Shannon Stevens Teaching Site

GENERAL INFORMATION
Instructor – Shannon Stevens
Office – RAJ 128
Phone number – (702) 895-5863
E-mail – jour102stevens@gmail.com
Office hours – Friday, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and by appointment
Class – Wednesday, 7 to 9:45 p.m., FDH 234
Website last updated: April 25, 2007 3:44 PM

CLASS DESCRIPTION
News Reporting and Writing will help you develop writing skills in a deadline situation for both professional purposes and as a fundamental instruction for upper-level classes. You will use reporting techniques and professional tools to research stories and develop interview questions. You will also learn to critically evaluate the credibility and value of sources used in your stories and to utilize teamwork as a valuable professional resource.

You will practice writing hard and soft news, press releases, web writing and will explore other writing styles. Additionally, you will learn the importance of copy editing through practice and observation. Finally, you will be exposed to an overview of media-writing careers and will develop a greater understanding of the media and the many avenues available for entering the field.

To declare a major in the School of Journalism and Media Studies, you must earn no lower than a “B” in this course.

News Reporting and Writing, 8th ed., The Missouri Group, New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005.
The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus Publishing, 2004 (or recent edition).

Tape recorder or other recording device
Dictionary
Reporter’s notebook(s)

ATTENDANCE POLICY
You must attend every class. If you are absent you will receive a zero for any in-class assignment. As in-class assignments are reliant on teamwork and deadline situations, they cannot be made up outside of scheduled class times.

If you are too ill to attend class, you must 1. contact the instructor before class, and you must 2. be able to provide a letter from a physician documenting your illness on the date in question. With those two qualifications met, we can discuss a different assignment to help make up for the zero earned for the missed class assignments.

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
What is expected of you in this class will be discussed in detail during the first session. Please note the following:

Use Microsoft Word to write, save and print all assignments.
Include your name, the course name and time, the date of the assignment (each on its own line) on the top left of each assignment.
E-mail all assignments to yourself as a back-up; a crashed computer is not an excuse for not having an assignment on time.
Read and prepare all assignments prior to the class when they will be discussed.
Keep up with the news – you will be quizzed each week based on the front-page stories of the Review Journal (the national and the city sections), the Las Vegas Sun (cover only) and the Rebel Yell.

GRADING
It is imperative that you demonstrate a familiarity with basic spelling, grammar and writing skills for this class. While your instructor will teach media-writing techniques, it is your responsibility to have a command of the English language. If you cannot write complete sentences, you do not belong in this class.

As this is a news reporting and writing class, you will have numerous opportunities to practice both skills. During the semester you will be graded on:

10 writing assignments, each worth 50 points (50 percent of your final grade)
10 unannounced quizzes on current events, each worth 15 points (15 percent of your final grade)
10 in-class assignments/opportunities for class participation, each worth 15 points (15 percent of your final grade)
A midterm exam worth 100 points (10 percent of your final grade)
A final exam worth 100 points (10 percent of your final grade)

The grading scale for individual assignments and the final grade, is as follows:

A = 93 to 100         B- = 80 to 82            D+ = 67 to 69
A- = 90 to 92          C+ = 77 to 79             D = 63 to 66
B+ = 87 to 89          C = 73 to 76              D- = 60 to 62
B = 83 to 86           C- = 70 to 72             F = below 59

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE, READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
The following is a brief outline of the assignments you can expect for each class in the semester. The majority of your work will be in-class exercises with some take-home assignments or preparation to be done prior to class. Details about the assignments will be discussed in class. Please note that reading assignments must be completed prior to class and that in-class assignments must be turned in on time (either at the start of class or at the end of class, as specified in the instructor). Check the syllabus each week to see what assignment you have due the following week. **

Jan. 17

Expectations
How to use the AP Stylebook – and why you should

Jan. 24

AP Stylebook reading assignments
Overview of last week’s results

AP Stylebook – Proofreaders’ Marks and Punctuation Guide

Jan. 31

Reading assignment
Using quotes

Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4 in News Reporting and Writing

Feb. 7

Reading assignment
Library class on research

Chapters 5 and 7 in News Reporting and Writing

Crime story assigned last week

Feb. 14

Writing leads
Adapting under deadline pressure

Feb. 21

Reading assignment
“Why should I care?” and other helpful one-liners

Chapters 8 and 9 in News Reporting and Writing

Breaking news story assigned last week

Feb. 28

Reading assignment
Math for journalists – do not be afraid
Business and sports – just breaking news beats

Chapters 6, 15, 16 in News Reporting and Writing
Keep up with top business stories of the week through The Wall Street Journal or Bloomberg News online (there will be a quiz question on a major business story from the week).

March 7

Test will include multiple choice questions, true or false questions, and a writing assignment.
The midterm counts toward 10 percent of your final grade.

Feature story assigned two weeks ago

March 21

Reading assignment
Obit writing: part reporting, part grief counseling
Review some of the obit samples if time allows

Turn in two obit samples

One that you like
One that you hate

Write a one-page analysis of the obits, explaining what makes one a good obit and the other a poor obit.

Chapter 10 in News Reporting and Writing

March 28

Reading assignment
Differences/similarities between PR and News
Becoming an expert in your beat

Chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14 in News Reporting and Writing

April 4

Reading assignment
TV vs. Print vs. Web

Guest Speaker (tentative)

Chapters 19 and 20 in News Reporting and Writing

Assignment due

News story assigned last week
Bring to class a minimum of three sample articles written by George Knapp (will check them off on the way into class).
Bring to class a one-page summary of a recent television report by George Knapp. Include in your summary your observations of Knapp's interviewing style, any evidence of preparation on his part, and what you learned about the topic covered.
Have five to 10 questions you’d like to ask him prepared (turn in one copy at the start of class, keep one copy for yourself for the Q&A portion of Knapp's visit) -- note that a report on Knapp's speech is due next week.

April 11

Reading assignment
Everybody should be an investigative reporter

Jon Ralston, host, Face to Face
Q&A

Chapters 17 and 18 in News Reporting and Writing

Speech story on Knapp assigned last week
Bring to class a minimum of three sample articles or commentaries written by Jon Ralston -- "Flash" counts (will check them off on the way into class).
Bring to class a one-page summary of a recent airing of "Face to Face." Include in your summary your observations of Ralston's interviewing style, any evidence of preparation on his part, and what you learned about the topic covered.
Have five to 10 questions you’d like to ask him prepared (turn in one copy at the start of class, keep one copy for yourself for the Q&A portion of Ralston's visit) -- note that a profile of Ralston is due next week.

April 18

Reading assignment
PR versus News

David Strow, director of corporate communications, Boyd Gaming
Q&A

Chapter 21 in News Reporting and Writing
Boyd Gaming press release and news story

Bring to class one recent press release from Boyd Gaming and one news story (local or national) about Boyd (will check at the start of class).
Prepare five questions to ask Mr. Strow after his speech
Profile on Ralston assigned last week

April 25

Reading assignment
First amendment
Ethics
Poynter

Chapters 22 and 23 in News Reporting and Writing

Assignment Due

Web copy
Rewrites

May 1 – Note tomorrow’s entry – assignment due today!

May 2

Advertising and the newsroom: separation of church and state
Ad copy – how it relates to news writing, how it is different
Research is queen

E-mail me links to two of your favorite – or least favorite – ads by noon on Dec. 5
Bring to class two print ads you love or hate

May 9

8:30 p.m.
Test will include multiple choice questions, true or false questions, and a writing assignment.
The final exam counts toward 10 percent of your grade.

Academic Misconduct – Academic integrity is a legitimate concern for every member of the campus community; all share in upholding the fundamental values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility and professionalism. By choosing to join the UNLV community, students accept the expectations of the Academic Misconduct Policy and are encouraged when faced with choices to always take the ethical path. Students enrolling in UNLV assume the obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with UNLV’s function as an educational institution. An example of academic misconduct is plagiarism: “Using the words or ideas of another, from the internet or any source, without proper citation of the sources.” See the “Student Academic Misconduct Policy” (12/05, in the approval process).

Copyright – The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. The University will neither protect nor defend you nor assume any responsibility for employee or student violations of fair use laws. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liability, as well as disciplinary action under University policies. To familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, you are encouraged to visit the following website: http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright/.

Disability Resource Center (DRC) – The Disability Resource Center (DRC) coordinates all academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The DRC is the official office to review and house disability documentation for students, and to provide them with an official Academic Accommodation Plan to present to the faculty if an accommodation is warranted. The DRC strongly encourages faculty to provide accommodations only if and when they are in receipt of said plan. Faculty should not provide students accommodations without being in receipt of this plan. UNLV complies with the provisions set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, offering reasonable accommodations to qualified students with documented disabilities. If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, you will need to contact the DRC for the coordination of services. The DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC), Room 137, and the contact numbers are: VOICE (702) 895-0866, TTY (702) 895-0652, FAX (702) 895-0651. For additional information, please visit: http://studentlife.unlv.edu/disability/. For additional information about the DRC and procedures to follow when students ask for exemptions or exceptions based on their disability claim, refer them to the DRC website. For all faculty and staff (professional and classified) ADA accommodation determinations, please contact Marc Cardinalli, Assistant General Counsel and Administrative Code Officer, Flora Dungan Humanities Building (FDH), Room 320, 895-1879.