READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE / COMS 404 / SPRING 2012
Week Topic In Class Required
Reading
Additional reading In class
exercisesAssignments Jan 18 Overview of the class
Discussion:
Journalism as a life skillSPJ Code of Ethics Jan 20
Building professional portfolios Build portfolio on free CMS system NewsU: Be a Reporter
Jan 23 M: Reporting 1. City Hall NEWS U: Beat basics CUNY panel city hall Investigating local government Jan 25 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques Clark Part 1, 1 - 5 NEWS U: Lead lab Jan 28 F: Portfolio Photos, audio, video Digital storytelling
Jan 30 M: Reporting 2. Computer assisted reporting NEWS U:
Math for Journalists12 tips for covering stats - UK 1st beat story due Feb 1 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques Clark Part I, 6 - 10
News U: Interview Writers Workbench
Feb 3 F: Portfolio Feb 6 M: Reporting 3. Sports beat Two faces of the sports reporter MediaBistro on sports Gender, basketball & Title IX Feb 8 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques Clark Part 2, 11 - 17
Feb 10 F: Portfolio Feb 13 M: Reporting 4. Police / criminal justice Crime beat Inside the police beat NEWS U: Covering cops and crime 2nd beat story due Feb 15 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques Clark Part 2, 18 - 23 Feb 17 F: Portfolio Feb 20 M: Reporting 5. Business beat Covering business Feb 23 W: Writing
Clark Part 3, 24 - 33 Feb 24
F: Portfolio
Feb 27 M: Reporting (open) 3rd beat story due Feb 29 W: Writing
Clark Part 4, 40 - 50 Mar 1 F: Portfolio Mar 5 - 9 Spring Break Mar 12 M: Reporting 6. Science and environment Covering science NEWS U:
Water qualityMar 14 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques Melt story meltdown Mar 16 F: Portfolio Mar 19 M: Reporting 7. Higher Ed beat 4th beat story due Mar 21 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques Mar 23 F: Portfolio Mar 26 M: Reporting 8. Arts & entertainment beat Mar 28 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques Mar 30 F: Portfolio April 2 M: Reporting 9. Opinions, Editorials & community editing 5th beat story due
April 4 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques April 6 F: Portfolio
April 9 M: Reporting 10. Appalachia April 11
W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques April 13 F: Portfolio April 16 M: Reporting (open) Project story draft due April 18 W: Writing
Elements of good writing, critiques April 20 F: Portfolio April 23 Last week of class / Reviews (open) Final project story due Journalism 2.0 - University of Maryland / Knight Citizen News Network