News Writing

SYLLABUS COMS 104  

RESOURCES

Textbooks:

  • Vincent Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting & Writing 978-1506344744;
  • Associated Press  Style Book — Any recent year  

Web sites:

Other Essential tools:  Reporters notebooks, digital audio recorder (or app on phone), digital camera, laptop or iPad, mobile phone.    

PROFESSOR  William (Bill) Kovarik, PhD   

  • Email: wkovarik@radford.edu   
  • Office hours: T-Th 10 – 11,  2-3:30, or by appointment, CHBS 2129
  • Professor information:  billkovarik.com

THE COURSE      

Catalog description: Instruction and practice in basic writing. Includes introduction to writing fundamentals, writing for news media, and use of expository, narrative descriptive and persuasive approaches.  This is beginning course required of all Media Studies majors in the journalism concentration.

Goals: Upon successful completion of this course, you should have This includes info from the Filak resources

  • A basic familiarity with journalism and the news reporting profession, including its role in a democratic society;
  • A high level of proficiency in basic writing — spelling, punctuation, grammar, and proper style;  
  • A high level of proficiency in news writing, involving the ability to think critically, verify facts and write audience-centric news pieces that are accurate, fair and objective.
  • An introductory level of proficiency in the Associated Press style;
  • An introductory level of proficiency in media technology, for example, software (social media and editing applications) and media hardware (cameras, voice recorders, etc.)  
  • An understanding of the laws and ethical standards that apply to journalists.

Practical information   

  • The COMS 104 class consists of a series of readings and quizzes, along with writing and reporting exercises, both in and out of class.   
  • D2L will have the schedule, the assignments and the due dates for your class work.      
  • The instructor’s web site will have some additional links to optional reading and other information.    

Turning in assignments:

  • Turn in Exercises on  D2L. Turn in major writing projects on your own WordPress portfolio.       
  • Label all submissions  with name, assignment info and class. (So the file name might be  ChrisSmith.A1interview.104.docx) The MS Word or txt document should also have this name.assignment.class information written in the document at the top of the page with double-spaced text starting about 1/3 of the way down the page.     

Grading will follow this emphasis:

    • Quizzes and participation  – 100 points
    • Mid-Term and Final 150 points each
    • Writing assignments – 500 points  
    • Semester Project  –100 points

Course sequence

At Radford University COMS 104 is the beginning of a sequence of journalism classes. Usually these take four semesters to complete.

  • COMS 104 — Introduction to media writing
  • COMS 204 — News reporting
  • COMS 304 — Multi-Media Jopurnalism 
  • COMS 381 — Student Media Practicum
  • COMS 404 — Specialized reporting / Digital storytelling
  • COMS 481 — Journalism practicum
  • COMS 498 — Internship (optional)

ABOUT JOURNALISM

  • Journalism is the reporting of news and public information for digital, print and broadcast outlets.  
  • “The purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities, their societies, and their governments,” said Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel in their 2007 book,  The Elements of Journalism.    
  • The basic discipline of journalism involves separating accredited facts from opinions and accurately summarizing those facts in a written or broadcast report. This is an invaluable skill no matter where your professional life may take you.     

POLICIES

  • Academic integrity, as pointed out in the Standards of Student Conduct, prohibits falsification, cheating, forgery, plagiarism and other dishonest academic practices. Penalties for major infractions may result in failure of the course or dismissal from the university.   
  • Honor Code: By accepting admission to Radford University, each students makes a commitment to understand, support and abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or exception.
  • Attendance: Attendance counts towards your final score. Absence of more than 10 percent of classes will result in a reduction of your grade.   
  • Late policy: Late completion of projects will result in reduction of grade by one letter grade per week. This is a very serious problem in a beginning news writing class.  You will not be allowed to stay in the class if you fall too far behind.
  • Disabilities policy:   If you are seeking academic accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act at Radford University, you are required to register with the Disability Resource Office (DRO).   To receive academic accommodations for this class, please submit your documentation to the DRO in the lower level of Tyler Hall Suites 54-69, by fax to 540-831-6525, by email to dro@radford.edu. After submitting documentation to our office, you will set up an interview with a Disability Services Specialist to discuss accommodations. You will be notified via email once your accommodation package is complete and ready to be picked up. Once you have picked up your accommodation package, you will need to meet with each course professor during their office hours to review and discuss your package.  For more information and/or for documentation guidelines, visit www.radford.edu/dro or call 540-831-6350.  
  • Incomplete grades — Usually these are for students with serious unexpected medical or family problems.
  • Withdrawal without penalty —  Last day for Fall, 2018, is Nov 2 .  
  • Confidentiality — Discussions about your grade or other aspects of your life at RU are kept in strict confidence by the instructor under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99).
  • Other issues — Please be sure to consult with the instructor about any problems you may have  early in the semester. Do not wait for the last minute.

Basic schedule 

#1 Aug. 28th  WHY JOURNALISM MATTERS      
Introductions and orientation  

  • GOAL:   Build an understanding of the role news plays in democracy.  
  • W1: Interview and write a short intro to another student in the class
  • Assignments  
    • Buy textbook(s)   
    • Rewrite and turn in better interview   (W1)
    • Read  Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics  
       https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp         
    • Watch 2 videos provided in D2L

Aug 30 WHY JOURNALISM MATTERS (cont)

#2  Sept 4 – 6   WHERE NEWS COMES FROM  

  • GOAL: Analyze components of information
  • Understand approaches to news writing  
  • Understand audience – driven writing (Filak Ch 1)  
  • Get familiar with Professional Resources:   
  • Learn about Fact Checking sites (Snopes, AP, Politifact)  
  • Ex 2 –Fact checking   
  • GOAL: Begin to  report information.  
  • Learn about AP Style
  • Brush up grammar  

W2: Write a  lead exercise and turn in on WordPress  


#3  Week of  Sept 10 FINDING THE FOCUS, BUILDING THE LEAD   

  • GOAL: Basics of news writing, leads   
  • W3:  Four leads / turn in on WordPress  
  • Quizes:  Filak Ch 1, AP Style essentials
  • Read Filak Chapter 2 

#4  Sept 17  CRITICAL THINKING  / CRAFTING THE LEAD  

#5  Sept 24 CREDIBILITY AND ATTRIBUTION  

  • Taking notes
  • W5: Complete story structure   
  • Authoritative sources  
  • Read: The discipline of journalism (Kovach, Rosenstiel / Online at API )
  • Read Filak Chapter 4  

#6  Oct 1-2   BUILDING BLOCKS   

  • Thurs Oct 4  / Ron Osgood talk / Documentary


#7  Oct 8  Covering a talk       

  • Writing – Ron Osgood  W 4
  • AP Style Quizzes


#8  Oct 15 Creating a Portfolio 

  1.  Feature Writing,  Chapter 6,  Ex 6 News U – Cop on a Roof
  2. Create Web Portfolio Site, WordPress
  3. AP Style quizzes

#9  Oct 23  Dealing with Social Media 

#10 Oct 29   

  • Interviewing Ch. 6
  • Interview with Radford City Police Chief  
    • You may use this for Assignment  W 5 – cover a panel discussion or event
  • Ch 7 & 8 Finding News

#11  Nov 5   

  • Using Video Cameras
  • Broadcast News –  Filak Chapter 9, 10, 11 
  • Broadcast Writing and Voicing

#12  Nov 12   

#13 Nov 26

  • Read Filak Chapter 11 
  • Editing Audio and Video   
  • Placing Audio and Video on the web, embedding web video on your pages    


#14  Dec 3     

  • Read Filak Chapter 12
  • Law and Media