San José State University

School of Journalism & Mass Communications

Writing Workshop MCOM-100W-02 Course #21162

Spring 08

General Information

Instructor:	Dona Nichols
Office location:	DBH-135
Telephone:	408.924.3247
Email:	DonaNichols@gmail.com
Office hours:	MTWR 10:15 -10:45 a.m.
Classroom days/time:	MW 9-10:15 a.m. in DBH-222

Course Description

Advanced writing across the media – advertising, journalism and public relations. Writing and research for an increasingly convergent media with multiple media formats from the Web to print and broadcast, including writing to accompany audio and visual images.

Prerequisites: ENGL 1B (with a grade of C or better); Completion of core GE, satisfaction of Writing Skills Test and upper division standing. Should be taken junior year; required of all advertising, journalism and public relations majors before they reach senior standing. The course will be waived for students receiving a waiver score on the Writing Skills Test. Course Attribute: Area Z: written communication II

Student Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course you will:

1. --Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of groups in a global society in relationship to communications.

2. --Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.

3. --Think critically, creatively and independently.

4. --Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve.

5. --Critically evaluate your own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness.

Readings and Equipment Requirements

Required Textbooks

Writing for the Mass Media 6th edition. By: James Glen Stovall

When Words Collide: A Media Writer’s Guide to Grammar and Style 6^th edition. By Lauren Kessler and Duncan McDonald

A.P. Style Book by Associated Press

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by Z.Z. Packer (you will read one chapter from this book so you may opt to check it out from the library)

Computer & software requirements

Students registered in upper division courses in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications are required to have a laptop and wireless Internet access. For more information about the School’s laptop policy, see the JMC website (jmcweb.sjsu.edu).

PowerPoint or an equivalent presentation software is needed for the group projects.

All majors in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications must have a laptop and the software required for the upper division classes (course listings of 100 and above) in their academic programs.http://jmcweb.sjsu.edu/laptop.html.

Grading

Grades, points, etc.

Keep a running total of points earned for each assignment. You will be required to turn in a hard copy of this list several times throughout the semester.

60 — vocabulary enrichment

590 — Written assignments (outside of class), quizzes and in-class assignments

100 — Midterm

150 — Research paper

100 — Final and journal*

1000—Total points possible for the semester

*Regardless of points, your final in-class writing assignment must be polished and professional quality.

Final grades for this course will be given as follows:

grade	A+	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	NC
total points	1001+	940-1000	900-939	870-899	835-869	800-834	770-799	725-769	0-724

San Jose State University’s grade point system is as follows:

grade	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F
grade point	4.0	3.7	3.3	3.0	2.7	2.3	2.0	1.7	1.3	1.0	0.7	0

Heading for Assignment

Format for papers:

Name

Mass Com - time & days of class i.e., TR 9

Assignment slug (press release, obit, research paper, etc.)

Your email address

Word count

Font: 12 point Times with one-inch borders on top and bottom and one and a quarter to one and a half inch borders on either side. Double space and staple all papers unless otherwise instructed. If your computer doesn’t have this particular font, find one similar to this syllabus in size and type.

Research Paper

It sounds daunting so perhaps it’s best to think of it as a big feature that just happens to have a bibliography at the end. Your “feature” must incorporate library research, including citations from scholarly and professional journals, and a minimum of three interviews. You’ll be expected to turn in first and second drafts on time so that you can benefit from peer editing sessions. This is the single most important paper you will write this semester and you should give it the attention it deserves. The final draft of this paper should be written at a level appropriate for publication. This paper should reflect comprehensive proof that you’ve absorbed the material covered in class.

1000-1200 words

Word of the Week

Source: newspaper, magazine or textbook from any class except this one. You will be expected to keep a list of these words and add them to your vocabulary. Once a word has been submitted as a “Word of the Week” it may not be submitted again. Words that refer to diseases or medical conditions are not eligible. Make two copies of your “Word of the Week” assignment; one for your files and one to turn in. The one you turn in will go into a notebook for the class to refer to so it will not be returned to you. Use the word in a sentence in such a way that I know that you know how to use the word. I will also furnish some words for your vocabulary enrichment.

Format for “Word of the Week” assignments:

Name

Mass Com 100W M/W 9 a.m.

Word #1 (or whichever number is appropriate for that week)

Your Word

Source: note where you read it.

How it was used: The entire sentence in which the word was encountered.

Definition: all definitions from the dictionary. Also note parts of speech

All definitions that apply (noun, verb, etc.)

Your sentence: Use the word in a sentence.

Journals

Everything you write for this class should be included in your journal. At the end of the semester your journal entries should be organized in chronological order. Do include a “table of contents” page. A page detailing point totals for assignments is also required. Electronic journals may be submitted on a CD.

Policies

• All writing assignments submitted for this class must be original work, written by you for

this class (see Academic Dishonesty section below).

• All papers must be composed on a computer or typewriter.

• Handwritten papers will not be accepted.

• Be on time. In-class assignments are distributed only to students present—no make-ups.

• Do not check email or surf the Internet during lecture.

• Papers are accepted on the due dates at the beginning of class. NO EXCEPTIONS.

• Always email a copy of papers to yourself and store them in a folder on your laptop.

• Check your email nightly. I often give a heads-up on quiz questions.

• If you are unable to attend class on a day when an assignment is due you may send it in

with a trusted classmate. Assignments will not be accepted via email.

• This class is graded ABC/no credit which means anything below a “C” does not count.

Incompletes are not given in this class.

• Extenuating circumstances need to be communicated on the first day of class.

• Your presence is expected at every class and for the final scheduled by the university.

• Anything you email me should be within the text of the email; no attachments please.

• You are expected to keep all of your written assignments, tests, quizzes, etc., in a journal

which will be due at the time of the final and will account for a portion of your final grade.

Keep a running record of assignments and points earned with your journal.

• All assignments will be rewritten to reflect needed changes in grammar, style and content.

• Rewrites are due one week after original paper is handed back.

• Discourteous and impolite behavior will not be tolerated in this classroom. Please exercise

good manners and good judgment.

• You are responsible for all material covered during class, whether you are here or not. If

you are absent, it is your responsibility to get notes and assignment information from a

classmate. Specifics of assignments are covered in class, not via email.

• Include word count on all papers. You may count 10 percent of your rewrite toward your total word count.

• In order to pass this course: you must be published in print (not the Internet) on or before the last day of class; You must meet the “Student Learning Outcome” requirements and you are required to meet the 8000-word minimum writing requirement.

Department Policies

No cell phones. Kindly turn your cell phone to vibrate while in class.

No food.

No late arrivals.

Clean up after yourself and pick up debris before leaving class.

What to expect

Emphasis in this class will be on good clear writing. Exercises and projects will be related to

journalism, advertising, public relations and broadcast. You will write a press release, news story, feature, formal letter, proposal, and a research paper. (more on that later) You’ll also write advertising and broadcast copy that you will present to the class. Some writing will be based upon critique and rewrite of previously submitted material. In-class assignments will include memos, audience analysis, a cover letter, an opinion piece and editing exercises. Total writing for the semester will be a minimum of 8,000 words. Regardless of the points accrued, students must present proof of the 8000-word minimum in order to pass this class. Students must achieve all “student learning outcomes” listed at the end of this syllabus in order to pass this class.

You will pitch your story ideas to members of the Spartan Daily and local newspaper professionals. You must get at least one by-line in a legitimate print publication. Internet publication does not qualify.

You should come to every class prepared to write an in-class assignment. I expect your writing to be of entry-level professional quality (and if it isn’t there yet, it should be by the end of the semester). Correct use of the English language is a standard in this industry so be mindful of spelling and grammar. Your grade will be dramatically affected by poor grammar and misspelled words. Remember: The spell-check button is your friend.

You should be reading the Spartan Daily, The San Jose Mercury News and the New York Times. Listen to NPR at 88.5 FM and watch the nightly news. Current events quizzes will be given often and without notice at the beginning of class. Each current events quiz will have 10 questions. The first question will always be: What is today’s lead story in the San Jose Mercury newspaper? The second question will always be: What is the lead art in today’s paper? There’s usually one question that relates to world news, one that’s national, one state or local, one that pertains to SJSU, and one sports. The rest of the questions are inspired by that day’s current events. At some point in the semester I’ll ask you about the DOW and where it closed the day before. There will be two directed reading assignments that will require a response from you.

School Policies

1. Cell phones and other personal electronic devices must be turned off in the classroom.

2. Do not schedule personal appointments that conflict with the time the class meets. Do not disrupt the class by leaving early. Latecomers may be denied entrance to the classroom.

3. In the classroom, laptops must be used for classroom related activities only.

4. Remove your personal belongings and trash from the classroom after each class.

5. No food allowed in classrooms or labs.

Instructor Policies

1. Late assignments are not accepted.

2. Assignments may not be turned in via email or fax unless that is an element of the assignment.

3. All assignments are due at the beginning of class. No exceptions.

Letter Grades

About halfway through the semester your writing should be of entry-level professional quality (if it isn’t, we need to talk). Written assignments will be more complex and will be graded on organization, clarity, style and accuracy, as well as on grammar, punctuation and spelling. To help you understand how I will assess your work, here is an overview of my grading standards:

To receive an “A,” your written work must comply with all requirements of the assignment, be well organized and well developed, and demonstrate a clear understanding of audience and purpose. Your writing should contain no logical or factual errors, and demonstrate your ability to use language and construct sentences effectively and correctly. It should also display a measure of creativity, and be essentially free of grammatical, mechanical, usage and AP Style errors.

“B” work demonstrates the same competence as “A” work, but with some slight weaknesses. It may fall short on one of the assigned tasks, show less facility with language, or contain some minor grammatical, mechanical, usage or AP style errors.

“C” work completes all tasks set by the assignment, but shows weaknesses in the fundamentals (e.g., organization and development, understanding of audience and purpose). The sentence construction may be less mature, and the use of language may be less correct than in “B” work.

“D” work neglects one of the assigned tasks and may be noticeably superficial in its treatment of the assignment — that is, it is too short or simplistic, or has problems in logic or development. It also contains serious grammatical, mechanical, and/or usage errors that render some sentences incomprehensible.

“F” work demonstrates a striking underdevelopment of ideas and organization, and contains serious grammatical, mechanical, and/or usage errors that render some sentences incomprehensible. Factual errors will also result in an “F” for the assignment.

GFE (gross factual error) Misspelling a name, getting the date of an event wrong or getting the facts wrong in any way, shape or form in a media story harms your credibility beyond belief. A GFE will reduce your grade by 50 percent.

Academic Dishonesty

I take the issue of academic dishonesty very seriously. I consider plagiarism to be the “kiss of death” for any student in a writing class or any student who aspires to work in one of the writing professions. I have flunked students for submitting plagiarized papers, and I will do so again if I find any. And, I’m getting quite good at finding them.