Course Schedule | JRN275 home page
KEY DATES:
* 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23 - Assignment #1 is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, March 24 - Assignment #2 is due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Tuesday, April 7 - Exam will be administered on BlackBoard
* 11:59, p.m., Thursday, April 16 - Movie Paper is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Sunday, April 26 - Part I of the Final (interview/audio file) are due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 12 - Part II of the Final submitted via BlackBoard (no late assignments will be accepted)
Lecture, reading & homework schedule
WEEK 1.
Tuesday, Jan. 21
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, Jan. 23
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, Jan. 28
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion (ppt) on story pitches
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 3
Thursday, Jan. 30
No class
WEEK 3.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion on investigating people/paper trail
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 4
Thursday, Feb. 6
What we will do in class: Map an agency in class & come up with a team pitch
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 5
WEEK 4.
Tuesday, Feb. 11
What we will do in class: Look into GIS, licensure, Google & more; discuss strategies for getting information
Thursday, Feb. 13
What is due next class: Read Journalist's Resource article and REVIEW Cuillier & Davis, Chap 5; and go over Assignment 1
WEEK 5.
Tuesday, Feb. 28
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, Feb. 20
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
ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23
WEEK 6.
Tuesday, Feb. 25
What we will do in class: The court system & following a story from arrest through the court system (ppt)
What is due next class: Study PPT for quiz
Thursday, Feb. 27
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, March 3
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, March 5
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.
Spring Break
No Classes
WEEK 9.
Tuesday, March 17
What we will do in class: NO CLASS - CORONAVIRUS
What is due next session: Read Fake polls are a real problem & Journalist’s Resource article
Thursday, March 19
What we will do in class: VIDEO LECTURE on polls and academic studies -- what to look for, what to avoid
FOR TUESDAY, March 24: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chap. 2 (pp. 11-18)
Assignment #2 due via BlackBoard no later than 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, March 24
WEEK 10.
Tuesday, March 24
Please read/watch this lecture on Privacy Laws: Legal torts and Privacy Defenses
FOR THURSDAY, March 26: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chaps. 3 & 4 (pp. 19-34)
Thursday, March 26
Please read/listen to this lecture on Surreptitious Recording and Confidential Sources
FOR TUESDAY, March 31: Review Cuillier & Davis Chap. 5 & 6 (particularly Chap. 6)
WEEK 11.
Tuesday, March 31
STUDY GUIDE TO BE POSTED THIS MORNING.
Thursday, April 2
Live Zoom study session at 8 a.m. (Link to be emailed)
STUDY FOR EXAM, which will be done LIVE at 8 a.m. on Blackboard
WEEK 12.
Tuesday, April 7
What we will do in class: EXAM
What is due next sessions: See below
Thursday, April 9
Over the next week, you are required to watch two movies: All the President's Men and Spotlight. 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.
OR, you can listen to the podcast, "In The Dark" (Season 2)
Movie/Podcast Paper is due via BlackBoard, 11:59, p.m., Tuesday, April 14
FOR TUESDAY, April 14: Read Nelson (pp. 1-52)
WEEK 13.
Tuesday, April 14
What we will do in class: Watch video clips on interviews and do practice interview with an assigned classmate via ZOOM.
FOR THURSDAY, April 16: Read Nelson (pp. 53-173)
Thursday, April 16
What we will do in class: Discussion on interviews; conduct practice interviews
FOR TUESDAY, April 21: Read Nelson (pp. 174-224); identify topic and interview subject; make initial contact with subject by Tuesday (bring proof to class to turn in)
WEEK 14.
Tuesday, April 21
What we will do in class: More on practice interviews; discussing the in-depth interview
FOR THURSDAY, April 23: Read Nelson (pp. 225-291)
Thursday, April 23
What we will do in class: Discussion on ethics and interviewing
FOR TUESDAY, April 28: Read Nelson (pp. 292-376)
Assignment #3 (transcribed interview & audio file) is due via Blackboard no later than 11:59, Sunday, April 26
WEEK 15.
Tuesday, April 28
Work on your final assignment
Individual Zoom meetings may be scheduled with the professor
FINALS WEEK (Assignment instructions linked)
Tuesday, May 5, 8 a.m.
* 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23 - Assignment #1 is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, March 24 - Assignment #2 is due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Tuesday, April 7 - Exam will be administered on BlackBoard
* 11:59, p.m., Thursday, April 16 - Movie Paper is due via BlackBoard
* 11:59 p.m., Sunday, April 26 - Part I of the Final (interview/audio file) are due via BlackBoard
* 8 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 12 - Part II of the Final submitted via BlackBoard (no late assignments will be accepted)
Lecture, reading & homework schedule
WEEK 1.
Tuesday, Jan. 21
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, Jan. 23
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, Jan. 28
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion (ppt) on story pitches
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 3
Thursday, Jan. 30
No class
WEEK 3.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
What we will do in class: Lecture and discussion on investigating people/paper trail
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 4
Thursday, Feb. 6
What we will do in class: Map an agency in class & come up with a team pitch
What is due next session: Read Cuillier & Davis, Chap. 5
WEEK 4.
Tuesday, Feb. 11
What we will do in class: Look into GIS, licensure, Google & more; discuss strategies for getting information
Thursday, Feb. 13
What is due next class: Read Journalist's Resource article and REVIEW Cuillier & Davis, Chap 5; and go over Assignment 1
WEEK 5.
Tuesday, Feb. 28
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, Feb. 20
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
ASSIGNMENT #1 due via Blackboard no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23
WEEK 6.
Tuesday, Feb. 25
What we will do in class: The court system & following a story from arrest through the court system (ppt)
What is due next class: Study PPT for quiz
Thursday, Feb. 27
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, March 3
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, March 5
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.
Spring Break
No Classes
WEEK 9.
Tuesday, March 17
What we will do in class: NO CLASS - CORONAVIRUS
What is due next session: Read Fake polls are a real problem & Journalist’s Resource article
Thursday, March 19
What we will do in class: VIDEO LECTURE on polls and academic studies -- what to look for, what to avoid
FOR TUESDAY, March 24: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chap. 2 (pp. 11-18)
Assignment #2 due via BlackBoard no later than 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, March 24
WEEK 10.
Tuesday, March 24
Please read/watch this lecture on Privacy Laws: Legal torts and Privacy Defenses
FOR THURSDAY, March 26: Read First Amendment Handbook, Chaps. 3 & 4 (pp. 19-34)
Thursday, March 26
Please read/listen to this lecture on Surreptitious Recording and Confidential Sources
FOR TUESDAY, March 31: Review Cuillier & Davis Chap. 5 & 6 (particularly Chap. 6)
WEEK 11.
Tuesday, March 31
STUDY GUIDE TO BE POSTED THIS MORNING.
Thursday, April 2
Live Zoom study session at 8 a.m. (Link to be emailed)
STUDY FOR EXAM, which will be done LIVE at 8 a.m. on Blackboard
WEEK 12.
Tuesday, April 7
What we will do in class: EXAM
What is due next sessions: See below
Thursday, April 9
Over the next week, you are required to watch two movies: All the President's Men and Spotlight. 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.
OR, you can listen to the podcast, "In The Dark" (Season 2)
Movie/Podcast Paper is due via BlackBoard, 11:59, p.m., Tuesday, April 14
FOR TUESDAY, April 14: Read Nelson (pp. 1-52)
WEEK 13.
Tuesday, April 14
What we will do in class: Watch video clips on interviews and do practice interview with an assigned classmate via ZOOM.
FOR THURSDAY, April 16: Read Nelson (pp. 53-173)
Thursday, April 16
What we will do in class: Discussion on interviews; conduct practice interviews
FOR TUESDAY, April 21: Read Nelson (pp. 174-224); identify topic and interview subject; make initial contact with subject by Tuesday (bring proof to class to turn in)
WEEK 14.
Tuesday, April 21
What we will do in class: More on practice interviews; discussing the in-depth interview
FOR THURSDAY, April 23: Read Nelson (pp. 225-291)
Thursday, April 23
What we will do in class: Discussion on ethics and interviewing
FOR TUESDAY, April 28: Read Nelson (pp. 292-376)
Assignment #3 (transcribed interview & audio file) is due via Blackboard no later than 11:59, Sunday, April 26
WEEK 15.
Tuesday, April 28
Work on your final assignment
Individual Zoom meetings may be scheduled with the professor
FINALS WEEK (Assignment instructions linked)
Tuesday, May 5, 8 a.m.