JRN F390
NEW MEDIA TOOLKIT
FALL 2013 CRN 76489
TIME/LOCATION : MWF 9:45 a.m.-11:15 p.m., Bunnell 126
PREREQUISITES: ENGL 111x, ENGL 211x or 213x, JRN 202 or permission of instructor
INSTRUCTOR:
Robyne
Term Professor, Bunnell 101
Email: robyne@alaska.edu
Phone: 474.7661
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3:00 - 4 p.m. and by
appointment
(I am very likely in the office most times I am not in class.)
REQUIRED TEXTS & MATERIALS
1. Journalism Next, By Mark Briggs (must be second edition, ISBN 978-1-4522-2785-6)
2. The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual
3. Lots of online reading
1. Your own portable hard drive or thumbdrive for personal backup storage
2. A binder or other paper-catcher in which to collect all the hand-outs
3. Earbuds or headphones. In lab sessions in which you are editing audio with other
people in the room, it is polite to keep the sound to yourself. For the finishing
session on each product, sound-isolating headphones are highly recommended.
They can be checked out from the Journalism Department. (See check-out
information below.)
RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND RESOURCES
On Writing Well, William Zinsser
A good dictionary
The Elements of Style, Strunk and White
A daily newspaper or news website to provide you with both local and national news
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This hands-on class focuses on technologies and approaches that make storytelling
accessible in a digital world. We will discuss blogging and multimedia storytelling
involving audio, video, photographs and the written word. Students will learn to use
media tools to tell stories and convey information, and to have interactive conversations
and build relationships with global audiences. We will concentrate on writing for the
JRN 390 Syllabus Fall, 2013
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Web. Class format will combine lectures, guest speakers and in-class discussions with
“how to” demonstrations. This is NOT, however, a web design class. If you’re looking
for web design, check out JRN250.
Class projects include blogging, using photography and audio-editing software, basic
video skills, and the study of multimedia design and production (combining still
pictures, graphics and video content with music and/or audio to create a multimedia
project/presentation).
COURSE OBJECTIVES
AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER, STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
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explain and critique current digital tools and their uses for journalism
use multimedia reporting and production tools
understand the relevance of blogs to journalism and know the values and
limitations of keeping a blog
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. REPORTER’S BLOG
Students will post twice a week to a blog created specifically for this class. Your
blog for this class is not a personal diary. I expect a significant amount of original
reporting for your blog, as well as for your audio assignments and electronic
presentations. Simple embedding or linking to other material is not original
reporting. Generally, you will be graded on originality, clarity, structure,
organization, content, style and accuracy of your assignments.
2.
UAF EMAIL
Students must check their UAF email address regularly. It is recommended that
students have computers with the software noted above, though all students will
have access to the Journalism Department labs in order to complete work outside of
class.
3.
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
We will spend a fair amount of time in discussion of both the readings AND
multimedia examples viewed in class. It’s important for you to a) be in class to take
part in these discussions, b) prepare for class by reading any assigned materials,
and c) contribute generously to discussion. Plan to attend class, arrive on time,
and get involved. Again, a substantial portion of your grade is based on in-class
exercises and group discussion.
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Attendance in class is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for what I consider
“active participation.” I will evaluate your participation in the class using the
following general guidelines. These should help you understand my expectations.
Content, understanding: Do you follow the class discussion and build on others’
ideas? When you don’t understand something, do you ask questions?
Creativity: Do you generate your own insights and examples and share them in
class?
Curiosity and interest: Do you bring enthusiasm to the classroom? Are you in class
every week so you can be a consistent contributor? Do you share ideas or issues
you’ve come across in outside reading, current events, or through
personal experience?
4.
ATTENDANCE
Each unexcused absence will significantly reduce your grade. If you have eight or
more unexcused absences, you will automatically fail the course. Absences affect
your grade in other ways, of course, such as your performance on assignments.
An excused absence is when you have notified me before class that you will not be
able to make it to class for a valid reason: sick, personal emergency, etc. You must
notify me BEFORE class for an absence to be excused. Telling me hours or days
later why you missed class will not excuse the absence. Treat this class like a job. If
you don’t show up to work and don’t call in, you get fired. The only exception to
this rule is that I will accept a doctor’s note up to a week after you return to class as
an excuse for an absence. Make sure to contact me after an absence to see what
announcements or assignments you missed. I recommend you ask a fellow student
for a copy of her or his notes from that class to see what material we covered.
5.
DEADLINES
Deadlines are critical in journalism. Miss a deadline and you could lose your job.
Therefore, work turned in late (after the beginning of class on the day the
assignment is due) will result in an automatic 20 percent point reduction. Keep in
mind that an F of 50 points is better for your overall grade than an F of 0 points, so
it’s to your advantage to turn things in. True emergencies that may prevent the
completion of an assignment include the death of an immediate family member or
your hospitalization. In these cases, the department requires documentation of the
catastrophe.
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6.
EQUIPMENT CHECKOUT
We will use audio kits owned by the journalism department for this class. The
department office is open only limited hours and you are expected to complete
your equipment check-out and return during this time. You will be assigned your
“own” kit for part of the semester.
7.
SHARING WORK WITH THE CLASS
I will sometimes select work to share in class as examples for other students. They
might help you get a better idea of expectations associated with different
assignments and what you may need to do to strengthen your own work. If you’re
unwilling to have your work made available as an exemplar for other students,
please let me know early in the semester and I will exclude your assignments from
consideration.
8.
PLAGARISM/FABRICATION
Evidence of plagiarism or fabrication in any assignment will result in a minimum
penalty of an F for the course. Further action, such as expulsion from the
department and additional academic penalties, may be taken. Plagiarism is using
other people’s words or ideas as your own. Fabrication includes making up quotes,
sources, or events. To protect yourself from false accusations of plagiarism, keep all
of your notes, research material, raw audio and rough drafts until you receive your
grade for the semester.
GRADING:
Blog Posts
Quizzes
Digital tools presentation:
Audio interview
Audio Package
Sound w photo assignments
Video Assignments
Attendance/Participation:
Total Possible:
20 percent
10 percent
10 percent
10 percent
10 percent
15 percent
15 percent
10 percent
100
NOTE: In my classes, each student begins the semester as an “average” student; that
is, at a “C” level. If you complete all of the assignments and attend class regularly –
that is, do what is expected – you will likely earn a “C.” To get higher than a “C” you
must be prepared to work hard, generate great story ideas, follow through, contribute
original ideas and participate generously.
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EXTRA CREDIT
There may be opportunities for extra credit throughout the semester. I will announce
them as they become available.
JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES:
A: An honor grade that indicates originality and independent work, mastery of the
subject and the satisfactory completion of more work than is regularly required. You
have turned in work that stacks up against the best of what’s on the Web: 94-100 points.
A-: You may not be Wonkette, but you’ve got what it takes: 90-93 points.
B+: Indicates outstanding ability above the average level of performance. A future
employer would hire you based on your blog alone: 87-89 points.
B: You’ve got the skills and have done much more than the bare minimum on
assignments. You comment on posts and add thoughtful insight to the discussion.
People would subscribe to your blog/podcast: 83-86 points.
B-: As above. But though people would subscribe to your podcast, they might not make
it a listening priority: 80-82 points.
C+: You’ve done above average work, but not by much. The links on your blog are
things I could easily find on my own, or lack relevancy. Your audio doesn’t “sing,” or
lacks a professional edge (music, good natural sound, etc.) 77-79 points.
C: Indicates a satisfactory or average level of performance. Mastery of basics, but
nothing to set you apart: 73-76 points.
C-: You’ve made it to the average level, but by the skin of your teeth. You’ve mostly
done the bare minimum but sometimes skimped on either attendance and participation
or the quality of your work: 70-72 points.
D: The lowest passing grade. Indicates work of below-average quality and performance:
60-69 points.
F: Indicates failure to meet lowest standards: below 60 points.
DISABILITIES
I will happily work with the Office of Disability Services to provide reasonable
accommodation to students with disabilities. If you have any special needs, please see
me sometime during the first two weeks of class. The Office of Disability Services can be
reached at 474-7043.
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How do I log on to Journalism Lab Computers?
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If you’re sitting at the logon screen, click “Other” to login.
If “Other” has a red dot by it, wait 10-15 seconds and it will go away.
Use your UA Credentials (UA Username & password) to log in.
You may be prompted to enter your UA Credentials again to mount your Lab Shares – you can choose to do this
or “cancel”.
“UA Credentials”? What’s that?
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Your UA Username & password are used for a variety of services at UAF, including UAF email through Gmail,
Blackboard & ELMO.
Not sure of your UA Credentials? At the computer logon screen, use the “JRNLABS” account to log in. Your
instructor can provide you with the password. This is a shared account and does not provide the privacy of your
individual account BUT it provides you with the exact same access to all programs. From here, use an Internet
Browser to visit https://elmo.alaska.edu to reset your password or Blackboard / UAF Email to “check” that the
password you’re using is correct.
DO NOT continue to “guess” the password. You will lock yourself out of your accounts which requires OIT to
reset. In most cases when students can’t login, it’s because they’ve forgotten their password is case sensitive or
they’ve forgotten the password altogether. If you’re certain you’ve typed it correctly AND you’ve checked it
through Gmail or ELMO, contact OIT on the main floor of the Library.
Are you logged into your UA account but it looks different than other students? Contact Jason Lazarus in Bun 114
or at 474-6020.
“Lab Shares”? What’s that?
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All UAF students have paid a Technology Fee that gives them limited shared space that’s accessible from all OIT
labs on campus – and now that same space is accessible in Journalism Labs.
Are your UA Credentials not working for the Lab Shares logon? Click “Cancel” and continue – you’ll still be able
to use the computer. Contact Jason Lazarus in Bun 114 or at 474-6020 for additional assistance.
Lab Shares provides you with space to save files and have them accessible throughout all lab machines – saving
on the desktop ONLY saves on that specific computer’s desktop.
When mounted, Lab Shares will be accessible from the right side of your dock.
Journalism “ASIP” Server?
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This is where you’ll save your assignments so your instructor can grade your class projects. This is shared Server
space where anyone can see your files – so only save project material – not sensitive information!
Once you’re logged on and you’ve got a file you need to turn in for an assignment, your instructor will provide
you with logon information for a specific folder for your class – click on “ASIP” (located on the right side of your
dock) and use that login information. Once you’ve logged on, you’ll be able to find “News-FS” (or “Photo-FS” or
“Art-FS, depending on your logon info) on the left side of any finder window.
If you’ve got files you want to work on that are on the server, ALWAYS click-and-drag them to the desktop and
THEN open them. Once done, save & click & drag them back onto the server. This insures you’re working
LOCALLY – which is much faster and doesn’t bog down the computer.
As always, Journalism is not responsible for lost files on Lab Shares, ASIP or individual computers. Every student
is expected to back up their own data on thumbdrives, USB hard drives or CD/DVDs.
Questions? Contact Jason Lazarus in Room 114, or 474-6020, for further assistance!
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