think syllabus spring 2011

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Drake UniversitySchool of Journalism and Mass CommunicationJMC122: Magazine Editing and Publishing / CRN 3994JMC 171: The Digital Newsroom / CRN 3070Spring 2011

Tuesday-Thursday 12:00-1:50 p.m.Meredith 104twitter.com/JillVanWyke/think-2011-staff

INSTRUCTORSLori BlachfordMeredith 116 Office hours:271-3050 MW 9:30-11:30 [email protected] T 3-5 p.m.twitter.com/blachford W 2-4 p.m.

Jill Van WykeMeredith 114271-3867

[email protected]/jillvanwyke

Office hours:MW 1-3 p.m.TR 2-3 p.m.

Roads?

Where were going,

we dont need roads! Dr. Emmett Brown*

COURSE OBJECTIVESDuring this semester, students will produce a professional-quality news magazine (Think),both online and print. Students will manage all editorial, creative, production, businessand administrative functions. Each student will apply for and be assigned a job on thestaff. Students are expected to participate in a professional manner and to sign and adhereto a job contract. Failure to adhere to that contract will result in a failing grade.


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This course will include all article reporting and writing, editing, fact-checking, copy-editing, photography, design, pre-press work, promotion and distribution. Specific issuesthat will be covered in this course will be: developing and implementing news magazineconcepts; in-depth reporting; long-form news writing; packaging magazine content;audience assessment and targeting; production planning; and management and

organization.

CLASS FORMATClass will be conducted as a series of staff meetings, with the professors serving aspublisher and facilitator, but the actual creation of the magazine being managed by staffmembers. Obviously, not all the work of producing a magazine can be accomplishedduring classtime. In fact, the vast majority of our efforts will occur outside the classroom.

GRADING

Grades will be based on how well a student does his/her job and on his/her level ofprofessionalism. Self-evaluations and peer evaluations will take place twice during thesemester. Work will be evaluated according to quality and professionalism. Your peersevaluation of your professionalism is a significant determinant of your grade.

The expectation here is excellence, both journalistically and professionally. A staff member can be fired from the staff at any point in the semester. The class must be

re-taken before the student can graduate.

WEEKLY REPORTSBeginning Feb. 3 and continuing for each Thursday throughout the semester, each studentwill e-mail a comprehensive weekly report to one of the publishers. The report willoutline, in bullet points, the student's activities, plans, problems and concerns for thatweek. These are intended to keep the publisher in tune with each student's individualprogress and to correct any small problems before they have a chance to grow. Thereports should be detailed and should include:

1. A precise list of what was accomplished in the previous week2. A precise list of what the student plans to accomplish in the coming week3. A list of any issues or concerns that need to be addressed.4. Praise for co-workers who are advancing the magazine and complaints about those

who arent.

DRAKE SJMCCORE VALUES

Because the capstone is the culmination of your Drake education, we expect you toexhibit your mastery of all 14 of the SJMCs core values.

Our students will:

1. Understand and apply First Amendment principles and the law appropriate toprofessional practice.


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2. Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals andinstitutions in shaping communications.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of groups in a global society inrelationship to communications.

4. Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images andinformation.

5. Work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.6. Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the

communications professions in which they work.

7. Think critically, creatively and independently.8. Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications

professions, audiences and purposes they serve.

9. Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness,clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness.

10.Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts.11.Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in

which they work.

12.Take ownership of their own academic experience.13.Be engaged with the community: the university, the local community, professional

groups.

14.Cope and thrive in the workplace.COURSE POLICIES

Academic dishonestyWe will not tolerate plagiarism, fabrication, cheating or any other kind of academic

dishonesty. Nor will we tolerate helping somebody else plagiarize, fabricate or cheat.Such acts are a betrayal of this community of scholars, which is committed to the

highest professional and personal standards.In the real world, plagiarism and fabrication are grounds for dismissal from a job. If

you are academically dishonest in any way in JMC122/171, you will fail the class and wewill recommend you be expelled from the SJMC.

A fuller discussion of what constitutes academic dishonesty is in the SJMC HonorCode, part of which is attached to the syllabus.

EthicsStudents are expected to be familiar with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics

code (attached) and to abide by it.

DeadlinesA few dates and deadlines are listed in the syllabus. Many more will be established as

we map our publication plan.


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Journalism is a deadline profession. Late work is unacceptable and unprofessional.Inthis class, late work hampers everybody. Dont ask for extensions of deadlines. Plan aheadand dont procrastinate. Technical difficulty is no excuse for missing a deadline. Back upall your work electronically.

IncompletesIncomplete final grades will be assigned only for emergencies and only if a student is

averaging at least a C grade.

AttendanceStudents are to attend all scheduled classor staffmeetings. A student's final grade

will be reduced one letter for every three absences. Students will also have meetingsoutside of class and will be downgraded for missing those.

Class communicationAs a staff, we will often communicate electronically. All communication is to be

appropriate and professional. If you have concerns with an individual, you must handlethem in person and with personal care and concern; you never criticize an individualthrough e-mail, texting or IMing. Airing your grievances to other classmates or peers willlead to trouble, so think before you speak. Be aware that any communication you havewith the publisher is considered confidential.

One way that we will communicate is via a private class blog,www.thinkstaff.wordpress.com. Get in the habit of checking it frequently, if you arentalready.

Accommodations

If you have a disability and will require academic accommodations in this course, weare happy to discuss your needs. Accommodations are coordinated through StudentDisability Services. Please contact Michelle Laughlin, Student Disability Servicescoordinator, at 281-1835 or [email protected]

GENERAL SCHEDULEThis scheduled will be developed in farmore detail by staff members. Expect many, manymore deadlines and assignments than these.

Jan. 20: Job applications dueJan. 25 (&27?): Interviews with local magazine and news professionals

Feb. 1: Staff in place

Feb. 3: First of weekly reports due (every Thursday)

Feb. 8: Job contracts due

Feb. 10: Mission statement / editorial philosophy complete

Editorial formula complete


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March 3: First peer evaluations due

March 7-11: One-on-one performance evaluations with publishers

March 11: Semester midpoint.

March 14-18: Spring break

March 24: Preliminary pin-up (tentative)April 8: Pin-up (tentative)

April 13: Print edition to printer (tentative)

April 29-30: Relays

May 2-7: Distribution of print edition

May 5: Second peer evaluations due

May 6: Dead day

May 10: Professional critique, noon-1:50 p.m.

May 9-13: One-on-one performance evaluations with publishers

Letter to successors due

*Dr. Emmett Brown is the mad scientist in Back to the Future.


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School of Journalism and Mass CommunicationDrake University

Honor Code

Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Promoting student moral development requires affirming shared values [O]ne

value goes to the heart of the academic enterprise: a commitment to honesty in the

pursuit of truth.

Gary PavelaApplying the Power of Association on Campus:

A Model Code of Academic Integrity(1997)

I. Principles and students subject to Honor Code

The Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SJMC) is acommunity of scholars committed to the highest professional and personalstandards. Members of this community accept responsibility for honesty andexcellence in all of their interactions. Such integrity is the foundation of ouracademic and professional careers, and of our lives as ethical people.

Cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty by SJMC students,whether it occurs in class or in extra-curricular activities related to the journalismprofession, will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty on the part of any studentof another college or school enrolled in an SJMC class will also not be tolerated.Academic dishonesty constitutes grounds for penalties, ranging from failure in anacademic exercise to suspension or dismissal from an SJMC class, the Schooland/or the University.

II. Definitions and examples

A. An act of academic dishonesty is a violation of the SJMC Honor Code.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:


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1. Fabrication intentional falsification or invention of information,data, quotations or sources.

2. Plagiarism presenting anothers ideas or workas your own.3. Cheating the act, or attempted act, ofgiving or obtaining aid or

information by illicit means.4. Facilitating academic dishonesty intentionally helping another

commit an act that would be a violation of the Honor Code.

B. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, thefollowing:1. Copying from another student during an exam.2. Using unauthorized notes, study aids or other materials, or receiving

other unauthorized help, during an exam or other graded work.3. Collaborating with others on an assignment in a manner not

permitted by the instructor.4. Claiming as ones own work, or using without proper citation,material copied from the Internet or from another person.

5. Fabricating quotations or sources for a journalism assignment or datafor a research assignment.

6. Deliberately obstructing another students completion of anassignment.

7. Submitting identical or substantially identical work for credit in morethan one course without permission.

8. Falsely representing ones presence, or another students presence orabsence, on an attendance sheet in a class.

9. Falsely representing ones academic or professional credentials on ajob application or resume.10. Failing to report an incident of academic dishonesty of which one

has actual knowledge.11. Knowingly providing material to a person who the person knows will

use it to violate the Honor Code.12. Cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating or other academic dishonesty or

misconduct in connection with any SJMC activity, any campusorganization or activity, or any employment.

C. For SJMC students, this Honor Code applies, not only to classroom work,but also to extra-curricular activities related to the journalism profession,including, but not limited to, SMJC-related clubs and University-relatedmedia, such as the University newspaper, magazine(s) and broadcastoutlets.

think syllabus spring 2011

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