COURSE INFORMATION SHEET
Writing in the Professions: Journalism
Spring 2011 • CRN 51796 • Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:40-6:00 • 27 Olson
Instructor: Andy Jones
Office: 353 Voorhies
Hours: Wednesdays 2-3, Thursdays 9-10, most Sunday nights from 9-11 (Crepeville)
E-mail: aojones@ucdavis.edu (I respond to emails primarily on T, W, Th, and Sundays)
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/andyojones
Class Mailing List: 104c-s12@smartsite.ucdavis.edu
Course Website: SmartSite and Andysclasses.com
Course Description: This specialized advanced writing course fulfills the upper division composition requirement and focuses on journalism for general interest periodicals and non-specialist audiences. 104C is designed for upper-division students who seriously consider journalism as a profession and want to master journalistic writing: it is open to all majors. The course will teach principles and techniques of journalism and also familiarize you with the profession, including beat reporting, researching and writing on deadline, journalistic style, ethics, and proper forms of attribution (citing sources).
We will read and discuss magazine and newspaper articles of varied types and from a range of publications; experiment with strategies of planning, drafting, and revising; and address professional concerns of staff and freelance writers. All assignments will model specific journalistic genres and techniques, including writing for specific publications and getting your writing accepted for publication.
Prerequisites: completion of a lower-division writing course and at least junior status (84 units). The course does not require previous experience in journalism, but it does assume proficiency in standard English, interest in improving both your writing process and stylistic control, and serious interest in journalistic writing.
Texts:
Course Reader from Davis Copy Shop (3rd and A Streets) (R)
Recommended: 2012 Writer’s Market. Writer’s Digest Books
A writing handbook, such as Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference.
Carole Rich, Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method. 6th Edition. Wadsworth, 2009 (on reserve at Shields Library)
Materials: Ours will be a largely digital course, so procure a flash drive or some other way to transfer and access digital files (such as Dropbox.com). Keep digital backups of all course work until the end of the quarter.
Class Format: Designated as a lecture/ discussion course (4 units), the course will include some brief presentations, but most class time will involve students in active discussion, writing exercises, writing workshops, group work, and oral presentations. The extra unit of course credit reflects the significant work outside of class, to read assigned reading and current journalism, plan articles, gather and confirm information, interview subjects, and draft and revise articles.
Attendance: Given the interactive nature of the course, regular class attendance is required. Prepare to participate actively in discussions by completing all reading and writing assignments before class time, bringing relevant texts to class, and considering provocative questions and comments to spark discussion. Prepare for writing workshops by completing assignments before class and bringing the required digital copies for peer response workshops. Excessive absences will lower your grade. Missed in-class work that is made up later, with a legitimate excuse for your absence, may receive partial credit, at the instructor’s discretion. No make-ups will be allowed for in-class quizzes.
Writing: This course requires a minimum of 6,000 words of original prose, including a short profile of a classmate, revised versions of four assignments, and a final exam. Informal work includes writing exercises, quizzes, and at least journal entries. If you meet the draft deadlines, you will receive feedback on your drafts from me and/or from your peers. Drafts and substantive revisions are required. Final versions of articles will NOT be accepted without evidence of substantive revision of drafts.
Requirements and Deadlines for drafts and revisions: % of grade
Short Profile of a Classmate (250-500 words) April 5 and April 10 0%
A Perfect Page of Prose (250-300 words) Due multiple times until done 15%
Review (750 words) Apr. 26 & May 17 15%
Profile of Person or Organization (1000-1250 words) May 3 & May 24 20%
Query Letter (250 words) & Feature Article or Series (2500 words) 25%
Query: May 10 and June 7 & Feature: May 31 and June 7
Final Exam (timed in-class writing) June 13th from 8-10 am in 27 Olson. 10%
Participation: Journals, In-class Exercises, Quizzes, Workshops, Presence 15%
NOTE on Length and Depth: Assigned word counts are minimums, which indicate the expected scope and depth of the article. These are not limits: your article may be longer, if it justifies its length and fits the format and style of an appropriate target publication. Pay close attention to clarity, coherence and economy as you revise your articles.
Article Format: All drafts and revisions must put four lines in the upper right corner: your name, the article title, the target publication, and the word count. Number pages in the footer. Use a standard 12-point font, 1-inch margins and double spacing or columns. Articles submitted without a target publication (which is different from a target audience, such as “college students”) will not be accepted.
Grades: Course grades will be based on class participation, journals, exercises, quizzes, revised versions of articles, and a final exam. To reward improvement, I grade only your revised articles, and weigh later articles more heavily than earlier ones. To pass this course and satisfy the composition requirement, you must attend class regularly, participate actively, submit all major writing assignments (including drafts and revisions), take the final exam, and earn an average grade of C- or higher. Failing to submit any of the major assignments will result in a failing course grade.
This course adapts the grading criteria defined by the University Writing Program to reflect the specialized nature of the course. Along with concerns common to most types of writing — such as unified focus, effective development, integration of convincing evidence, clarity, and competency in standard English grammar and usage —journalism particularly values strong leads, timeliness and relevance to readers, accuracy, engaging development from a distinctive angle, a concise readable style and format adapted to a specific target publication, professional presentation, and strict observance of deadlines.
Late paper policy: Submitting drafts or revisions of assignments late will lower your grade on that article one step per class day (e.g., from B to B-). If a situation beyond your control prevents you from submitting an assignment on time, you may submit one assignment late without penalty if you notify me in advance of the deadline, provide documentation, and set a new deadline as soon as possible. Articles submitted late for any reason will receive fewer comments.
Plagiarism: Academic honesty requires that all writing is your own and originally written for this course, and that sources are used and cited appropriately. Given the hybrid nature of the course, you will cite sources in your articles according to journalistic conventions, but also append a bibliography of all sources used, including interviews and websites. Plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration will not be tolerated: any suspected cases will be reported to Student Judicial Affairs.
Journals: Use the journals to try out ideas and approaches, and to reflect upon examples of the different journalistic genres of writing that we will create this quarter. If a formal journal assignment is not named in the syllabus, respond to a relevant writing assignment of your own creation, especially those that require you to anticipate future assignments and writing concerns. Sketch out and capture your ideas as they occur to you. The journals will be due via SmartSite on the Thursday of each week of the quarter.
Gary Sue Goodman: I am grateful to my friend and colleague Dr. Gary Sue Goodman for her help as I was first establishing this version of UWP104C.
