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Nancy Edmonds Hanson, APR
Office: 293.1489 |
Mass Comm 210: Media WritingSyllabus Fall 2008 |
10:30-11:45 a.m. |
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Course
information Required texts, attendance policy and grading overview |
Bad
writing makes bright people look
dumb."
All contents of this syllabus are subject to
frequent revision based on class progress and external events
particularly assignments and deadlines. These published dates are only
targets! Information on firm deadlines and changes will be given in
class. If an assignment published here has not been specifically
discussed in class, check with the instructor before proceeding. |
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Assignments |
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Week 1 08/26-28 |
Writing for todays audiences
Format for all stories and essays assigned in Media Writing: DOUBLE-space your text. INDENT paragraphs do NOT single-space and add an extra line between paragraphs.
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Write: Media audit. Assess your personal media habits for 24 hours. Then compare them with someone at least one generation older. 5001,000 words. Due Thursday, 08/28. Check out: Where the audiences are getting their news right now Check out: Minnpost Check out: Media Check out: Media clutter
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Week 2 09/02-04 |
Tools of the trade: spelling, grammar, style and math
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Read: Yopp 1-2 Write: Brief story about the partner assigned in class Tuesday (about 30 lines in length). Follow the 7-step writing process described in Yopp 1, also available here. Due Thursday. Worksheets: Depending on time, some may be assigned as homework and due next session. Check out: Copy-editing symbols Complete: AP1 exercise (for discussion in class on Tuesday).
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Week 3 09/09-11 |
Guidelines for good writing
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Read: Yopp 3
and 4 Write: Brief essay on writing issues that bug you. Due Thursday, 9/11 Check out: InForum.com Worksheet: AP2 due Tuesday, 09/16 |
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Week 4 09/16-18 |
Better Writing
suggestions and writing project
Lead on: getting to the point fast
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Read: Yopp 5
(Thursday) Write: Bad writer/good writer Write about one page about coming to school in today's frigid cold. In your first draft, write long on purpose: lots of description, wordy, very informal. Then edit this first version into a concise, lean story NO MORE THAN ONE-HALF the length of the first. Pare down your sentences and language; avoid redundancy. Squeeze out the air using all the guidelines discussed in Yopp 4 (last section). Due Tuesday, 9/23.
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Week 5 09/23-25 |
Lead on, part 2: news
judgment
Writing tip of the day: For clarity, add the time element after the verb. Don't start with it!
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Read: Yopp 5 Write: Two to three double-spaced grafs on the first big news story that you were really aware of. Bring a printed copy to class Thursday, 09/25.
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Week 6 09/30-10/02 |
Beyond the lead writing the message
Using the inverted pyramid in
longer-form stories
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Read: Yopp 6 &
7 Write: Four-paragraph news story about the I-94 turkey tragedy. Use hard-news recipe, including focus on most current status. Due Thursday, 10/02. Notes Write: Second-day story (follow-up) on turkey tragedy. Due 10/07 Check out: AP style tips on this link
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Week 7 10/07-09 |
Beyond Simple
Formats
AP style quiz Thursday
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Read:
Yopp 8 Write: Feature story on topic of personal interest related to alcohol and young adults. Must include: 1) Three sources; 2) At least one live interview; 3) At least two instances of correctly punctuated direct full and partial quotes. Due 10/23
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Week 8 10/14-16 midterm 10/10 |
Research and Observation
Midterm exam
Thursday,
10/16
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Read: Yopp 9
Midterm review
notes
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Week 9 10/21-23 |
Searching the Web like a pro
Interviewing, Quotes and Attribution
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Check out: Essential Google tips Google advanced operators (printable) Try Googling "the answer to life, the universe and everything" Check out: How people read on the Web (by Web readability expert Jakob Nielsen) |
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Week 10 10/28-30 |
Interviewing, Quotes & Attribution
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Read: Yopp 10 Write: Personality profile (feature) on media writer of your choice. Length 3-4 pages (800-1200 words). Emphasis is on use of quotes and scene-setting. Due Thursday, 11/13. Start planning now!
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Week 11 11/04-06 |
Recognizing bias and stereotypes
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Read: Yopp 11 Write: Mea Culpa ... 600-800 word essay on three forms of everyday copyright or libel abuse from personal perspective plus suggestion of legal/ethical alternatives. Due Thursday, 11/06. Check out: National Review commentary on "niggardly" and PC Read: Yopp 12 Check out: Newtopia.com essay on sensitivity and language
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Week 12 11/11-13 |
Legal & ethical issues Intellectual property, copyright, trademark & patent
Libel and slander
Weird Al Yankovic on violating copyright
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Extra credit
opportunities Copyright (25 pts): After reading text and AP about copyright, write an essay (3 pgs, double-spaced) citing three everyday violations of copyright standards you've observed or heard of in your own life .... plus three examples of proper use of copyright material. Libel & slander (20 pts): Research three current libel cases or controversies (not necessarily already in court); summarize your findings in a 3-pg, dbl-spaced essay, citing sources of your information within the text. Then tell me how YOU feel about these situations. I'll accept extra-credit papers through the last day of class. |
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Week 13 11/18-20 |
Writing for Broadcast Print vs. broadcast style
Playing to video's strengths
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Read:
Yopp 12 Write: 20-second radio script based on hand-out. Due 11/25 |
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Week 14 11/25 |
Due Tuesday: Radio script
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Read: Yopp 14 Write: Essay on the earliest ads that influenced you ... plus 3 contemporary ads that stand out. Due 12/02
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Week 15 12/02-04 |
Advertising: Lots more than pretty pictures
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Write:
Final project -- advertising Dragon Yogurt.
Details.
Due 12/09. Read: "Cutting through the advertising clutter" on www.cbsnews.com "How to cut through the advertising clutter" on www.USAtoday.com
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Week 16 12/09 |
Due Tuesday:
Dragon Yogurt ad project
Review for final exam |
Note: Final exam review notes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Final exams |
Final: Wednesday,
12/12 noon
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| This page was last updated on 08/26/08 by Nancy E. Hanson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
