grade. Examinations 15 percent. The final exam will account for about 10 percent of your grade. Participation will account for the remaining 15 percent.

REWRITES:

You will be required to rewrite some stories. Sometimes you will want to do so for your own benefit. I record the paper's final grade. It is to your advantage to demonstrate improvement to your editor (me).

PUBLICATION:

Your target audience and editor (again, me) will be impressed by publications you manage during the course of the semester. Stories that originate in this class and find their way to publication, whether in the U-News or elsewhere, earn extra credit. Just bring in the clips and show them to me.

ATTENDANCE:

Good journalists keep appointments. We have an appointment every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. You must be on time and ready to participate in class discussions. Since free speech is the cornerstone of our democracy, you are allowed to speak your mind freely in the class—with these caveats:

1. Your discussion must be on topic or about issues related to journalism, news, news writing, or use of the language.

2. Class discussion will be based on simple rules of fairness and courtesy. When one student or the editor is talking, you will have to wait your turn.

3. If you have a complaint or criticism, you may keep it to yourself unless you have a friendly suggestion on how your problem may be resolved. Professionals critique, they do not complain.

Attendance is especially important because the class depends on a workshop method of give and take. Your stories will be discussed, criticized, ripped apart. But it will be done professionally. You will learn a lot from your peers' comments.

COLLEGE OF A&S WRITING CENTER AND OTHER RESOURCES:

The UMKC College of Arts and Sciences Writing Center has a competent and alert staff that can help with basic writing issues you may find difficult. Writing a sentence, a paragraph with topic sentence, and understanding story structure will be the basic groundwork upon which the course is based. Expanding those skills to communicate the news we gather is what we do here. If you have find yourself having difficulty with the writing aspect of this class, get with me right away so I am aware of the problem, and then contact the Writing Center where you can get one-on-one tutoring.

The Writing Center, 5201 Rockhill Rd., 816-235-1146, umkcwritingcenter@umkc.edu

Hours:

M-W: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Th: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

F: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sat: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

DEADLINES:

Deadlines are important, now and for the rest of your working life. So you will meet deadlines. If you cannot, you must discuss the problem with your editor. I MAY choose to accept late papers, depending on the circumstances, but there will ALWAYS be penalties for missing deadlines, regardless of circumstances.

(*Note: Deadlines and attendance are two different things. You should not stay home because you miss a deadline. Missing class only compounds your difficulties.)

MANUSCRIPTS:

All stories are to be typed and double spaced. Any readable computer printout will do. All stories should have a slug (a name for the story) at the top left and the COMPUTER WORD COUNT at the top right. Please do not get clever with fonts. It counts to the same number of words anyway, and some fonts are really hard to read. Times, Times New Roman, Arial, and Courier will treat your target audience best.

All material turned in should have near the top of the first page your name, my name, the date, a telephone number where you can be reached and an E-mail address. THIS IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME REPEAT IT. If you don’t have an E-mail address, get one. The university will do that for you.

Occasionally, you will want to check Blackboard (www.umkc.edu/blackboard) for updates, announcements, or other news related to the class. There, you will also be able to check your grades and your progress in the class related to grades. Soon, I may establish a discussion board there for you to communicate with your classmates on topics related to the class, the news, or to me. If I get this figured out, I will not interfere in anyway with what goes on there. Should there be an uprising originating from the discussion board, please try to make it peaceful. You should use Blackboard, however, as a learning tool and to your advantage.

Finally, NEVER let go of your last copy of a story—to me or anyone else. Always keep your notes, contacts’ telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses in a safe place where you can find them. Your notes are your sacred writ.

ACADEMIC AND JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY:

You are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic, journalistic, and personal ethics. Acts of academic dishonesty delineated in official university publications will be reported to the appropriate university officers for official action. Any such act, including falsification of sources and plagiarism, will result in a failing grade for the course.

A REMINDER:

We will talk a lot about accuracy, fairness, and truth this semester. This will be, perhaps, the first time you will touch lives of real people in real-world situations. Those people can be hurt. Sometimes, as a journalist, you have to hurt someone. However, sensitivity to your subjects is a major part of journalism. The best way to demonstrate that sensitivity is to be accurate, fair, and truthful. It is also the best way to avoid libel.

-30-

HELPFUL TEXTS:

Each of the following books is in the university or public libraries, at local bookstores, or available online. Use them as references.

Cappon, Rene J. 1991. Associated Press Guide to News Writing: MacMillan/Arco

Kronenwetter, Michael. 1995. How to Write a News Article: Franklin Watts/Grolier

Murray, Donald M. 2000. Writing to Deadline: The Journalist at Work: Heinemann

Schwartz, Jerry. 2002. Associated Press Reporting Handbook: McGraw Hill

Sova, Dawn. 2000. How to Write Articles for Newspapers and Magazines: Easy to Follow Tips and Advice from a Professional Journalist: Thompson/Arco