Course Schedule | JRN275 home page
KEY DATES
Sept. 25: ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Oct. 2
Oct. 26: NO CLASS
Nov. 6: ASSIGNMENT #2 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Nov. 6
Nov. 9: FIRST EXAM to be taken in class at 8 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 9
Nov. 20-24: NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
Dec. 3: ASSIGNMENT #3 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday Dec. 3
Dec. 14: FINAL PROJECT (two parts) due via Blackboard no later than 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 14
WEEK 1. WHO ARE WE? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
Tuesday, Aug. 29
What we will do in class: Introduce ourselves to each other and discuss how journalists get their information? Why does it matter? What do we do with the information? *Press release, write the lede & discuss
What is due next session: Read Gaines, Chaps. 1&2 (pp. 1-49; the story pitch example on pp. 44-45 is not legible, so here it is). 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. 31
What we will do in class: What is investigative journalism? What makes it so? Introducing the way we think about investigative journalism and public documents and discuss pitches (PPT)
What is due next session: Refresh on Gaines, Chaps. 1&2.
WEEK 2. TRIANGULATION, DOCUMENTS, FOIA & PITCHING
Tuesday, Sept. 5
What we will do in class: Discuss story pitches; lecture on types of documents and intro to FOI (PPT)
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 1&2, Write a story pitch using the above linked format; what documents would you need (list in sources)? Submit via Blackboard before next class.
Thursday, Sept. 7
What we will do in class: Discuss story pitches -- problems, solutions & let's try again.
What is due next session: Read C&D Chaps. 5; Write a FOIA request letter. Submit via Blackboard before next class.
WEEK 3. FOI: EFFECTIVE REQUESTS & YOUR RIGHTS AS JOURNALISTS -- AND AS CITIZENS
Tuesday, Sept. 12
What we will do in class: Discuss FOIA requests -- problems & solutions. GUEST SPEAKER NBC Connecticut's Kyle Jones.
What is due next session: Read C&D Chap. 3-4
Thursday, Sept. 14
What we will do in class: Alphabet soup -- knowing your rights: HIPAA, FERPA & DPPA.
What is due next session: Read ProPublica story about a Wayne Township, New Jersey school board meeting. Identify the public documents in the story. List if they are operational, disclosure or published. Are any readily available online? (If so, cut&paste the link and have it ready for class.) Turn in a copy of the notes on Blackboard & keep a copy to discuss in class.
WEEK 4. MAPPING A GOVERNMENT AGENCY & INVESTIGATING PEOPLE
Tuesday, Sept. 19
What we will do in class: Discuss the ProPublica piece. Discuss how we'd cover it if it occurred in Hamden. Group work: MAP THE TOWN GOVERNMENT.
What is due next session: Group story pitch + FOIA request, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name; Read Gaines Chap. 5.
Thursday, Sept. 21
What we will do in class: Discuss story pitch & FOIA request; How to investigate people and look into GIS, licensure, Google datasets & other Google tools more; discuss strategies for getting information.
WEEK 5. COVERING THE COPS
Tuesday, Sept. 26
What we will do in class: Introduction to covering local police.
What is due next session: Read Gaines Chap. 6, this article & this short pamphlet, which describes how Connecticut's court system is structured.
Thursday, Sept. 28
What we will do in class: Discuss Assignment #1; Lecture on covering cops and crime (ppt), cops press release.
What is due next session: Explore the Marshall Project's report on states' FBI crime data & why that is important. Read this pamphlet on Connecticut courts.
What is due next session: ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Oct. 2
WEEK 6. GOING FROM THE COPS TO THE COURTS... AND TO PRISON
Tuesday, Oct. 3
What we will do in class: Finish lecture on covering cops and crime; get into courts and prisons. (ppt)
Helpful links -- Connecticut Judicial Branch Case Look-Up site | U.S. Attorney for the State of Connecticut (DOJ)
What is due next session: Contact the clerk of courts about a case, turn in via Blackboard.
Thursday, Oct. 5
What we will do in class: Group work: Map a criminal case
What is due next session: Group story pitch + FOIA request, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name; Read C& D Chap. 6 & 8.
WEEK 7. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY SAY NO? & WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS TOO MUCH INFO
Tuesday, Oct. 10.
What we will do in class: Discuss FOI request denials & processes for keeping after it.
What is due next session: Read C&D Chaps. 7 & 9.
Thursday, Oct. 12.
What we will do in class: GUEST SPEAKER Matthew Flaherty, instruction librarian, ABL to do a database workshop. (Database: Nexis Uni)
What we will do in class: Read Journalist's Resource article, Understanding the IRS 990 form (basics & definitions)
WEEK 8. COVERING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Tuesday, Oct. 17
What we will do in class: Discuss what non-profits do, the 990 forms, where to find them & what we look for in them.
What is due next session: Analyze the recent 990s forms of US Soccer and write a short essay about what you learned from it.
Thursday, Oct. 19
What we will do in class: Group work: Map a non-profit organization
What is due next session: Group story pitch, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name; Read "Understanding financial statements" and "How to use SEC filings to cover companies" -- both by Chris Roush, The Journalist's Resource
WEEK 9. COVERING BUSINESSES
Tuesday, Oct. 24
What we will do in class: Go over Amazon's financial statements & SEC filings; Group work: Map a publicly-traded business
What is due next session: Group story pitch, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name
Thursday, Oct. 26
No class on this day
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chaps. 2-4 (pp. 11-34).
WEEK 10. PRIVACY, SURREPTITIOUS RECORDING, POLLS & EXPERTS
Tuesday, Oct. 31
What we will do in class: Discuss what "privacy" means from a legal standpoint, how to maintain it & defend against lawsuits.
What is due next session: Read these two Journalist's Resource articles: 1.) Using academic research to do investigative journalism: 5 tips, 2.) How to tell good research from flawed research: 13 questions journalists should ask.
Thursday, Nov. 2
What we will do in class: Explore Google Scholar, look at academic research & know when and why to use it.
What is due next session: ASSIGNMENT #2 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Nov. 6.
WEEK 11. STUDYING FOR & TAKING THE EXAM
Tuesday, Nov 7
What we will do in class: Go over exam
What is due next session: Study!
Thursday, Nov. 9
What we will do in class: TAKE EXAM
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 1-97.
WEEK 12. EXAM POST-MORTEM & INTRO TO INTERVIEWING
Tuesday, Nov. 14
What we will do in class: Go over exam & discuss reading
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 98-173; Person to interview for final assignment needs to be identified
Thursday, Nov. 16
What we will do in class: Review horrible, excellent and memorable interviews; What did you learn? Try it out!
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 174-224
WEEK 13. THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASSES
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 225-376 (end)
WEEK 14. PLANNING ON INTERVIEWING & DEVELOPING A STRUCTURE
Tuesday, Nov. 28
What we will do in class: Planning your interview (workshop in class - research, questions, structure)
What is due next session: Work on Assignment #3
Thursday, Nov. 30
What we will do in class: Off the record, other terms & getting it done
What is due next session: ASSIGNMENT #3 due via Blackboard 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 3
WEEK 15. INTERVIEWING
Tuesday, Dec. 5
What we will do in class: Workshop final
What is due next session: Work on final
Thursday, Dec. 7
What we will do in class: Workshop final
What is due next session: Work on final
FINALS WEEK.
Final project due to Blackboard no later than 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 14
Sept. 25: ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Oct. 2
Oct. 26: NO CLASS
Nov. 6: ASSIGNMENT #2 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Nov. 6
Nov. 9: FIRST EXAM to be taken in class at 8 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 9
Nov. 20-24: NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
Dec. 3: ASSIGNMENT #3 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday Dec. 3
Dec. 14: FINAL PROJECT (two parts) due via Blackboard no later than 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 14
WEEK 1. WHO ARE WE? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
Tuesday, Aug. 29
What we will do in class: Introduce ourselves to each other and discuss how journalists get their information? Why does it matter? What do we do with the information? *Press release, write the lede & discuss
What is due next session: Read Gaines, Chaps. 1&2 (pp. 1-49; the story pitch example on pp. 44-45 is not legible, so here it is). 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. 31
What we will do in class: What is investigative journalism? What makes it so? Introducing the way we think about investigative journalism and public documents and discuss pitches (PPT)
What is due next session: Refresh on Gaines, Chaps. 1&2.
WEEK 2. TRIANGULATION, DOCUMENTS, FOIA & PITCHING
Tuesday, Sept. 5
What we will do in class: Discuss story pitches; lecture on types of documents and intro to FOI (PPT)
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 1&2, Write a story pitch using the above linked format; what documents would you need (list in sources)? Submit via Blackboard before next class.
Thursday, Sept. 7
What we will do in class: Discuss story pitches -- problems, solutions & let's try again.
What is due next session: Read C&D Chaps. 5; Write a FOIA request letter. Submit via Blackboard before next class.
WEEK 3. FOI: EFFECTIVE REQUESTS & YOUR RIGHTS AS JOURNALISTS -- AND AS CITIZENS
Tuesday, Sept. 12
What we will do in class: Discuss FOIA requests -- problems & solutions. GUEST SPEAKER NBC Connecticut's Kyle Jones.
What is due next session: Read C&D Chap. 3-4
Thursday, Sept. 14
What we will do in class: Alphabet soup -- knowing your rights: HIPAA, FERPA & DPPA.
What is due next session: Read ProPublica story about a Wayne Township, New Jersey school board meeting. Identify the public documents in the story. List if they are operational, disclosure or published. Are any readily available online? (If so, cut&paste the link and have it ready for class.) Turn in a copy of the notes on Blackboard & keep a copy to discuss in class.
WEEK 4. MAPPING A GOVERNMENT AGENCY & INVESTIGATING PEOPLE
Tuesday, Sept. 19
What we will do in class: Discuss the ProPublica piece. Discuss how we'd cover it if it occurred in Hamden. Group work: MAP THE TOWN GOVERNMENT.
What is due next session: Group story pitch + FOIA request, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name; Read Gaines Chap. 5.
Thursday, Sept. 21
What we will do in class: Discuss story pitch & FOIA request; How to investigate people and look into GIS, licensure, Google datasets & other Google tools more; discuss strategies for getting information.
WEEK 5. COVERING THE COPS
Tuesday, Sept. 26
What we will do in class: Introduction to covering local police.
What is due next session: Read Gaines Chap. 6, this article & this short pamphlet, which describes how Connecticut's court system is structured.
Thursday, Sept. 28
What we will do in class: Discuss Assignment #1; Lecture on covering cops and crime (ppt), cops press release.
What is due next session: Explore the Marshall Project's report on states' FBI crime data & why that is important. Read this pamphlet on Connecticut courts.
What is due next session: ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Oct. 2
WEEK 6. GOING FROM THE COPS TO THE COURTS... AND TO PRISON
Tuesday, Oct. 3
What we will do in class: Finish lecture on covering cops and crime; get into courts and prisons. (ppt)
Helpful links -- Connecticut Judicial Branch Case Look-Up site | U.S. Attorney for the State of Connecticut (DOJ)
What is due next session: Contact the clerk of courts about a case, turn in via Blackboard.
Thursday, Oct. 5
What we will do in class: Group work: Map a criminal case
What is due next session: Group story pitch + FOIA request, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name; Read C& D Chap. 6 & 8.
WEEK 7. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY SAY NO? & WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS TOO MUCH INFO
Tuesday, Oct. 10.
What we will do in class: Discuss FOI request denials & processes for keeping after it.
What is due next session: Read C&D Chaps. 7 & 9.
Thursday, Oct. 12.
What we will do in class: GUEST SPEAKER Matthew Flaherty, instruction librarian, ABL to do a database workshop. (Database: Nexis Uni)
What we will do in class: Read Journalist's Resource article, Understanding the IRS 990 form (basics & definitions)
WEEK 8. COVERING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Tuesday, Oct. 17
What we will do in class: Discuss what non-profits do, the 990 forms, where to find them & what we look for in them.
What is due next session: Analyze the recent 990s forms of US Soccer and write a short essay about what you learned from it.
Thursday, Oct. 19
What we will do in class: Group work: Map a non-profit organization
What is due next session: Group story pitch, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name; Read "Understanding financial statements" and "How to use SEC filings to cover companies" -- both by Chris Roush, The Journalist's Resource
WEEK 9. COVERING BUSINESSES
Tuesday, Oct. 24
What we will do in class: Go over Amazon's financial statements & SEC filings; Group work: Map a publicly-traded business
What is due next session: Group story pitch, submit one pitch via Blackboard and be sure to include everyone's name
Thursday, Oct. 26
No class on this day
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chaps. 2-4 (pp. 11-34).
WEEK 10. PRIVACY, SURREPTITIOUS RECORDING, POLLS & EXPERTS
Tuesday, Oct. 31
What we will do in class: Discuss what "privacy" means from a legal standpoint, how to maintain it & defend against lawsuits.
What is due next session: Read these two Journalist's Resource articles: 1.) Using academic research to do investigative journalism: 5 tips, 2.) How to tell good research from flawed research: 13 questions journalists should ask.
Thursday, Nov. 2
What we will do in class: Explore Google Scholar, look at academic research & know when and why to use it.
What is due next session: ASSIGNMENT #2 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Nov. 6.
WEEK 11. STUDYING FOR & TAKING THE EXAM
Tuesday, Nov 7
What we will do in class: Go over exam
What is due next session: Study!
Thursday, Nov. 9
What we will do in class: TAKE EXAM
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 1-97.
WEEK 12. EXAM POST-MORTEM & INTRO TO INTERVIEWING
Tuesday, Nov. 14
What we will do in class: Go over exam & discuss reading
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 98-173; Person to interview for final assignment needs to be identified
Thursday, Nov. 16
What we will do in class: Review horrible, excellent and memorable interviews; What did you learn? Try it out!
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 174-224
WEEK 13. THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASSES
What is due next session: Read Nelson, 225-376 (end)
WEEK 14. PLANNING ON INTERVIEWING & DEVELOPING A STRUCTURE
Tuesday, Nov. 28
What we will do in class: Planning your interview (workshop in class - research, questions, structure)
What is due next session: Work on Assignment #3
Thursday, Nov. 30
What we will do in class: Off the record, other terms & getting it done
What is due next session: ASSIGNMENT #3 due via Blackboard 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 3
WEEK 15. INTERVIEWING
Tuesday, Dec. 5
What we will do in class: Workshop final
What is due next session: Work on final
Thursday, Dec. 7
What we will do in class: Workshop final
What is due next session: Work on final
FINALS WEEK.
Final project due to Blackboard no later than 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 14