Professional Documents
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ADPR 691AE Blaisdell-Bannon Spring 2019
ADPR 691AE Blaisdell-Bannon Spring 2019
Syllabus/Spring 2019
Objectives:
- Students will learn what goes into media decisions about what is
news/what is a story and how members of the media decide which
stories to cover.
- Students will learn about the daily workings of media outlets.
- Students will learn how to create products (online newsrooms,
media lists) that make establishing and maintaining media
relationships easier.
Objectives:
- Students will look at samples of opinion columns, blogs, social
media posts and news releases and analyze their effectiveness.
- Students will create some of those same products.
- Students will create and maintain a weekly blog.
Objectives:
- Students will learn the basics of Associated Press style.
- Students will learn to write accurately and professionally.
Grades:
Attendance/participation: 25 percent
Two Tests: 25 percent
Homework, AP quizzes and in-class work: 25 percent
Feature story, final paper and class presentation: 12.5 percent
Blog: 12.5 percent
Test Policies: Your tests are open-notes, which means you may use YOUR
class notes, my online lecture notes and any handouts or material on
Blackboard. When you turn in your test, you will also turn in your notes
(the first two test notes will be returned to you with your tests; final
test notes will be returned to you upon request). During the tests, you
will not be allowed to go on a computer, and cell
phones/laptops/tablets must be stored away. Tests will be collected the
day they are handed back to you (I’ll give you time to go over them in
class).
Computers and Phones: When we’re not using them for class purposes,
shut ‘em off. If you are on your phone (or computer) during lectures or
group exercises, for purposes other than taking notes, that will be
reflected in your grade.
Cheating and Plagiarism: Both are serious academic offenses and will
result in an automatic F on the assignment or exam and possibly other
serious consequences. The university’s Academic Misconduct Policy:
www.suffolk.edu/syllabus.
Class Schedule:
Blogging Assignment
By Feb. 11, you will create a blog using Wordpress (or a platform of
your choice) and send the link to your blog and the topic of the blog to
me. Starting the week of Feb. 18 through the week of April 8, you will
post twice a week on that blog (including weeks where Monday is a
holiday but NOT spring break week). At least half of your blog posts
should contain a photo/graphic/video/map/quiz/poll -- something IN
ADDITION to your words.
You should also, once a week, starting the week of Feb. 18, comment
on a classmate’s blog. Please try to spread your comments around and
not just focus on one or two.
Your blog should be about a specific area of interest and must show
more than your own personal involvement in that area. It should show
some work in addition to your personal opinion. Some examples:
fashion, sports, the environment, entertainment, life in the city,
politics, things to do, life as an international student, tips for living on
a budget, cooking. You may make the blog as narrow as you wish (the
Celtics, night life) but make sure it is not so narrow you will have
difficulty finding things to post.
Remember that blogs are used by journalists, so you want to produce the
kind of blog a journalist might turn to for a story idea or a source (you, or
someone you mention). If it’s just fluff or your ramblings about
something you saw this morning, the media will lose interest (and so
will I).
You must email me (or tell me) your topic by March 4. Please do not start
working on your story until I have OK’d your topic.
Deadline: April 29