Spring 2002
T,Th 11:05 - 12:35
122 Dempster Hall

Professor Carol Fletcher
Office: Room 313 Dempster Hall
Office Hours: M,W 9:30 - 11:30
And by appointment
Phone: (516) 463-6464
E-mail: Carol T. Fletcher@hofstra.edu
Fax: (516) 625-3897

Welcome to the wonderful world of journalism! This course will cover the basics of reporting, researching, writing and editing. We will discuss what makes a story newsworthy and will explore the privileges and responsibilities, both legal and ethical, of journalists. You will learn about a most satisfying occupation - part art, part craft, part profession, part calling.
You should begin thinking of our computer lab not as a classroom but as a newsroom. From your desk, you can read the latest AP wires, access the full text from articles in thousands of publications worldwide, and search the Web. We will learn to use these, and many other tools, over the course of the semester. Along the way, you will write dozens of articles - because the only way to become a proficient journalist is to write and write and write.
As in any newsroom, you are permitted to move about freely, talk to your fellow reporters, and use the phone for reporting. Like all good reporters, you are expected to ask questions - lots of them - and cultivate your curiosity about the world around you. You are also expected to follow events in the news and to read at least one reputable newspaper daily. Other course requirements include:

Prerequisites and Co-requisites
Journalism 01 and SCO 02 are prerequisites for Journalism 11. While taking this course, you should also be taking PSC

Attendance
You are responsible for coming to class. I understand that emergencies do arise. Therefore, each student is permitted one unexcused absence during the semester. Any additional absences will result in the final grade being dropped by one full letter.
Absences are not an excuse for late work. Even if you are absent, you are expected to hand in work on time.
Attendance will be taken during the first five minutes of class each day. If you arrive after that, you will be marked absent.

Distinguished Speakers
Each semester, the Department of Journalism and Mass Media Studies invites two prominent journalists to speak at the School of Communication. Journalism majors are required to attend these lectures, which take place in Breslin Hall during Common Hour. This spring, the lectures are scheduled for Wednesday, February 20, and Wednesday, April 17. Please save the dates.

Deadlines
Reporters must meet deadlines. Nothing is more useless that an article on a breaking story written two days late. In the real world, late copy doesn't make the paper. In our world, late assignments aren't read or graded. No exceptions!

Accuracy
All stories must be entirely accurate. All quotes must be exact. Names must be spelled correctly. If you are not sure, go back and check. Then check again. Any story with an error automatically receives an F.

Integrity
The integrity of the reporter is the foundation of journalism. Dishonesty will not be tolerated in any newsroom, including ours. Fabricating quotes or sources will result in an F for the course. Handing in work that is not original will result in expulsion from the course, and, perhaps, the University.

Class Participation
Reporters need to be active, not passive. They need to ask questions and challenge what they are told. Practice these skills in class.

Reading
Most reporters read several newspapers a day. The more you read during the semester, the better journalist you'll become. Read everything you can get your hands on - newspapers, magazines, books, journals, press releases and Internet sites. At the very
minimum, you are required to purchase and read the following:

Reporting for the Media, Fred Fedler et al., Seventh edition, 1999, Harcourt Brace. This is the basic textbook for the course. Please complete the required readings for each week before Tuesday's class.
A Journalist's Guide to the Internet, Christopher Callahan, 1999, Allyn & Bacon.
The Craft of Quoting, Frank Harris III, 1999.
The New York Times. It's not the easiest paper to read, but it is a must for any reporter in the New York area. You are required to read the Times every weekday and will be quizzed on the contents each week. Both the Times and Newsday (which is also recommended) are available daily in the box at the front entrance of Dempster.

You also need to purchase the following reference books:
Associated Press Stylebook. This is staple for any reporter. Get a wire-bound copy, which lies flat and is easy to reference. You'll use it until you wear it out.
Webster's New World Dictionary. The AP Stylebook is based on this dictionary, another staple for reporters.
Additionally, if you need help with basic grammar, I will suggest that you purchase Elements of Style and will recommend specific chapters for review.

Schedule:
The following schedule is approximate and may be altered to accommodate the needs and interests of students and events in the news.

Grading

News quizzes: 30%
Writing exercises: 30%
Stylebook quizzes and final: 30%
Class participation: 10%

A Final Note
Journalism is an odd profession. It is unusually fun and extraordinarily hard. It offers unbelievable freedom and involves innumerable constraints. It is a calling of conscience and a business of expediencies. It constantly thrusts you in new situations and demands that you be an expert. It is a craft easy to learn and impossible to master.

There will be many times this semester when you are not sure what you are doing. You will wonder why an interview went sour, why a story doesn't hold together, why your lead isn't working. This uncertainty goes with the territory. Please, ASK FOR HELP. That's what I'm here for. If you wait until the deadline to admit you're lost, there's little I can do except give you a bad grade. But if you tell me early on, I just might be able to help you solve the problem. So… ASK FOR HELP. Raise your hand in class. Drop by my office. E-mail me. Call me. I want you to succeed. I want you to learn to love this profession as much as I do.