JRN 516, Spring 2009

A user-friendly guide

The basics

Reporting– Finding out what’s going on and telling

somebody about it.

Journalism– Giving citizens the information they need to be

free and self-governing

What's this class about?

Public Affairs Reporting– Understanding local government– Finding stories, reporting them

Writing to professional standards

Contacting me

Come to classDrop-in office hours

– 9:50-11 a.m. and 11:50-12:20 p.m. MWF– No appointment needed

Phone and email– 989-631-0644; 989-708-5199 (cell)– Japalen@aol.com

Warning

My email address is japalen@aol.com– DO NOT omit the “a” between the

“j” and the “p.” – Mail sent to jpalen@aol.com goes to

my nephew in Southern California. He no longer responds to it.

Deadlines

You must meet deadlines to get a full grade.– Late work gets a grade deducted (A

to B etc.) up to 24 hours late.– After 24 hours, work is returned

ungraded.

Format

Turn in all work in hard copy.– Double space it– Put your name and the date at top– Turn it in during class– If class is not being held, turn it in to my

mailbox. Get it date and time-stamped.– Do not email work to me.

Texts and materials

Guide to Local Government– Posted on class blog, http://jrn516.wordpress.com/

Technology to save your work– Important for revision

Your grade Six stories from your beat

– 70 percent of grade. Class presentation and update of your

beat section in guide– 20 percent

Five exams– 10 percent

Covering the beat

You’ll be assigned a beat.Stories can include:

– Advances– Meetings– Breaking news– Enterprise stories– Interviews

The beats Beal City schools Charter schools Library district County board County parks County planning County roads ICTC

Lake Isabella

MP City Commission

MP airport

MP parks

MP planning

MP public schools

MP zoning board

Shepherd schools

Village of Shepherd

Union Township

The fatal error rule

Work containing a misspelled proper noun or factual error receives no more than a D (revisable to a C).

Revisions

All work except quizzes can be revised for up to one higher grade (D to C, B to A).– For full revision credit, do everything I

ask you to do on the original.

– Turn in the original with the revision.

Questions?