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LECTURE SCHEDULE, READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS
* Schedule is subject to change with appropriate notice
* Quizzes will be given at the beginning of class, no makeups
KEY DATES
Monday, Feb. 11 Grammar Test
8 a.m., Friday, March 22 Assignment #1 News Article due
Noon, Sunday, April 14 Assignment #2 Mini-Campaign due
Monday, May 6 (8 a.m.) Final session Assignment #3 Short Film Script due
SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
Wednesday, Jan. 23 Course introduction
What we will do in class: Go over syllabus, course policies and schedule
What is due next session: Read/watch the following What is "fake news?" | Media Bias Chart | How to sort fact from fiction | How to choose your news (video)
Friday, Jan. 25 What is "News literacy?" "Fake news?" "Real news?" Why should you care?
What we will do in class: Discuss fact-checking, news literacy, "fake news" and why you should care
What is due next session: Read The Elements of Style by Strunk & White (pp. ix-38)
WEEK 2
Monday, Jan. 28 Strunk & White - Rules of the Road, Part I
What we will do in class: Begin to go over S&W rules, discuss why they make sense
What is due next session: Read The Elements of Style by Strunk & White (pp. 39-87)
Wednesday, Jan. 30 Strunk & White - Rules of the Road, Part II
What we will do in class: Take online Strunk & White online quiz, basketball game
What is due next session: Read Yopp & McAdams (Chap 2); Subject/verb, subject/pronoun agreement (Clues & Rules handout); Do exercises Chapter 2 - just do pp. 31-32 & 34 (print to turn in)
Friday, Feb. 1 Grammar Slammer, Part I
What we will do in class: Go over Diagnostic Grammar Test.
What is due next session: Review agreement. Revisit the homework from Yopp & McAdams (exercises on pp. 31-32 & 34 -- compare your work with answers. Use the Clues & Rules handout (see link from Jan. 30 above) to help you. Get familiar with those rules!
WEEK 3
Monday, Feb. 4 Grammar Slammer, Part II
What we will do in class: Go over agreement exercises.
What is due next session: Read Yopp & McAdams, Chap. 4 (pp. 61-91 -- Do exercises 1 & 2 on pp. 90-91).
Active/passive voice - handout 1 (print this one out, do the exercises on the second page & turn in!) | handout 2
Wednesday, Feb. 6 Grammar Slammer overview
What we will do in class: Do active/passive exercises in class. Review for test - Elements of Style, agreement, active/passive voice
What is due next session: Study for test
Friday, Feb. 8 Grammar Test review
What we will do in class: Review for Monday's grammar test
What is due next session: STUDY
JOURNALISM (ELOs)
WEEK 4
Monday, Feb. 11: Grammar Test
What we will do in class: Take the Grammar Test
What is due next session: Read Chap. 2 Thornburg on NEWS VALUES. Then, read the following short news stories:
* "An Ohio city is ditching Columbus Day to make Election Day a paid holiday" -- Washington Post
* "Millions of Americans could be surprised as their tax refunds shrink" -- Washington Post
* "Danbury student's suicide sets off social media firestorm" -- New Haven Register
While reading, consider how the story is organized and determine which NEWS VALUES are most prominently at play.
Write a one-page paper describing the primary news values at play in each story (print to turn in.)
Wednesday, Feb. 13: News Values
NO CLASS - SNOW DAY (reading and homework that was due today is due Friday)
Friday, Feb. 15: News Ledes, Part I
What we will do in class: Discuss homework, lecture on news values (PPT)
What is due next session: Review Bender, et al., Chap. 7 (pp. 133-151); Do Leads exercises (sections I-IIX) on p. 153-155
WEEK 5
Monday, Feb. 18: Snow Day
What we will do in class: SNOW DAY (reading & exercises that were due today is due Wednesday)
What is due next session: Review Bender, et al., Chap. 7 (pp. 133-151); Do Leads exercises (sections I-IIX) on p. 153-155
Wednesday, Feb. 20: Organizing the Story, Part I
What we will do in class: Discuss homework, talk about ledes
What is due next session: Study Molly's ledes, compare with homework
Friday, Feb. 22: Organizing the Story, Part II
What we will do in class: More on Ledes; write ledes from the linked fact sheets (Linked are three fact sheets)
What is due next session: Read Bender, et al., Chap. 9 (pp. 181-188); Read The Missouri Group, Chap. 7 (pp. 133-159), do exercises 1-6 (pp. 158-159)
WEEK 6
Monday, Feb. 25 Organizaing the Story, Part III
What we will do in class: Go over exercises 1-6
What is due next session: Read The Missouri Group, Chap. 3 (pp. 49-67)
Wednesday, Feb. 27 Interviewing Attribution & Quotes
What we will do in class: Brief lecture on interviewing; Conduct a 15-minute interview with a classmate
What is due next session: Read The Missouri Group, Chap. 4 (pp. 69-94) & Attribution handout
Friday, March 1 Interview a Classmate
What we will do in class: Write a short story on your classmate, include the best quotes
What is due next session: RESEARCH & PREPARE for Monday's in-class interview (use exercises 1-3 on TMG p. 67 - above - as a guide)
WEEK 7
Monday, March 4
SNOW DAY
Wednesday, March 6 Interviewing/Sourcing
What we will do in class: Discuss interviewing techniques, sourcing and attribution
What is due next session: Research news conference subject and prepare
Friday, March 8 In-class interview (Chandler Thornton, International desk editor, CNN)
What we will do in class: Conduct a news conference in class. This person will be the primary source for your news article (Assignment #1)
What is due next session: First draft of the NEWS ARTICLE, by Monday, March 18 (send it to [email protected])
WEEK 8 NO CLASS SPRING BREAK
WEEK 9
Monday, March 18 Finalize your article
What we will do in class: NO CLASS
What is due next session: Make edits to your article
Wednesday, March 20 Workshop your article
What we will do in class: Workshop articles, fine tune articles, secure second interviews
What is due next session: Final article is due no later 8 a.m., Friday, March 22
Friday, March 22 Discuss final article/prepare for Strategic Communications
What we will do in class: Discussions on Journalism, news and how we get it
What is due next session: Read Marsh, Guth & Short (pp. 43-50), Sample news release & write a release (instructions/info here)
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (ELOs)
WEEK 10
Monday, March 25 The News Release (also called the Press Release)
What we will do in class: Go over the Burger King press release you wrote, lecture on the news release (PPT)
What is due next session: Read Marsh, Guth & Short (pp. 54-57; Note the sample feature news release on p. 55) and MGS (pp. 65-69; Sample feature pitch
Wednesday, March 27 The Feature News Release & Feature Pitches
What we will do in class: Lecture on the feature news release and feature pitch (PPT)
What is due next session: Write a feature news release AND a feature pitch (print and bring to class Monday)
Friday, March 29 NO CLASS
Professor is at a Conference
What is due next session: Read Altstiel Chap. 11 (pp. 211-226) and read The Creative Brief: 10 Things It Must Include
WEEK 11
Monday, April 1 NO CLASS
Professor is at a Conference
What is due next session: Read Altstiel Chap. 11 (pp. 211-226) and read The Creative Brief: 10 Things It Must Include
Wednesday, April 3 Feature Pitch & The Creative Brief
What we will do in class: Discuss what the creative brief is and the role it plays in the mini-campaign (PPT)
What is due next session: Read Altstiel Chap. 13 (pp. 254-277) and Wordstream article
Friday, April 5 Writing for Advertising and Social Marketing
What we will do in class: Look at ads and discuss how to write for ads; Discuss social marketing and what the future (probably doesn't) hold
What is due next session: Brainstorm (write out ideas) the "organization" for which you will create a mini-campaign (print to turn in)
WEEK 12
Monday, April 8 Workshop the Mini-Campaign
What we will do in class: Workshop the strategy statement. Students will work in small groups to come up with an organization and fill out the strategy sheet. Assignment #2 will be distributed.
Wednesday, April 10 Workshop the Mini-Campaign
What we will do in class: What we will do in class: Students will work in small groups to put together an outline for a press release, feature pitch and one-page ad
What is due next session: Work on the first draft
Friday, April 12 Work on the Mini-Campaign
What we will do in class: MINI-CAMPAIGN DUE no later than 12 p.m. ET, SUNDAY, April 14. Submit via BlackBoard.
What is due next session: Read Field's “What is a Screenplay?” from Screenplay (pp. 15-29) and write one page (print to turn in) on why you like your favorite film: intriguing concept, sympathetic protagonist, new and interesting world, edge of your seat thriller, deep character insights, whimsical adventure, profound or inspiring theme, important social issue, exciting action scenes and SFX, witty dialogue, etc.
SCREENWRITING (ELOs)
WEEK 13
Monday, April 15 Hollywood's Three-Act Structure -- The Dramatic Structure
What we will do in class: Discuss the "dramatic structure" and how your favorite movie fits into that structure -- identifying the Set-Up, Confrontation, Resolution and plot points
What is due next session: Read “The Perfect Ballgame” from Three Uses of the Knife by David Mamet, watch "American Beauty" - take notes about how the movie fits the dramatic structure (print to turn in)
Wednesday, April 17 More on the Dramatic Structure
What we will do in class: Watch clips, read screenplays, discuss your observations; What is a logline?
* AMERICAN BEAUTY screenplay | clip * COLD MOUNTAIN screenplay | clip * ACT 1 of THE GODFATHER screenplay
What is due next session: Logline exercise: review loglines from “The Blacklist 2018” -- brainstorm your own
Friday, April 19 Loglines and the Development Process
What we will do in class: Discuss your loglines and discuss research and the development documents
What is due next session: Familiarize yourself with the free screenplay-writing software, Amazon Storywriter. (Here are some online tutorials.)
WEEK 14
Monday, April 22 Introduction to Storywriter
What we will do in class: In-class tutorial on Storywriter.
What is due next session: Write and turn in your final logline; Read "10 Tips for Successful Character Biographies," Susan Kouguell
Wednesday, April 24 Development Documents (Character Bios)
What we will do in class: Discuss and begin to workshop your character biographies
What is due next session: Write and turn in your final character bios; Read "How to Write a Treatment," Marilyn Horowitz
Friday, April 26 Development Documents (Treatment)
What we will do in class: Discuss treatments
What is due next session: Begin your 2- to 5-page treatment; Read Staudmeyer's screenplay "Aristotle and Aphrodite"
WEEK15
Monday, April 29 The Screenplay
What we will do in class: Workshop your treatment; Discuss Staudmeyer's screenplay
What is due next session: Finish treatment; begin to draft your final screenplay using Amazon Storywriter (include a title page)
Wednesday, May 1 Workshopping the Screenplay
What we will do in class: Students will work in small groups to discuss treatments, with the instructor and individually on their screenplay drafts
What is due next session: Study for AP Style test
Friday, May 3 AP Style Test & wrap-up
What we will do in class: Take the AP Style test & say goodbye
What is due next session: Final screenplay
FINALS WEEK
8 a.m., Monday, May 6 FINAL SCREENPLAY DUE. Submit via BlackBoard.
* Schedule is subject to change with appropriate notice
* Quizzes will be given at the beginning of class, no makeups
KEY DATES
Monday, Feb. 11 Grammar Test
8 a.m., Friday, March 22 Assignment #1 News Article due
Noon, Sunday, April 14 Assignment #2 Mini-Campaign due
Monday, May 6 (8 a.m.) Final session Assignment #3 Short Film Script due
SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
Wednesday, Jan. 23 Course introduction
What we will do in class: Go over syllabus, course policies and schedule
What is due next session: Read/watch the following What is "fake news?" | Media Bias Chart | How to sort fact from fiction | How to choose your news (video)
Friday, Jan. 25 What is "News literacy?" "Fake news?" "Real news?" Why should you care?
What we will do in class: Discuss fact-checking, news literacy, "fake news" and why you should care
What is due next session: Read The Elements of Style by Strunk & White (pp. ix-38)
WEEK 2
Monday, Jan. 28 Strunk & White - Rules of the Road, Part I
What we will do in class: Begin to go over S&W rules, discuss why they make sense
What is due next session: Read The Elements of Style by Strunk & White (pp. 39-87)
Wednesday, Jan. 30 Strunk & White - Rules of the Road, Part II
What we will do in class: Take online Strunk & White online quiz, basketball game
What is due next session: Read Yopp & McAdams (Chap 2); Subject/verb, subject/pronoun agreement (Clues & Rules handout); Do exercises Chapter 2 - just do pp. 31-32 & 34 (print to turn in)
Friday, Feb. 1 Grammar Slammer, Part I
What we will do in class: Go over Diagnostic Grammar Test.
What is due next session: Review agreement. Revisit the homework from Yopp & McAdams (exercises on pp. 31-32 & 34 -- compare your work with answers. Use the Clues & Rules handout (see link from Jan. 30 above) to help you. Get familiar with those rules!
WEEK 3
Monday, Feb. 4 Grammar Slammer, Part II
What we will do in class: Go over agreement exercises.
What is due next session: Read Yopp & McAdams, Chap. 4 (pp. 61-91 -- Do exercises 1 & 2 on pp. 90-91).
Active/passive voice - handout 1 (print this one out, do the exercises on the second page & turn in!) | handout 2
Wednesday, Feb. 6 Grammar Slammer overview
What we will do in class: Do active/passive exercises in class. Review for test - Elements of Style, agreement, active/passive voice
What is due next session: Study for test
Friday, Feb. 8 Grammar Test review
What we will do in class: Review for Monday's grammar test
What is due next session: STUDY
JOURNALISM (ELOs)
- identify and understand news values
- understand and utilize the inverted pyramid and alternative news leads
- gather and present facts and quotes clearly and accurately
- organize and prioritize information effectively to tell a journalistic story
WEEK 4
Monday, Feb. 11: Grammar Test
What we will do in class: Take the Grammar Test
What is due next session: Read Chap. 2 Thornburg on NEWS VALUES. Then, read the following short news stories:
* "An Ohio city is ditching Columbus Day to make Election Day a paid holiday" -- Washington Post
* "Millions of Americans could be surprised as their tax refunds shrink" -- Washington Post
* "Danbury student's suicide sets off social media firestorm" -- New Haven Register
While reading, consider how the story is organized and determine which NEWS VALUES are most prominently at play.
Write a one-page paper describing the primary news values at play in each story (print to turn in.)
Wednesday, Feb. 13: News Values
NO CLASS - SNOW DAY (reading and homework that was due today is due Friday)
Friday, Feb. 15: News Ledes, Part I
What we will do in class: Discuss homework, lecture on news values (PPT)
What is due next session: Review Bender, et al., Chap. 7 (pp. 133-151); Do Leads exercises (sections I-IIX) on p. 153-155
WEEK 5
Monday, Feb. 18: Snow Day
What we will do in class: SNOW DAY (reading & exercises that were due today is due Wednesday)
What is due next session: Review Bender, et al., Chap. 7 (pp. 133-151); Do Leads exercises (sections I-IIX) on p. 153-155
Wednesday, Feb. 20: Organizing the Story, Part I
What we will do in class: Discuss homework, talk about ledes
What is due next session: Study Molly's ledes, compare with homework
Friday, Feb. 22: Organizing the Story, Part II
What we will do in class: More on Ledes; write ledes from the linked fact sheets (Linked are three fact sheets)
What is due next session: Read Bender, et al., Chap. 9 (pp. 181-188); Read The Missouri Group, Chap. 7 (pp. 133-159), do exercises 1-6 (pp. 158-159)
WEEK 6
Monday, Feb. 25 Organizaing the Story, Part III
What we will do in class: Go over exercises 1-6
What is due next session: Read The Missouri Group, Chap. 3 (pp. 49-67)
Wednesday, Feb. 27 Interviewing Attribution & Quotes
What we will do in class: Brief lecture on interviewing; Conduct a 15-minute interview with a classmate
What is due next session: Read The Missouri Group, Chap. 4 (pp. 69-94) & Attribution handout
Friday, March 1 Interview a Classmate
What we will do in class: Write a short story on your classmate, include the best quotes
What is due next session: RESEARCH & PREPARE for Monday's in-class interview (use exercises 1-3 on TMG p. 67 - above - as a guide)
WEEK 7
Monday, March 4
SNOW DAY
Wednesday, March 6 Interviewing/Sourcing
What we will do in class: Discuss interviewing techniques, sourcing and attribution
What is due next session: Research news conference subject and prepare
Friday, March 8 In-class interview (Chandler Thornton, International desk editor, CNN)
What we will do in class: Conduct a news conference in class. This person will be the primary source for your news article (Assignment #1)
What is due next session: First draft of the NEWS ARTICLE, by Monday, March 18 (send it to [email protected])
WEEK 8 NO CLASS SPRING BREAK
WEEK 9
Monday, March 18 Finalize your article
What we will do in class: NO CLASS
What is due next session: Make edits to your article
Wednesday, March 20 Workshop your article
What we will do in class: Workshop articles, fine tune articles, secure second interviews
What is due next session: Final article is due no later 8 a.m., Friday, March 22
Friday, March 22 Discuss final article/prepare for Strategic Communications
What we will do in class: Discussions on Journalism, news and how we get it
What is due next session: Read Marsh, Guth & Short (pp. 43-50), Sample news release & write a release (instructions/info here)
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (ELOs)
- identify key audiences and publics
- identify and create viable written platforms, or communications methods to reach these audiences
- execute the message strategies agreed upon as most effective for each population
WEEK 10
Monday, March 25 The News Release (also called the Press Release)
What we will do in class: Go over the Burger King press release you wrote, lecture on the news release (PPT)
What is due next session: Read Marsh, Guth & Short (pp. 54-57; Note the sample feature news release on p. 55) and MGS (pp. 65-69; Sample feature pitch
Wednesday, March 27 The Feature News Release & Feature Pitches
What we will do in class: Lecture on the feature news release and feature pitch (PPT)
What is due next session: Write a feature news release AND a feature pitch (print and bring to class Monday)
Friday, March 29 NO CLASS
Professor is at a Conference
What is due next session: Read Altstiel Chap. 11 (pp. 211-226) and read The Creative Brief: 10 Things It Must Include
WEEK 11
Monday, April 1 NO CLASS
Professor is at a Conference
What is due next session: Read Altstiel Chap. 11 (pp. 211-226) and read The Creative Brief: 10 Things It Must Include
Wednesday, April 3 Feature Pitch & The Creative Brief
What we will do in class: Discuss what the creative brief is and the role it plays in the mini-campaign (PPT)
What is due next session: Read Altstiel Chap. 13 (pp. 254-277) and Wordstream article
Friday, April 5 Writing for Advertising and Social Marketing
What we will do in class: Look at ads and discuss how to write for ads; Discuss social marketing and what the future (probably doesn't) hold
What is due next session: Brainstorm (write out ideas) the "organization" for which you will create a mini-campaign (print to turn in)
WEEK 12
Monday, April 8 Workshop the Mini-Campaign
What we will do in class: Workshop the strategy statement. Students will work in small groups to come up with an organization and fill out the strategy sheet. Assignment #2 will be distributed.
Wednesday, April 10 Workshop the Mini-Campaign
What we will do in class: What we will do in class: Students will work in small groups to put together an outline for a press release, feature pitch and one-page ad
What is due next session: Work on the first draft
Friday, April 12 Work on the Mini-Campaign
What we will do in class: MINI-CAMPAIGN DUE no later than 12 p.m. ET, SUNDAY, April 14. Submit via BlackBoard.
What is due next session: Read Field's “What is a Screenplay?” from Screenplay (pp. 15-29) and write one page (print to turn in) on why you like your favorite film: intriguing concept, sympathetic protagonist, new and interesting world, edge of your seat thriller, deep character insights, whimsical adventure, profound or inspiring theme, important social issue, exciting action scenes and SFX, witty dialogue, etc.
SCREENWRITING (ELOs)
- write in the professional industry standard for screenwriting
- learn the elements of dramatic structure
- examine the underlying principles of drama by analyzing landmark screenplays
- become familiar with the story development process
WEEK 13
Monday, April 15 Hollywood's Three-Act Structure -- The Dramatic Structure
What we will do in class: Discuss the "dramatic structure" and how your favorite movie fits into that structure -- identifying the Set-Up, Confrontation, Resolution and plot points
What is due next session: Read “The Perfect Ballgame” from Three Uses of the Knife by David Mamet, watch "American Beauty" - take notes about how the movie fits the dramatic structure (print to turn in)
Wednesday, April 17 More on the Dramatic Structure
What we will do in class: Watch clips, read screenplays, discuss your observations; What is a logline?
* AMERICAN BEAUTY screenplay | clip * COLD MOUNTAIN screenplay | clip * ACT 1 of THE GODFATHER screenplay
What is due next session: Logline exercise: review loglines from “The Blacklist 2018” -- brainstorm your own
Friday, April 19 Loglines and the Development Process
What we will do in class: Discuss your loglines and discuss research and the development documents
What is due next session: Familiarize yourself with the free screenplay-writing software, Amazon Storywriter. (Here are some online tutorials.)
WEEK 14
Monday, April 22 Introduction to Storywriter
What we will do in class: In-class tutorial on Storywriter.
What is due next session: Write and turn in your final logline; Read "10 Tips for Successful Character Biographies," Susan Kouguell
Wednesday, April 24 Development Documents (Character Bios)
What we will do in class: Discuss and begin to workshop your character biographies
What is due next session: Write and turn in your final character bios; Read "How to Write a Treatment," Marilyn Horowitz
Friday, April 26 Development Documents (Treatment)
What we will do in class: Discuss treatments
What is due next session: Begin your 2- to 5-page treatment; Read Staudmeyer's screenplay "Aristotle and Aphrodite"
WEEK15
Monday, April 29 The Screenplay
What we will do in class: Workshop your treatment; Discuss Staudmeyer's screenplay
What is due next session: Finish treatment; begin to draft your final screenplay using Amazon Storywriter (include a title page)
Wednesday, May 1 Workshopping the Screenplay
What we will do in class: Students will work in small groups to discuss treatments, with the instructor and individually on their screenplay drafts
What is due next session: Study for AP Style test
Friday, May 3 AP Style Test & wrap-up
What we will do in class: Take the AP Style test & say goodbye
What is due next session: Final screenplay
FINALS WEEK
8 a.m., Monday, May 6 FINAL SCREENPLAY DUE. Submit via BlackBoard.