Communications

Course Description

COMM 2311 - Newsgathering and Writing I

Credit:  3 (2 lecture, 2 lab)

Prerequisites

ENGL 1301

Course Goals (includes core competencies, incorporation of SCANS, etc.)

COURSE GOALS

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a thorough knowledge of the

journalistic practices, principles and ethics involved in reporting, writing and editing for a

mass medium.  To achieve these ends, the student:

should know the English language, use proper grammar and punctuation, and strive for

accuracy and fairness in writing news stories and other assignments

1. shall learn the proper techniques of news gathering
2. shall become adept in the techniques of interviewing and taking notesshall learn to effectively compose and evaluate a news story by following standard journalistic practices and principles
3.  shall learn the Canons of Journalism/Code of Ethics of the American Societyof Newspaper Editors and the Associated Collegiate Press Model Code of Ethics for Collegiate Journalists.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Pertinent steps in achieving the objectives require the student to:

1. read all out-of-class assignments
2. be prepared to participate in class discussions and complete all assignments
3. attend classes regularly and punctually (three absences max; talk to me about  special problems and emergencies if you cannot be in class)
4. score no lower than a “C” or its equivalent on all exercises, tests, assignments and exams

Instructor Information

Central College

TEL:     713-718-6600 
Fax:      713-718-6601 

E-mail:
Office Hours:  
________________________________________________________________

Gonzalez, Marcelo
Southwest College 
L. Scarcella Science & Technical Center
10141 Cash Road
Stafford, TX 77477
MC 1585-B
Phone:    713-718-6725   
FAX:      713-718-6715
E-mail: marcelo.gonzalez@hccs.edu
_________________________________________________________________

Whitebird, L. Scott
Northwest College
Town & Country Square Center
1010 W. Sam Houston Parkway N.
Houston, TX 77043
MC 1379
TEL:      713-718-5678
E-mail: scott.whitebird@hccs.edu

Textbook Information

Lab Requirements (if any)

Students with Disabilities

Academic Honesty

Attendance and Withdrawal Policies

Student must attend class regularly and punctually, missing no more than four and a one-half hours. (HCCS Absence Policy:  If a student is absent more than 12.5 percent of total class time, the instructor may drop the student.)  

It is the student's responsibility to withdraw from a course.  (For example if  a student simply stops coming to class and considers that the instructor will drop him or her, they should think twice about that. The instructor can give a failing  grade to someone who does not officially drop from the class.  It is up to the student to take care of the paperwork associatied with withdrawing from a class.

Grading Policy

The Houston Community College System grading system must provide for flexibility in approach to instruction in order to allow instructors to meet the needs of their students and courses.  It must also be consistent in its overall grading policy so that students are treated similarly throughout the college. The following criteria should be observed in all courses and divisions.

Final grades in courses at the Houston Community College are as follows:

It is the policy of the Houston Community College instructional area that letter grades A through F can be translated into the numerical ranges listed above.  These ranges should be used in all classes in which grades A - F are appropriate.

This policy does not mandate a specific strategy for grading.  Any number of  kinds of grading scales might be appropriate. They should, however, be able to be equated to the point system; e.g., that system should award an A for 90 to 100 percent of possible points accumulated.

While the final course grade is always a letter, the grades that go into making up that grade should either be numerical or should be translatable into numbers for the purposes of averaging grades.  Example:  If an A, A-, B+, etc., is to be used as the  grade for an essay or report of some kind, the instructor’s syllabus should indicate specifically how those grades will be translated into number grades for purposes for purposes of achieving a final average.

Every student who is to receive a letter grade in the range of A – F should also receive a final numerical grade that is the basis for the letter grade.

Course Requirements for example: Testing, Projects, Assignments, Portfolios, Service Learning, Internships, etc.

Make-up policy

Assignments, projects, tests, etc. are due on the scheduled dates.  Student will receive one letter grade less  for missed deadlines.

Exceptions to this rule include dates changed by the instructor (who will give students prior notice).  In the same manner, the student must obtain prior consent or in case of emergncies a doctor's statement attesting to the reason for an absence and a missed assignment, project or test.

Course Content

This course is a basic level course designed for the beginner who has some talent for and interest in writing and who wishes to develop the writing and thinking skills required of the professional journalist.  Through readings, research, field trips, practice writing assignments and real writing assignments – as well as your involvement with the HCCS student newspaper – we hope to help you make a good beginning in the field of journalism.

Course Calendar with Due Dates for Assignments and Testing

COMM 2311                                Instructor:   Napoleon Johnson                                            Principles of Journalism I                                                   

WEEK    DATES    READINGS, ASSIGNMENTS, EXAMS, FIELD TRIPS, VISITORS
   1                           Orientation, requirements, introductions, etc
                                Chapter  1
  
   2                           Chapter  2

   3                           Chapter  3
       

   4                           Chapter  6
                                First Story Project due today

   5                           Chapter  7
       

   6                           Chapter  8
                                Second Story Project due today

   7                           Chapter   9
                                Book Review due today

   8                          Chapter  12
                               MID-TERM EXAM (Short answers starting with current events.
                               Then principles and rules of journalism, as well as some word
                               usage, grammar and punctuation, copy-editing and writing of leads.)

   9                          Chapter  13
                               Third Story Project due today

   10                        Chapter  14
       

   11                        Chapter  15
                               Fourth Story Project due today

   12                       Chapter  20
               

   13                       Chapter  21
               

   14                       Chapter  22
       

   15                Broadcast Project Script due today  (five minutes of news, sports and
                       weather on an IBM/PC disk in Microsoft Word or WordPad or similar
                       program if possible)
                       Broadcast Project Performance due today (on camera – 5 minutes)

   16                FINAL EXAM – (Current events, true/false, multiple choice,
                       as well as some spelling and definitely writing leads and a news story.)

Other Student Information (clubs, tutoring, web resources, student services, etc.)

HCC Student Communication Association - Napoleon Johnson, Faculty Adviser

Law and the Media Seminar
Annual seminar (February) and panel discussions with professional members of the bar and the media to which student lawyers and student journalists are invited.

Texas Community College Journalism Association (TCCJA)
Annual state-wide student journalism conference in October

Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA)
Annual state-wide student journalism conference in April