PR 191 -- Strategic Writing for Public Relations

Tentative Class Schedule -- Spring '07

PR191 Home Page | Syllabus | Grading | Major Writing Assignments


 


Date

Class Activity

Readings

What' s Due

Jan. 24 (W)

Course overview; grammar skills assessment

 

Introductory e-mail to cynthia.mccune@sjsu.edu

Jan 29 (M)

Prewriting & editing; introduce Copy Edit the World

PR theory/persuasion overview (assign cognitive dissonance paper)

Wilcox, Ch1-2

Jan. 31 (W)

Intro to PR blogging; select a PR blog/wiki to follow this semester

Wilcox, Ch.13, p. 394

Due: Cognitive dissonance paper; sign up for class blog

Feb. 5 (M)

Letters, Memos & E-mail; Blogging demo

In-class exercise: hotel letter
Assign: Find PR letters (due 2/12)

Wilcox 14

Feb. 7 (W)

Writing Speeches; Intro to Powerpoint (assign speech/ppt.; speech topic memo due 2/19, speeches due 3/5 & 3/7); bring Wilcox text to class for in-class exercise

Wilcox 16

First class blog post due

Feb. 12 (M)

Graphic Design primer (assign design critique, due 2/28); class blog check-in

Design Book (first half)

Due: PR Letters paper, class blog post #2

Feb. 14 (W)

Newsletters/e-zines/blogs; discuss newsletter/e-zine/focused blog project (proposal due 2/21)

Wilcox 12

Due: Speech topic memo

Feb. 19 (M)

Annual reports (assign annual report analysis, due 3/14); class blog check-in, quiz review

Wilcox 14

Due: Class blog post #3

Feb. 21 (W)

More Powerpoint; class time for speech/PPt. prep

Feb. 26 (M)

QUIZ 1 (Wilcox 1-2, 12, 14, 16 & Design Book)

Due: Class blog post #4

Newsletter / e-zine / blog proposal memo (one memo per team; list team members)

Feb. 28 (W)

Present your design critiques; discuss group presentations on PR areas of interest, select interest areas, form teams; class time for speech/PPt prep

Design Book

Due: Design critiques

March 5 (M)

Speeches/PowerPoint Presentations

Due: Your Speeches; class blog post #5

March 7 (W)

Speeches/PowerPoint Presentations

 

Due: Your Speeches 

March 12 (M)

Media interview prep; in-class exercise

 

Due: Copy Edit the World - your first 10 pts.; class blog post #6

March 14 (W)

Annual reports: discuss your examples; newsletter project check-in/team time

Wilcox 14

Due: Your Annual Report Analysis

March 19 (M)

Position papers (assign position paper, topic memo due 4/4; paper due 5/7); discuss source attribution; in-class exercise

Wilcox p. 422 (also see links)

Due: Class blog post #7

March 21 (W)

Direct Mail & PR advertising (in-class exercise); (assign DM project: create brochure in class 4/2-4, DM pkg. draft due 4/25, final pkg. due 4/30); working with fonts

Wilcox 15 & Design Book (2nd half/fonts)

March 26-30

SPRING BREAK

 

 

April 2 (M)

Intro to Adobe InDesign - lab/start DM brochure;newsletter project check-in/team time

Wilcox 12, p. 360-372

Due: Class blog post #8

April 4 (W)

Lab: finish DM brochure in class

Wilcox 12

Due: Brochure; position paper topic memo

April 9 (M)

Your group presentations

Due: Class blog post #9

April 11 (W)

Your group presentations

Due: Copy Edit the World - your second 10 pts.

April 16 (M)

Direct mail letters (in-class exercise)

Wilcox 15

Due: Class blog post #10

April 18 (W)

QUIZ 2 (Ch. 12, 14-15 & Design Book)

 

April 23 (M)

Guest Speaker: Carol Welsh, manager of analysis and measurement in Cisco System's Corporate Communications group.

Due: Class blog post #11

April 25 (W)

DM peer editing, lab time to revise brochures; newsletter project check-in

Wilcox 15

Due: Draft of DM letter/pkg. for peer editing

April 30 (M)

Web page design -- intro to Dreamweaver

Wilcox 13

Due: DM package; class blog post #12

May 2 (W)

More Dreamweaver: lab time to work on web page

 

 

Due: Web page

May 7 (M)

Present position papers; finish web page

Due: Position paper, class blog post #13, Web page & 110x110p photo uploaded

May 9 (W)

Lab: Intro to video & working with iMovie

 

May 14 (M)

Finish iMovie project; newsletter team time & peer editing

 

Due: final blog post #14

May 23 (W) 12:15-2:30

Final exam -- present newsletter/blog projects

 

Due: Newsletter, e-zine or focus blog

PR191 Home Page | Syllabus | Grading | Major Writing Assignments