TULANE UNIVERSITY

News Reporting and Writing – Spring 2004

UMAR 360-81, Thursdays 6:00 – 8:45 p.m.

 

Instructor: Michael Perlstein, B.A., M.S.

                                       826-3316 (day)

                                       237-8913 (cel)

                                       Email: maperl8@aol.com

                                       Consultation: By appointment

 

I. Primary Textbook

 

   Mencher, Melvin, News Reporting and Writing. Ninth Edition,

   Madison, Wisconsin: Brown & Benchmark, 2000.

 

 

II. Other Readings

 

     Christopher French, ed. The Associated Press Stylebook and

     Libel Manual. The Associated Press: New York, 1980.

 

     The New York Times

 

     The Times-Picayune

 

 

III. Course Description

 

          The course will provide hands-on immersion into the reporting and writing techniques of journalism. Classes will include discussion of various journalistic practices and study of those practices through reading and assignments. Students will engage in frequent out-of-class reporting and will be required to write stories suitable for publication.  Current events and media issues will be followed closely.

 

IV. Course Goals

 

1.    Provide instruction on journalism beyond the basics, including interview techniques, finding and analyzing newsworthy information and writing stories for maximum interest and impact.

 

2. Improve writing skills, concentrating on writing with                                                                                            

    conciseness, clarity, organization and style.

 

3. Nurture oral expression through reporting assignments and class 

    discussion.

 

4. Explore the ethical concerns of journalism.

 

5. Provide information on journalism as a career.

 

 

V. Examinations

 

        Each class will begin with a 3 to 5 question quiz on the                                                  

        week’s news events and/or readings and assignments. These

        will be used to monitor progress only and will not graded.

There will be two tests during the semester, one in-class, the  other  her take-home. There will be a written final exam.

 

VI. Grading

      

       Assignments:              40 %

       Tests:                          40 %

       Class Participation:     20 %

 

Scale: A-Excellent, B-Good, C-Average, D-Below Average

Please Note:

 

n    Late assignments without a valid excuse are reduced one full letter grade.

n    The final course grade will be reduced one full letter grade after three unexcused absences.

n    Be on time. Three unexcused tardies are considered equal to one unexcused absence.

 

 

VII. Course Outline

 

Weeks 1-2: Diagnostic current events quiz. Review of introductory journalism techniques. Discussion: “What is the role of journalism in society?” Introductory assignment: writing from a press release.

 

Weeks 2-3: Journalistic writing rules. Interviewing principles and techniques. Out-of-class assignment: The profile story.

 

Weeks 4-5: Interview with “mystery guest speaker.” News coverage of government – First Amendment principles and The Freedom of Information Act.  Out-of-class assignment: Coverage of civil or criminal court case. Test I.

 

Weeks 6-7: Guest speaker on computer-assisted reporting. Internet reporting assignment. Campus poll and in-class group story. Advanced journalism techniques and writing rules.

 

Weeks 8-10: Feature writing and commentary. Guest speaker: Times-Picayune writer/columnist. Assignments: (1) Opinion column. (2) Personal narrative. Lecture and class discussion on ethics in journalism. Test II.

 

Weeks 11-14: Guest speaker: local television and/or radio  journalist on broadcast techniques. How a newsroom functions. Journalism as a career. Review for final exam.