Course Schedule | JRN275 home page
KEY DUE DATES
Monday, Oct. 3 (no later than 11:59 p.m.): Assignment #1 via Blackboard
Sunday, Oct. 16 (no later than 11:59 p.m.): Assignment #2 via Blackboard
Thursday, Oct. 25: Midterm exam
Monday, Nov. 28 (no later than 11:59 p.m.): Movie paper
Monday, Dec. 5: Part 1 of the final is due
Tuesday, Dec. 13 (no later than 10 a.m.): Part 2 of the final is due
WEEK 1. WHO ARE WE? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
Tue., Aug. 30
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)
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.
Thu., Sept. 1
What we will do in class: What is investigative journalism? What makes it so?
Lecture (ppt) and discussion on investigative journalism
What is due next session:
Read Gaines, Chap. 2 (pp. 23-49; the story pitch example on pp. 44-45 is not legible, so here it is); Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 1.
WEEK 2. PITCHING and DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS
Tue., Sept. 6
What we will do in class: Lecture (ppt) on pitches, rethinking the way we think, public documents
What is due next session: Write a story pitch using the above linked format; what documents would you need (list in sources). Submit via Blackboard before class
Thu., Sept. 8
What we will do in class: Go over your story pitches
What is due next session: Read C&D, Chaps. 2 & 5; Review Gaines pp. 31-33 (see above)
WEEK 3. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (FOIA): YOUR RIGHTS
Tue., Sept. 13
What we will do in class: Lecture on FOI, what it is, how to use it & effective requests
What is due next session: Write a FOIA request. Submit via Blackboard before class; Read C&D Chaps. 3 & 4
Thu., Sept. 15
What we will do in class: Discuss FOIA requests; Investigating people and look into GIS, licensure, Google, Nexis Uni & more; discuss strategies for getting information
What is due next session: Read C&D Chap. 6
WEEK 4. WHEN THE ANSWER IS "NO" & WHAT WE CAN'T GET
Tue., Sept. 20
What we will do in class: Why is the answer is "no?" Alphabet soup: HIPAA, FERPA & DPPA.
Thu., Sept. 22
What we will do in class: GROUP WORK: Map a government agency.
What is due next session: Each group will write a story pitch and a FOIA request (one each per group), submit via Blackboard before next class.
WEEK 5. COPS, COURTS & PRISONS
Tue., Sept. 27
What we will do in class: Briefly discuss Assignment #1 and homework; Lecture on covering cops and crime (ppt), cops press release; see article.
What is due next session: Read this short pamphlet on Connecticut courts.
Thu., Sept. 29
Finish lecture; GROUP WORK: Map a criminal case.
What is due next session: Each group will write a story pitch, submit via Blackboard before next class
LARGE ASSIGNMENT #1 is due no later than 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3 via Blackboard
WEEK 6. MORE ON COURTS & NON-PROFITS AND COMPANIES (990S, SEC filings)
Tue., Oct. 4
What we will do in class: Briefly discuss homework; Continue with courts
What is due next session: Read Journalist's Resource article, Understanding the IRS 990 form & SEC forms
Thu., Oct. 6
What we will do in class: Lecture on non-profits and businesses.
WEEK 7. NON-PROFITS AND COMPANIES & POLL RESULTS AND ACADEMIC STUDIES
Tue., Oct. 11
What we will do in class: GROUP WORK: Map 990s.
What is due next session: Each group will write a story pitch, submit via Blackboard before next class
Thu., Oct. 13
What we will do in class: Lecture on polls and academic studies, introduce Google Scholar (ppt)
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chap. 2 (pp. 11-18)
LARGE ASSIGNMENT #2 is due no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 16 via Blackboard
WEEK 8. MEDIA LAW PRIMER: PRIVACY, RECORDING & SOURCING
Tue., Oct. 18
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)
Thu., Oct. 20
What we will do in class: Lecture on Surreptitious Recording and Confidential Sources
What is due next session: Study for midterm
WEEK 9. MIDTERM: PREP & EXAM
Tue., Oct. 25
What we will do in class: Midterm exam
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 1-52
Thu., Oct. 27
No class
WEEK 10. THE BASICS OF INTERVIEWING
Tue., Nov. 1
What we will do in class: Discuss the interview: It starts in your head to getting multiple voices
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 53-120
Thu., Nov. 3
What we will do in class:
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 121-224
WEEK 11. INTERVIEWING FOR INVESTIGATIONS
Tue., Nov. 8
What we will do in class:
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 121-224
Thu., Nov. 10
What we will do in class: Finish Nelson, pp. 225-376
WEEK 12. THE ETHICS OF INTERVIEWING
Tue., Nov. 15
What we will do in class: Discuss reading and one-on-one interviews (ppt)
What is due next session:
Thu., Nov. 17
What we will do in class: Discuss reading & prepare for final interview (ppt)
What is due next session: Movie paper is due
WEEK 13. THANKSGIVING
No class
Thanksgiving
WEEK 14. CONDUCTING YOUR FINAL INTERVIEW
Tue., Nov. 29
What we will do in class: Discuss reading & review anonymous sources, tips & phrases
Thu., Dec. 1
What we will do in class: Discuss interviews, go over them
Part I of the final (interview is due Monday)
WEEK 15. WORKSHOPPING YOUR FINAL
Tue., Dec. 6
Individual meetings on final pitch
Thu., Dec. 8
Individual meetings on final pitch
FINALS WEEK.
Tue., Dec. 13, 8-10 a.m.
Final due no later than 10 a.m.
Monday, Oct. 3 (no later than 11:59 p.m.): Assignment #1 via Blackboard
Sunday, Oct. 16 (no later than 11:59 p.m.): Assignment #2 via Blackboard
Thursday, Oct. 25: Midterm exam
Monday, Nov. 28 (no later than 11:59 p.m.): Movie paper
Monday, Dec. 5: Part 1 of the final is due
Tuesday, Dec. 13 (no later than 10 a.m.): Part 2 of the final is due
WEEK 1. WHO ARE WE? WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
Tue., Aug. 30
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)
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.
Thu., Sept. 1
What we will do in class: What is investigative journalism? What makes it so?
Lecture (ppt) and discussion on investigative journalism
What is due next session:
Read Gaines, Chap. 2 (pp. 23-49; the story pitch example on pp. 44-45 is not legible, so here it is); Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 1.
WEEK 2. PITCHING and DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS
Tue., Sept. 6
What we will do in class: Lecture (ppt) on pitches, rethinking the way we think, public documents
What is due next session: Write a story pitch using the above linked format; what documents would you need (list in sources). Submit via Blackboard before class
Thu., Sept. 8
What we will do in class: Go over your story pitches
What is due next session: Read C&D, Chaps. 2 & 5; Review Gaines pp. 31-33 (see above)
WEEK 3. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (FOIA): YOUR RIGHTS
Tue., Sept. 13
What we will do in class: Lecture on FOI, what it is, how to use it & effective requests
What is due next session: Write a FOIA request. Submit via Blackboard before class; Read C&D Chaps. 3 & 4
Thu., Sept. 15
What we will do in class: Discuss FOIA requests; Investigating people and look into GIS, licensure, Google, Nexis Uni & more; discuss strategies for getting information
What is due next session: Read C&D Chap. 6
WEEK 4. WHEN THE ANSWER IS "NO" & WHAT WE CAN'T GET
Tue., Sept. 20
What we will do in class: Why is the answer is "no?" Alphabet soup: HIPAA, FERPA & DPPA.
Thu., Sept. 22
What we will do in class: GROUP WORK: Map a government agency.
What is due next session: Each group will write a story pitch and a FOIA request (one each per group), submit via Blackboard before next class.
WEEK 5. COPS, COURTS & PRISONS
Tue., Sept. 27
What we will do in class: Briefly discuss Assignment #1 and homework; Lecture on covering cops and crime (ppt), cops press release; see article.
What is due next session: Read this short pamphlet on Connecticut courts.
Thu., Sept. 29
Finish lecture; GROUP WORK: Map a criminal case.
What is due next session: Each group will write a story pitch, submit via Blackboard before next class
LARGE ASSIGNMENT #1 is due no later than 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3 via Blackboard
WEEK 6. MORE ON COURTS & NON-PROFITS AND COMPANIES (990S, SEC filings)
Tue., Oct. 4
What we will do in class: Briefly discuss homework; Continue with courts
What is due next session: Read Journalist's Resource article, Understanding the IRS 990 form & SEC forms
Thu., Oct. 6
What we will do in class: Lecture on non-profits and businesses.
WEEK 7. NON-PROFITS AND COMPANIES & POLL RESULTS AND ACADEMIC STUDIES
Tue., Oct. 11
What we will do in class: GROUP WORK: Map 990s.
What is due next session: Each group will write a story pitch, submit via Blackboard before next class
Thu., Oct. 13
What we will do in class: Lecture on polls and academic studies, introduce Google Scholar (ppt)
What is due next session: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chap. 2 (pp. 11-18)
LARGE ASSIGNMENT #2 is due no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 16 via Blackboard
WEEK 8. MEDIA LAW PRIMER: PRIVACY, RECORDING & SOURCING
Tue., Oct. 18
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)
Thu., Oct. 20
What we will do in class: Lecture on Surreptitious Recording and Confidential Sources
What is due next session: Study for midterm
WEEK 9. MIDTERM: PREP & EXAM
Tue., Oct. 25
What we will do in class: Midterm exam
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 1-52
Thu., Oct. 27
No class
WEEK 10. THE BASICS OF INTERVIEWING
Tue., Nov. 1
What we will do in class: Discuss the interview: It starts in your head to getting multiple voices
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 53-120
Thu., Nov. 3
What we will do in class:
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 121-224
WEEK 11. INTERVIEWING FOR INVESTIGATIONS
Tue., Nov. 8
What we will do in class:
What is due next session: Read Nelson, pp. 121-224
Thu., Nov. 10
What we will do in class: Finish Nelson, pp. 225-376
WEEK 12. THE ETHICS OF INTERVIEWING
Tue., Nov. 15
What we will do in class: Discuss reading and one-on-one interviews (ppt)
What is due next session:
Thu., Nov. 17
What we will do in class: Discuss reading & prepare for final interview (ppt)
What is due next session: Movie paper is due
WEEK 13. THANKSGIVING
No class
Thanksgiving
WEEK 14. CONDUCTING YOUR FINAL INTERVIEW
Tue., Nov. 29
What we will do in class: Discuss reading & review anonymous sources, tips & phrases
Thu., Dec. 1
What we will do in class: Discuss interviews, go over them
Part I of the final (interview is due Monday)
WEEK 15. WORKSHOPPING YOUR FINAL
Tue., Dec. 6
Individual meetings on final pitch
Thu., Dec. 8
Individual meetings on final pitch
FINALS WEEK.
Tue., Dec. 13, 8-10 a.m.
Final due no later than 10 a.m.