Out-Of-Class #1: Your Deadline ...

... if I have approved your topic (and I probably did; GREAT range of topics that you can self-report), will be no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, June 26 to omars@msu.edu. That gives you almost two weeks to work on it. That's a very generous time allotment, as the syllabus notes you should usually have a one-week turn-around time.

Please don't wait to start on this; lining up sources and finding sources willing to be interviewed can take a lot more time than you'd expect. And if you're doing an internship or summer job (or both) this summer, you may not have a gazillion time windows in which to do interviews.

If you wait, you may miss opportunities to gain key interviews, and end up turning in a subpar product.

Please note the assignment parameters, as listed in your syllabus:

>>> The topic must be pre-approved by me, via tip sheet

>>> The story must be at least 700 words long

>>> You need to note the word count at the end of the story

>>> The story should include at least three sources who you have personally interviewed. Three is the bare minimum, but I expect to see many more than that.

>>> You should try to incorporate at least one neutral expert, as noted in the syllabus

>>> On a separate page, attach a source sheet where you list by name, title, phone number and email address each interview source you communicated with. I will be randomly spot-checking sources to check your accuracy and make sure you spoke to whom you claim to have spoken.

>>> Also, keep in mind you will have the opportunity to do an optional rewrite of your story, after the graded version is returned to you.   To earn credit for a rewrite, you must do additional reporting and rewriting, as suggested by me. Then, your initial grade and rewrite grade are averaged, and that average becomes your final assignment grade.

I strongly suggest you take advantage of rewrite opportunities; first, because out-of-class stories are such a big part of your final grade, any increase in grade is bound to make a difference. Second, the more you write and report, the better you get.

So, you get an opportunity for a higher grade, and I get the reassurance that you're taking more opportunities to refine your craft.

Good luck, everybody!