COMM 328: NEWS EDITING

FALL 2008  w  SECTION 1

 

MEETING TIME: M-W-F, 2 – 2:50 p.m.

MEETING PLACE: 464 St. Thomas Hall

 

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Matthew M. Reavy

OFFICE: 4126 Communication Wing

OFFICE HOURS: M-W-F, 11 – 11:50 a.m. (and by appointment)

OFFICE PHONE: (570) 941-6186

E-MAIL: mreavy@epix.net

 

 

WELCOME TO NEWS EDITING!

 

Catalog copy: Preparing copy for publication. Correcting, improving and trimming stories. Headline writing, layout, graphics. Wire services, printing process.

 

This course has been designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of news editing. You also will be expected to:

            w  Prepare copy for publication.

            w  Correct, improve and trim news articles.

            w  Recognize and correct violations of grammar and/or Associated Press style.

            w  Learn how to write headlines and layout copy.

 

We will meet three times a week, for approximately 50 minutes each time. Quizzes covering grammar and Associated Press style will be given throughout the session. No more than one quiz will be given in any class. In general, each class will be a mixture of lecture and hands-on editing.

 

Editing can be an extremely difficult job. It can also be quite rewarding. The primary duty of an editor is to edit – to determine what the audience sees and what it does not. Too often people think of this work only in terms of basic copyediting tasks, such as checking for grammatical correctness, accuracy, violations of AP style and so on. But being a good editor means being a good journalist and applying news judgment in selecting what stories will appear and how they will be treated. It means being a good writer, whether creating a front page headline or adding some punch to a hard news lead. It means being a good designer -- part artist and part engineer. And it means being a good manager, one who can select the right person for an assignment and then ensure that person does the best job possible. This class provides you with the basic skills needed to make yourself into that kind of an editor.

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE READINGS

Associated Press Stylebook & Libel Manual

 

Daily reading of the J-Student  blog at http://jscranton.wordpress.com

 

 

GRADING

 

Assignment/Exam                                          Value

Graded Editing Assignments                              20 percent

Pass/Fail Lab Assignments                                20 percent

Midterm Examination                                        20 percent

Final Examination                                              20 percent

Dow Jones Editing Exam                                  10 percent

Quizzes                                                            5 percent

Class Participation                                            5 percent

 

 

QUIZZES

 

Quizzes on Grammar and AP style will be given throughout the session. You will be permitted to drop one low quiz grade at the end of the semester.

 

 

LATE ASSIGNMENTS

 

Journalists must be reliable. Missing assignments can cost you your job. Class attendance is not mandatory. However, if you miss a class, you are likely to miss a graded assignment, which will adversely affect your final grade.

 

The instructor will determine whether to allow you to make up work you missed because of an absence. In general, makeup work will only be permitted if the instructor is notified of an absence prior to the day on which class will be missed. You should have a compelling reason for any absence.

 

Late assignments will not be accepted for a grade without prior approval by the instructor. You may turn in a late assignment for the instructor's review. It will be corrected and returned to you; however, the grade received for that assignment will be an "F." Note that quizzes cannot be made up, though you will be permitted to drop one low grade at the end of the semester.

 

 

 

 

 

DOW JONES EDITING EXAM

 

Students will take this year’s Dow Jones Newspaper Fund editing internship exam in class. The exam will be administered in class on Oct. 29.

 

You are not required to apply for the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund summer internship. However, it is strongly encouraged. Internships are available in business reporting, news, online and sports copy editing. DJNF will select up to 100 interns from a national pool of the best qualified college sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students. Each program provides free pre-internship training seminars on college campuses and weekly salaries starting at $350 for a minimum of 10 weeks. Interns who return to college full-time the following fall will receive $1,000 scholarships from the Fund.

 

Applications can only be submitted online this year at https://www.newspaperfund.org. (note that it is https, not just http). Students must register to receive a user name and password in order to complete the application form. This should be done as soon as possible, in advance of the actual examination.

 

 

GRADE CHANGES

 

If you believe a mistake has been made in a grade, you must see me within one week after the paper has been returned to you.

 

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY

 

Journalists are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards. Any instance of academic dishonesty will be reported to the provost's office. Students should be familiar with the contents of the University of Scranton’s Web site on academic integrity: http://academic.scranton.edu/department/wml/academicintegrity.html

 

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

L Plagiarism (copying work written or published by others).

L  Inappropriate eye movements during quizzes or exams.

L  Looking at or copying another student's work, or allowing another student to look at  or copy your work.

L  Talking or otherwise communicating with another student during quizzes or writing assignments, unless instructed to do so.

L  Removing test materials or attempting to remove them from an examination room without permission.

 

These rules apply to all quizzes as well as both in-class and outside-class assignments.  Failure to meet these standards will result in zero points for the quiz or writing assignment. You also risk failing the course. All instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the appropriate university officials.

 

 

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

 

In order to receive appropriate accommodations, students with disabilities must register with the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and provide relevant documentation. Students should contact Mary Ellen Pichiarello (Extension 4039) or Jim Muniz (Extension 4218), 5th floor, St. Thomas Hall, for an appointment.

 

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

Aug. 27            Introduction to Editing Class

                        “Ten Things Copy Editors Want from Line Editors”

                        http://poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=78083

 

Aug. 29            The Job of an Editor

                        Readings:

1. “In Search of the Perfect Copy Editor”

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=5438

2. “What Exactly is a Copy Editor?”

http://www.theslot.com/copyeditors.html

3. “What’s a Slot Man?”

http://www.theslot.com/slotman.html

4. “How Can I Become a Copy Editor?”

http://www.theslot.com/howto.html

5. “How a Copy Desk Works”

http://www.theslot.com/structure.html

6. “When the ‘Last Line of Defense’ Failed”

http://www.theslot.com/captain.html

 

Sep. 1              LABOR DAY HOLIDAY

 

Sep 3               Editing Protocols

                        Readings:

1. “Copy Editing Protocols”

www.editteach.org/downloads/?download_id=95&filename=protocols.pdf

 

Sep. 5              What is News?

                        Readings:

                        1. “What is News?”

                        http://legacy.poynter.org/dr_ink/040802.htm

2. “News Elements”

http://taje.org/fortaje/PDF/elements.pdf

 

Sep. 8              Introduction to Associated Press Style

                        Readings:

                        1. “AP Style Quick Reference”

                         http://www.bu.edu/com/writingprgm/ap_styleguide1.pdf

 

Sep. 10            Newspaper Style

                        Readings:

1. “The UC Davis Style Guide”

                        http://ucomm.ucdavis.edu/downloads/styleguide.pdf

 

2. “The UC Davis Style Guide”

                        http://ucomm.ucdavis.edu/downloads/pubguide.pdf

                        AP Style Quiz #1: Numbers

 

Sep. 12            Editing Lab #1: AP Style

 

Sep. 15            Fact Checking

Readings:

                        “Yes. Sweat the Small Stuff.”

                        http://www.freep.com/legacy/jobspage/academy/credibility.htm                  

                        AP Style Quiz #2: Abbreviations

 

Sep. 17            Using the Internet

Readings:

                        “Accuracy Checklists”

                        http://www.scripps.ohiou.edu/news/editfuture/07_Holt/handouts/DetFreePAccuracyChecklist.pdf            

 

Sep. 19            Editing Assignment #1: Fact Checking

 

Sep. 22            Avoiding Libel

                        Readings:

1. “SPLC Legal Brief: Libel Law”

                        http://www.splc.org/legalresearch.asp?id=27

                        2. “A Dozen Tips to Avoid Being Burned By a Hot Story”

                        http://www.splc.org/legalresearch.asp?id=26

                        3. “Word Watch: Allegedly Innocent Suspects”

                        http://poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=83900

 

Sep. 24            Protecting Privacy

                        Readings:

                        “SPLC Legal Brief: Invasion of Privacy Law”

http://www.splc.org/legalresearch.asp?id=29

 

Sep. 26            Copyright and Trademarks

                        Readings:

“The Student Media Guide to Copyright Law”

                        http://www.splc.org/legalresearch.asp?id=32

                        AP Style Quiz #3: Punctuation

 

Sep. 29            Fair Use

                        “What’s in a nAME(cq)?”

http://www.theslot.com/webnames.html

 

Oct. 1              Editing Lab #4: Copyright and Fair Use

                        AP Style Quiz #4: Capitalization

 

Oct. 3              TBA

 

Oct. 6              Editing News Service Copy

                        Readings:

                        “Localizing the Story”

                        www.cerritosjournalism.com/news/2002/05/15/101Newswrtng/L.Localizing.The.Story-607698.shtml

 

Oct. 8              Editing Lab #5: News Service Copy

                        AP Style Quiz #5: Grammar, Spelling and Usage

 

Oct. 10                        Midterm Exam

 

Oct. 13                        FALL BREAK

 

Oct. 15                        Editing Assignment #2: Editing Copy

 

Oct. 17                        Introduction to Headline Writing

                        Readings:

                        1. “Today’s Headline Styles”

                         http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=47&aid=77003

                        2. “Copy Editor Struggles With Headline”

                        http://www.notrain-nogain.org/Train/Res/CopyD/strug.asp

 

Oct. 20                        Headline Writing Hints

                        Readings:

                        “Headlines: Bigger is Better”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_print.asp?id=3269&custom=

 

Oct. 22                        Editing Lab #6: Headline Writing I

                        Readings:

                        “1,000 Headlines in 460 Days”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=58928

 

Oct. 24                        Introduction to Typography

                        Readings:

                        1. “Choosing & Using Type”

                        http://www.will-harris.com/use-type.htm

                       

                        2. “Typography: Less is More”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_print.asp?id=3308&custom=

 

Oct. 27                        Typography in Headlines

                        Readings:

                        “Headline Display and Typographic Voice”

                        http://poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=4874

                       

 

Oct. 29            DOW JONES EDITING EXAM

 

Oct. 31                        Editing Lab #7: Typography

 

Nov. 3             More Headline Writing

                        Readings:

                        1. “Tips for Good Headlines”

                        http://www.notrain-nogain.org/Train/Res/CopyD/htips.asp

2. “Headline Writing”

http://www.notrain-nogain.org/Train/Res/CopyD/man.asp

 

Nov. 5             More Headline Writing

                        Readings:

                        “Headlines Are Easy, Aren’t They?”

http://www.copydesk.org/words/headlines.htm

 

Nov. 7             Editing Assignment #3: Headlines

 

Nov. 10           Photography and Cutlines

                        Readings:

1.”Hot Tips for Writing Photo Captions”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=4865

                        2. “The Art and Language of Photojournalism”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=5657

 

Nov. 12           Editing Photographs

                        Readings:

                        “Ten Things Never to Say to or About a Photojournalist”

                        http://www.ronreason.com/personal/photonever.html

 

Nov. 14           Editing Lab #9: Editing Photography

 

Nov. 17           Basic Principles of Page Design

                        Readings:

                        1. “Ten Tips for Visual Thinking”

                        http://www.ronreason.com/personal/writers.html

                       

                        2. “Training Editors in the Evils of Page Design”

                        http://www.ronreason.com/asne/evils.html

 

Nov. 19           Evaluating Design

                        “Headlines on Hold: When Nobody Knows the News”

http://www.poynterextra.org/Extra/election2000/showcase/index.htm

 

Nov. 21           Editing Lab #10: Page Design

 

Nov. 24           TBA

 

Nov. 26-28      THANKSGIVING

 

Dec. 1              Ethics and Editing

                        1. “Personal Responsibility for Copy Editors”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=5462

 

Dec. 3              Ethics and Editing

                        2. “The Seven Deadly Copy Editing Sins”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=5441

 

Dec. 5              The Editor’s Job

                        1. “It’s a Terrible Time for be a Copy Editor. Or Is It?”

                        http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=5453

2. “Start at the Copy Desk”

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=35366

 

Dec. 8              TBA