Welcome to our digital classroom for advanced Journalism! This website will serve as your hub for all course materials, assignments, and resources throughout the semester. On these pages, you'll find your coursework, lecture notes, grading rubrics, project guidelines, and much more. I encourage you to take some time exploring the various sections and navigating through the links below.
Get comfortable with this online space, as it will be an integral part of your learning experience in this class. If you have any questions or need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm excited to embark on this journalistic journey together!
Journalism is the practice of gathering, verifying, and presenting information to an audience through various media channels, such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and digital platforms. At its core, journalism serves to inform the public about events, issues, and trends that shape our world. Journalists investigate stories, conduct interviews, analyze data, and report on their findings, providing citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and participate in democratic processes. Through their work, journalists strive to hold those in power accountable, expose wrongdoing, and shed light on important issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Journalism plays a crucial role in society by promoting transparency, fostering public discourse, and serving as a watchdog for the public interest. Ethical journalists adhere to principles of accuracy, fairness, and independence, ensuring that their reporting is truthful, balanced, and free from bias or outside influence. In an era of information overload and the proliferation of "fake news," the importance of responsible journalism has never been greater. By upholding the highest standards of their profession, journalists help to maintain an informed citizenry and contribute to the vitality of our democracy.
The following are the long-term course goals that students will work to achieve throughout the year.
Craft in-depth news and feature stories for various media platforms.
Uncover and report complex stories using advanced techniques.
Create compelling content integrating text, video, audio, and interactive elements.
Conduct thorough interviews and perform advanced research.
Deepen understanding of ethics and media law, including libel and copyright issues.
Analyze media content and understand journalism's societal impact.
Lead and contribute to the school newspaper, fostering collaboration and mentorship.
3 ring binder OR a notebook: Any type is fine and you may share it with other classes, but it must be organized so that I can clearly see your work. Alternatively, scholars may record notes in Google Docs.
Pencils, pens (black or blue) and paper: I will not accept crumpled work or anything written in colors other than black or blue.
1 notepad or notebook: this will be used for recording interviews. It may not be shared with class notes.
Chromebooks/laptops: We will use our Chromebooks often. You should have them with you every day. Students are expected to charge their laptops every night.
Medium: We will publish and edit content for The Raven Post using the website Medium.com.
Class Texts
Harrower, T. (2013). Inside reporting: A practical guide to the craft of journalism (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
White, T. (2010). Broadcast news writing, reporting, and producing. Focal Press.