Obituary example

Jenna Suhl, a producer and director of the world's most powerful documentaries, passed away painlessly in her sleep at her San Diego beach house on Tuesday. She was 98.

The cause is unknown. 

Suhl spent more than 40 years filming worldwide documentaries, giving her the recognition as the "World's Story Teller." 

Suhl's career didn't start until after a few small, unpublicized accomplishments, such as being a bathroom designer and the 49ers mascot Sourdough Sam. 

After her time as Sourdough Sam, Suhl became a freelance children's books illustrator. 

She fell in love with story telling and began to shoot small, local documentaries with the support of her husband. 

Suhl is known to have contributed to global music festivals for more than 10 years since her 30s and preached that a life without music is no life at all.

"She was always full of life," Her husband said. "She found inspiration in almost anything around her. It was beautiful." 

Suhl met her husband at 25 and the two married when she was 28. 

Five of her children will be hosting the memorial service dance party Suhl had wished for in her will, this Saturday at her beach house. 

Obituary example

Jenna Suhl, a producer and director of the world's most powerful documentaries, passed away painlessly in her sleep at her San Diego beach house on Tuesday. She was 98.

The cause is unknown. 

Suhl spent more than 40 years filming worldwide documentaries, giving her the recognition as the "World's Story Teller." 

Suhl's career didn't start until after a few small, unpublicized accomplishments, such as being a bathroom designer and the 49ers mascot Sourdough Sam. 

After her time as Sourdough Sam, Suhl became a freelance children's books illustrator. 

She fell in love with story telling and began to shoot small, local documentaries with the support of her husband. 

Suhl is known to have contributed to global music festivals for more than 10 years since her 30s and preached that a life without music is no life at all.

"She was always full of life," Her husband said. "She found inspiration in almost anything around her. It was beautiful." 

Suhl met her husband at 25 and the two married when she was 28. 

Five of her children will be hosting the memorial service dance party Suhl had wished for in her will, this Saturday at her beach house. 

(Emerging) trend feature example

Zane Rizvi swiped across his phone and curled his lips in a fit of revulsion. The 19-year-old student at Cal State Long Beach, who identifies as bisexual, shared a bit of what his life is like on the smartphone dating app Tinder.

“OK, these guys are all pretty ugly right now,” he said.

A devoted Tinder user for about a year, Rizvi uses the dating app to meet men and women, or entertain himself by engaging in lengthy messaging with people he matches with, which happens when each user swipes right on the other’s profile, to show they’re interested.

Though not a new trend, finding dates online or through smartphone apps is rising steadily. A recent Pew Research Center survey of 2,001 adults in the U.S. shows that 27 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 have used online or app dating, a number that has tripled in the last two years.

Fifteen percent of American adults overall report they have used online dating sites or mobile dating apps, up from 11 percent in early 2013, according to a February study in Pew.

And it’s not just a Millennial thing. The percentage of adults between 55 and 64 years old who have used online dating doubled during the same time period, from 6 percent to 12 percent.

Forty-one percent of Americans know someone who uses online dating, with 29 percent knowing someone who has met a spouse or longtime partner in the digital world, according to Pew.

Apps for every romantic appetite abound. There’s JSwipe for Jewish people. Bumble, which makes women make the first move. Grindr and Scruff are apps for gays.

While eight in 10 Americans who have used online dating say it’s a good way to meet people, and 62 percent agree that it allows people to find a better match, close to half (45 percent) say the Internet and apps are more dangerous ways to meet people than other means.

Another negative, or positive depending on one’s perspective: 31 percent agree that online dating gives people options and therefore causes them to delay settling down, according to Pew.

In some cases, dating apps and online sites might be fun at first, but like other novelties, the thrill wears off.

“Every new match, it’s the same questions,” said Mariah Garcia, a 20-year-old student at CSULB.

She described the tedium of messaging with guys who seem to buy discount pickup lines from the flirt factory. What’s a woman to do when all she reads is “Hey,” “What’s up?” or “You’re so beautiful”?

Garcia said men need to make an effort to set themselves apart on dating apps.

“I’m more likely to like them more if they show personality or if they say something funny,” she said.

Garcia dated a couple of men she met on Tinder. One didn’t go anywhere. The other?

“We dated for a hot minute,” Garcia said, laughing.

Mark Carrier, a psychology professor at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson, said online dating is a rational endeavor for those who want to find a partner.

It requires little effort and offers convenience, especially in a world where people are accustomed to using apps and websites as a way to quickly get things done.

“Looking for other people and portraying yourself are all easier to do through the apps,” Carrier said.

But finding people this way is not without its pitfalls. Sixteen percent of American adults say people who use online dating sites are desperate, according to Pew.

The research center also found that among those who have used online dating, 53 percent of women say it’s more dangerous than other ways of meeting people, with 38 percent of men saying such.

And the danger isn’t just in meeting a weirdo.

Carrier said on dating apps and websites, people let their guards down and freely offer bits of information that could come back to haunt them.

Screenshots of lurid conversations could be posted online, or perhaps if the relationship sours, a vengeful person takes the information you shared and uses it against you.

“Disinhibition is a mechanism by which people are much more willing to disclose personal information, and that alters the dating experience by the using the device, for the better or the worse,” Carrier said. “The problem with disinhibition is you are more likely to behave in ways that are detrimental to your long-term goals.”

And in the early formation of relationships, the chemistry between two people online or through a dating app can quickly dissolve when they meet in the flesh.

Such was the case once for Rizvi, who met a woman in Vancouver he found on Tinder. All the fun bantering through messages suddenly disappeared when they first saw each other.

“It was pretty awkward,” Rizvi said.

It’s a common occurrence. Mainly, because when people portray themselves through texts or emails, they are only offering slices of themselves that project an image of what they want other people to have of them.

The person receiving the messages is forming an impression of you with limited information, so the brain starts to fill in the rest of a personality profile, Carrier said.

This starts when they see your photo on a dating site or app. Carrier said people will look at photographs and immediately draw up mental images of a stranger’s characteristics, like intelligence or integrity.

“So when you meet the person, that impression can change, and the reality doesn’t match,” Carrier said.

His advice to dating app users is be cautious before sharing personal information, and pause to consider how what you type can be used against you later. Slow down and don’t be impulsive, he said.

Column example

I find it really hard to watch any awards shows.

My mom loves all the awards shows. Always has. 

She and my sister will be plopped on the couch this Sunday starting around 5 a.m. scouring the television for anything relating to it.

My dad hates the awards shows. He comes by it honestly.

Back in the day — you know, the 1970s, when I was a lad and we had four TV stations and no Netflix — the entire family would huddle up together around the fuzzy, 18-inch color TV set with the rabbit ears on top. We sat with rapt attention and watched the Academy Awards.

To be honest, there really wasn’t a whole lot else to do.

I enjoyed the Oscars in those days for one reason: Johnny Carson was the host. To me, he’s still the only five-tool guy to ever grace an industry where one-tool and a good publicist can get somebody his or her very own late night talk show.

Ralph Strangis Sr. is a world-class corporate attorney. Anyone who knows him will tell you that, despite the teddy-bear countenance and occasional untied shoe, untucked shirt or visible ice cream stain on the jacket, he’s as slick and smart as they come. 

His well-reasoned opinions and well-articulated positions on all matters are compelling, thought-provoking, and in almost all cases correct.

It was during one of these annual golden-statue award show viewings that my father, while taking his annual beating at the hands of the glamorous and largely brain dead, became unable to take it for even another minute. After the fifth or sixth acceptance speech that night, Ralph Sr. snapped.

“Ralphie, go turn down the volume,” he belched.

Remember that these were very primitive times. In this barbaric world, there are no such things as remote control devices.

But if you were Ralph Sr. and you had a wife and four children in the room with you, your remote control was the command of your voice and the quick participation of your subordinates. Ralph Jr. was your go-to for all things TV.

Up I jumped and took the three strides to the knob on the front of the set and made the room quiet.

“I got a new rule …”

Now, we were perhaps concerned that this would be something that would affect us all directly, but very quickly he got to the point.

“Here’s the rule. And the rule is not only for the Academy Awards but for every single awards show, and in fact for every single ceremony whereby anybody is presenting any award for anything ...”

Seriously, that’s how he talks.

“The rule is, that for every award presented, the recipient of the award, upon receiving the award and moving to the podium, has only 60 seconds to make the speech. 

And here is the important part of the rule: the recipient can say anything he or she wants, on any topic he or she likes, but THEY CAN’T THANK ANYBODY.”

Genius.

Imagine removing from every awards show all the things we know they’re all going to say when they get up there. 

No more “I want to thank my team and my agent and my director and my cast and the best crew anywhere and my publicist and stylist and the catering guy …”

Instead, maybe we get a story from Leo about where he was when he first read “The Revenant.” Or who it was early in life that got him started. 

Or maybe why this part appealed to him in the first place. Or a funny or sincere story about something that happened during production.

But that ain’t gonna happen — unless I win an Academy award. Which is admittedly very doubtful.

I promise, if I ever win I’ll adhere to the rule. I tell a good story. I’ll talk about something funny and interesting. I’ll hit the time limit perfectly.

And at the very end, I’ll say, “I’m so happy to have been able to share these words with you. And for the realization of what kind of speech I would make here tonight ... I have to thank my father.”

Organizing the final feature example

By Rachel Roubein Times Staff Writer Carroll County Times | 0 comments

Dazed, Deryk Kern forced himself to stand. The Westminster High School quarterback reassured himself he was fine, that he could continue playing.

It was the first quarter of an important game — the regional championship against Sherwood High School. He had just been tackled and hit on the right side of his head.

“I remember looking up and it felt like déjà vu,” the senior student-athlete said. “It felt like a dream.”

Several plays later, Kern passed the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. Yet, the typical adrenaline rush of points on the scoreboard didn’t come. He felt dizzy, but he continued to play.

“I couldn’t let my team down because they fed off of how I did. I was the leader because I was the quarterback,” Kern said. “If I went out, they probably would have lost hope.”

But he led his team to a 62-28 win and a 2012 regional championship title. That night’s incident was not diagnosed as a concussion, though Kern -- who had experienced a concussion once beforehand -- said the hit’s aftermath initially felt similar.

More than 1 million athletes nationwide sustain a concussion each year, according to an American Academy of Neurology report released last month. An athlete who’s experienced this type of traumatic brain injury is at a greater risk of receiving another, and they’re particularly susceptible during the 10 days following the initial incident.

Though Kern did tell his athletic trainer about the dizziness after the hit in November, he waited until after the game ended and the win was secured. He felt better by then, and the school’s athletic trainer kept an eye on him. He didn’t have to sit out, Kern said.

This scenario isn’t uncommon, according to Dr. Alan Faden, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and an expert in brain trauma treatment.

“Students want to get back in the game,” he said, “and at the age of 16 or 17, they think they are basically immortal and that it doesn’t affect them. But certainly it can affect them for the rest of their lives.”

A powerful bump, blow or jolt to the body or the head can cause a concussion, which is categorized as a traumatic brain injury. It can change how one’s brain typically functions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Research on what exactly constitutes a concussion, how it should be measured and when an athlete is back to normal is limited, Faden said.

“I think the bottom line is head injury is a much, much larger problem than people imagine,” he said.

On average, 173,285 people 19 years old and younger are treated at emergency departments annually for traumatic brain injuries related to sports and other recreational activities. The CDC analyzed national data from 2001 to 2009 and released the report two years later.

For males 19 years and younger, football comprised about 20 percent of emergency department visits. Bicycling followed at nearly 17 percent and then playing on a playground at roughly 8 percent, according to the CDC’s report.

Playground activities made up the most emergency department visits for females in the same age range, coming at about 14 percent. Bicycling followed at 12 percent and then soccer at nearly 10 percent.

Carroll County recently began tracking the number of concussions high school athletes sustain per sport. And the data shows a general trend, according to Jim Rodriguez, Carroll County Public Schools supervisor of athletics.

“When you take a sport that’s a collision sport — not just a contact sport — but a collision sport you automatically increase the chances,” he said. “If you have a collision, the likelihood of injury, not just head injury, goes up.”

Over the past two football seasons, there have been a total of 103 concussions among athletes in Carroll County Public High Schools. The next highest was at least 40 concussions sustained from cheerleading, then girls soccer with at least 23, and then girls basketball with at least 14, according to Carroll County Public Schools data.

Yet, concussions don’t just affect the youth. They’re prevalent in college athletics, too.

Out of the University of Maryland, College Park’s sports teams, football players also sustain the most concussions. During the past five years, the football program has seen 44 concussions, according to university data sent to the Times.

Wrestlers experienced the second-most: 30 concussions during the past five years. Next came 19 by men’s lacrosse players and then 12 by women’s soccer players.

If rapid movement to the head has left an athlete out of sorts, the American Academy of Neurology recommends an athlete be removed from play. A licensed health care provider should be contacted.

If the person is unconscious, the academy recommends performing the ABCs — checking the person’s airway, breathing and circulation. Emergency personnel should be contacted.

“As a rule, I think that the response should be more conservative rather than less conservative,” Faden said. “That would be the take-home message.”

San José State University
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
MCom 100W – Writing Workshop

Course #48060, Section 05, Fall 2012

Instructor:	Ralph Nichols
Office:	Dwight Bentel Hall 135
Telephone:	Office: 408.924.3247
Email:	RalphNicholsSJSU@gmail.com
Office hours:	Before and after class and by appointment
Class Days/Time:	Friday 9 a.m.-11:45
Classroom:	DBH 226
:

Course Description

Advanced writing across the media -- advertising, journalism and public relations. The focus is on writing and research for an increasingly convergent media with multiple media formats, from the Web to print and broadcast. This class is designed for students who plan careers in media-related fields.

Required Texts/Readings

The Associated Press Style Book (any recent edition)

When Words Collide, or a similar grammar/style text

When Words Collide, workbook

Note: If you have little or no prior news writing experience, you may also want to refer to one of the following texts: Inside reporting: A practical guide to the craft of journalism by Tim Harrower (2006) or Writing for the Mass Media by James Glen Stovall.

Required equipment:  Laptop and flash drive

Course Goals

The emphasis in this class is on good clear writing. Exercises and projects are related to journalism, advertising, public relations and broadcast writing. For example, you will write a news story, press release, broadcast copy, query letter, feature and a final research paper. In-class assignments include peer editing, memos and an opinion piece.

To satisfy university GE requirements, you must write a minimum of 8,000 words for this class. Regardless of your final grade, you must demonstrate that you have met the 8000-word minimum to pass. You must also successfully complete the Student Learning Outcomes listed below to pass this class.

Please come to every class prepared to write an in-class assignment. I expect your writing to be of entry-level professional quality (and if it isn’t there yet, it should be by the end of the semester). Correct use of the English language is a standard in this industry so be mindful of spelling and grammar. Poor grammar and misspelled words will result in dramatically reduced grades.

Media writers also need to stay on top of current events and trends. You should follow the news -- in print, broadcast and online. Expect some current events quizzes.

Student Learning Objectives

·      Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve.

·      Critically evaluate your own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness.

·      Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which you will work.

·      Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of groups in a global society in relationship to communications.

·      Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.

·      Think critically, creatively and independently.

Grading

Written assignments will be graded on organization, accuracy, clarity and style, as well as on grammar, punctuation and spelling. To help you understand how we will assess your work, here is an overview of our grading standards:

To receive an "A," your written work must comply with all requirements of the assignment, be well organized and well developed, and demonstrate a clear understanding of audience and purpose. Your writing should contain no logical or factual errors, and demonstrate your ability to use language and construct sentences effectively and correctly. It should also display a measure of creativity, and be essentially free of grammatical, mechanical, usage and AP Style errors.

"B" work demonstrates the same competence as "A" work, but with some slight weaknesses. It may fall short on one of the assigned tasks, show less facility with language, or contain some minor grammatical, mechanical, usage or AP style errors.

"C" work completes all tasks set by the assignment, but shows weaknesses in the fundamentals (e.g., organization and development, understanding of audience and purpose). The sentence construction may be less mature, and the use of language may be less correct than in "B" work.

Failing work neglects one of the assigned tasks and may be noticeably superficial in its treatment of the assignment -- that is, it is too short or simplistic, or has problems in logic or development. It also contains serious grammatical, mechanical, and/or usage errors that may render some sentences incomprehensible. It may also demonstrate a striking underdevelopment of ideas and organization, and contains serious grammatical, mechanical, and/or usage errors that render some sentences incomprehensible.

Please Note: Factual errors will also result in a failing grade for the assignment.

Classroom Policies

·      All writing assignments submitted for this class must be original work, written by you for this class (see Academic Dishonesty section below).

·      All papers must be typed (or posted on your blog); handwritten papers will not be accepted.

·      Please be on time. In-class assignments and tests are distributed only to those present -- no make-ups.

·      Papers will be collected at the start of class on the due date; late papers are never accepted.

·      Please do not check your e-mail, text or surf the Web during class time.

·      Check your e-mail and the class blog regularly. Instructors often respond to questions on assignments and/or give a heads-up on quiz questions by e-mail or in a post on the class blog.

·      If you are unable to attend class on a day when a hard-copy assignment is due, send it in with a trusted classmate. Hard copy assignments are never accepted via email.

·      This class is no longer graded ABC/nc. Students taking this class will now receive regardless. You must receive a “C” or better in this class. If you receive a “C-“ or below, you will need to take the class again. Incompletes are not given in this class. It should be noted that 30 percent of 100w students across the campus do not pass the first time.

·      Anything you e-mail your instructor should be within the text of your e-mail; no attachments, please unless instructed specifically to do so

·      Make sure you understand the details of the homework assignments before leaving class.

·      Please save all of your written assignments, tests, quizzes, etc. You’ll need them as proof that you’ve met the 8,000-word minimum for this class.

·      If you get a “C” or below on an assignment, you should plan to rewrite it. Rewrites are the only effective way of improving your writing.

·      Include a word count on all papers.

·      You are responsible for all material covered during class, whether you attend class or not. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get notes and assignment information from a classmate. Specifics of assignments are discussed in class, not via e-mail.

·      Extenuating circumstances need to be communicated on the first day of class.

·      Your presence is expected at every class and at the final exam.

·      Please exercise good manners and good judgment. Discourteous and impolite behavior will not be tolerated.

Department Policies

·      Please turn off your cell phone, or set it to “vibrate,” while in class.

·      Clean up after yourself and pick up debris before leaving class.

·      No food in classrooms.

·      No late arrivals.

Grade Checks

I don’t do grade checks but I’m happy to show you how to do one for yourself. Simply take the total points you’ve received and divide that into the total points possible for a percentage.  It’s your responsibility to hang on to every paper returned to you. Blog assignments will receive periodic email responses with remarks and/or grades.

Final grades for this course will be given as follows:

grade	A+	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F
total points	1001+	940-1000	900-939	870-899	835-869	800-834	770-799	735-769	700-734	670-699	635-669	600-634	0-599

San Jose State University’s grade point system is as follows:

grade	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F
grade point	4.0	3.7	3.3	3.0	2.7	2.3	2.0	1.7	1.3	1.0	0.7	0

CYA

Save your work. Email yourself a copy of your paper, both as an attachment and within the text of an email. Then, if your printer, computer or any other technology crashes, you can go to a commercial copy center, such as Kinko’s, to print out your assignment.

MLK Library Liaison

Paul Kauppila, Librarian

(408) 808-2042

paul.kauppila@sjsu.edu

Word to the Wise

If you feel that writing is one of your weaknesses, get help early.

Writing resources at SJSU

The SJSU Writing Center is in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU colleges. Writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement and are well trained to assist students to become better writers. For more information, visit http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter or call 408-924-2308.

Dropping and Adding

Information on adding and dropping classes is available at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/soc-fall/rec-324.html. Information on late drops is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/sac/advising/latedrops/policy/. You are responsible for understanding policies and procedures relating to adding and dropping classes, academic renewal, etc.

University Policies

Academic integrity

I take the issue of academic integrity very seriously. I have flunked students for submitting plagiarized papers. I consider plagiarism to be the “kiss of death” for a student in a writing class, and for any student who aspires to work in one of the writing professions.

The University’s Academic Integrity Policy is available at http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/download/judicial_affairs/Academic_Integrity_Policy_S07-2.pdf.

Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University and the University’s integrity policy, requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The website for Student Conduct and Ethical Development is available at http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/judicial_affairs/index.html.

Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. If you would like to include in your assignment any material you have previously submitted or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy F06-1 requires the instructor’s prior approval.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible (or see me during my office hours). Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities who request accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability Resource Center) to establish a record of their disability.

Student Technology Resources

Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1^st floor of Clark Hall and on the 2^nd floor of the Student Union. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King Library.

A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services located in IRC 112, including: Camcorders, slide projectors, DVD and CD players, sound systems, wireless microphones, projection screens, and monitors.

MCom 100W, Fall 2012

Course Schedule

Please Note: This class schedule is subject to change to accommodate guest speaker schedules, campus events, etc. You will be notified by email and on the class blog of any significant changes. Bring this schedule to every class.

Due Dates: Hard copies of assignments are due at the start of class; blog assignments must be posted on your blog AND link emailed to your teacher before the start of class on the due date. Late assignments receive no credit.

WEEK 1

August 24

Focus: Course introduction.

Focus: Writing with clarity; start blogging (set up your blog, write your first blog post: “All About Me”)

Due: Email your new blog’s URL (web address) to the instructor by the end of class.

Due: Word of the Week #1 (post on blog).

WEEK 2

August 31 Class will not meet

WEEK 3

September 7 - Focus: Library/Online Research

Focus: Library/Online Research – in-class research project

Focus: Writing persuasively, resumes & cover letters.

WEEK 4

September 14

Focus: Your favorite writing; Copy Edit the World; peer editing of resumes

Due: Blog Post #2 - My Favorite Writing; first draft of resume & cover letter (bring 2 copies to class for peer editing).

Focus: Writing leads, 5Ws &1H, leads exercise, AP Style

Due: Word of the Week #2

WEEK 5

September 21

Focus: Writing leads & news stories, news values, AP Style Quiz #1

Due: Final draft of Resume & Cover Letter (hard copy)

Focus: More on writing news stories, news writing exercise

Due: Word of the Week #3; Blog Post #3 – Comparing Media; news writing exercise (please note that this is both a blog assignment AND a hard copy assignment and you will need to follow the appropriate formatting and protocol for each assignment)

WEEK 6

September 28

Focus: Writing News Releases; news release exercise, AP Style Quiz #2 (take home)

Due: News Story (on blog)

Use class time to complete today’s “A Fly on the Wall” assignment.

Due: Word of the Week #4, Blog Post #4 – A Fly on the Wall

WEEK 7

October 5

Focus: Writing memos, reports & summaries; in-class memo exercise; AP Style Quiz #3

Due: News Release and AP Style Quiz #2.

Focus: Opinion writing, exercise: write a letter to the editor (bring topic to class)

What’s Due: Word of the Week #5, letter to the editor (due by end of class)

WEEK 8

October 12

Focus: Gathering info, interviewing tips, conveying character, AP Style Quiz #4

Due: Blog #5 - Mystery Character

Focus: Writing profiles, working w/quotes and anecdotes

Due: Word of the Week #6, Blog #6 - IMHO #1

WEEK 9

October 19

In-class assignment: Interview a classmate for your classmate profile

What’s Due: Hard copy assignment - NPR Radio Interview Analysis

Focus: Writing features & trend stories; finding features in the news exercise

Due: Word of the Week #7;

Home work: Research story-telling techniques. Also read several features and break down the technique used in telling these stories. Which techniques work best for you and why? Write one to two pages and plan to share your findings – Favorite Writings (story-telling techniques)

WEEK 10

October 26

Focus: Writing query letters, in-class exercise, AP Style Quiz #5, review for Midterm.

Due: query letter exercise

Focus: Field trip to Japanese Internment Memorial

Due: Word of the Week #8, Classmate Profile

WEEK 11

November 2

MIDTERM EXAM

Focus: Crediting your sources; cites exercise.

Due: Word of the Week #9, Query letter for your Final Feature (hard copy)

WEEK 12

November 9

Focus: Draft scholarly journal article summary #1 in class. (Bring journal article to class.)

Due: Blog #9 - Japanese internment memorial essay, scholarly journal article summary #1 (by end of class)

Focus: Focus story structure, Audiences & advertising; ad retargeting exercise, your Fish Out of Water stories

What’s Due: Word of the Week #10 (the last one!), Focus story structure exercise (by the end of class)

Focus: Several assignments are due next class.

November 16– Focus: Structuring longer stories: feature story analysis; Writing with style: similes & metaphors, parallelism, in-class exercise

Due: Scholarly journal article summary #2, similes & metaphors exercise (by end of class) Blog #10 - Fish Out of Water, Targeting Audiences (advertising analysis) & ad retargeting exercise

WEEK 14

No class …. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving

WEEK 15

November 30

Focus: Writing for broadcast, in-class exercise

Due: Broadcast writing exercise (by the end of class)

Focus: Peer editing of your final feature

Due: Blog 11 - IMHO #2, draft of your final feature (bring two copies for peer editing)

November 30

Focus: Peer editing and fine tuning your final feature

In class: spreadsheet

December

Focus: Review for final exam; grade checks using your Word Count spreadsheet

Due: Draft of your Word Count spreadsheet

Focus: Wrap-up, present broadcast version of your final feature

Due: Your final feature, sidebar and 60-second broadcast script

Final Exam: The final exam for this class is scheduled by the university for Monday, Dec. 17 at: 7:15 a.m. or at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, December 14. It is your responsibility to double check times and dates of all your final exams and ensure there is no time conflict. Use the following link to check the final exam schedule for all fall 2012 classes.

http://info.sjsu.edu/static/schedules/final-exam-schedule-fall.html

Assignments

Journal Entries and Blog Posts

Word of the Week: Add 10 new words to your vocabulary -- one per week, starting in the second week of class.

For this assignment, you can use any word that’s new to you … from reading a book, newspaper, magazine or web site. (Note: Words that refer to diseases or medical conditions are not eligible.) Please post these assignments on your blog. Here’s the format to use:

Word #1 (make the title of the assignment the title of your blog post)

1.     Your Word

2.     Where you read it (source info).

3.     The entire sentence in which you found this word.

4.     Dictionary definition for this word; part of speech (noun, verb, etc.).

5.     Use the word in a new sentence. Your sentence should make it clear that you understand the meaning of this word and know how to use it.

Blog Post #1 - All About Me (200 words): Tell me a bit about yourself: Your background, your major, your professional aspirations … your strengths and weaknesses as a writer … your favorite color and what you like to do in your spare time (if you have any).

Blog 2 - Your Favorite Writing (200 words): Select a short piece of writing you enjoy and admire and explain why you like it and why you think it’s an example of good writing. It can be any kind of writing: news, fiction, non-fiction, ad copy, poetry -- whatever appeals to you. Be sure to list source information (author, publication, etc.) to identify your piece of writing, including: the author, the title of the book or publication in which it appeared, page number, and date of publication.

Blog 3 – Comparing Media(300-500 words): Compare the news coverage of a single national news story by examining its same-day coverage in different types of news media (compare at least three), as follows: Please note that this assignment is to be turned in as a hard copy AND as a blog assignment. Follow the proper formatting rules for each.

·      Newspaper: How long is/are the article(s) on this issues? How many sources are quoted? How many articles are there? Are the stories accompanied by charts, graphs or photos?

·      Television: How many minutes is the story? How many sources are quoted? How does the detail provided on television news compare to the newspaper?

·      National Public Radio (or another radio program that includes national news): How long is the story? How many sources are quoted? How is the coverage on radio and television similar? How are they different? Does the radio story use background sound and/or interviews to change “the scene” in the listener’s mind?

·      Online News: How does online news coverage of this issue compare? How long is the story? How many sources? Is it more like print or broadcast coverage? Or different from both?

Blog 4 – A Fly on the Wall (200-250 words): Go out into the world, pick an interesting spot, and act like a fly on the wall. Observe the scene around you and take copious notes. Think in terms of all five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Feel free to include snippets of nearby conversations, if applicable. Later, go through your notes and decide which details are the most “telling details” – that is, which would help someone visualize this. Then use those details to write your “Fly on the Wall” vignette. If you can give it the feel of a very short story … even better.

Blog 5 - Mystery Character (150-250 words): Your mystery character can be any well-known entertainer, athlete or politician -- someone living or dead -- even fictional. The catch? You must describe your mystery character without actually saying who it is. Instead, make your description do the work by using telling details that will help readers recognize your character from your description alone. You may want to show how your character moves, sounds, gestures, talks, dresses -- focus on whatever you think are the most telling details about that person. Omit any personal or professional information that would be a “dead giveaway” for this person. Remember, I’ll be looking for description, not a biography.

When you send the email with the URL for this assignment, put the mystery character’s name in the text of the email.

Blog 6 – IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) #1: For this assignment, you’ll pick a current news story that really get you fired up and write a 350-400-word blog post. For example, if the health care debate really lights your fuse, write an opinion piece about that. Of course, to make your opinion pieces credible, you’ll need to be organized and back up your points … not just rant. That means you’ll need to do some research and provide links to the original article and to any other sources you use.

Blog 7 - Japanese Internment Memorial essay (500 words): Before our field trip to the Japanese Internment Memorial, you’ll need to do some online research and answer the following questions:

·      What was the Japanese Internment and why did it happen?

·      Who is Ruth Asawa?

·      What happened locally (San Jose) during the internment?

·      How did SJSU factor in?

During the field trip, take careful notes on the vignettes at the memorial. Afterward, write an essay describing two or three of the vignettes that you found most compelling. Draw upon your research to explain their significance. Consider: Do you think something like this could happen again?

Blog 8 - IMHO #2 (see Blog #6 for details)

Assignments

1.     Resume & Cover Letter: Scan internship or employment listings (newspaper, monster.com, craigslist.com, jmcjobs blog) for the kind of job you’d like for this summer or when you graduate. Write a cover letter (approx. 150 words) and one-page resume applying for the most interesting position. Staple a copy of your want ad to your letter and resume.

2.      NPR Radio interview analysis (350-500 words): Listen to and analyze an interview on an NPR program such as Fresh Air or All Things Considered. Your professor will give you a choice of two or three current interviews to analyze. In your analysis, please consider the following

What did the interviewer know about the subject before the interview?

What kinds of questions did they ask?

How did they build up to questions? How did they follow up to questions?

Did the interviewer appear to have a strategy?

How were inadequate or evasive answers (if any) handled?

What was the apparent relationship between the interviewer and interviewee?

What did you learn about interviewing from this interview?

3.     News Release (200 words)

4.     Scholarly journal article summary (250-500 words): Locate and photocopy a scholarly article of at least eight pages or more, preferably on a topic that interests you (even better, find articles that are related to your final feature so you can use them for that assignment too). Be sure the article is not a review or summary, since that is what we’re asking you to do. Read the article and summarize it in your own words. Staple your photocopy of the original article to your summary.  

5.      Classmate Profile (A) or Personal Obit (B): (instructor’s choice; for either option, write 350-500 words) A. Interview a classmate and write a short profile of that person. During your interview, look for themes and “common threads,” not just good quotes. Remember to observe and describe…show me your classmate, don’t just tell me about him or her. B. Write your own 350-to-500-word obituary. Make sure to lead a full life and fulfilling life…and have some fun with this assignment. (Also, be sure to write an “editorial style obituary,” not a family-style obituary notice. To see the difference, check out the SFGate obits page at http://www.sfgate.com/c/obituaries/ and compare some “editorial obituaries” to “obituaries placed by family members.”)

6.     Targeting Audiences (250-350 words): Find two full-page advertisements in a magazine (include a copy of each in your journal), and use the following factors to analyze it:

·      Study the magazines and the ads to determine the intended target audience’s demographics: age, gender, occupation, education level, income, marital status. Based on the ads, describe the target audience’s lifestyles, attitudes and values.

·      Next, describe each advertisement’s key message(s). Is it information rich and directed at an involved audience, or does it feature more peripheral qualities, such as graphics or pictures, to attract a less-involved audience? Is there a source (celebrity or expert) in the advertisement? If so, why do you think the source might influence the target audience?

7. – Fish Out of Water (350-500 words): Attend a political, cultural, or social event focused on a racial/ethnic group to which you do not belong, and write a critical review of the event, including an analysis of the experience of being an outsider. Consult the Spartan Daily, local newspapers, bulletin boards, etc., for free events. You may attend with another student, but you should each write your own review. Describe the event and its impact on you; analyze your participation/observation as an outsider to this culture. By definition, reviews are subjective – it’s your opinion. However, a review should include a summary of the event so the reader can learn about the event as well as the author’s response to it.

8. Final Feature (1250 words, plus 250-word sidebar and short broadcast script): This feature, profile or trend story is your major outside writing project for this class; you must successfully complete this assignment to pass the class. This project has four deliverables, as follow:

·      Your pitch letter – see notes below

·      your feature or trend story

·      a sidebar to accompany your feature or trend story

·      a 60-to-90-second broadcast script version of your feature or trend story (125-200 words). You’ll record your script using iMovie, upload it to YouTube or another video hosting site, and post it on your blog. (You’ll find instructions on how to record a broadcast/video and put it on your blog on the Texts/Resources page of this blog under “Other Resources.”)

·      Notes and considerations -- Final Paper a.k.a. Feature/Trend Story):  This is your major outside writing project for this class; you must successfully complete this assignment to pass. This project has three deliverables: a pitch letter, a research memo, and your feature or trend story. Here are some considerations for selecting a topic:

§       Why does this topic interest you? Why is it worth writing about?

§       Is this topic broad enough so that you can find ample information on it, but narrow enough to be manageable?

§       What makes this story newsworthy? What is the hook or the news peg? What publication would be interested in it?

§       Assess what you already know about this topic and possible resources: popular (newspapers/books/magazines/web), scholarly (academic journals), first person (interviews). What qualifies you to write on this topic?

§       Can you tell this story in an interesting way? What makes your approach different?

a.     Pitch Letter/Proposal (200 words): Write a one-page letter "pitching" your idea for your final paper -- a feature-style news or trend story. Be sure to address your pitch letter to a specific publication of your choice, such as the Daily, Access Magazine or the Mercury News. As you write your pitch letter, remember to use an attention-getting lead, include a local angle, highlight two or three key points about your proposed topic, and very briefly explain why this topic will interest the publication's target audience.

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