Writing About Literature (EL336)

The course website is located at http://jerz.setonhill.edu/EL227. I will update the online syllabus periodically, adding chapters in our textbooks or links to reporting on current events, as our progress in the course dictates. The printout I give on the first day of classes is only part of the information available online.

Introductions
What is news?
What is a journalist?
Online syllabus and blogging overview.
What's due for Wednesday, Aug 26?
Time permitting: the CRAFT of journalism.

In-class Activity: Introductions

Class Topic: News

We will try to construct our own definition in class.

Journalist

According to The News Manual (an introductory text intended for readers in developing nations):

There are many reason for becoming a journalist and many type of journalists to become. It is a career with many challenges and rewards.

Journalists must:
Have an interest in the world around them.
Love language.
Have an alert and ordered mind.
Be able to approach and question people.
Be polite but persistent.
Be friendly and reliable.

Class Topic: Weblog Preview

Part 1: What's a weblog? How do I set one up at SHU? (9 minutes)

Part 2: How do I use my blog for class? (7 minutes)

26 August 2009

Class Topic: Print Journalism

Assigned Text: Print Journalism: Tribune-Review

Read (and bring to class) a copy of Tuesday's Tribune-Review. Copies are usually available for free outside the cafeteria, and there is a copy for you to consult in Reeves Library.

In class, we will be focusing on the newspaper as a physical object, and specifically on the layout of the front page.

What is the function of the various parts of the front page?
How do those parts work together to communicate the relative importance of the news items?
How does the front page differ from the Tribune-Review home page?

In-class Activity: Preview Ex 1

A creative expression of your relationship to the news. Have you ever "made the news" -- as a subject or as a reporter? How do we, as consumers, "make the news" that is offered to us?

Lead (sometimes lede)

One or two sentences at the beginning of a news story that encapsulate the news. Write it so that the reader would still understand the main point of the story even if he or she only read the lead.

Hard News

Hard news describes stories that are newsworthy chiefly because they are about events that have a significant impact on the lives of many people. Examples might include an outbreak of an infectious disease, the bursting of a downtown water main, a hostage crisis at a local daycare, or an attempted assassination of a dignitary visiting the White House. Global events, such as wars and crises, are hard news.

The story about the lonely zebra in another state that escapes from the zoo and is recaptured when it takes an interest in a police officer's horse? Definitely soft news, unless, for instance the chase for the zebra causes a traffic snarl that leads to a violent road rage incident. (See "If it bleeds, it leads.")

Spike (v.)

To spike a story is to reject it for publication. Perhaps the story is not newsworthy, important facts cannot be confirmed, or the reporter seems too close to the story to be objective. The editor would traditionally stick the pages onto a metal spike on his desk.

Assigned Text: Clark & Scanlon 287-294

The building blocks of journalism. Use Tuesday's Tribune-Review to find specific examples of two or three general points that Scanlon mentioned.

28 August 2009

Class Topic: Broadcast Journalism

On Thursday, watch WTAE-TV "Channel 4 Action News" at 5, 6, or 11pm.

Keep a log of how the show uses its time. (Theme music? Anchors chatting? Promotion of stories that are "coming up after the break"?)

During a 30 minute TV news program, how much time is spent on actual news?
Of that actual news content, how much was created by the WTAE reporters here in the Pittsburgh area?
What is happening during the rest of the time?
Compare this WTAE job description with the characteristics of a "journalist" from The News Manual.

Practice Quiz

Don't be scared by the word "quiz" -- this is just to test the "clicker" hand-held voting gadgets. (Bring the gadgets every day… I won't announce every clicker assessment session.)

Assigned Text: A Famous Person Has Died

A comic strip called "Goodbye, Foom" offers commentary on the role of television in the creation of public events.

In-class Activity: Introduce online journal (weblog) assignment

Newsworthy vs. Snoozeworthy

"Dog bites man" is snoozeworthy because it happens all the time, but "man bites dog" is less common, so it is more newsworthy.

A Newsworthy Story

is uncommon (rather than common)
affects many people (rather than few) people
has significant impact (rather than trivial)
happens nearby (rather than far away)
involves prominent people (rather than ordinary people)

31 August 2009

Class Topic: Media Critique

Assigned Text: Onion, Something Is Happening in Haiti

Assigned Text: Byron, TV News: What Local Stations Don't Want You to Know

Everyone will read and be prepared to talk about these two sections of an essay by award-winning broadcast journalist Greg Byron.

Local TV news is completely ratings driven.
You'll learn the secrets of how they have redefined what news is--and it isn't news anymore!
Anchors are performers--not journalists.
We are being told they are something they really are not. You'll find out what they are.

We will divide the class up into groups that will be ready to discuss the following sections:

Local stations don't cover your community-- they won't spend the money to do it. They're filling time between commercials.
Image nearly always overtakes substance--so if you're looking for facts, you'll be disappointed. You'll learn how they play your emotions.
TV won't cover many stories--there's an unholy alliance between the news people, their sources, and their advertisers.
What You can do to fix TV News --tips on making your views known, plus some free advice for broadcasters

2 September 2009

Intensifiers

You should really, really avoid empty intensifiers, a whole lot. They are the biggest wasters of words.

If you feel that your reference to "a big dog" doesn't do the dog justice, instead of writing "a [very big / damn huge / friggen humongous] dog," a good journalist will ask questions so that the passage will read "130-pound Rottweiler named Bruiser."

If calling something "a disappointment" doesn't do it justice, calling it "a big disappointment" or "a very big disappointment" or "a colossal disappointment" will be no better. Express intensity in more direct, context-sensitive ways. A fourth-quarter loss might be "a crushing disappointment," while an uninteresting movie might be "a mind-numbing disappointment." Instead of "a big X" or "a very big X," consider "a crippling blow," "an unwieldy overcoat," or "a generous pie slice."

Sources

A news article (hard or soft) should have at least three sources, and should mention each source at least once in the first half of the story.

Don't leave "the opposing view" until the last paragraph, because an editor will expect to be able to chop off the bottom of your story to fit it in on the page.

A movie or restaurant review is based mostly on the author's direct observations of the subject, and thus might not include any additional sources.

News Writing Basics

Can you recognize a good lead? Do you know when and how to attribute? Can you recognize bias? We'll find out what you know, so that I'll know what you need.

Assigned Text: English Essay vs. News Story

You may already be very familiar with how to write an essay for an English class. Writing scholastic essays gives you verbal and compositional skills that transfer well to news writing. Nevertheless, your goals as a news writer are different, so what counts as "good writing" is different.

English Essay

News Story

Audience: Your Instructor

Usually, the instructor knows more about the subject than the student-author.

Audience: The General Reader

Usually, the reporter knows more about the subject than the general reader.

Essays for Your Instructor

Your academic goal is to demonstrate how much you know or what you can do.
Your instructor does not expect you to be an expert. You are supposed to be learning. You write from the position of a learner.
An instructor already knows the subject matter, and is interested in evaluating your knowledge, technique, and growth over time. Your teacher will read your work with an expert eye, ready to call your attention to claims that are inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete.

Journalism for the General Public

A journalist aims to inform the reader.
The journalist writes from a position of authority. The news is supposed to be a source of verified facts, not just a vehicle for passing along what people are saying. (We will cover the term "verification" later.)
Most readers won't know when you are wrong. Their understanding of the subject depends entirely on your ability to research and write the news.

Personal Perspective

In high school, you may have been asked to express your feelings, perhaps by explaining what you would have done if you were in the protagonist's place, or relating a concept to your own life.
You used phrases like "I think" or "I feel" or "now that I look more closely at it..." in order to tell the story of how you came to your present understanding of a subject or incident.
Your teacher rewarded you for demonstrating personal involvement with the subject, because students who engage in this manner are generally more likely to learn the subject matter.

Objective Perspective

Traditional journalists stay out of the story. No "I" or "me," and no "this reporter," either. (We will cover the concept of the "Invisible Observer" soon.)
Journalists report the emotions and opinions of the sources they interview --not their own personal feelings. (We will cover the concept of "Attributions" soon.)
Journalism investigates each story from the perspective of those who care -- including those whose reasons for caring conflict with each other, or with the journalist's personal values. (If it's not interesting to you, it may be interesting to someone.)

Assigned Text: Clark & Scalon 164-174

Skim this… I won't grill you on the details of Dr. Seuss's life, but note the reporter mentions the breed of the dog and the model of the car.

Assigned Text: Sample Profile 1

http://tinyurl.com/m5wudd

Assigned Text: Jerz, Newsworthiness

5-10 minute MP3. http://jerz.setonhill.edu/EL200/2009/Newsworthiness.mp3

In-class Activity: Peer Interview

Interview a partner, for a 400-word profile; rough draft is due online Monday.

4 September 2009

Ex 1: The News and I

Write, or sing, or capture on audio or video, or present through a poster or interpretive dance or Halo 3 machinima or a tiny diorama carved out of Lucky Charms marshmallows... whatever,

300 words and/or 2 minutes of content, on your relationship to the news.

All I ask is that in class, you give me something so that I can read, watch, hear, or otherwise re-experience your 2 minute presentation in the comfort of my office. (I may not actually see your in-class performance, because the class will be divided into groups and you'll mainly be presenting for each other. ... so, e-mail me your Youtube URL? Hand me a printout? Burn me a CD?)

Assigned Text: Clark & Scanlon 70-72

An obituary is a form of profie in which, for obvious reasons, you can't interview the subject.

7 September 2009

News: Labor Day (No Class)

Assigned Text: Sample Profile 2

http://tinyurl.com/mt6rwv

Article 1 Draft

Submit online to Gooogle Docs by 3pm.

Assigned Text: Cappon, Ch 1&2

In language, prefer the simple over the complex; the concrete over the abstract, and the personal over the impersonal.

Invisible Observer

In traditional journalism, reporters are invisible observers. They should not emphasize their own participation in the events they describe.

Nut Graf

A few sentences, following soon after the lead, that explains the newsworthiness of the article. Sometimes called the "nut graph" (short for "paragraph") or simply the "nut." Why should the reader bother to care about what follows? How do the events in this story relate to recent trends or events, national or international issues, or unusual human interest?

A story that leads with an account of a mugging might have a nut that notes this was the third mugging this week, or that it happened the night the mayor gave a medal to the police.

When writing a nut, never say, "This story is important because...", and don't try to address every single possible way that a story might be considered newsworthy. Instead, write a paragraph that flows naturally from the news you have just reported, and links these specific details to the greater community of readers, answering the question "who cares?"

9 September 2009

Class Topic: Obituary Activity

Assigned Text: Background material TBA

Ex 2: Obituary

Write an obituary, based on information I give you (TBA).

11 September 2009

Class Topic: Writing Workshop

Bring 1) 3 print copies of the latest version of your Article 1 Draft. 2) a photo of yourself, (or plan to pose for photos in class) so your peer will have an illustration to work with.

Article 1 Peer Review

Complete an online peer review before class. (Details to follow.)

Assigned Text: Clark & Scanlon 294-302

14 September 2009

Class Topic: AP Style

Reporters and editors across the globe turn to one source to resolve grammar and punctuation disputes.

Assigned Text: AP Style Tips

TBA

AP Style Assessment

In-class Activity: Article 1 Copy Edit

Add final revisions to Google Docs submission by 9am tomorrow.

16 September 2009

News: Honors Convocation (No Class)

Assigned Text: Bus Plunges

http://jerz.setonhill.edu/weblog/2009/05/the_rise_and_fall_of_the_bus_p/

Assigned Text: Compare Two Plunges: http://tinyurl.com/mxm5zg

Ex 3: Accident Report

Write a short accident report, based on information I give you. (TBA)

18 September 2009

Class Topic: TBA

Also, introduction to story pitches.

Assigned Text: Cappon, Ch 3

Who, what, when, where, why, and how: befriend these questions. But don't answer them, in that order, in every lead.

Portfolio 1

On your SHU blog, write a brief reflective essay, or a list with evaluative notes, that presents your online work, organized into the catgories I will provide.

Assigned Text: Cappon, Ch 4

Conserve words. You'll need to use complex sentences to untangle the petty squabbles of a dysfunctional city council, or to convey the majesty of an inaugural parade. Pack more into a smaller space. (Twitter is great practice.)

Assigned Text: Story Pitches

http://www.freep.com/legacy/jobspage/toolkit/pitch.htm (and more TBA)

21 September 2009

Class Topic: Crime Reporting

Why is "allegedly" such an important word?

Ex 4: Crime Report

Write a short crime report, based on information I give you. (TBA)

Assigned Text: Sample Crime Report

A recent local event, TBA

Assigned Text: Crime Reporting Tips

http://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%202/volume2_35.htm

23 September 2009

Class Topic: Article 2 Assignments

Article 2 Pitches

Pitch a story for covering SHU's Friends and Family Weekend (aka Homecoming). Have a back-up, in case someone else makes a better pitch for the story you want.

Assigned Text: Sample Spot News

TBA

25 September 2009

In-class Activity: Interview Exercise

We'll do some role-playing. Bring 3 questions that you would ask if you had the chance to meet a public figure.

Class Topic: TBA

Assigned Text: Cappon Ch

Article 2 Model

Find an article, published within the last 3 months, that you consider a useful model for the story you were assigned. Demonstrate your developing understanding of news writing by creating your own "X-Ray reading" of it.

28 September 2009

Class Topic: Article 2 Peer Review

Article 2 Draft

AP Style Assessment

30 September 2009

Class Topic: Print Layout

AP Style Assessment

Article 2 Copy Edit

Assigned Text: Print Layout Resources

TBA

Assigned Text: Comparison of Front Pages

Newseum Website

2 October 2009

Class Topic: Layout Workshop

Assigned Text: Print Layout Resources

Ex 5a: Layout Activity

5 October 2009

Class Topic: Writing Workshop

Article 2 Revision

7 October 2009

Vocabulary

Assigned Text: News Cycle

From breaking news, to the second day lead, to the follow-up.

Ex 5b: Layout Final

9 October 2009

Class Topic: Guest Speaker

You will have time to prepare questions for a guest speaker.

Portfolio 2

Assigned Text: Local News

From local reaction to a national or global story, to community news.

12 October 2009

News: Fall Break (No Class)

14 October 2009

Assigned Text: Editorials

The editorial persuades, informs, and/or entertains. Unlike news features, an editorial does have a point of view.

Midterm Assessment

Vocabulary & AP Style

16 October 2009

Ex 6: Localized Story

A 400-word article that localizes a national or global story.

19 October 2009

Class Topic: Guest Speaker

The visitor will help you prepare for Article 3.

21 October 2009

Class Topic: Article 3 Assignments

Article 3 Pitches

Pitch a story associated with the National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education (conference at SHU, Oct 24, 25 and 26)

Assigned Text: Haiman 1-16

23 October 2009

Class Topic: Workshop

Ex 7: Speaker/Meeting Report

Write a short news story, based on information I give you. (TBA)

26 October 2009

News: No Class (NCCHE Conference)

28 October 2009

Class Topic: Writing Workshop

Article 3 Draft

Assigned Text: Haiman 17-28

30 October 2009

Class Topic: Writing Workshop

Aritcle 3 Copy Edit

2 November 2009

Class Topic: Layout Workshop

Actually, today's topic will depend on whether we can get a computer lab. We'll see.

Ex 8: Layout Activity

4 November 2009

Article 3 Revision

Assigned Text: Haiman 29-42

6 November 2009

Class Topic: Writing Workshop

9 November 2009

Class Topic: Investigative Reporting

Article 4 Pitches

11 November 2009

Ex 9: Reporting Activity

Details TBA.

Portfolio 3

Assigned Text: Sample Investigative Reports

Assigned Text: Haiman 43-56

13 November 2009

Class Topic: Breaking News Activity

Ex 10: Breaking News Activity

16 November 2009

Class Topic: Conventions of E-Text

Assigned Text: NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/

18 November 2009

Class Topic: Research Workshop

Assigned Text: Haiman 57-67

Article 4 Online Content

What links will you use in your story? What online content can you find, or create, to help your words tell the story?

Assigned Text: Arizona Star

http://www.azstarnet.com/garbage/

Assigned Text: Wired

http://www.wired.com

20 November 2009

Class Topic: Online Layout Workshop

In groups, you will work on an electronic front page and a consistent look for your individual articles -- together with any supporting files, such as images, sounds or video).