Media Writing
JOUR 2710

Instructor: Jim Leonhirth, Ph.D.
Telephone: 615-631-0977
Email: wleonhir@mtsu.edu
Class website: www.tecomm.com/MediaWritingSyl.html
Office hours: By appointment (Contact me any time at wleonhir@mtsu.edu
if you have questions about the class, course content or assignments.)

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

This course will emphasize freedom of expression, history and roles of media, diversity of media audiences, and ethics in media practice. It also will teach students to present information and images well, think creatively and analytically, research by rigorous methods, write clearly and accurately, evaluate content quality, compute basic math and statistics, and process information using technology.

This class will improve the way you listen, think and communicate. It will help you:

• Develop and demonstrate journalistic skills required to write, edit and rewrite articles correctly and clearly in forms and styles suitable for publication in newspapers and online.
• Critically evaluate you own work, work by classmates and published articles for the following: accuracy and fairness; clarity of writing and focus; AP style; correct grammar, spelling and usage; thoroughness; organization (inverted pyramid, etc.); and readability.
• Recognize and differentiate hard news leads from feature and opinion leads.
• Demonstrate familiarity with basic numerical and statistical concepts.
• Understand core news values.
• Demonstrate familiarity with people and places in the news of the region, nation and world.

CORE GOALS:

• Freedom of expression
• Diversity of media audiences
• Presenting images and information well
• Ethics in media practice
• Thinking creatively and analytically
• Researching by rigorous methods
• Writing clearly and accurately
• Evaluating content quality
• Computing basic math and statistics
• Processing information using technology

TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER REQUIRED MATERIAL:

Required:

• "Associated Press Stylebook," 2013.
• "Writing for the Mass Media," 8th edition; Stovall, James Glen; Pearson/Allyn & Bacon, Boston, 2012.
• "Math Tools for Journalists," 2nd edition; Wickham, Kathleen; Marion Street Press, Oak Park, Ill., 2003.
• "The Elements of Style," 4th edition; Strunk & White; Longman. 2000. (Recommended)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

• Writing assignments-- Exercises in and out of class will help develop your skills in grammar, spelling, punctuation and AP style; in using core news values; in recognizing accuracy in media reports, in understanding math for journalists; in using the inverted-pyramid style; and in writing news and feature leads.
• Quizzes -- Weekly quizzes will test your skills in spelling, AP style and using math tools and your knowledge of current events, and occasional quizzes will assess your knowledge of the geography of the news.
• Final -- A comprehensive final will measure your use of journalistic values and skills.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Attendance will be a factor in grading. Attendance will be taken during each class period, and your percentage of attendance will determine that grade for the semester. Punctuality is important for your class-participation grade.

GRADING POLICY:

Semester grade components

• Writing assignments -- 55 percent
• Quizzes--15 percent
• Final -- 10 percent
• Class participation -- 10 percent
• Attendance -- 10 percent

Grading scale

• 90-100 = A
• 80-89 = B
• 70-79 = C
• 60-69 = D
• Below 59 = F

Grading of writing assignments

• Each mechanical error (spelling, grammar, punctuation, style) will result in at least a two-point deduction, depending on the assignment.
• Each fact error will result in at least a five-point deduction, depending on the assignment.
• Failure to submit an assignment on deadline will affect grading for the assignment.

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT POLICY:
Plagiarism, cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the class. In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions which may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an F or a zero for the exercise or examination, or to assign an F in the course. If the student believes he or she has been erroneously accused of academic misconduct, and if his or her final grade has been lowered as a result, the student may appeal the case through the appropriate institutional procedures.

Plagiarism will result in a "0" grade for the assignment in this class.

CELLPHONE POLICY:
Please turn off cellphones during class. Please limit Web use during class to class assignments. Make sure that cellphones or other personal digital assistants are not in sight during quizzes or tests.

ONLINE QUIZZES AND IN-CLASS WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
Quizzes and in-class writing assignments for this class will be available through D2L. Students will receive no credit for online quizzes completed outside of the classroom. Students may be able to do in-class writing assignments online outside of the classroom, but only with advance notice and permission of the instructor.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have a question related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible. Students also may contact the Office of Disabled Student Services (898-2783) with questions about such services.

LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS:
Do you have a lottery scholarship? To retain Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship eligibility, you must earn a cumulative TELS GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted hours and a cumulative TELS GPA of 3.0 thereafter. You may qualify with a 2.75 cumulative GPA after 72 attempted hours (and subsequent semesters), if you are enrolled full-time and maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.0. A grade of C, D, F, FA, or I in this class may negatively impact TELS eligibility. Dropping or stopping attendance in a class after 14 days may also impact eligibility; if you withdraw from or stop attending this class and it results in an enrollment status of less than full time, you may lose eligibility for your lottery scholarship. Lottery recipients are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of five years from the date of initial enrollment, or until reaching 120 TELS attempted hours or earning a bachelor degree. For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form or contact the Financial Aid Office at 898-2830.