Course Schedule | JRN275 home page
KEY DATES:
(Links here are to assignment instructions and/or study guide)
* 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21 - Assignment #1 is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26 - Assignment #2 is due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 5 - Midterm will be administered
* 11:59, p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1 - Movie Paper is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8 - Assignment #3 (interview/audio file) are due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 12 - Final Assignment submitted via BlackBoard (no late papers will be accepted)
WEEK 1.
Tuesday, Aug. 27
What we will do in class: Course introduction, learning objectives, personal introductions.
What is due next session: Read Gaines, Chap. 1 (pp. 1-21); Identify a piece of investigative journalism *bring the link, or copy to class*, write what elements make it so, answer questions on p. 21 to turn in.
Thursday, Aug. 29
What we will do in class: Lecture (ppt) and discussion on investigative journalism
What is due next session: Read Gaines, Chap. 2 (pp. 23-49) and Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 1. Create a story pitch (follow style/example on pp. 44-45 of Gaines)
WEEK 2.
Tuesday, Sept. 3
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion (ppt) on story pitches
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 3
Thursday, Sept. 5
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion on investigating people/paper trail
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 4
WEEK 3.
Tuesday, Sept. 10
What we will do in class: Map an agency in class (team pitch)
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 5
Thursday, Sept. 12
What we will do in class: Write a FOIA request for team pitch
What is due next session: Read CJR story on Toledo Blade/Charlottesville coverage.
WEEK 4.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
What we will do in class: Look into GIS, discuss strategies for getting information and go over Assignment 1
Thursday, Sept. 19 NO CLASS
What is due next class: Read Journalist's Resource article and REVIEW Cuillier & Davis, Chap 5
ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21
WEEK 5.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
What we will do in class: In-class discussion on how our court system works, police, courts, prisons (ppt)
What is due next class: Identify information from your Town Clerk about a specific case (details in class); Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap 6
Thursday, Sept. 26
What we will do in class: More on courts & FOIA letters
What is due next class: Write a FOIA request to your Town Clerk, print to turn in
WEEK 6.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
What we will do in class: The court system & following a story from arrest through the court system
What is due next class:
Thursday, Oct. 3
What we will do in class: Go over FOIA letters; Break down arrest --> court documents and come up with a team story pitch.
What is due next class: Read Gaines, Chap. 7 (pp. 153-176), Journalist's Resource article and Understanding the IRS 990 form
WEEK 7.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
What we will do in class: Lecture on investigating non-profits (ppt) and begin to work on 990s
What is due next class: Review reading
Thursday, Oct. 10
What we will do in class: Analyze Form 990s in small groups in class and draft a pitch (does it need more public docs?)
What is due next class: Team story pitch
WEEK 8.
Tuesday, Oct. 15
What we will do in class: Discuss investigating the government.
What is due next session: Read Fake polls are a real problem & Journalist’s Resource article
Thursday, Oct. 17
What we will do in class: Lecture on polls and studies -- what to look for, what to avoid
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chap. 2 (pp. 11-18)
WEEK 9.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
What we will do in class: Lecture on Privacy Laws: Legal torts and Privacy Defenses
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chaps. 3 & 4 (pp. 19-34)
Thursday, Oct. 24
What we will do in class: Lecture on Surreptitious Recording and Confidential Sources
What is due next session: Review Cuillier & Davis Chap. 5 & 6 (particularly Chap. 6)
Assignment #2 due via BlackBoard no later than 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Oct. Oct. 26
WEEK 10.
Tuesday, Oct. 29
What we will do in class: REVIEW FOR MIDTERM
What is due next session: Read How Hearst Connecticut uncovered sexual abuse at Boys & Girls Clubs across the country (by Poynter) and At Risk: Boys and Girls Clubs an sexual abuse; prepare questions (to turn in) for guest speaker
Thursday, Oct. 31
What we will do in class: GUEST SPEAKER: Viktoria Sunqvist of Hearst Connecticut to discuss the public documents accessed and used in "At Risk"
What is due next session: Your midterm is next session... STUDY!
WEEK 11.
Tuesday, Nov. 5
What we will do in class: MIDTERM
What is due next sessions: Read Nelson (pp. 1-52)
Thursday, Nov. 7
What we will do in class: Watch video clips on interviews and discuss the readings
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 53-120)
WEEK 12.
Tuesday, Nov. 12
What we will do in class: Practice interviews
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 121-173)
Thursday, Nov. 14
What we will do in class: Discussion on interviews; conduct practice interviews
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 174-224)
WEEK 13.
Tuesday, Nov. 19
What we will do in class: More on practice interviews; discussing the in-depth interview
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 225-291)
Thursday, Nov. 21
What we will do in class: Discussion on ethics and interviewing
What is due next session: Identify topic and interview subject; make initial contact with subject by Tuesday
Read Nelson (pp. 292-376)
WEEK 14. NO CLASSES, THANKSGIVING WEEK
Over this week, you are required to watch two movies: All the President's Men and Spotlight (or, you can listen to the podcast series, "In the Dark," Season 2).
Here are links to help prepare you to watch the movies: "The Watergate watershed: A turning point for a nation and a newspaper" by Katharine Graham, Washington Post & "The Watergate Scandal," History.com, and "Church allowed abuse by priests for years" by Spotlight Team
Movie paper is due via BlackBoard no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1
WEEK 15.
Tuesday, Dec. 3
What we will do in class: Workshop the final
What is due next session: Transcribed interview & audio file
Thursday, Dec. 5
What we will do in class: Workshop
Assignment #3 (transcribed interview & audio file) is due via Blackboard no later than 11:59, Sunday, Dec. 8
FINALS WEEK (Assignment instructions linked)
Thursday, Dec. 12, 8 a.m.
(Links here are to assignment instructions and/or study guide)
* 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21 - Assignment #1 is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26 - Assignment #2 is due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 5 - Midterm will be administered
* 11:59, p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1 - Movie Paper is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8 - Assignment #3 (interview/audio file) are due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 12 - Final Assignment submitted via BlackBoard (no late papers will be accepted)
WEEK 1.
Tuesday, Aug. 27
What we will do in class: Course introduction, learning objectives, personal introductions.
What is due next session: Read Gaines, Chap. 1 (pp. 1-21); Identify a piece of investigative journalism *bring the link, or copy to class*, write what elements make it so, answer questions on p. 21 to turn in.
Thursday, Aug. 29
What we will do in class: Lecture (ppt) and discussion on investigative journalism
What is due next session: Read Gaines, Chap. 2 (pp. 23-49) and Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 1. Create a story pitch (follow style/example on pp. 44-45 of Gaines)
WEEK 2.
Tuesday, Sept. 3
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion (ppt) on story pitches
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 3
Thursday, Sept. 5
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion on investigating people/paper trail
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 4
WEEK 3.
Tuesday, Sept. 10
What we will do in class: Map an agency in class (team pitch)
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 5
Thursday, Sept. 12
What we will do in class: Write a FOIA request for team pitch
What is due next session: Read CJR story on Toledo Blade/Charlottesville coverage.
WEEK 4.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
What we will do in class: Look into GIS, discuss strategies for getting information and go over Assignment 1
Thursday, Sept. 19 NO CLASS
What is due next class: Read Journalist's Resource article and REVIEW Cuillier & Davis, Chap 5
ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21
WEEK 5.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
What we will do in class: In-class discussion on how our court system works, police, courts, prisons (ppt)
What is due next class: Identify information from your Town Clerk about a specific case (details in class); Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap 6
Thursday, Sept. 26
What we will do in class: More on courts & FOIA letters
What is due next class: Write a FOIA request to your Town Clerk, print to turn in
WEEK 6.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
What we will do in class: The court system & following a story from arrest through the court system
What is due next class:
Thursday, Oct. 3
What we will do in class: Go over FOIA letters; Break down arrest --> court documents and come up with a team story pitch.
What is due next class: Read Gaines, Chap. 7 (pp. 153-176), Journalist's Resource article and Understanding the IRS 990 form
WEEK 7.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
What we will do in class: Lecture on investigating non-profits (ppt) and begin to work on 990s
What is due next class: Review reading
Thursday, Oct. 10
What we will do in class: Analyze Form 990s in small groups in class and draft a pitch (does it need more public docs?)
What is due next class: Team story pitch
WEEK 8.
Tuesday, Oct. 15
What we will do in class: Discuss investigating the government.
What is due next session: Read Fake polls are a real problem & Journalist’s Resource article
Thursday, Oct. 17
What we will do in class: Lecture on polls and studies -- what to look for, what to avoid
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chap. 2 (pp. 11-18)
WEEK 9.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
What we will do in class: Lecture on Privacy Laws: Legal torts and Privacy Defenses
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chaps. 3 & 4 (pp. 19-34)
Thursday, Oct. 24
What we will do in class: Lecture on Surreptitious Recording and Confidential Sources
What is due next session: Review Cuillier & Davis Chap. 5 & 6 (particularly Chap. 6)
Assignment #2 due via BlackBoard no later than 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Oct. Oct. 26
WEEK 10.
Tuesday, Oct. 29
What we will do in class: REVIEW FOR MIDTERM
What is due next session: Read How Hearst Connecticut uncovered sexual abuse at Boys & Girls Clubs across the country (by Poynter) and At Risk: Boys and Girls Clubs an sexual abuse; prepare questions (to turn in) for guest speaker
Thursday, Oct. 31
What we will do in class: GUEST SPEAKER: Viktoria Sunqvist of Hearst Connecticut to discuss the public documents accessed and used in "At Risk"
What is due next session: Your midterm is next session... STUDY!
WEEK 11.
Tuesday, Nov. 5
What we will do in class: MIDTERM
What is due next sessions: Read Nelson (pp. 1-52)
Thursday, Nov. 7
What we will do in class: Watch video clips on interviews and discuss the readings
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 53-120)
WEEK 12.
Tuesday, Nov. 12
What we will do in class: Practice interviews
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 121-173)
Thursday, Nov. 14
What we will do in class: Discussion on interviews; conduct practice interviews
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 174-224)
WEEK 13.
Tuesday, Nov. 19
What we will do in class: More on practice interviews; discussing the in-depth interview
What is due next session: Read Nelson (pp. 225-291)
Thursday, Nov. 21
What we will do in class: Discussion on ethics and interviewing
What is due next session: Identify topic and interview subject; make initial contact with subject by Tuesday
Read Nelson (pp. 292-376)
WEEK 14. NO CLASSES, THANKSGIVING WEEK
Over this week, you are required to watch two movies: All the President's Men and Spotlight (or, you can listen to the podcast series, "In the Dark," Season 2).
Here are links to help prepare you to watch the movies: "The Watergate watershed: A turning point for a nation and a newspaper" by Katharine Graham, Washington Post & "The Watergate Scandal," History.com, and "Church allowed abuse by priests for years" by Spotlight Team
Movie paper is due via BlackBoard no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1
WEEK 15.
Tuesday, Dec. 3
What we will do in class: Workshop the final
What is due next session: Transcribed interview & audio file
Thursday, Dec. 5
What we will do in class: Workshop
Assignment #3 (transcribed interview & audio file) is due via Blackboard no later than 11:59, Sunday, Dec. 8
FINALS WEEK (Assignment instructions linked)
Thursday, Dec. 12, 8 a.m.