December 2009 Archives

As I mentioned a few weeks into the term, because we could not meet in a computer classroom during the scheduled class time, I have revised this assignment, so that instead of asking you to use a computer design program in order to present a formal, polished layout as part of a group project, I am instead asking you either to sketch out individually the design of the page that will hold your article and your sidebar.  You are welcome to use pencil and paper, a computer program, or some combination. (For instance, you might use a word processor to print out your article in a narrow column, and then cut and paste the printout onto another sheet of paper.)

Write out all the headlines, captions, pull quotes, etc.  For images, you can just sketch a rectangle and label it "photo of X" if you wish.  This course is not about layout or photography, so I don't mind if you just give me a general idea of how you would use visual elements, but please do demonstrate your awareness of the impact of design on the delivery of news.

You can choose to represent your article as appearing in a broadsheet, tabloid, newsletter, or web site. 

Regardless of how you present your article, I am also asking you to include relevant URLs that would be of interest to the reader of your article.

I am happy to answer any questions.

Notes on the Final Submission of Article 4

* You have until the start of the final exam to continue to update and polish Article 4.
* You are welcome to seek out feedback from anyone in the class.
* Please update the GoogleDoc file that you shared with me.  Please do not create a new GoogleDoc file and re-share it with me. (If you have done that already, please make sure the original file you shared with me reflects your most recent changes, and delete or un-share the extra file. I don't want to accidentally mistake your rough draft for your final.)
* Please add your sidebar to the original Article 4 file.  (There is no need to try to do any fancy layout in GoogleDocs -- a plain word processor file is all I need to evaluate your writing, and that's the reason why there's a separate layout activity.)
* After the final exam period begins, please do not make any more changes to your GoogleDoc file.

Over the weekend, I do not plan to check GoogleDocs for additional submissions or updates, but I do plan to check my e-mail as usual, so I would be able to answer quick questions.  

Of course, I will be happy to answer your questions in class Monday.

Final Exam Presentations (Tuesday 10:30-12:30)

Final Printout
* At the beginning of your presentation, please hand me a printout of the latest version of the full text of your article and sidebar.
* You can hand me your layout after you're finished presenting it, or if you're presenting electronically, you can e-mail it to me before the exam starts.

Presentation
* Walk the class through the layout project (on paper or in pixels -- either is fine) that includes your investigative report and sidebar.
* Speak informally about your research and writing process.