Chabot College
January, 1994
Replaced Fall 2010
Course Outline for Mass Communications 1
JOURNALISM: NEWSWRITING AND INFORMATION GATHERING
Catalog Description:
1 - Journalism: Newswriting and Information Gathering
3 units
Fundamentals of reporting and newswriting to develop ability to investigate, organize, write and rewrite
according to professional standards of print journalism. Analysis of exemplary journalistic models.
Conceive, research and write stories, using traditional news values. Requires source interviews or
original research. Strongly recommended: Eligibility for English 1A. (Can Jour2) 3 hours.
[Typical contact hours: 52.5]
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. analyze news stories and news features for content and execution;
2. determine original story ideas using traditional news values;
3. demonstrate at least half a dozen appropriate methods of starting a news story, with concise,
active voice prose;
4. interview for pertinent information with professional notetaking standards;
5. incorporate direct accurate quotes into straight news copy;
6. demonstrate story organization and topic transition techniques;
7. write an extended news feature of at least 1,200 words;
8. develop content and style appropriate to different print readerships;
9. identify and avoid libelous writing, invasion of privacy and unethical reporting.
Course Content:
1. Detailed analysis of daily news stories, longer news features and various components of
journalism, such as government, coverage, police and fire, lifestyle features, profiles, press
conferences, investigations, etc.
2. Practice at writing/rewriting leads, reducing wordiness, rewriting for greater clarity, interviewing live
sources
3. Completing at least eight major writing assignments, totaling 6,000 words
4. Critiquing examples of student writing, the daily press, and preparing revisions of the students'
own work
Methods of Presentation:
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6.
Lecture and discussion
"Live" interview and note-taking situations
Individual/group evaluation of student and professional prose
Challenging students with deadline writing situations in the Macintosh lab
Instructor conferences
Movies, tapes, guest speakers, reporting simulations
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1.
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Regularly scheduled writing assignments
Surprise deadline writing assignments
Verbal reports on research progress and interviews
Participatory discussion
Quizzes and major exams, including final exam
Chabot College
Course Outline for Mass Communications 1, Page 2
January 1994
Textbook(s) Typical):
Newswriting, Gerald Stone, Harper Collins
Interviews That Work, Shirley Biagi, Wadsworth
Special Student Materials:
None
gmc a:\wpfiles\coursoutMC1
Rev. 1/10/94