JOU 2100 Online
Spring 2014
Instructor: Gary Ghioto
E-mail: gghioto@uwf.edu
Course Description
This three-credit course covers the principles and procedures used by journalists to report
and write hard news and feature stories for newspapers, broadcast and online news sites.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will have the opportunity to learn a variety of skills covering news, such as
summary and feature lead writing, developing news judgment, and learning interview and
research techniques. Students will learn to write on deadline, interview sources and
develop an understanding of the workings of a newspaper and online news site.
Although the course stresses writing and reporting skills, students will be introduced to
journalism issues, ethics and libel law. Proficiency with Associated Press style is
stressed.
Course topics
The course will cover reporting, research and interview techniques used to write hard
news, features, blog postings and tweets. How editors and reporters make decisions about
news coverage will be discussed. Issues in journalism will be explored.
In addition, beat reporting, Associated Press style, ethics, story idea generation, source
development and Internet research for stories will be covered.
Required texts
Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism, Harrower, Tim. McGraw
Hill. (Any edition)
The Associated Press Style Book (any edition)
Recommended writing resources
Media Writer’s Handbook, by George T. Arnold, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
The University of West Florida Writing Lab is a great resource for grammar and
punctuation questions. The lab also provides tutoring. Visit: http://uwf.edu/writelab/ for
more information.
Class Web site
The class website will become operational on Tuesday, Jan. 7. I will email you the
address of the website.
Visit the interactive class Web site daily for required postings, style sheets, course
information and weekly assignments.
This course does not use the UWF e-learning system. The class website will contain
all you need to take the course. Check your emails frequently as I may post changes to
class calendars and assignments each week.
Required readings
Assigned readings are from the text, PowerPoint, AP Style Book and website postings.
Grading
Grades will be determined from scores on writing assignments and quizzes.
Quizzes and writing assignments = 100 percent of your grade.
Quizzes/Assignments
Expect frequent quizzes covering AP Style, chapter PowerPoint presentations, website
postings and assigned reading. You will also be required to write and report using a
variety of news writing styles covered during the week.
There is no make-up for a missed quiz or assignment as this is an online course with
requirements posted far in advance of deadline.
You will be notified within a week regarding your grade. If your quiz is not received by
deadline, you will receive a zero grade. No exceptions.
This course also features a variety of graded writing tasks during the semester including
covering a story, researching a topic and writing/reporting exercises.
Deadlines and commitments
Do not bother to ask to take a missed quiz due. Do not bother to ask for an extension to
turn in story assignments after deadline.
There are no retakes in daily journalism. Deadlines are sacred.
Grading of news stories
Errors in the lead = Up to 50 points off; factual error = up to 75 points off per error;
organizational error = up to 30 points off; spelling, AP style or grammatical error = up to
50 points off; libel = up to 50 points off; plagiarism = zero and possible expulsion from
this class and the University.
Grading
Grades will be based on a percentage of points earned:
A (94-100)
A- (90-93)
B+ (87-89)
B (84-86)
B- (80-83)
C+ (77-79)
C (74-76)
C- (70-73)
D+ (67-69)
D (64-66)
D- (60-63)
F (below 59)
Note
It is strongly recommended that you retain all assignments for your records and to assist
you in calculating your grade at the end of the semester. Keeping graded work is also
necessary in the event you challenge my calculation of your grade.
About your instructor
My name is Gary Ghioto.
I have been employed as a reporter, bureau chief, editor and correspondent for daily
newspapers including The Boston Globe and the Arizona Daily Sun. On the wire service
side, I have been employed by United Press International and Reuters as a news editor
and reporter.
I am currently the chief content editor of the Pensacola News Journal. My job is to edit
print stories for the newspaper and online stories for PNJ.com.
I assign reporters and photographers covering breaking news and administer the
newsroom. I also plan in-depth coverage for print and coordinate coverage of news
through digital platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
My broadcast experience includes three years as news director at New Hampshire Public
Radio and two years as a reporter for commercial and public television stations.
I covered the presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and also
reported extensively on national and New Hampshire politics.
One of my favorite jobs was covering the environment for a daily newspaper in northern
Arizona. Based in Flagstaff, I covered forest fires, the California condor and Mexican
gray wolf reintroduction programs, and issues involving the Colorado River and Grand
Canyon National Park. My beat also included coverage of the Hopi Tribe and the Navajo
Nation.
My freelance reporting credits include the New York Times, National Public Radio, E
Environmental Magazine, Pensacola News Journal and the Rothenberg Political Report.
I came to UWF in 2003 after teaching for two years at Northern Arizona University. I
received a bachelor’s degree in English literature in 1976 and a master’s degree in 2002.
Please feel free to use me as a resource concerning journalism jobs and internships. I will
also try to answer any questions you may have about a career in journalism.
***
Expectations for Academic Conduct/Plagiarism Policy
As members of the University of West Florida, we commit ourselves to honesty. As we
strive for excellence in performance, integrity—personal and institutional—is our most
precious asset. Honesty in our academic work is vital, and we will not knowingly act in
ways which erode that integrity.
Accordingly, we pledge not to cheat, nor to tolerate cheating, nor to plagiarize the work
of others. We pledge to share community resources in ways that are responsible and that
comply with established policies of fairness. Cooperation and competition are means to
high achievement and are encouraged.
Indeed, cooperation is expected unless our directive is to individual performance. We will
compete constructively and professionally for the purpose of stimulating high
performance standards. Finally, we accept adherence to this set of expectations for
academic conduct as a condition of membership in the UWF academic community.
A full statement of the plagiarism policy is provided at
http://uwf.edu/cas/docs/plagiarism.htm
The University of West Florida maintains a license for Turnitin, a web-based program for
analyzing students' written assignments to evaluate the originality of the work.
Assistance:
Students with special needs who require specific examination-related or other courserelated accommodations should contact Disabled Student Services, dss@uwf.edu, (850)
474-2387. DSS will provide the student with a letter for the instructor that will specify
any recommended accommodations.
ALC
This course supports the Academic Learning Compact (ALC) that follows for the
journalism track, especially the portions in bold type.
ALC FOR JOURNALISM TRACK
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION ARTS
Mission statement:
The journalism track prepares students for media careers in which they will be
expected to practice critical thinking, factual accuracy and clear communication.
We emphasize hands-on reporting and editing experience, ethical and legal
frameworks, and an awareness of how the mass media operate and how they serve
society.
The graduate of the UWF journalism program will be able to:
CONTENT
 Demonstrate the distinction between hard news reporting and feature writing.
 Write in accordance with Associated Press style rules.
 Identify the key principles of good layout and design practices for
newspapers.
 Describe historical controversies related to the practice of journalism.
 Identify career options in journalism
CRITICAL THINKING
 Exercise news judgment, factual accuracy and proper sourcing in news
articles.
 Generate ideas worthy of journalistic treatment.
 Synthesize diverse ideas to produce coherent news coverage.
COMMUNICATION
 Demonstrate mastery of the rules of grammar and English usage.
 Demonstrate engaging and effective interviewing techniques.
 Practice aesthetically pleasing graphic design techniques.
 Use information technology effectively and efficiently to conduct research.
CHARACTER/INTEGRITY/VALUES
 Describe and adhere to ethical principles in journalism:
 protection of sources
 balance
 avoidance of plagiarism
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
 Develop and write news articles in accordance with occupational constraints.
 Design and layout newspaper pages.
 Collaborate effectively with news colleagues and news sources.