[JRN 2100]
News Writing AND REporting
Course Schedule - Weekly Overview
This is a tentative schedule for the semester. You will be notified of any changes.
Announcements
Study for the Final Exam
(see dates and times below)
Shortcut to the Rich Textbook Website and Online AP Style Quizzes:
http://login.cengage.com/sso/
STORY/REPORTING ASSIGNMENT FORMS:
Interview Release Form
Source Accuracy Check Form
Items to bring to every class:
1. Flash drive
2. AP Stylebook
3. Headset/Earbuds
Questions? Ask Dr. Steinke.
The best writers are readers.
You should read the news on a daily basis.
You also need to complete the assigned readings BEFORE each class.
All assigned book chapters are found the Rich textbook, Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method, 7th edition.
Click on the underlined links below to access information online.
Date |
Topic |
Readings |
Web Sites |
In-Class Assignments |
Story/Reporting Assignments |
| Jan. 10 | Introduction to Course and
Basic News Concepts |
Buy your textbooks and your Cengage passcode folder so you can sign up for a Cengage account |
Click here and sign up with |
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| Jan. 12 |
Introductions, Interviewing and Profiles
Creating Audio Clips |
Ch. 1,17 (Profiles only)
Read online story listed in box to the right |
What makes this profile compelling? What interviewing and research led to this profile? At a certain age, nothing
The Oregonian
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| Jan. 17 | Class Member Profile Stories
Interviewing Basics
Discuss Upcoming Profile Story/
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Class Member Profile Story Due
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| Jan. 19 | Review: News Story Structure, News Leads and AP Style
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IMPORTANT: Bring your Cengage Passcode/Folder to class today!
Ch. 2,7,8
Check out the online story listed in box to the right |
What are the news values of this breaking story? How did online coverage unfold for this breaking story?
View the online exhibits located at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/lakewoodshootings/
Entire coverage found at: |
In-Class Assignment: NewsScene -
Finish for homework. Print and bring a copy to the next class. |
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| Jan . 24 | Review instructions for Reporting Assignment
Profiles
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Bank Robbery Story Due
Check out online stories listed in box to the right |
VIDEO PROFILES How were multimedia used in these profile? How did telling the story using multimedia
A chance encounter -- two amputees
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In-Class Assignment: Profile Story Ideas |
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| Jan. 26 | Profile Story Preparation
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REVIEW Ch. 17 (Read about profiles only) | PRINT AND VIDEO PROFILE
Samantha Garvey, Intel Semi-Finalist, Huffington Post Story and Video
PRINT PROFILE
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In-Class Assignment: Wkbk -18-1- Profile Checklist |
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| Jan. 31 | Obituaries
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Ch. 17 (Obituaries only) | Examples of Obits
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In-Class Assignment:
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| Feb. 2 | Obituaries (cont.)
Discussion of In-Class Assignment 17-4(a)
Start AP Style Quizzes |
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In-Class Assignment: (Review material for all tabs except the "Write an Obituary" tab) |
Profile Story Due | |
| Feb. 7 | Speeches Finding Newsworthy Speeches
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Ch. 18
To find speeches...
Check out and |
Local Speech Stories
Edison residents take tips ...
Author Michael Eric Dyson urges people to be brave
Speeches from the White House
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In-Class Assignment: What would the lead be about? Write the lead and nut graf.
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| Feb. 9 | Speech Stories
AP Style
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In-Class Assignment: Watch video. Take notes. Write the story.
White House Speech - First Lady
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Profile Story: Accuracy/Permission Forms Due Today! You will not receive a grade for this assignment until all forms have been completed. | |
| Feb. 14 | Speech Stories: Critiques and Rewrites
Review for Mid-term Exam |
In-Class Assignment: Speech story rewrites. | |||
| Feb. 16 | Mid-term Exam | ||||
| Feb. 21 | Covering Meetings | Ch. 18 | City of Kalamazoo Website http://www.kalamazoocity.org
City Commission Meetings http://www.kalamazoocity.org/portal/government.
Local Meetings Stories
Kalamazoo City Commisssion Approves $519 million budget for 2012 |
In-Class Assignment: News Scene- City Council Meeting
Take notes. Write lead and nut graf. |
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| Feb. 23 | Covering Meetings
Discussion of Meeting Story |
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In-Class Assignment: News Scene- City Council Meeting
Finish story. Critiques |
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| Feb. 28 | Finding Story Ideas
Discussion of Final Reporting Assignment Story
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Ch. 3,4 | Twenty-one ways to find story ideas
To be used during class:
Lexis/Nexis - Guided News Search |
In-Class Assignment: Finding Newsworthy Story Ideas (List and type up 3 story ideas from news media + 3 story idea from observations. For each idea, discuss why each one has news value)
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| March 1 | Discussion of Story Ideas
Interviewing - Basics and Scheduling |
Work on Story Idea |
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| March 6 |
SPRING BREAK!
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| March 8 | SPRING BREAK! | ||||
| March 13 | AP STYLE
Finalize Story Ideas -- By the end of class you MUST select a story idea! |
Still looking for a great story idea?
Check out these recent studies for national issues that could be localized...
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| March 15 |
Interviewing and Souring: Background Research and Planning for Interviews |
Start scheduling interviews!
Ch. 5 |
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| March 20 | AP STYLE
Interviewing |
Keep working on interviews!
Ch. 6 |
Interviewing: A Practical Guide for http://www.kcnn.org/interviewing/
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In-Class Assignment: Story/Concept Maps and Interviewing Plan | |
| March 22 | INTERVIEWING DAY
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Keep working on interviews! |
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| March 27 | AP STYLE
Interviewing Strategies for Coping with Challenges
Ethics and Interviewing |
Keep working on interviews!
Ch. 15 |
In-Class Assignment - Revise your Story Map Prepare a Story Outline
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| March 29 | AP STYLE
Writing the Story
Writing a Great Lead
Copy Editing |
Keep working on interviews!
REVIEW: Ch. 7, 8 Ch. 10
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MONDAY, April 2, 6 p.m., Fetzer Center,Kirsch Auditorium |
REQUIRED: ATTEND COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY PUBLIC LECTURE (Click here for details on the lecture). |
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| April 3 | AP STYLE
Story Drafts |
Bring in ALL materials for your story (notes, research) | In-Class Assignment: Writing Workshop |
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| April 5 |
AP STYLE
Multimedia Journalism: Taking it Online |
Ch. 12 | In-Class Assignment: News University- Five Steps to Multimedia Storytelling
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Final Reporting Assignment Story Due
Final Reporting Assignments will be returned on April 17 for revisions. Stories turned in late (after they have been collected) will be subject to a grade deduction.
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| April 10 | AP STYLE
Multimedia Journalism: Creating Storyboards |
Best of 2011 Multimedia Examples
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In-Class Assignment: Create Storyboards
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| April 12 | AP STYLE Accuracy and Fact Checking |
Bring a copy of your photos and audio to class. |
Accuracy and Fact Checking
http://www.kcnn.org/principles/accuracy_ and_fact_checking_in_journalism
Upload headline, bio., photos, captions, audio online
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In-class Assignment: Bios., Headlines, Captions, Photos | Accuracy Check Forms Due Today! You will not receive a grade for this assignment until all forms have been completed.
All of these must be printed and turned in. |
| April 17 | AP STYLE
JRN Internships
Story Revisions
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Bring an e-copy of your final story to class. |
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In-Class Assignment: Story Revisions
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| April 19 | Review for Final Exam
Story Revisions/Copy Editing |
Bring questions!
Ch. 24 |
Upload story to |
Study for Final Exam! (see dates below) | |
Please note that grades and class status cannot be given or discussed by e-mail or by phone.
Mid-term and Final Exams - ADMINSTERED BY E-LEARNING ONLY IN THE COMPUTER LAB!
FINAL EXAM DATE AND TIME (please note the time for your class session):
9:30 a.m. Class - Thursday, April 26, 10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
11 a.m. Class - Tuesday, April 24, 10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Mid-term and final exams are administered by e-learning in the computer lab. You must be present in the computer lab to take the exams. No make-up exams will be given.
Bring your AP Stylebook to the mid-term and final exams.
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Program in Gender and Women’s Studies
Western Michigan University
E-mail: jocelyn.steinke@wmich.edu
Revised Date: April 20, 2012 9:07 AM
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