Important: Read this

Here is the working schedule for Summer 2012. *The name of the class is a bit outdated. The focus is on reporting (for all student-run media). Generally, the format for the class will be: Tuesday — a traditional lecture/discussion/readings/exercises and quiz relating to the topic of the week (though quizzes might be moved to Thursdays, if necessary); Thursday — Critique (individual work and the Kansan — both print, Web and TV — and planning sessions on stories that are under way or planned). Note: One team will be responsible for critiqing each week's Kansan and Web.

Please check this page often. It will change given individual and collective needs. Thanks, Malcolm.

• Week 1: June 5 &7 — In the beginning, there was the lede.

Introduction: Syllabus; class procedures. Note: Make sure you read the syllabus carefully in case you have any questions. Questions from it also may show up on a quiz.

Gibson: A review of reporting procedures (including “What is a reporter”); how to write a cover letter; interviewing; ledes; sources (“Get out of the office and face to face”), and requirements for portfolio and beat memo.
Class discussion: Expectations (mine and yours), goals (mine and yours), class prodedures, meeting schedule and requirements for “Meeting with Malcolm (and Gina),” overview of quiz format, discussion and other topics, as needed.
Thursday's Kansan critique: Malcolm and Kansan editors.
Reading assignments: Syllabus; Qualities of an Editor; Study Tips; Prof's Pet Peeves; Writing the Right Word; Spelling hints: It's EZ!; Improving Leads; Cappon (Chapters 1, 2 and 3, which are on reserve in Kansan newsroom -- in green folders on bookshelf along south wall to left of big window.
“Meeting with Malcolm”: First one-on-one meeting this week to discuss specifics relating to each student's responsibilities and to answer any lingering questions. Also, select likely topic/focus for personal essay. Also be prepared to discuss developing stories and any other issues affecting your reporting or assignments. Times to be determined at first class meeting on Tuesday.
In-class exercises: Clinton speech; drowning the reader (tentative).
Lecture: Ledes; narrative approach to writing; the hows and whys of writing a personal essay; how to write a cover letter; Ten in Ten (10 tips in 10 minutes for reporting and writing).
Handouts: “A Newspaper Story” by O. Henry; 8th-Grade Final Exam (Salina, Kan., 1895); “The Louis-Schmeling Fight” by Bob Considine; “Everyone Has a Story...” (The New York Times); “Vague qualifiers” by Paula Larocque, and Kelley Benham's “Five Injured in Crash on U.S 19;” “10 in 10: 10 Helpful Hints in 10 Minutes” (Gibson); two essays; beat memo guideline, and anything else I might think of!

• Week 2: June 12 & 14 — Motion Pictures (But Not the Oscars) and More.

Topics: Video reporting/storytelling (Gina Ford) and more (Malcolm on digital storytelling).
Thursday's Kansan critique. Team #2, Malcolm and Kansan editors.
Reading assignments: AP Styleguide (punctuation chapter); the Kansan stylebook; AP's Top 15; Lie/Lay; Pronouns: Three cases; Who/Whom; That/Which, That: When to Use It; That/Which Challenge; Affect/Effect; Because of/Due to; Sources. Cappon (Chapters 4, 5, 11 and 13, which are on reserve in Kansan newsroom -- in green folders on bookshelf along south wall to left of big window).
Handouts: TBA.
“Meeting with Malcolm” assignment: Story budget. Discussion of personal essay, letter and resume.

• Week 3: June 19 & 21 — Special Guest Sam Ford, and Escaping the world of DULL* and Bad.

Topic: Telling stories -- with video by Sam Ford (famous for being the father of Gina Ford and, oh, one heckuva TV journalist, too!) Also: Avoiding pitfalls and pratfalls; watching your language (i.e., libel and fairness); more on the narrative approach and storytelling. (“It's all in the reporting,” Malcolm sez!) The easy part — what bad stories tell us (and don't tell us), and why they're bad.
Kansan critique by Team #3, Malcolm and Kansan editors.
Reading assignments: “Style: Parallelism, Passives, Redundancy, and Wordiness,” The American Heritage Book of English Usage (on reserve in Journalism Reading Room); Cappon (Chapters 6 and 7, which are on reserve in Kansan newsroom -- in green folders on bookshelf along south wall to left of big window); class handouts (five “bad and ugly” stories). Attribution Handling; False purpose; Quotation Handling; Subjunctive Mood; Conciseness; Sources; AP Styleguide (punctuation chapter), and the Kansan stylebook.
Handouts: Five stories (examples for in-class assignments next week).
“Meeting with Malcolm” assignment: Story budget; further discussion of personal essay, letter and resume.

*D(rowsy), U(ninteresting) and L(ife)L(ess) stories.

• Week 4: June 26 & 28 — The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Part I*).

Topic: Telling stories -- with video by Sam Ford (famous for being the father of Gina Ford and, oh, one heckuva TV journalist!) Also: Avoiding pitfalls and pratfalls; watching your language (i.e., libel and fairness); more on the narrative approach and storytelling. (“It's all in the reporting,” Malcolm sez!) The easy part — what bad stories tell us (and don't tell us), and why they're bad.
Kansan critique by Team #4, Malcolm and Kansan editors.
Reading assignments: “Style: Parallelism, Passives, Redundancy, and Wordiness,” The American Heritage Book of English Usage (on reserve in Journalism Reading Room); Cappon (Chapters 9 and 10, which are on reserve in Kansan newsroom -- in green folders on bookshelf along south wall to left of big window); class handouts (five “bad and ugly” stories).
Handouts: Five more stories (examples for in-class assignments next week).
“Meeting with Malcolm” assignment: Story budget; outline of personal essay; first draft of cover letter and resume.

*OK, only the good this week unless we don't get through all the bad from the previous week.

Topic: The harder part — what good stories tell us, and why they're good.
Kansan critique by Team #2, Malcolm and Kansan editors.
Reading assignments: “Names and Labels,” The American Heritage Book of English Usage (on reserve), the Kansan stylebook, and class handouts (five “good” stories).
Handouts: TBA.
“Meeting with Malcolm” assignment: Story budget; first draft of cover letter and resume (moved from previous week).

*OK, only the good this week.

**Only the good this week.

• Week 7: July 17 & 19 — Leftovers.

Topics: More on digital storytelling; interviews; effective use of quotes; attribution and sources; how to get a job and keep a job.
Kansan critique by Team #4, Malcolm and Kansan editors.
Kansan critique: Malcolm and Kansan editors.
Reading assignments: TBA.
Handouts: TBA
“Meeting with Malcolm” assignment: Story budget.

• Week 8: That's a wrap (or, in old newspaper jargon, “-30-”).

Portfolio and beat memo are due no later than noon Monday, July 23. Or, if earlier, just bring it in before you leave and at or before our final one-on-one meeting.

Here's an important note on the last week of scheduled classes and grading: There are no scheduled class periods the final week of classes because final publication is on the Monday. If virtually all your work (“Back to School,” etc.) is completed, we will have a final one-on-one meeting during our regularly-scheduled Wednesday “Meeting with Malcolm.” We can discuss and, perhaps, settle on your (tentative) final grade at that time. I will discuss in detail before that time comes.