REPORTING
SECTION 1
SPRING 2008
TUESDAY, 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
INSTRUCTOR: ERNEST L. WIGGINS
OFFICE: 4005D
PHONE: 7-3325
E-MAIL: WIGGINEL@GWM.SC.EDU
From the motion picture "All the President's Men"
Course
Objectives: To master the craft of news reporting with
an emphasis on public affairs; to write articles on deadline that
are free of factual or typographical errors and feature new and traditional storytelling techniques.
Pre-requisites: Journalism 201 and 202 with a "C" or better.
Required texts: Christopher Scanlan, Editor, The 1999 Best Newspaper Writing, Poynter Institute, and other assigned readings as appropriate.
Recommended texts: Norm Goldstein, Editor, Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, 2007.
Required tools: Pocket folder, calendar and USB thumb drive.
Attendance policy: Missing more than 10 percent of scheduled class meeting will detract from your final grade.
Penalties range from a few points on the final score to a failing mark for the course, depending on the severity.
All writing assignments are to be word processed and delivered via e-mail unless otherwise indicated.
Evaluation: You must complete
each of the five assigned response papers
and five assigned articles to meet the minimum requirements of this course.
The response papers are due at the beginning of the class session.
Each article is to be written "live," in-class during the time allotted.
To receive a superior mark in this course, you must also
present a portfolio of reportorial work (not opinion, commentary or editorial)
produced for an approved publication ~
The Daily Gamecock, The State, The Columbia Star, Free Times,
or another approved publication.
are free of factual or typographical errors and feature new and traditional storytelling techniques.
Pre-requisites: Journalism 201 and 202 with a "C" or better.
Required texts: Christopher Scanlan, Editor, The 1999 Best Newspaper Writing, Poynter Institute, and other assigned readings as appropriate.
Recommended texts: Norm Goldstein, Editor, Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, 2007.
Required tools: Pocket folder, calendar and USB thumb drive.
Attendance policy: Missing more than 10 percent of scheduled class meeting will detract from your final grade.
Penalties range from a few points on the final score to a failing mark for the course, depending on the severity.
All writing assignments are to be word processed and delivered via e-mail unless otherwise indicated.
Evaluation: You must complete
each of the five assigned response papers
and five assigned articles to meet the minimum requirements of this course.
The response papers are due at the beginning of the class session.
Each article is to be written "live," in-class during the time allotted.
To receive a superior mark in this course, you must also
present a portfolio of reportorial work (not opinion, commentary or editorial)
produced for an approved publication ~
The Daily Gamecock, The State, The Columbia Star, Free Times,
or another approved publication.
PRINCIPLES
Week of Jan 14 ~ Journalistic principles. What is news? How's it written?
Week of Jan 21 ~ Rights and Responsibilities. Law and Ethics. FOI.
Readings: Non-Deadline Writing.
Week of Jan 28 ~ Interviewing Basics. Working with Numbers.
Readings: Team Deadline Reporting.
Week of Feb. 4 ~ Writing with Color.
Readings: Deadline News Reporting.
Week of Feb. 11 ~ Storytelling techniques.
Readings: Covering the World
PRACTICE
Week of Feb. 18 ~ Meeting / Conference / Speech.
Week of Feb. 25 ~ Reviews and previews.
Week of March 3 ~ Public Safety.
Week of March 17 ~ Reviews and previews.
Week of March 24 ~ SPJ Spring Conference / No Class Meeting
Week of March 31 ~ Problem / Solution.
Week of April 7 ~ Reviews and previews.
Week of April 14 ~ Profile.
Week of April 21 ~ Reviews and previews.
Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. ~ Trends.