Course: Communication 165 Instructor: Rick Jones (rajone1@ilstu.edu)
Office: Fell Hall 402 Office Hours: M&W 9:30 to 10:30 am, and by appointment
Text: Inside Reporting, 3rd Edition. Author: Tim Harrower.
Assignments: All assignments will be typed (10 or 12 point type) and double-spaced.
Out-of-class assignments will be submitted at the start of the class session as outlined
later in this syllabus. Failure to meet deadlines will result in a grade of “zero” points. No
make-up work will be permitted unless approved in advance.
Attendance: If you miss class, you will also lose all activity points for that day. I
anticipate the courtesy of students arriving and being ready to begin on time. The locked
door to the lab is closed when I begin the class activity.
Grades: Exams will provide 50 points apiece. One campus feature article will be worth
50 points. In-class writing exercises as well as other class assignments will total 10
points apiece. Personal blogs of 500 words minimum will provide 10 points apiece. The
instructor will utilize a 90-80-70-60 percent grading scale.
Out-of-class assignments: Students will attend one on-campus speech approved in
advance by the instructor. The due date for that article will be Friday, Nov. 6, as noted
later in this syllabus.
Extra Credit: The TA and I will offer a handful of extra writing opportunities worth 3
points each. One in-class interview will offer five points. That is a potential of 20 extra
credit points.
Lab and Class Etiquette: Computer screens are to remain “dark” unless we are using
the machines for a class activity. Some of you like to type your notes, which is
permissible. When leaving, push your chair under the table and clean your area of debris.
No food or drink allowed in the lab.
Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty: The lightest penalty will be automatically
failing this course. The student will also be subject to further departmental and/or
university sanctions. Students may check the ISU Student Code of Conduct for some, but
not every, example of these infractions.
Plan of Action: The instructor reserves the right to alter the following schedule.
Aug. 17 Introduction, The Public Thinks We’re Scum, Assign Friday paper:
Aug. 19 Journalism Today, Convergence and Digital
Aug. 21 Discussion Friday “Scum” exercise due
Aug. 24 Characteristics of News?
Aug. 26 Jones’ Writing Rules
Aug. 28 Discussion Friday Due: Blog #1 Mark Twain, presidential candidate, pg 209
Aug. 31 Leads
Sept. 2 Leads—TA lecture
Write in class, group therapy
Sept. 4 Leads, Write in class
Sept. 7 Labor Day
Sept. 9 Leads, Write in class
Sept. 11 Friday discussion Due: Blog #2 “Ten Days in a Madhouse” pp 210-212
Sept. 14 Body of News Story
Sept. 16 Write in class
Sept. 18 Discussion Friday: Due: Blog #3 “Into the Flames” pp 238-239
Sept. 21 Write in class
Sept. 23 Write in class
Sept. 25 Discussion Friday, Due: Blog #4 “Why Do We Speed?” pg 281
Sept. 28 Quotes and Attribution
Sept. 30 Write in class
Oct. 2 Exam I (50 pts)
Oct. 5 Know the Language handout
Oct. 7 Write in class
Oct. 9 Discussion Friday Due: Blog #5 “Always, Ed” pg 264
Oct 12 KTL exam (50 pts)
Oct 14 Write in class
Oct 16 No class
Oct 19 Write in class
Oct. 21 Interviews
Oct. 23 Discussion Friday In-class interview for x-credit due Monday, Oct. 26
Oct. 26 Features—TA presides
Assign campus feature
Oct. 28 Write in class
Oct. 30 Discussion Friday Due: Blog #6 12 Steps . . . pp. 300-303
Nov 2 Libel and Ethics
Nov 4 Write in class
Nov 6 Exam III
Nov 9 Speeches and Meetings
Nov 11 Write in class
Nov 13 No class
Nov 16 In class help with campus feature
Nov 18 Write in class
Nov 20 Campus feature article and notes due
Thanksgiving Break
Nov 30 Specialized Stories
Dec 2 Write in class
Dec. 4 Write in class
"Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented
disability contact Disability Concerns, Fell 350, 438-5853 (Voice), 438-8620 (TDD)."