Jour 205: News Writing (WI)
HONOLULU COMMUNITY COLLEGE
JOURNALISM 205
WI-NEWS WRITING, ONLINE
3 CREDITS
INSTRUCTOR: Mike Leidemann
OFFICES: Bldg. 2, Room 115
OFFICE HOURS: M-W: 8:30-10 a.m.
TELEPHONE: 227-5922.
EMAIL: mleidemann@gmail.com
EFFECTIVE DATE: Spring 2013
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
A writing-intensive course in non-fiction writing, news gathering and journalistic
ethics. Prerequisite: Eng 100 and a familiarity with Laulima.
CLASS DESCRIPTION:
This is a hands-on course in non-fiction writing and story telling. It will involve
regular practice in the gathering, writing, and dissemination of non-fiction news,
and all of our work will be intended for publication in a variety of media
throughout the campus and the community. The emphasis is on professional and
fair story-telling and learning to use new media, such as blogs, social media,
websites, and podcasts. The primary learning method in this online class will be
through the writing of stories, feedback from the instructor, rewriting of the stories
and final approval of the instructor. This will take the place of much of the normal
classroom interaction between student and instructor.
PREREQUISITE
Eng 100 with a C or better or approval of instructor.
WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE :
This is a Writing Intensive Certified Course. In order to receive credit for it,
students will be required to write a minimum of 5,000 words (20 pages) of work
that has been edited and rewritten at least once. This will include numerous short
assignments and the five major news writing assignments required to pass the
course.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMINGS
Upon successful completion of JOUR 205, the student will be able to:
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Apply the basic concepts, values, and principles of journalism, including news
and feature story structures and legal and ethical issues related to communication
and publications.
Analyze and discuss the quality of coverage in stories produced by the mass
media as a critical consumer of news.
Apply basic journalistic concepts and principles to produce a range of articles
(press release, short news, profile, timed deadline pieces, news story, and in-depth
news or feature) that meet standards for readability, accuracy, news style, and
mechanics.
Conduct background research and interviews to gather information accurately and
comprehensively.
Edit and proofread stories for readability, clarity, accuracy, news value,
conciseness, and mechanics.
Understand and use the relevant methods of news distribution, such as blogs,
social media, and websites.
Demonstrate competency in ethical deliberation and the use of discipline-based
tools to arrive at rational ethical judgments.
Express why ethics plays an important role in journalism.
What you’ll need:
• The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law (2013) (provided by
Student Media Board)
• Newsroom 101 (online grammar and AP Style exercises)
Class requirements:
• Regular attendance is essential, since many of the assignments will be
written on deadline in class. Late stories will immediately be marked down one
grade.
• At least one posting per week on www.thekala.net. This will be a short
item that is about and/or of interest to the Honolulu Community College.
• Twenty short (one-half to one page) stories based on handout materials.
Most of these will be started in class, continued at home, turned in, edited and
rewritten.
• Five medium length stories (2-3 pages) covering a variety of newspaper
style stories: personal profile, event, place, press release and community profile.
• Completion in a timely manner of Newsroom 101, an online editing course.
Assignments & grading
20 graded writing assignments
Grammar, style and current events quizzes
In-depth story
Total:
= 200 points (50%)
= 100 points (25%)
= 100 points (25%)
= 400 points. (100%)
STORY ASSIGNMENTS
Your 20 writing assignments will cover the basics of writing news and
feature stories, story structure, rewriting, editing and style in various media formats.
Some will be in-class writing assignments while others will include reporting.
Students are expected to use appropriate newsgathering tools, such as finding
relevant sources and using observation and interviewing techniques. Assignments
will give you experience in different aspects of news reporting, cover: a beat, such as
sports, writing obituaries, covering disasters, crime, speeches, meetings and politics.
Other styles include features, profiles, and investigative reporting. You will also
write a public relations news release, a radio story and TV script.
Additional resources
Poynter’s News U: www.newsu.org.
Journalists’ Toolbox: http://journaliststoolbox.org/
Calendar (Subject to change)
Week 1: The story of journalism: Media in the 21st Century
Contemporary journalism: Understanding its value to readers
Assignments: Current events quiz; Grammar 101
Week 2: Writing basics
Just the facts
Introduction to writing a basic lead
Assignments: Writing leads
Week 3: Newswriting basics
Story structure: Print and online
Rewriting
Assignments: Writing news stories from fact sheets.
Week 4: Reporting basics
Where stories come from: finding story ideas.
Assignments: Come up with five story ideas and list the sources of your information.
Week 5: Reporting basics
Reporting techniques: Observation, taking notes, interviewing, and using online and
mobile sources.
Assignment: Write about one of the story ideas you chose last time.
Week 6: Grammar and punctuation
Possessives & plurals
Punctuation
Agreement
Assignments: Newsroom 101
Week 7: AP Style & usage
Writing for clarity, conciseness and consistency
Assignments: Newsroom 101
Writing assignment: avoiding wordiness
Week 8: Feature writing
Writing assignment
Week 9: Writing for online and mobile media
Assignment: Tweeting, blogs & social media.
Week 10: Broadcast journalism
Assignment: Writing for radio
Week 11: Multimedia writing and reporting; law & ethics
Assignment: Plan a story package.
Assignment: Discuss case in class.
Week 12: Multimedia writing and reporting
Assignment: Create five story ideas; provide sources.
Week 13: Multimedia writing and reporting
Assignment: Write story with plan for story package.
Assignment: Research ideas for in-depth story.
Week 14: Public Relations
What is PR? PR strategy
Assignment: Write a news release.
Week 15: In-depth storytelling
Assignment: Present three story ideas with sources.
Week 16: In-depth storytelling
Assignment: Story draft due.
Week 17: In-depth story editing
Assignment: Finish editing final story.