Here's a recap of the latest deadlines for you to keep track of:
>>> Unless you've heard from me otherwise, everyone is approved for tip sheets 3 and 4, if they were submitted to me prior to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Mar. 26.
>>> As indicated in class Wednesday, out-of-class #3 will consist of a written out-of-class story following the usual rules; a 1-2 minute video version of either the whole story or an aspect/angle of it (for example, on a story or pros and cons of living off-campus, perhaps the video story centers on student opinions on the issue only); preview and recap posts that can be split by one side/the other side (for example, on a story about pros and cons about living off-campus, maybe one post is about pros and the other cons; or one post is about what experts have to say, and the other is about what students say) and a tweet stream where we follow an earlier post's directions on how to tweet for non-breaking news.
The multimedia requirements will mostly follow that of the second multimedia project assigned Wednesday, except it will all be on the same topic as the third out-of-class written story. We will be telling the same story in all mediums: print, online, video and social media.
Rules will apply as previous: the written story must be at least 700 words with at least two human sources, all sides of the story represented, at least one neutral expert, any necessary background data, etc.; the video must contain at least two human sources and relevant b-roll; the blog posts must be 100-200 words each, with each containing at least two relevant hyperlinks; the tweet stream must be at least 12 tweets long with a unifying unique hash tag.
>>> The written third out-of-class story will be due no later than 9 a.m. Monday, April 7 by email to omars@msu.edu, under the subject line of ooc3. The multimedia components of the third out-of-class story will be due no later than (with links to the video, blog posts and tweets)
>>> Then, the rewrite for the third out-of-class story will be due no later than 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 16 to omars@msu.edu.
>>> The multimedia component of the third out-of-class story will be due no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, April 17 by email to omars@msu.edu, under the subject line of mm3. Parameters are as posted above.
>>> The fourth out-of-class story will be due no later than 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 23 to omars@msu.edu under the subject line of ooc4. That is the final day of class. This assignment is optional for regular students and mandatory for honors credit.
>>> The deadline for the job shadow report and all extra credit is also no later than 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 23 to omars@msu.edu.
>>> In the meantime, the second multimedia assignment is due no later than 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 1 by email to omars@msu.edu, under the subject line of mm2. Parameters of the required 1-2 minute video, two blog posts and a tweet stream are as detailed in class Wednesday and listed in a related blog post.
>>> Plus, the rewrite of the second out-of-class story will be due no later than 10 a.m. Thursday, April 3 via email to omars@msu.edu.
So, here's the deadlines, in time order:
Tuesday, April 1: Second multimedia assignment
Thursday, April 3: Second out-of-class story rewrite
Monday, April 7: Third out-of-class story
Wednesday, April 16: Third out-of-class rewrite
Thursday April 17: Third multimedia assignment
Wednesday, April 23: Fourth out-of-class story; job shadow report, all extra credit.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
JRN 200: Class Schedule The Rest Of The Way
Here's what we'll be doing through semester's end, subject to change as needed and at my discretion:
MON. MAR. 31; In class: Open lab day. Bring materials to work on your third out-of-class story; second out-of-class rewrite; and second and/or third multimedia projects. Homework: Hand out open-book take-home AP Style quiz, due April 16; finish multimedia assignment #2 (due Tue., April 1).
WED. APRIL 2; In class: Review multimedia #2 project. Homework: Continue earlier-assigned work, finish second out-of-class rewrite (due Thu., April 3).
MON. APRIL 7; NO CLASS. Homework: Continue earlier-assigned work.
WED. APRIL 9; In class: Open lab day; bring materials to work on any or all outstanding work remaining this semester. Homework: read RFTM Ch. 6-7 (p. 129-186); review RFTM Ch. 16 (p. 410-440); complete final practice story (to be assigned this day and due Mon. April 14).
MON. APRIL 14; In class: Lecture on ethics and media law; discussion on ethics; quizzes on ethics and media law. Homework: finish third out-of-class rewrite (due Wed., April 16).
WED. APRIL 16; In class: Open lab day; third out-of-class rewrite due; AP style quiz due. Homework: Finish third multimedia assignment (due Thursday, April 17).
MON. APRIL 21; In class: Review multimedia #3 project. Homework: Finish fourth out-of-class story, job shadow report, all extra credit (all due Wed., April 23).
WED. APRIL 23; In class: last day of class; fourth out-of-class story, job shadow report and all extra credit due.
(Note: there are no finals week activities for this class.)
MON. MAR. 31; In class: Open lab day. Bring materials to work on your third out-of-class story; second out-of-class rewrite; and second and/or third multimedia projects. Homework: Hand out open-book take-home AP Style quiz, due April 16; finish multimedia assignment #2 (due Tue., April 1).
WED. APRIL 2; In class: Review multimedia #2 project. Homework: Continue earlier-assigned work, finish second out-of-class rewrite (due Thu., April 3).
MON. APRIL 7; NO CLASS. Homework: Continue earlier-assigned work.
WED. APRIL 9; In class: Open lab day; bring materials to work on any or all outstanding work remaining this semester. Homework: read RFTM Ch. 6-7 (p. 129-186); review RFTM Ch. 16 (p. 410-440); complete final practice story (to be assigned this day and due Mon. April 14).
MON. APRIL 14; In class: Lecture on ethics and media law; discussion on ethics; quizzes on ethics and media law. Homework: finish third out-of-class rewrite (due Wed., April 16).
WED. APRIL 16; In class: Open lab day; third out-of-class rewrite due; AP style quiz due. Homework: Finish third multimedia assignment (due Thursday, April 17).
MON. APRIL 21; In class: Review multimedia #3 project. Homework: Finish fourth out-of-class story, job shadow report, all extra credit (all due Wed., April 23).
WED. APRIL 23; In class: last day of class; fourth out-of-class story, job shadow report and all extra credit due.
(Note: there are no finals week activities for this class.)
JRN 200: Rules To Remember
| I'm always looking for a way to simplify our principles to an easily-understood and effortlessly-followed list. Sometimes I come up with such a formula; other times, I find something that's good to go. |
Below is an example of the latter: a list of 22 rules for journalists.
It does a nice job of reminding us of some basic precepts that can
easily be forgotten amid the daily hubbub: keep it simple, do the right
thing, it's about people, ect.
Give it a quick read and think about how these rules can apply to your day-to-day routines now and beyond this semester.
By Robert Mann
Whenever I hear about some press secretary cursing a young reporter, I think, “That’s a press secretary who was never a young reporter.”
That’s one reason some politicians have such poor press relations: the people they hire to manage their press relations know nothing about the daily life of a journalist. They think it’s about intimidation and manipulation when it’s mostly about mutual respect and creating and nurturing trusting relationships.
I discussed this in considerable detail earlier this week in this post about politicians and their spokespeople.
That post prompted a few friends to offer some additional rules.
It also prompted my friend and former LSU Manship School colleague Jay Perkins (a longtime Washington, D.C., Associated Press reporter) to offer some rules for journalists that he’s compiled over the years.
Jay is quick to note that most of these aren’t original to him. But it’s a great collection of wisdom that he once shared with all his students — and that I now share with you:
EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT REPORTING (And most of it I stole)
By Jay Perkins
1. Journalism is an attempt to discern the truth from liars. Don’t expect anyone to tell you the truth. They won’t. It’s up to you to find it. Look for contradictions in what people say. Three words to live by: compare and contrast.
2. Most lies are those of omission. Most people aren’t going to lie totally. They’re just going to tell you the version of the truth that makes them look good.
3. There’s a big difference between repeating and reporting. Repeating what someone said is easy. It doesn’t require much judgment or intelligence. Reporting is a search for the best version of the truth. It requires intelligence, skepticism, hard work and lots of digging. Strive to be a reporter.
4. The last reporter to get the truth from one source was a guy named Moses. Unless your source is God, you’re not going to get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from one interview. And if you’re getting interviews with God, you’re in the wrong business.
5. Reporting requires common sense – all five of them. It’s not enough to just listen to what someone says. God gave humans – even reporters – five senses. Sometimes how someone looks is just as important as what he or she says. Sometimes the way their voice wavers can tell you a lot. Use your senses.
6. Too many journalists try to climb a mountain from the top down. If you go right to the top and interview the big guy first, you’re dependent on what he wants to tell you. If you interview the little people first, you’ll know what to ask when you get to the big guy. Take it one step at a time. Start at the bottom. Hit the library and find out everything you can about the subject. Interview the little people second. You’ll get to the top quick enough – and you’ll know what to do when you get there.
7. Most business stories are not news stories. But most news stories are business stories. If you don’t understand business, you can’t understand news. Look to see how the news affects business – and why.
8. What someone knows is important. But the real question is how do they know it. Ask them. Beware the person who knows everything – college professors are a good example. They may just be good at talking about nothing.
WRITING
9. Good writing will take you further than good reporting. The reason? Most editors can recognize good writing. But few of them can recognize good reporting. Be a good reporter. But also be a good writer.
10. Writing is like making love – it’s a lot more fun with a partner. Unfortunately, too many journalists think they’re writing for themselves. They’re so interested in satisfying their own ego that they forget about satisfying the reader. Keep your focus on your readers. Tell them the story. They’ll think better of you in the morning.
11. Good writing starts with a KISS. That’s a maxim political consultants live by – Keep It Simple, Stupid. Leave the big words and the complex sentences in your English classes. Your job is not to impress the reader with your vocabulary or your ability to say nothing in 4,000 words. It’s to eloquently elucidate a communique – uh, communicate a message.
12. People are more important than statistics. You tell your reader that 500,000 people went broke in America last year, he’ll yawn. You tell him the personal story of one person who went broke, he’ll listen. Statistics are important and they have to go into the story. But your focus is on people.
THE NATURE OF NEWS
13. News is never new. It is simply recycled for a new audience. The only journalists who think they’ve found something new are those who are too dumb to read and too lazy to research. Read what other reporters in other towns are doing. Read what other reporters have done. Here’s betting the story they covered could be covered in your community. Do it. And then everybody will think you’ve found something new.
14. Anyone can cover an event. But only the good reporter can put it into perspective. Most reporters have an institutional memory of one day. The good ones can relate what happened on any one day to the historical trends that created the event and the ripple event the event will have across society. Don’t be satisfied with covering an event. Stretch the envelope.
15. Reporting and writing are tools that a journalist uses. But what he or she really is selling is knowledge. If you think the Mujahadeen sell ice cream in Beijing, that Khadaffi is the French word for coffee, that Mekong is what a big gorilla once said, you’ve got a problem. Three words to live by: Read. Read. Read.
LAW AND ETHICS
16. Ethics are elastic. It’s easy to be ethical when the story is small. It’s a lot harder when the story is huge. Develop an ethical code that you can live by. And live by it. The rule one reporter lives by: he never does anything to get a story that he would be ashamed to have printed alongside his story.
17. More libel suits are caused by bad manners than by bad reporting. You write something. Somebody gets mad. They call you up to complain. You listen to them, they feel better. You act like an arrogant jerk, they sue. Be nice. It will save you numerous libel suits.
RESPONSIBILITIES
18. Journalists can’t tell people what to think. But they certainly tell people what to think about. What you decide to cover and the way you organize your story all impact on what the reader is going to think about. That’s an awesome responsibility. Think about it.
19. The journalism profession doesn’t need any more bad reporters. It’s got plenty of those already. If you’re going to be a journalist, be a good one. If you’re not going to be a good one, find another field of work.
20. There’s no such thing as objectivity. But there’s something called fairness. If you don’t think your preconceptions influence the questions you ask and the story you write, you’re dreaming. Don’t worry about being objective. But try to be fair. Let everyone tell their side of the story.
21. So now you’ve been fair and allowed everyone to tell their side. Don’t let fairness cause you to miss the target. What’s the point of all this work you’re doing? Finding the truth. And the truth is never fair and it’s never balanced and it’s never objective.
CONSISTENCY
22. And finally, remember: most people will remember you not for your best story but for your worst.
Give it a quick read and think about how these rules can apply to your day-to-day routines now and beyond this semester.
By Robert Mann
Whenever I hear about some press secretary cursing a young reporter, I think, “That’s a press secretary who was never a young reporter.”
That’s one reason some politicians have such poor press relations: the people they hire to manage their press relations know nothing about the daily life of a journalist. They think it’s about intimidation and manipulation when it’s mostly about mutual respect and creating and nurturing trusting relationships.
I discussed this in considerable detail earlier this week in this post about politicians and their spokespeople.
That post prompted a few friends to offer some additional rules.
It also prompted my friend and former LSU Manship School colleague Jay Perkins (a longtime Washington, D.C., Associated Press reporter) to offer some rules for journalists that he’s compiled over the years.
Jay is quick to note that most of these aren’t original to him. But it’s a great collection of wisdom that he once shared with all his students — and that I now share with you:
EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT REPORTING (And most of it I stole)
By Jay Perkins
1. Journalism is an attempt to discern the truth from liars. Don’t expect anyone to tell you the truth. They won’t. It’s up to you to find it. Look for contradictions in what people say. Three words to live by: compare and contrast.
2. Most lies are those of omission. Most people aren’t going to lie totally. They’re just going to tell you the version of the truth that makes them look good.
3. There’s a big difference between repeating and reporting. Repeating what someone said is easy. It doesn’t require much judgment or intelligence. Reporting is a search for the best version of the truth. It requires intelligence, skepticism, hard work and lots of digging. Strive to be a reporter.
4. The last reporter to get the truth from one source was a guy named Moses. Unless your source is God, you’re not going to get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from one interview. And if you’re getting interviews with God, you’re in the wrong business.
5. Reporting requires common sense – all five of them. It’s not enough to just listen to what someone says. God gave humans – even reporters – five senses. Sometimes how someone looks is just as important as what he or she says. Sometimes the way their voice wavers can tell you a lot. Use your senses.
6. Too many journalists try to climb a mountain from the top down. If you go right to the top and interview the big guy first, you’re dependent on what he wants to tell you. If you interview the little people first, you’ll know what to ask when you get to the big guy. Take it one step at a time. Start at the bottom. Hit the library and find out everything you can about the subject. Interview the little people second. You’ll get to the top quick enough – and you’ll know what to do when you get there.
7. Most business stories are not news stories. But most news stories are business stories. If you don’t understand business, you can’t understand news. Look to see how the news affects business – and why.
8. What someone knows is important. But the real question is how do they know it. Ask them. Beware the person who knows everything – college professors are a good example. They may just be good at talking about nothing.
WRITING
9. Good writing will take you further than good reporting. The reason? Most editors can recognize good writing. But few of them can recognize good reporting. Be a good reporter. But also be a good writer.
10. Writing is like making love – it’s a lot more fun with a partner. Unfortunately, too many journalists think they’re writing for themselves. They’re so interested in satisfying their own ego that they forget about satisfying the reader. Keep your focus on your readers. Tell them the story. They’ll think better of you in the morning.
11. Good writing starts with a KISS. That’s a maxim political consultants live by – Keep It Simple, Stupid. Leave the big words and the complex sentences in your English classes. Your job is not to impress the reader with your vocabulary or your ability to say nothing in 4,000 words. It’s to eloquently elucidate a communique – uh, communicate a message.
12. People are more important than statistics. You tell your reader that 500,000 people went broke in America last year, he’ll yawn. You tell him the personal story of one person who went broke, he’ll listen. Statistics are important and they have to go into the story. But your focus is on people.
THE NATURE OF NEWS
13. News is never new. It is simply recycled for a new audience. The only journalists who think they’ve found something new are those who are too dumb to read and too lazy to research. Read what other reporters in other towns are doing. Read what other reporters have done. Here’s betting the story they covered could be covered in your community. Do it. And then everybody will think you’ve found something new.
14. Anyone can cover an event. But only the good reporter can put it into perspective. Most reporters have an institutional memory of one day. The good ones can relate what happened on any one day to the historical trends that created the event and the ripple event the event will have across society. Don’t be satisfied with covering an event. Stretch the envelope.
15. Reporting and writing are tools that a journalist uses. But what he or she really is selling is knowledge. If you think the Mujahadeen sell ice cream in Beijing, that Khadaffi is the French word for coffee, that Mekong is what a big gorilla once said, you’ve got a problem. Three words to live by: Read. Read. Read.
LAW AND ETHICS
16. Ethics are elastic. It’s easy to be ethical when the story is small. It’s a lot harder when the story is huge. Develop an ethical code that you can live by. And live by it. The rule one reporter lives by: he never does anything to get a story that he would be ashamed to have printed alongside his story.
17. More libel suits are caused by bad manners than by bad reporting. You write something. Somebody gets mad. They call you up to complain. You listen to them, they feel better. You act like an arrogant jerk, they sue. Be nice. It will save you numerous libel suits.
RESPONSIBILITIES
18. Journalists can’t tell people what to think. But they certainly tell people what to think about. What you decide to cover and the way you organize your story all impact on what the reader is going to think about. That’s an awesome responsibility. Think about it.
19. The journalism profession doesn’t need any more bad reporters. It’s got plenty of those already. If you’re going to be a journalist, be a good one. If you’re not going to be a good one, find another field of work.
20. There’s no such thing as objectivity. But there’s something called fairness. If you don’t think your preconceptions influence the questions you ask and the story you write, you’re dreaming. Don’t worry about being objective. But try to be fair. Let everyone tell their side of the story.
21. So now you’ve been fair and allowed everyone to tell their side. Don’t let fairness cause you to miss the target. What’s the point of all this work you’re doing? Finding the truth. And the truth is never fair and it’s never balanced and it’s never objective.
CONSISTENCY
22. And finally, remember: most people will remember you not for your best story but for your worst.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Out-Of-Class #2: What Journalism Really Is
Before the second OOCer was due, I got this email from one of youze:
Hey Omar!
I've been putting together my second out of class story today and I've realized that the interviews I've done both with the experts and students lead me away from "how to get the most out of your smartphone" and gave me a lot more substance to write about the pros/cons of smartphone use with a lot of focus on social media (because it ended up being what most people used their phones for).
So to revise my topic:
I'm writing an article on smartphone usage amongst college students and how it affects them positively and negatively. It will delve into the aspect of social media and the pros and cons of being constantly connected to those websites and to friends.
I hope this is okay with you, it's just where my interviews lead me so I feel like I have a better hold on this then trying to construct something around my original topic that isn't really there.
Thank you!
And my answer was an enthusiastic YES! Not simply because you were switching the topic, but because you were switching the topic based on where the facts were taking you!
And THAT is journalism. Journalism isn't starting with an initial assumption and then finding facts to support it. That's a term paper. Rather, journalism is starting with an initial assumption, then seeing where the facts take you. Sometimes, research finds that the initial premise was correct. Other times, not so much. And still other times you discover things that support a premise that's better than the original one.
It's that process of research and then determining what you actually have that is journalism. That's what separates it from simply finding out about stuff; it's that discovery through doing reporting.
It's like being a detective: you start out with a dead body, and then you start interviewing people to see what you can find out. You may start out with one suspect, but the evidence might take you to another suspect -- or none at all, if you find facts showing it was an accidental or natural death, or a suicide. Either way, you follow the facts, and you make your final determination on the facts you find, rather than simply what you initially presumed.
Ideally, each of us will have a story that evolves this way. I'm glad at least one of us did, so the rest of us can see this process in action.
Hey Omar!
I've been putting together my second out of class story today and I've realized that the interviews I've done both with the experts and students lead me away from "how to get the most out of your smartphone" and gave me a lot more substance to write about the pros/cons of smartphone use with a lot of focus on social media (because it ended up being what most people used their phones for).
So to revise my topic:
I'm writing an article on smartphone usage amongst college students and how it affects them positively and negatively. It will delve into the aspect of social media and the pros and cons of being constantly connected to those websites and to friends.
I hope this is okay with you, it's just where my interviews lead me so I feel like I have a better hold on this then trying to construct something around my original topic that isn't really there.
Thank you!
And my answer was an enthusiastic YES! Not simply because you were switching the topic, but because you were switching the topic based on where the facts were taking you!
And THAT is journalism. Journalism isn't starting with an initial assumption and then finding facts to support it. That's a term paper. Rather, journalism is starting with an initial assumption, then seeing where the facts take you. Sometimes, research finds that the initial premise was correct. Other times, not so much. And still other times you discover things that support a premise that's better than the original one.
It's that process of research and then determining what you actually have that is journalism. That's what separates it from simply finding out about stuff; it's that discovery through doing reporting.
It's like being a detective: you start out with a dead body, and then you start interviewing people to see what you can find out. You may start out with one suspect, but the evidence might take you to another suspect -- or none at all, if you find facts showing it was an accidental or natural death, or a suicide. Either way, you follow the facts, and you make your final determination on the facts you find, rather than simply what you initially presumed.
Ideally, each of us will have a story that evolves this way. I'm glad at least one of us did, so the rest of us can see this process in action.
Out-Of-Class #2: A Good Example ...
... of the aforementioned story, as graded:
(author name redacted)
JRN 200
Out-Of-Class
03/25/14
Slug: Smartphones
As technology advances, smartphones
are becoming a larger part in a growing number of students’ lives serving as
both a source of information and connection but also a distraction.
According to a 2014
study conducted by Pew Research Center on smartphone ownership, as of January 58
percent of American adults owned a smartphone of some kind with ownership
showing to be particularly high among those in their twenties and thirties.
This is an increase of 13
percentage points from what was reported in February of 2012
and an increase of two percentage points from what was recorded in May of 2013
for the amount of adults that owned smartphones COMMA HERE according to Pew Research Center.
Michigan State University Professor
of Psychology Dr. Linda Jackson said technology has been having a tremendous
impact on students’ lives. In an email interview Jackson said, “Just count the
number of students walking around or entering or leaving class with a cell
phone “attached” SINGLE QUOTE MARKS
AROUND QUOTE WITHIN QUOTE to the ears. Consider the number of text messages
students send and receive each day.” GOOD
NEUTRAL EXPERT HERE
WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS OF TEXTS RECEIVED PER PHONE; HOW IS IT UP OR DOWN
FROM RECENT YEARS?
Jackson, whose current research
explores the effects of information technology use on cognitive, social,
psychological and moral development said that technology and social media take
time way from students. START NEW GRAF
HERE; LET QUOTE STAND OUT She said, “It pervades all aspects of a student’s life, from social relationships
with family and friends to academic performance to time for other pursuits.”
CAN WE OFFER SPECIFIC REALW-WORLD TYPE OF EXAMPLES?
Lauren Keiser a MSU psychology
student and owner of a smartphone COMMA
HERE said her phone can be a distraction but she finds that having a
smartphone is overall beneficial and said she mainly uses it to send emails,
stay organized and keep up on social media.
“I don’t watch a lot of TV so
[social media] is my source for current events… it’s like the world is at my
fingertips,” said Keiser. “I use calendars to keep appointments and things. I
actually use an app for homework where it keeps track of due dates which is
helpful.” GOOD SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
Fellow MSU psychology student
Aubrey Gilliland said she uses her smartphone for the same purposes, but that
being in constant contact with everything through her phone can get annoying.
Gilliland said, “I’m not one to
text people all the time and when that is something that other people do it
gets annoying.”
Gilliland also said that having a
smartphone is beneficial academically. “Group messaging for group projects is
really helpful because if we all have iPhones we can group message to find time
to work together rather then have to email everyone or call them separately,”
said Gilliland.
Gilliland also said her smartphone
can be a distraction but that it depends on the size of the class. “I’m less
likely to use [my smartphone] in smaller classes but in big lecture halls it is
tempting,” she said.
Dr. Karen Riggs, a professor of
media studies at Ohio University COMMA
HERE said in an email interview that there are those negative implications
to smartphone usage. GOOD NEUTRAL EXPERT
“Communication networks and apps on mobile phones can distract students
from face-to-face communication and studies,” said Riggs. “They can also
interfere with the classroom experience for which they pay so dearly. If you're
texting, even though you might think you can multi-task well, you're likely to
miss some important things in class.”
Riggs, whose research focuses on
media and age, SAID SHE; ATTRIBUTE! does
believe that smartphones are both beneficial and functional.
“Both phone and texting are a great means to keep in touch with friends
and family. Students can make plans, keep up with others when they can't be
together in person, and pursue casual conversation,” said Riggs. “Social
network functions are just as important. Keeping in touch and up to date on
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and now Snapchat, adds value to mobile devices
that suit students' lifestyles.”
She also said that students can best utilize their smartphones by
using them as digital planners and by taking advantage of more easily
accessible communication with professors. START
NEW GRAF HERE; LET QUOTE STAND OUT “Instructors are increasingly using
social networks such as Twitter to make announcements and encourage
conversation,” said Riggs.
Jackson said that when used properly, technology has the potential to
improve academic performance.
“Psychologically there is evidence that technology use can
increase self-esteem, self-competency and self-efficacy. In lay terms, knowing
how to use technology can make you feel better about yourself overall, feel
more competent and believe you can do things you want to do,” said Jackson.
Word Count: 724
Sources
Name: Linda Jackson
Title: MSU Professor of
psychology; Department of psychology; College of Social Science
Email: jackso67@msu.edu
Phone: (517) 353-7207
Name: Lauren Keiser
Major:
Psychology
Email: Keiserl2@msu.edu
Name: Aubrey Gilliland
Major:
Psychology
Email: Gillil19@msu.edu
Name: Dr. Karen Riggs
Title: Ohio University Professor
of Media Studies; School of Media Arts and Studies; Scripps College of
Communication
Email: riggsk@ohio.edu
Other Email: karen.riggs1@gmail.com
Phone: (740) 590-4012
Pew Research Center
“Smartphone Ownership” Study
ASSIGNMENT GRADE: (grade redacted)
INSTRUCTOR
COMMENTS: GOOD OVERALL JOB. NICE USE OF DATA, EVERYDAY PERSON VIEWPOINTS AND
EXPERT OBSERVATIONS TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS SUPPORTED BY FACTS AND ANECDOTES. FIXING
SOME SMALL ISSUES AS NOTED ABOVE WILL BUMP YOUR GRADE UP A BIT.
Vid #1: Let's Look At Some Vids!
Okay,
so here's the video recap, in order in which video was turned in. I ask that you please look at EACH video and
read my comments for EACH video (not just your own!), so we can learn
like we've learned from each other throughout this semester.
Overall, I thought we did very, very well on this assignment, especially considering it was a first-time video in this class. Lots of good B-roll, good story flows, ect. Certainly some things that can be tweaked, but that's to be expected. Really, this was the best one of my classes has ever done on this assignment; congrats to all!
Let's look for what worked and what didn't and what we could borrow for the next time and what we need to avoid doing again.
BTW, unless you received an email from me noting a specific grade, your grade for this exercise was a 4.0, with it equaling a practice story in final grade weight. (Future assignments will be evaluated and graded much more specifically based on execution and will be of higher grade weight, though).
Here we go:
Sami S.: Good use of b-roll, but we could have used more variety of b-roll as opposed to just that one shot me me talking and pacing around. Plus, let's kill background music when people are talking, so that we don't have competing sound.
Melanie B.: Here, we have more of a variety of b-roll. Plus, notice how we go back-and-forth between the interview subjects, unlike the previous video where one person said all they had to say, then we went to the other person exclusively. Back-and-forth is more natural, like a real conversation, right? Plus, note the shakiness: no matter how steady we think we're holding a camera, we're always better off using a tripod or a flat surface off which to shoot.
Aaron S.: We want to make sure we're taking principles from print and applying them to multimedia, like having ledes that go beyond the fact that something is happening and gets to what, exactly, took place. In that sense, the title slide of "JRN 200 Multimedia Project" is insufficient; let's say that the project is, exactly, like, "What did students learn in JRN 200 sofar?" Very nice mix of b-roll, and see the difference a steady shooting surface cam make?
Kelsey B.: Same thing with the title slide here.
Brittanie C.: Let's always be aware of audio and sound conditions. The microphones are a bit distant and the interview space has a bit of an echo, which can be problematic. The best places to do interviews are small rooms with no background noise and low ceilings. And getting a mic as close as possible to a speaker's mouth is always preferred.
Amra D.: I know the b-roll opportunities on this assignment aren't stellar, but see how it helps break up the boring here's-a-face-and-the-face-is-talking shot, while at the same time showing the audience what is being talked about? It's another print concept at work; show me, and don't just tell me.
Hayley J.: Again, let's not play voice and music simultaneously and create competition for the viewer's ears.
Akshita V.: Let's be sure to be following standard attribution rules, which means first and last names on first references. Here, we have a first name and last initial. Video viewers need to know who your sources are as much as print readers. The nice thing with video is we don't need a second attribution at all, since the audience has another cue at that point: the source's face.
Josh T.: For this exercise we're working with very basic equipment and editing programs, so we're gonna have a bit of lack of polish at times that's not our fault. With this vid, instead of the quality of video concentrate on structure, use of sound bytes and b-roll, captioning, etc.
Jessica S.: For this exercise we're working with very basic equipment and editing programs, so we're gonna have a bit of lack of polish at times that's not our fault, like a lack of synchronization between video and audio here. That's okay for now; I'm more concerned whether your structure and intentions were sound, even if the execution (through poor equipment or this being the first time you're doing it) isn't as crisp.
Amber H.: Ideally, we want b-roll for news to be real, and not staged. It's better to get shots of people in an actual class than to set up a class-like re-creation. Still, good structure throughout here.
Alyssa R.: We could use a more specific title slide or narrated lede here. Also, watch your audio (try to keep it steady and consistent), and try to use captions and slides to cut down on having to read questions out loud. Neat trick here: note the use of "dissolves" when switching between shots.
Megan E.: What jumped out to me wasn't your work, which was good; rather, it was the person appearing to be sleeping in one of the b-roll shots. GRRR.
Chelsea E.: Like in print, let's make sure we are adequately proofing our work and looking out for typos. The lede question caption had a typo, and I'm not sure what the closing title slide was supposed to be. Video viewers want accuracy as much as print readers. Also, note how the b-roll in many cases is specific to what exactly is being said at the moment. Plus, watch the audio, right?
Krystyn C.: Again, we have to adhere to fact-checking standards like we do in print. Here, we have a misspelled name: it's Cristi, not Christi. Even with a change in mediums, we still need to check every noun (person, place or thing), every title, every statistical unit, etc. for accuracy, before and after we shoot and edit. Plus, note the "dissolves" used here.
Emily J.: The b-roll is a bit random; we should try to pair b-roll that illustrates what is being talked bout (for example, if someone is talking about how they learned to write better, have b-roll showing them typing on a keyboard). Plus, I'm pretty sure you broke federal law by using a Snoop Dogg tune. Congrats; I'll see you in prison. I did like the creative endig with the note pad; like using hyperlinks to best tell stories online, try to leverage this medium by using animation to help tell stories.
Cristi F.: Here, we had some technical problems the student let me know about; the editing program being used was making it difficult (if not impossible) to insert b-roll inside of interview segments, so she sent what she could. On this first one, that's okay; a big part of this assignment is figuring out what works and does not work in practice. So, let's share what video editing programs worked -- and which ones we should avoid.
Overall, I thought we did very, very well on this assignment, especially considering it was a first-time video in this class. Lots of good B-roll, good story flows, ect. Certainly some things that can be tweaked, but that's to be expected. Really, this was the best one of my classes has ever done on this assignment; congrats to all!
Let's look for what worked and what didn't and what we could borrow for the next time and what we need to avoid doing again.
BTW, unless you received an email from me noting a specific grade, your grade for this exercise was a 4.0, with it equaling a practice story in final grade weight. (Future assignments will be evaluated and graded much more specifically based on execution and will be of higher grade weight, though).
Here we go:
Sami S.: Good use of b-roll, but we could have used more variety of b-roll as opposed to just that one shot me me talking and pacing around. Plus, let's kill background music when people are talking, so that we don't have competing sound.
Melanie B.: Here, we have more of a variety of b-roll. Plus, notice how we go back-and-forth between the interview subjects, unlike the previous video where one person said all they had to say, then we went to the other person exclusively. Back-and-forth is more natural, like a real conversation, right? Plus, note the shakiness: no matter how steady we think we're holding a camera, we're always better off using a tripod or a flat surface off which to shoot.
Aaron S.: We want to make sure we're taking principles from print and applying them to multimedia, like having ledes that go beyond the fact that something is happening and gets to what, exactly, took place. In that sense, the title slide of "JRN 200 Multimedia Project" is insufficient; let's say that the project is, exactly, like, "What did students learn in JRN 200 sofar?" Very nice mix of b-roll, and see the difference a steady shooting surface cam make?
Kelsey B.: Same thing with the title slide here.
Brittanie C.: Let's always be aware of audio and sound conditions. The microphones are a bit distant and the interview space has a bit of an echo, which can be problematic. The best places to do interviews are small rooms with no background noise and low ceilings. And getting a mic as close as possible to a speaker's mouth is always preferred.
Amra D.: I know the b-roll opportunities on this assignment aren't stellar, but see how it helps break up the boring here's-a-face-and-the-face-is-talking shot, while at the same time showing the audience what is being talked about? It's another print concept at work; show me, and don't just tell me.
Hayley J.: Again, let's not play voice and music simultaneously and create competition for the viewer's ears.
Akshita V.: Let's be sure to be following standard attribution rules, which means first and last names on first references. Here, we have a first name and last initial. Video viewers need to know who your sources are as much as print readers. The nice thing with video is we don't need a second attribution at all, since the audience has another cue at that point: the source's face.
Josh T.: For this exercise we're working with very basic equipment and editing programs, so we're gonna have a bit of lack of polish at times that's not our fault. With this vid, instead of the quality of video concentrate on structure, use of sound bytes and b-roll, captioning, etc.
Jessica S.: For this exercise we're working with very basic equipment and editing programs, so we're gonna have a bit of lack of polish at times that's not our fault, like a lack of synchronization between video and audio here. That's okay for now; I'm more concerned whether your structure and intentions were sound, even if the execution (through poor equipment or this being the first time you're doing it) isn't as crisp.
Amber H.: Ideally, we want b-roll for news to be real, and not staged. It's better to get shots of people in an actual class than to set up a class-like re-creation. Still, good structure throughout here.
Alyssa R.: We could use a more specific title slide or narrated lede here. Also, watch your audio (try to keep it steady and consistent), and try to use captions and slides to cut down on having to read questions out loud. Neat trick here: note the use of "dissolves" when switching between shots.
Megan E.: What jumped out to me wasn't your work, which was good; rather, it was the person appearing to be sleeping in one of the b-roll shots. GRRR.
Chelsea E.: Like in print, let's make sure we are adequately proofing our work and looking out for typos. The lede question caption had a typo, and I'm not sure what the closing title slide was supposed to be. Video viewers want accuracy as much as print readers. Also, note how the b-roll in many cases is specific to what exactly is being said at the moment. Plus, watch the audio, right?
Krystyn C.: Again, we have to adhere to fact-checking standards like we do in print. Here, we have a misspelled name: it's Cristi, not Christi. Even with a change in mediums, we still need to check every noun (person, place or thing), every title, every statistical unit, etc. for accuracy, before and after we shoot and edit. Plus, note the "dissolves" used here.
Emily J.: The b-roll is a bit random; we should try to pair b-roll that illustrates what is being talked bout (for example, if someone is talking about how they learned to write better, have b-roll showing them typing on a keyboard). Plus, I'm pretty sure you broke federal law by using a Snoop Dogg tune. Congrats; I'll see you in prison. I did like the creative endig with the note pad; like using hyperlinks to best tell stories online, try to leverage this medium by using animation to help tell stories.
Cristi F.: Here, we had some technical problems the student let me know about; the editing program being used was making it difficult (if not impossible) to insert b-roll inside of interview segments, so she sent what she could. On this first one, that's okay; a big part of this assignment is figuring out what works and does not work in practice. So, let's share what video editing programs worked -- and which ones we should avoid.
MM #2: What You Need To Do
That would include:
... a 1-2 minute video, uploaded to YouTube, with B-roll and at least two source interviews on-tape;
... a 100-200-word preview, posted to blogger.com and done in a journalistic style, taking a look at the issue going into your reporting, with at least two relevant working hyperlinks embedded in the text;
... a 100-200-word recap, posted to blogger.com and done in a journalistic style, taking a look at what you discovered about the issue/how it ended, with at least two relevant working hyperlinks embedded in the text;
... and a tweet stream on Twitter with at least 12 tweets on the subject, and a unifying hash tag applied to each tweet.
For this exercise, you may re-interview sources from your previous stories or interview new sources. You may also use what you gathered and your notes from your original stories in putting together your new media news products.
Also, when I say you can do the entire comprehensive story or just an aspect of it, this is what I mean: let's say you did a story on the pros and cons of living off-campus vs. on-campus. The video and tweet stream may just look at one aspect, such as student opinions on the issue. The preview online story might look at the experiences of on-campus residents; with the recap looking at off-campus viewpoints. None of the mediums necessarily have to look at the issue as broadly as you did in a traditional text story (though you may do so if you so choose).
Your deadline for this will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 1, via email to omars@msu.edu. Please put ALL your links to your work into a single email, with the subject line of MM2.
If you need any assistance, contact me ASAP. And good luck, everybody!
MM #2: Some Examples
Instead, look at the principles they're trying to establish: thorough interviews of a broad variety of sources -- everyone from direct participants to neutral experts. Good B-roll that shows what is being talked about. Frequent use of captions and attribution.
Let's take a peek, shall we?
The benefits of studying abroad, making nice use of still pics as B-roll.
Social media on campus. Good b-roll here. Preview sets up issue; recap get answers to questions. Twitter a good mix of main ideas, quotes and data.
Downtown restaurants. Look at how the neutral experts set the background and offer explanations. Plus, look at the variety of B-roll and the use of captions to highlight key points.
Roommate conflicts. In this video, instead of letting Subject A say everything in one shot, and then Subject B saying everything in one shot, we go back-and-forth between A and B. It makes the interviews more conversational in tone. After all, when we talk in groups, it's back-and-forth, without the need for any one person to say everything at once, right?
Pets on campus. Basic, to-the-point style.
Is 'Jersey Shore' degrading to women? We even have a neutral expert in this vid!
The Old Town neighborhood. Lots of varied B-roll. This was the first general topic vid project ever for a student who has since graduated and now is a reporter at a Lansing TV station!
Do these give you any new ideas on how you'd like to do YOUR video, or the best ways to do it?
Friday, March 21, 2014
Ledes: There's A Time And A Place ...
... for certain types of smarty-pants ledes. This is not one of them.
Blogs/Tweets #1: Let's Look At Some Posts And Tweets!
Here
are links to all our preview and recap posts, and tweet streams, on
order in which they were turned in to me (the first one is first, and
the last one is last).
Let's compare the work of each other and see what we did well, and what ideas we can get from others. Also, examine how the mediums complement each other: the preview does just that; the tweet stream allows you to follow what was previewed, as it actually happens; and the recap wraps it all up.
BTW, unless you received an email from me noting a specific grade, your grade for the Web post and Twitter exercises was 4.0 on each, with each equaling a practice story in final grade weight. (Future assignments will be graded more specifically and be of higher weight, though). Here we go ...
Melanie B.: rat playtime preview and recap and tweets #playingwithpeaches
This is dead-on: a nice preview setting up what is coming next; a recap that sums up what did happen; and a play-by-play via twitter with a useful hash tag. Nice use of pics, too.
Sami S.: Seamus has dinner preview and recap and tweets #heeatsagain
Hyperlinks let us know people (by peeking at their socialmedia account) and what they're eating (via explanatory link) and what their eating options are (a menu!).
Kelsey B: TV show preview and recap and tweets #modernfunnyfamily
The precap had more than a dozen hyperlinks. The minimum was two. Were there too many? No such thing as too many hyperlinks; it's about giving the reader choices. If they want a ton of background, they can click on as many as they'd like. If not, they can just read the post click-free. It's up to them how much they want to engage the story.
But the tweet stream is missing a lede tweet, where we tell people what we're about to get into. The effect of missing one is the same as a story missing a lede; we're getting info, and we're not sure what for.
Jessica S.: scavenger hunt preview and recap and tweets #msuparanormalscavengerhunt
Cristi F.: roomie goes home preview and recap and tweets #sarahgoeshome
Hayley J.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #gossipgirldrama
Again, we're missing a lede tweet. Plus, the hash tag isn't unique enough; see what happens when we click on it?
Brittanie C.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #thefosterstv
LEDE TWEET! LEDE TWEET! FOR CRISSAKES, GIMME A LEDE TWEET!
Sorry; I had to get that out. I feel better now. Moving on ...
Chelsea E.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #scandaljrn200
Emily J.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #youjrnoryoudie
The preview's hyperlinks really takes advantage of what online does best by not just linking to text, but to video via YouTube. That's obviously something we couldn't do in print even if we wanted to. Online is a medium that emphasizes animation and sound; let's try to link to such content.
Josh T.: late-nite food run preview and recap and tweets #evasiclatenight
Again, let's not forget lede tweets! We'd never write a print story without a lede; let's not start a tweet stream for news without one, either.
Aaron S.: hanging out preview and recap and tweets #mrcabemeister
First, we're entirely missing hyperlinks here. Second, with new news posts or blog posts, we want to treat each as a starting point, even if part of a sequence. That's because different people pick up online stories at different times.
For example, when you start reading a blog, do you go all the way back to the first post ever made,and then read your way back to the latest one? Probably not.
So, at the start of every post we have to offer first attribution as a first attribution, and not assume readers will know who someone referred to by last-name-only will be known. Plus, try to write each post as a cell independent of each other that can be read both alone and as part of a chain of posts. The recap here reads too much like a continuation of the first post.
Amra D.: sewing preview and recap and tweets #emmasews
Here, we have the proper first attribution in each post, and each post being useable either independently or as a pair.
Amber H.: big game preview and recap and tweets #msumadness
Here, the preview and recap are the same thing; ideally, what we wanted with the preview was just that: a preview setting up what was about to happen by talking about the teams going into the game and the expectations of the fans. The recap would take us through the game and end results, and we did that here.
The hash tag wasn't unique in that it ended up aggregating many other tweets with the same hash tag, but in this case that may be desirable. In certain instances we try to separate our tweet stream into a single coherent stream, but in other cases we're trying to get our tweets out into a larger tweetsphere, like that of fans following a game. So, in this case, it kinda works.
The main thing to consider is what you're trying to accomplish with any one tweet stream: are you trying to pull it out of all the other tweets and make it a coherent story, or are you trying to inject it into the larger tweet world?
The latter works best when you have a series of related tweets, but the former works better when you have one specific tweet you're trying to highlight.
Meagan B.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #greyswithmeagan
Let's compare the work of each other and see what we did well, and what ideas we can get from others. Also, examine how the mediums complement each other: the preview does just that; the tweet stream allows you to follow what was previewed, as it actually happens; and the recap wraps it all up.
BTW, unless you received an email from me noting a specific grade, your grade for the Web post and Twitter exercises was 4.0 on each, with each equaling a practice story in final grade weight. (Future assignments will be graded more specifically and be of higher weight, though). Here we go ...
Melanie B.: rat playtime preview and recap and tweets #playingwithpeaches
This is dead-on: a nice preview setting up what is coming next; a recap that sums up what did happen; and a play-by-play via twitter with a useful hash tag. Nice use of pics, too.
Sami S.: Seamus has dinner preview and recap and tweets #heeatsagain
Hyperlinks let us know people (by peeking at their socialmedia account) and what they're eating (via explanatory link) and what their eating options are (a menu!).
Kelsey B: TV show preview and recap and tweets #modernfunnyfamily
The precap had more than a dozen hyperlinks. The minimum was two. Were there too many? No such thing as too many hyperlinks; it's about giving the reader choices. If they want a ton of background, they can click on as many as they'd like. If not, they can just read the post click-free. It's up to them how much they want to engage the story.
But the tweet stream is missing a lede tweet, where we tell people what we're about to get into. The effect of missing one is the same as a story missing a lede; we're getting info, and we're not sure what for.
Jessica S.: scavenger hunt preview and recap and tweets #msuparanormalscavengerhunt
Cristi F.: roomie goes home preview and recap and tweets #sarahgoeshome
Hayley J.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #gossipgirldrama
Again, we're missing a lede tweet. Plus, the hash tag isn't unique enough; see what happens when we click on it?
Brittanie C.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #thefosterstv
LEDE TWEET! LEDE TWEET! FOR CRISSAKES, GIMME A LEDE TWEET!
Sorry; I had to get that out. I feel better now. Moving on ...
Chelsea E.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #scandaljrn200
Emily J.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #youjrnoryoudie
The preview's hyperlinks really takes advantage of what online does best by not just linking to text, but to video via YouTube. That's obviously something we couldn't do in print even if we wanted to. Online is a medium that emphasizes animation and sound; let's try to link to such content.
Josh T.: late-nite food run preview and recap and tweets #evasiclatenight
Again, let's not forget lede tweets! We'd never write a print story without a lede; let's not start a tweet stream for news without one, either.
Aaron S.: hanging out preview and recap and tweets #mrcabemeister
First, we're entirely missing hyperlinks here. Second, with new news posts or blog posts, we want to treat each as a starting point, even if part of a sequence. That's because different people pick up online stories at different times.
For example, when you start reading a blog, do you go all the way back to the first post ever made,and then read your way back to the latest one? Probably not.
So, at the start of every post we have to offer first attribution as a first attribution, and not assume readers will know who someone referred to by last-name-only will be known. Plus, try to write each post as a cell independent of each other that can be read both alone and as part of a chain of posts. The recap here reads too much like a continuation of the first post.
Amra D.: sewing preview and recap and tweets #emmasews
Here, we have the proper first attribution in each post, and each post being useable either independently or as a pair.
Amber H.: big game preview and recap and tweets #msumadness
Here, the preview and recap are the same thing; ideally, what we wanted with the preview was just that: a preview setting up what was about to happen by talking about the teams going into the game and the expectations of the fans. The recap would take us through the game and end results, and we did that here.
The hash tag wasn't unique in that it ended up aggregating many other tweets with the same hash tag, but in this case that may be desirable. In certain instances we try to separate our tweet stream into a single coherent stream, but in other cases we're trying to get our tweets out into a larger tweetsphere, like that of fans following a game. So, in this case, it kinda works.
The main thing to consider is what you're trying to accomplish with any one tweet stream: are you trying to pull it out of all the other tweets and make it a coherent story, or are you trying to inject it into the larger tweet world?
The latter works best when you have a series of related tweets, but the former works better when you have one specific tweet you're trying to highlight.
Meagan B.: TV show preview and recap and tweets #greyswithmeagan
Twitter #1: How To Tweet Non-Breaking News
Actually, that's easy, too!
That was a situation a student in one of my past JRN 200 classes faced. She was doing a story about a rash of concussions among student-athletes. And here's her tweet stream, which I reversed so that you see her first tweet first and her last tweet last; the opposite of how it would appear on Twitter. Here we go:
#concussedathletes Over 300,000 sports related concussions occur each year, according to the Brain Trauma Research Center.
#concussedathletes The NCAA, the nation's largest college athletic association, has no guidelines for treating athletes with head injuries.
#concussedathletes The Big Ten is trying to implement its own regulations to deal with concussed athletes.
#concussedathletes Michigan State University is not pushing for the Big Ten to have the regulations.
#concussedathletes MSU soccer goalkeeper Liz Watza has had five concussions and said "The NCAA should create guidelines."
#concussedathletes Sports Specialist Dr. Homer Linard said the main concern with letting injured athletes back in the game is brain injury.
#concussedathletes Suffering a second concussion shortly after the first one can be deadly, according to the Brain Trauma Research Center.
#concussedathletes Incoming freshmen athletes at MSU are given a specific concussion test, called ImPACT. impacttest.com
#concussedathletes Athletic Clinical Coordinator Brian Bratta said "ImPACT assesses memory, cognitive ability and function of the brain."
#concussedathletes Once a concussion occurs at MSU, the athlete takes ImPACT again to gauge the severity of the injury.
#concussedathletes Despite new technology, the biggest indicator is the presence of symptoms, said Bratta. http://tinyurl.com/6cq9dx
#concussedathletes When a head injury occurs, MSU athletes are immediately given SCAT, the Standardized Concussion Assessment Test.
#concussedathletes SCAT is a checklist of common symptoms and tests balance, said MSU Certified Athletic Trainer Yume Nakamura.
#concussedathletes When a head injury occurs, MSU athletes are immediately given SCAT, the Standardized Concussion Assessment Test.
#concussedathletes SCAT is a checklist of common symptoms and tests balance, said MSU Certified Athletic Trainer Yume Nakamura.
Now, please notice a few things. Look at the first four tweets. Each could be a lede, right? For many of you, in writing a story -- especially trend stories -- you may find that you have more than one good lede option, but you can only choose one lede. But in tweeting the news, each lede option can become its own tweet.
Second, the tweeter took telling quotes and made each a tweet, like that of the player giving her opinion on the subject. Just like a quote in a story, it's not YOUR opinion; it's what somebody who is a subject of your story thinks.
Third, interesting facts are offered as tweets, like those on what the effects of a concussion can be.
Fourth, a mini-series of tweets are used to explain a nuance of the story, like the half-dozen tweets that in total detail how MSU deals with concussed athletes.
Fifth, hyperlinks are offered via tweet. Notice the tweet that uses a bit.ly link. Bit.ly is a URL shortener that will take a long URL and convert it into a shorter one that better fits on a character-restricted service like Twitter.
JRN 200: Extra Credit
FOR GETTING AN OUT-OF-CLASS STORY PUBLISHED, if you email me a link proving that you've been published, then per the syllabus your final class grade will go up by 0.15 points for every published story. That means if you get all three published, your 3.5 final grade would turn into a 4.0.
The benefit to you is two-fold: first, you get a better grade. Duh. Second -- and probably more important to your long-term prospects -- you start building a portfolio. This is very much a field of demonstrated ability; that is, an employer doesn't want to see that you're capable of doing something; they want to see that you've already done it. Like, write a real story and get it published.
Plus, then you get to add to your resume a line that you worked as a free-lance contributor to whatever publication in the summer of 2013. Even if you get just one story published, that is an accurate line in your resume.
Again, for me to count your extra credit, you need to submit to me a published copy of your work and/or email me a Web link to your work, along with an email request to have it applied to extra credit.
FOR DOING A FOURTH OUT-OF-CLASS STORY, for your final grade the three out-of-class stories that go into that grade will be the three (of four) with the highest grades. So if you did four out-of-class stories and one included a fatal, you are making that fatal go bye-bye.
Plus, in the event you are on the borderline of receiving a higher grade, I will take into account whether you applied extra effort, including whether you did a fourth out-of-class story.
FOR DOING A FIFTH OUT-OF-CLASS STORY, I will apply extra credit equal in points to an out-of-class story. So, point-wise this would be on top of anything else you've done (as opposed to simply replacing a poor previous story grade).
FOR DOING AN OUT-OF-CLASS MINI-STORY -- which can be between 300 and 500 words, with a minimum of two human sources, in which you can cover ANY sort of event (subject to my approval) like a student group meeting or a speaker on-campus -- I will replace your two lowest practice story grades with 4.0s, as long as those low grades are NOT the result of not turning in an assignment by deadline. In the case of a time fatal/undone assignment, a mini-story will replace just one of those assignments.
FOR GETTING THE MINI-STORY PUBLISHED, I will replace two more lowest-scoring practice stories with 4.0s, as long as it's not replacing a time fatal/undone assignment. In those cases, I will replace only one.
I will also consider other extra-credit projects on a case-by-case basis. Please see me during my office hours to work out other extra-credit assignments.
THE COMMON DENOMINATOR IN ALL EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENTS is that you are demonstrating to me that you can now correctly apply skills learned in this class that at one time you did not apply as well; that you went above and beyond what we are learning in this class to further educate yourself in journalism; and/or you are demonstrating ability learned on your own prior to this class but applicable here. You can expect any ad hoc extra credit beyond the assignments listed here to include at least one of those components.
I don't care if you messed up earlier; show me you can get it right now and I'm happy to replace earlier grades with something more accurately reflecting where you are at NOW.
I just want to be clear on this one point regarding extra credit: from here on out extra credit will be applied to replace the grades of assignments you have actually done, including fact-fataled assignments.
Extra credit will NOT be applied to any assignments from today forward that you did not turn in, or in which you had a time fatal. Anything that you time-fataled or did not turn in up to today is eligible for an extra credit replacement grade, but anything you time-fatal or do not turn in from today on will not.
So if you were thinking of skipping an assignment or two toward the end of the semester by pre-emptively turning in some extra credit, that plan won't work.
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