COURSE OBJECTIVES

Welcome back to Journalism! I hope that this course will be a highlight for you in college. The experiential learning in this course is based on this saying of Confucius:

"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."  

 In Journalism I you were an apprentice. In Journalism II you become a master. In Journalism II you teach and model all the Course Objectives you learned in Journalism I. These objectives from Journalism I continue to be the objectives this year but on a higher level:

1. Analytical ability: You will show in your stories a sense of what is news, of what is important.
2. Initiative: You will show energy and initiative by proposing strong and interesting story assignments.
3. Fairness: Your stories will treat your sources fairly and ethically.
4. Professional conduct: Feedback from your sources and other members of the staff should attest to your professionalism.
5. Teamwork: Your behavior should enhance the smooth functioning of the newspaper staff.
6. Inquiry skills: Your stories should exhibit thorough interviewing skills and the ability to find suitable information from other sources.
7. Strong writing skills: Your writing will show

• Clarity.
• Focus--your stories will exhibit an effective lead paragraph.
• Precision--your stories will show mastery of punctuation, mechanics, spelling, and grammar.
• A concern for your reader--you will learn to write with your reader’s needs in mind.

8. Ethical responsibility and an understanding of the need for press freedom. You will learn the important role of journalism in society.

In this course, you will develop a portfolio of professional communication work that can rival and exceed the best produced by your peers across the country.

HOW WILL YOU ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES AND BE EVALUATED?

You will achieve these objectives by your writing and conduct in the course. The expectation is that you will write 20 stories--10 per semester--and show the above qualities in your stories and conduct. Points are deducted for lateness, errors, incompleteness, etc.

When you finish Journalism II you should essentially be able to walk out of class and into a professional communication career. Therefore, you will be evaluated by how well your skills match those of entry-level communication professionals. In addition to enhancing all the journalism skills you learned last year, you will master teamwork and management skills in a communication setting. These will be transferrable skills that can be applied in a broad range of settings. Your grade for COM 352 will be an evaluation of how well your reporting and writing exhibits these characteristics.

As editors, you have complete editorial independence about assigning, editing, and printing. My grading is based on your meeting the course criteria for this advanced writing course, criteria normally used in a writing course: unity, coherence, emphasis, focus, mechanical details, attention to audience, etc. As you are aware, I don't assign your stories, edit them for publication, or have any say in their publication. I am always available as a writing coach to you. I am also available as the newspaper adviser to help you think through journalistic problems. But I must emphasize that I am the adviser, not the decision maker. You will achieve growth as a journalist by making those decisions yourself--and having to stand by those decisions!

TEXTS

AP Stylebook.

Elements of Newswriting

In addition to these, you are expected to read national newspapers and news websites. I will expect you to start by reading a top national paper, the Christian Science Monitor, on line. You will then graduate to the premiere newspaper of record, The New York Times. In addition, you should get story ideas from The Chronicle of Higher Education (chronicle.com) and other news web sites.

 COURSE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS

We will meet as a class just once a week on Mondays for the entire year. You receive 2 credits each semester for Reporting and Writing and 2 credits each semester for Editing and Production.

Of equal or greater importance is your participation in the news-gathering and writing aspects of the college newspaper. Those in Journalism II will report and write more complex stories and are expected to exercise a leadership role in the publication, especially as you mentor less experienced writers and formulate editorial policy.

 PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR:

It is of the utmost importance that you learn professional procedures right from the start. To the readers and your sources, YOU ARE THE LOQUITUR. How you act and what you write is the impression the readers have of the entire staff. Therefore, everyone must follow high ethical standards.

Everyone on this staff also must remember that this is a team. What one person does affects everyone. If you are late, someone else has to do your job. If one person talks about someone behind his back, that affects the team spirit of everyone. Therefore, how professionally you behave with each other is exceedingly important.

It is of the utmost importance that you learn professional procedures right from the start. Absence, except for illness, and lateness–for class or story deadline–are never allowed on any publication, and they are not allowed here. Absence and lateness will definitely hurt your grades. Actions that hinder or undermine the professional working and learning environment of the newsroom must be avoided.

(Although I am not excessively anal, I do get annoyed if you frequently show up late for class, leave class to talk on your cell phone, go to the toilet a lot, sleep during class, whisper to others during class, or do some new annoying practice.)

Absences due to illness, intercollegiate athletic events, etc., are considered "excused" absences if reported to me in advance via phone (x8360) or via e-mail (jzurek@cabrini.edu), and with the appropriate doctor’s note or athletic director’s note. You will not be penalized for missing that class; however, you are responsible for making up any coursework missed during your absence. It is up to you to find out what you must do both for the missed class as well as for the following class. More than three unexcused absences from this course will likely result in a substantially lower grade or even failure.

 Instructor Contact Information:

•  Instructor: Jerry Zurek, Ph.D., Professor
• Office: Founder's Hall, Rm. 272 Office hours: Tuesdays 12:20-2 p.m., Thursday 12:20-2 p.m.
• WebCT for grades: http://vle.dcollege.net  

Cabrini College Academic Honesty Policy:

The principal objective of the Cabrini College Academic Honesty Policy is to encourage a dynamic, open and honest intellectual climate based on the personal and academic integrity of all members. It is the responsibility of students to help maintain the community of academic integrity. Students shall not receive credit for work that is not a product of their own efforts. For a full description of the policy, please see the 2005-2006 Undergraduate Catalog. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

• Plagiarism (see below for further explanation)
• Cheating
• Information falsification or fabrication
• Theft or destruction of intellectual property
• Facilitation of academic dishonesty
  

For a first violation, the faculty member will meet with the student or otherwise communicate the charge. The faculty member will complete an Academic Honesty Violation Charge Form, stating the violation and assigning a penalty. The student should sign and date the charge form and return it to the faculty member. The student may request a hearing before the Academic Honesty Board by indicating that option on the form. For a second violation in a given course, the faculty member will follow the same procedures as in the first incident but will assign a penalty of failure of the course without privilege of withdrawal. For any second or subsequent violation during a student’s academic career at Cabrini College the Academic Honesty Board shall conduct a hearing.

Remember that all sources, including Internet sources, must be cited appropriately when using the author’s exact words or paraphrasing. Exact words must appear in quotations and their source must be cited. If you have any questions about citing sources properly, consult a faculty member, librarian, the Writing Center staff (http://www.cabrini.edu/writing/tools/index.htm), or the MLA style manual.

Disability Support Services: