Instructor: TOM DAVIS (www.tom-davis.net)
Period 1, Mondays and Thursdays, 8:10 to 9:30 a.m.
O: 201-646-4524/H: 732-548-3656
Coping with Life (www.coping-with-life.com)
Objectives:
ACCURACY, CLARITY, FOCUS
Teaching how to gather and write news for print media.
Mastering the principles of organizing and writing a story.
Identifying story ideas and useful information.
Rules:
DEADLINES, DEADLINES, DEADLINES
Homework that’s late – but not more than 24 hours late – gets a half-grade deduction.
Homework that’s more than 24 hours late is not accepted, and receives an F.
Thorough stories must be submitted with source attribution, objectivity and style.
A complete understanding of English grammar and spelling is expected.
Homework must be submitted either in-person or via email, as a typed, double-spaced document.
Attendance is required – failure to attend without a legitimate excuse could affect your class participation grade.
Grades:
Homework: 70 percent
Class Participation: 25 percent
Quizzes: 5 percent
Readings:
Deadlines for News Reporting and Writing and Associated Press stylebook readings:
Due date/assignment
Jan. 29: chapters 1, 2 and 7; stylebook A-E
Feb. 5: chapters 4, 5 and 8; stylebook F-N
Feb. 12: stylebook O-Z
Feb. 19: chapters 3 and 12
Feb. 26: chapters 22 and 23
March 12: chapters 15, 19 and 20
April 2: chapter 13
April 9: chapter 9
April 16: chapters 6 and 14 and municipal meeting reading
Assignments (500 to 800 words):
(First half – count once)
Due date/assignment
Feb. 2/Interview your neighbor story
Feb. 16/Workbook pages 47 to 50, handout (no rewrite)
Feb. 19/Interview your neighbor story – rewrite
Feb. 23/Class-created story
March 9/News Briefs
March 12/Class-created story – rewrite
April 2/News Briefs - rewrites
(Second-half – count twice)
March 30/Bill Borden-assigned story
April 6/Class speaker story
April 9/Bill Borden-assigned story – rewrite
April 20/“Live” story
April 23/Class speaker story – rewrite
April 30/Meeting story (no rewrite)
May 4/“Live” story – rewrite
(Final – counts four times)
May 3 (at noon)/Rough draft for final assignment
May 4/Final assignment
Conferences:
March 5, Room 109
Extra credit:
1. Write up to two OBJECTIVE news stories on ANY topic (no reviews or opinion pieces).
Students will receive a half-grade higher on a regular homework assignment for each story that is considered B-level quality.
2. Get at least one byline in ANY section of The Daily Targum (can include reviews or opinion pieces). Students receive a half-grade higher on a homework assignment if they can present a story with a byline.