English/Comm 316 | Writing for the Mass Media

Jennifer Strange

Spring 2011 | Mondays 2-5 pm, Jackson Hall 304

Click here for the policies and course description.

Course Schedule

Week 1 | January 10

• Choose beats
• Newspaper writing (articles versus briefs) and the inverted pyramid
• Editing skills baseline
• Events this week: Golden Globes (Su Jan 16, NBC)

Week 2 | January 17

• No class: MLK Holiday
• Email the location of your beat by R Jan 20
• Events this week: Diversity Week with convocations T and R

Week 3 | January 24

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 5
• Online Newsgathering Chapters 1-3
• Interviews
• Events this week: State of the Union address (T Jan 25)

Week 4 | January 31

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 6
• Online Newsgathering Chapters 4-6
• Newspaper article due
• Events this week: Homecoming with Founders' Day Convocation, Super Bowl (Su Feb 6, FOX)

Week 5 | February 7

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 7
• Online Newsgathering Chapters 7-9
• Newspaper brief due
• Radio journalism
• Events this week: Jury Duty (M Feb 7, possible), Lagniappe (R Feb 10), Grammy Awards (Su Feb 13, CBS)

Week 6 | February 14

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 4
• Online Newsgathering Chapter 10
• Online essays and articles: the rise of the serious and professional blog
• Query letters
• Events this week: Valentine's Day (M Feb 14), Dr. Jessica Piekielek on environmental campaigns and politics (T Feb 15 @ 6 pm, Whited Room), Centennial exhibit opens (Sa Feb 19, Meadows Museum)

Week 7 | February 21

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 8
• Online Newsgathering Chapter 11
• Interview Q&A due
• Public relations: writing for the media
• Events this week: Invisible Children screening (M Feb 21 @ 8 pm, Kilpatrick), Academy Awards (Sun Feb 27, ABC)

Week 8 | February 28

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapters 9-10 and 13
• Workshop
• Radio or blog essay due
• Events this week: American Shakespeare Center

Week 9 | March 7

• No class: Mardi Gras break
• Events this week: Mardi Gras, March Madness Selection Sunday (Su Mar 13)

Week 10 | March 14

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapters 2 and 3
• PSA due
• Speeches, and writing in other voices
• Events this week: St. Patrick's Day (R Mar 17)

Week 11 | March 21

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 5
• Press release due
• Reviews and commentaries
• Events this week: Centenary's Forum (Dr. Insoo Hyun, M Mar 21 @ 7 pm, Whited Room), Corrington Award (Tim O'Brien, T Mar 22 @ 7 pm, Whited Room)

Week 12 | March 28

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 6
• Workshop
• Speech due
• Events this week: Centenary's Forum (students and citizens, M Mar 28 @ 7 pm, Whited Room), March Madness Final Four (men Sa Apr 2, women Su Apr 3)

Week 13 | April 4

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 7
• Review due
• Events this week: March Madness Final Four (men M Apr 4, women T Apr 5)

Week 14 | April 11

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 9
• Workshop
• Commentary due
• Events this week: Honors Convocation (R Apr 14 @ 5 pm, Brown Chapel), Student Research Forum (F Apr 15)

Week 15 | April 18

• Beat roundup
• Chicago Manual of Style Chapter 13
• Workshop
• Beat Analysis due
• Events this week: Earth Day (F Apr 22), Easter (Su Apr 25)

Week 16 | April 25

• Beat roundup
• Revisiting the editing skills baseline
• Workshop
• Events this week: Preparation Week, Royal Wedding (F Apr 29)

Final portfolio due by the end of the final exam period (TBA).

Click here for the policies and course description.