Let’s talk!Office: GAB 201COffice hours: Mon.

3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tues.

1 p.m. to 2.p.m.Wed. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 By appointment Virtual office is always

open. Just give me 24 hours to respond to your email.

Cell phone: 214-402-6518Email: mark.donald@unt.edu

JOUR 2310-003 INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA WRITING Fall 2014

Instructor: Mark DonaldClass: MON, WED, 1:00 p.m.- 2:20 p.m., GAB 112

Lab: FRI, 9:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m., GAB 112

TA: TBAEmail: Phone: Course objectives: To learn the basics of writing for several media, including newspapers, the World Wide Web, broadcast news and public relations. By the end of this course you should be able to research, report and write a news story for several platforms. You will learn to write in a concise, accurate and fair manner, and to work under deadline. You also will brush up your grammar, spelling and punctuation skills, and familiarize yourself with Associated Press style and broadcast writing style.

Goals: After completing the course, you should be able to:Define news, as it is understood by journalists and public relations professionals.

* Understand and use the AP Stylebook. * Conduct a news interview. * Write a news story for several media platforms under deadline pressure. * Describe the main ethical concerns of journalists and public relations professionals. * Describe the main legal concerns of journalists and public relations professionals. * Learn to be sensitive about cultural, ethnic, racial and gender issues.

Reading requirements:Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method, Seventh Edition, by Carole RichWriting and Reporting News Student Workbook, Seventh Edition, by Carole Rich

A digital version is available. It’s more convenient and significantly cheaper. The Associated Press Stylebook, 2012 edition (I recommend the 2013 edition if available.) The Dallas Morning News (dallasnews.com)

Purchase of online access is recommended.Visit dallasnews.com and click “Subscribe” to see offers. Call to sign up and request a friends and family discount.

The NT Daily Stylebook (online at www.ntdstaff.com)Denton Record-Chronicle (available on campus; dentonrc.com)North Texas Daily (available on campus; ntdaily.com)

Current Events: You should closely follow current events by reading a variety of news publications, especially local newspapers such as the North Texas Daily, Denton Record-Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram. You can read them online or visit any reputable news website to get

“It was while making newspaper deliveries, trying to miss the bushes and hit the porch, that I first learned the importance of accuracy in journalism.”  ~Charles Osgood

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information. In addition, you should watch and listen to broadcast news on television and radio as part of your daily routine. Your quizzes will include major current events mentioned in the news.

Dropbox: We will use the file hosting system Dropbox to submit your stories and homework assignments on deadline. Within the first days of class, you will receive an email from Dropbox inviting you to the JOUR 2310 folder. If you already have a Dropbox account, simply join the folder.

First Class Day Attendance: Journalism instructors reserve the right to drop any student who does not attend the first class day of the semester.

Attendance Policies: Treat this class as your job. You are expected to arrive on time and to meet all deadlines. You must attend class and lab sessions. Lab exercises comprise 30 percent of your grade. Homework prepares you for labs. Activities during lectures, such as quizzes and other in-class assignments, also represent a portion of your overall grade. Those who miss a quiz or in-class assignment will receive a zero on that activity. Labs cannot be made up without my prior approval.

If you have legitimate reasons for an absence (illness, disaster, death, family emergency, religious holiday), email me beforehand. Other situations are subject to my discretion. Plan to provide documentation, such as a physician’s note or a note from a relative explaining the emergency. Include a phone number so I may verify the note. Documentation must be turned in during the class period immediately following the absence.

One absence in the course is the limit without penalty toward your final grade, unless you have communicated with me from the beginning about an extraordinary problem. After two unexcused absences, you may lose a half a letter grade (5 points) for each unexcused absence thereafter. I reserve the right to drop you from the class after five unexcused absences. For excused absences, I will allow work to be made up but will only accept it within four days of the date it was due.

Coming to class late or leaving early may constitute an absence for that day. If you come to class late, it is your obligation to notify me at the end of class so I can correct the roll. Failure to notify me will result in your being absent without excuse. This is a seminar course, and it requires your attendance and participation each class meeting. The key here is communication and I am more likely to excuse an absence that I know about in advance.

If you miss a lab for an excused absence, it is your responsibility to contact the TA to make up any missed work. You will have four (4) days from the date of your excused absence to make up the work done during your absence. Unexcused absences in lab will result in a “O” for that day’s work.

You must have your student ID to check in and use the lab. Lab assistants will not allow lab use absent the presentation of proper student identification. A driver’s license will not do!

Attendance at the final is mandatory.

Email communicationCommunicating with students using the UNT student email account is part of the university’s contract with students. Electronic communication with students in this class will be through the students’ myunt accounts rather than personal email accounts.

COURSEWORK

Quizzes : You will have a series of open-book quizzes on AP style, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and closed-book quizzes on news events and textbook readings. Current events items in quizzes will be based on KRLD 1080 AM, dallasnews.com, star-telegram.com and npr.org.

Lab assignments: Each week you will be assigned exercises due by the end of the lab period. You will be allowed to use your AP stylebook and textbook, so bring them to class and to lab. Always type and double-space lab assignments unless otherwise instructed. Again, you must present your student ID card to attend lab sessions.

Class assignments: You will have numerous homework assignments, three out-of-class news stories, and a number of in-class exercises throughout the semester. All drafts and homework assignments must be posted in Dropbox on the date

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due. Unexcused late assignments will be penalized five (5) points for every day they are late, with none accepted after four days. You will be expected to turn in publishable work on the three out-of class news story assignments. Because the news is global as well as local, you will be required to locate on a world map numerous countries that are considered global hot spots, one of which will be assigned to each student for presentation and lecture to the rest of the class.

Be prepared: For class discussions, each week you should read the assigned chapters in your textbook and any handouts provided in class. You also must read:

The North Texas Daily and The Denton Record Chronicle, both available free. The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, available online. Also, check out The New York Times (nytimes.com) for examples of excellent reporting and writing. The local

alternative weeklies, the Dallas Observer and Fort Worth Weekly, also will help you develop story ideas and make you a better writer and reporter.

Grading: The majority of your grade will be determined by lab writing exercises and your three out-of-class story assignments (see YOUR GRADE). However, if you demonstrate exceptional improvement and effort during the semester, I will consider raising a borderline grade to the next highest level, as long as all assignments were completed throughout the semester.

Source sheets: For stories that involve interviews, attach a page listing each source, the date you interviewed each person and his or her contact information (preferably both phone numbers and email addresses). Stories without source sheets will not be accepted and will be penalized one grade letter for each class session they are late. I will contact sources to verify information in your stories. All three out-of-class stories (news, speech/meeting. Profile) must have at least three human sources who are quoted in the story.

Guest speakers: Professional journalists and other relevant speakers may be invited to class during the semester. A one-page summary of the speaker’s presentation may be due at the start of the next class.

Cell phone and computer policy: Cell phones should NEVER be used in class. Computers should NEVER be used in class unless part of a class assignment. Note: Computer technicians can see anything on your computer screen.

Saving your work: You cannot save material on the computers in the lab. Make copies of all your work on a CD or thumb drive, or by emailing finished assignments to yourself. Save all graded copies of your work so you can resolve any potential discrepancy between the grade you receive and your own calculations.

A note to advertising students : Being able to recognize big issues then thinking and writing about them are valuable for all areas of journalism, including advertising. Here’s a testimonial from a big-time advertising professional: Eric Schnabel, Vice President/Account Director at Leo Burnett in Chicago, who believes the best thing that ever happened to him “was being a journalism major and learning about Associated Press-style writing. You’re forced to think about what’s the biggest, most important thing, what’s the lead in my story here, then go from the lead to the supporting facts that are perhaps less broadly important” (Robbs and Morrison, 2008, p. 97). This class will help you think and write better, and the advertising faculty members believe that’s important, no matter what area of advertising you find yourself in — account management, media, research or creative.

JOUR 2310 Tentative Class Schedule (with the emphasis on tentative)

YOUR GRADE:

Attendance: 5 %Homework: 5 % Lab: 30% News story: 10% (first draft 4%final draft 6%)Speech/meeting story: 10%Profile: 10%Quizzes: 10% Midterm: 10% Final exam: 10%

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I expect you to read the scheduled chapters (from Writing and Reporting News) as well as any assigned essays and articles before you come to class. Lectures and quizzes will cover these and other materials. So if the syllabus says Read Chapter 2 under Week 2 (Sept. 3), you can expect to be tested over Chapter 2 on Sept. 3.

WEEK 1 (Aug. 25-29) M (Aug. 25) Course Introduction, goals for class, intro to AP style. Benefits of Revision and Editing;

introduction to news values. W (Aug. 27). Read Chapter 1: Changing Concepts of News; newsworthiness. Getting Twitter

Accounts F (Aug. 29) LAB: The Great Twitter Scavenger Hunt

WEEK 2 (Sept. 1-5) M (Sept. 1) Labor Day –No classes W (Sept.3) Read Chapter 2: The Basic News Story, pgs. 22-37. Discussion on inverted pyramid, leads,

nut graphs F (Sept. 5) Lab 1

WEEK 3 (Sept.8-12) M (Sept.8) Read Chapter 2 (continued): The Basic News Story, pgs. 38-43, Quotes and attribution.

More on AP style. W (Sept.10) Story ideas—how and where to find them. Discussion of story ideas for news story

assignment. F (Sept. 12) Lab 2

WEEK 4 (Sept. 15-19) M (Sept. 15) Read Chapter 7: Leads and Nut Graphs. Hard-News Leads, pgs. 120-134 W (Sept. 17) Hard news leads continued. F (Sept. 19) Lab 3

WEEK 5 (Sept. 22-26) M (Sept. 22) ***News Story proposal with three sources due in Dropbox at start of class***

Read Chapter 7 (continued): Leads and Nut Graphs pgs. 134-148; Soft-news leads. W (Sept. 24) More work on soft ( and possibly hard) leads F (Sept. 26) Lab 4

WEEK 6 (Sept. 29-Oct. 3) M (Sept. 29) Read Chapter 5: Sources and online research, pgs. 86-93. Databases, library and public

records research, FOIA and other sunshine laws W (Oct. 1) Guest Speaker: UNT Librarian Doug Campbell F (Oct. 3) Lab 5

WEEK 7 (Oct. 6-10) M (Oct.6) ***First Draft of 400 to 500-word News Story due in Dropbox at start of class. Must have

three types of human sources***Read Chapter 5: Continue with pgs. 77-86—human, anonymous, multicultural sources.

W (Oct. 8) Read Chapter 6: Interviewing Techniques. Best practices regarding note-taking, taping interviews, email interviews, phone interviews, and in-person interviews.

F (Oct. 10) Lab 6

WEEK 8 (Oct. 13-17) M (Oct. 13)***News Stories returned with comments for revisions***

***Three ideas for speech story due in Dropbox at start of class***

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Read Chapter 9: Story forms: Inverted pyramid revisited, Wall Street Journal Formula, Hourglass Structure.

W (Oct. 15) Read Chapter 8: Story Organization, beginnings, middles and ends, writing tips, the writing process.

F (Oct. 17) Lab 7

WEEK 9 (Oct. 20-24) M (Oct. 20) Speeches, news conferences and meetings

Read Chapter 18—covering public meetings, speeches, news conferences; advance planning, post-event reaction and quotes. Mid-term review

W (Oct. 22) Midterm Exam TH: (Oct. 23) ***Final (Revised) Draft of News Story Due in Dropbox at 5 p.m.*** F (Oct. 24) Lab 8

WEEK 10 (Oct. 27-31) M (Oct. 27) Read Chapter 17: Elements of profiles and obits. How to write a news profile. W (Oct. 29) More on Profiles and Obits TH: (Oct. 30) Profile proposal due in Dropbox at Noon *** F (Oct. 31) Lab 9

WEEK 11 (Nov. 3-7) M (Nov 3) Read Chapter 13: Public Relations Writing. Differences between news writing and public

relations writing, structure of press releases, corporate PR and nonprofit PR, crisis management. W (Nov. 5) TBA: Possible guest speaker on Public Relations or student workshop of speech story. F (Nov. 7) Lab 10

WEEK 12 (Nov. 10-14) M (Nov. 10) Read Chapter 11: Broadcast vs. news and web writing. Broadcast story structure,

emphasis on the visual. Use of active verbs, broadcast jargon. W (Nov. 12) More on Broadcast News F (Nov. 14) Lab 11

***FRI (Nov. 14): Final draft of speech story due in Dropbox by Noon ***

WEEK 13 (Nov. 17-21) M (Nov. 17) Read Chapter 3 Convergent Media Writing

Read Chapter 4 Social Media Read Chapter 12 Online journalism

W (Nov. 19) Guest Speaker on Online Journalism F (Nov. 21) Lab 12

WEEK 14 (Nov. 24-28) M (Nov. 24) Read Chapter 15 : Media Ethics—plagiarism, fabrication, privacy issues, and ethical

considerations. W (Nov. 26) Profile Workshop- Bring three copies of profile draft to class for student workshopping. F (Nov. 28) NO LAB - Happy Thanksgiving!

WEEK 15 (Dec. 1-5) M (Dec 1) Read Chapter 16: Multicultural sensitivity—the language of multiculturalism, avoiding

racial and gender stereotypes, writing about special groups.

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TU (Dec.2) Final draft of profile due in Dropbox by Noon W (Dec. 3) Read Chapter 14: Media Law—Libel, public vs. private figures, accuracy, corrections,

reporter privilege, invasion of privacy, online legal issues; Odds and Ends. Review for Final Exam. F (Dec. 5) No Lab (Reading Day)

WEEK 16 (Friday, Dec. 12 @ 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.) Final Exam

MAYBORN SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM REQUIREMENTS & GUIDELINES

For journalism majors, not minors: This is a foundational (formerly called pre-major) class. Once you have completed all foundational requirements you will have access to upper-level journalism courses after visiting the Office of Student Advising. If you have questions about what your foundational requirements are, please see an advisor.

JOURNALISM COURSE REGISTRATION Registration will begin on the dates noted in the schedule of classes each semester. The system is a

live, first come/first serve program.

By registering for this course, you are stating that you have taken the required prerequisites according to your catalog year and major/minor status. If the instructor later determines that you haven’t taken and passed these requirements, then you may be dropped at any point in the semester. If you have questions about your prerequisites, please see an advisor.

A journalism major enrolled in any restricted 3000 and 4000 level classes must have taken and passed the GSP test, all foundational courses, and Math 1680/1681. Students must earn and maintain a 2.5 UNT and/or overall GPA (depending upon catalog year) to be eligible for major-level courses. 

RE-TAKING FAILED JOURNALISM CLASSESStudents will not be allowed to automatically take a failed journalism course more than two times. Once you have failed a journalism course twice, you will not be allowed to enroll in that course for 12 months. Once you have waited 12 months after failing a course twice, you may make an appeal to the professor teaching the course to be allowed to enroll a third time.

TEXTBOOK POLICYThe Mayborn School of Journalism doesn’t require students to purchase textbooks from the University Bookstore. Many are available through other bookstores or online.

FINANCIAL AID SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) UNDERGRADUATESA student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to continue to receive financial aid. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in addition to successfully completing a required number of credit hours based on total registered hours per semester. Students cannot exceed attempted credit hours above 150% of their required degree plan. If a student does not maintain the required standards, the student may lose financial aid eligibility.

If at any point you consider dropping this or any other course, please be advised that the decision to do so has the potential to affect your current and future financial aid eligibility. Please visit http://financial

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aid.unt.edu/satisfactory-academic progress-requirements for more information about financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress. It may be wise for you to schedule a meeting with your MSOJ academic advisor or visit the Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office to discuss dropping a course before doing so.

ACADEMIC ADVISINGAll first-time-in-college students at UNT are required to schedule an appointment with their Academic Advisor and receive an advising code to register for classes both fall and spring semesters of the first year in college. ALL students should meet with their Academic Advisor at least one time per long semester (Fall & Spring). It is important to update your degree plan on a regular basis to ensure that you are on track for a timely graduation.

It is imperative that students have paid for all enrolled classes. Please check your online schedule daily through the 12th class day (January 28) to insure you have not been dropped for non-payment of any amount. Students unknowingly have been dropped from classes for various reasons such as financial aid, schedule change fees, parking fees, etc. MSOJ will not be able to reinstate students for any reason after the 12th class day regardless of situation. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all payments have been made.

IMPORTANT FALL 2014 DATES

August 25 First Class Day.

September 8 Census.

September 9 Beginning this date a student who wishes to drop a course must first receive written consent of the instructor.

October 3 Last Day for student to receive automatic grade of W for nonattendance. Last day for change in pass/no pass status.

Last day to drop a course or withdraw from the semester with a grade of W for courses that the student is not passing. After this date, a grade of WF may be recorded.

October 4 Beginning this date instructors may drop students with a grade of WF for nonattendance.

November 3 Last day to drop with either W or WF. Last day for a student to drop a course with consent of the instructor.

November 10 Beginning this date, a student who qualifies may request an Incomplete, with a grade of I

November 21 Last day to withdraw (drop all classes). Last day for an instructor to drop a student with a grade of WF for nonattendance.

December 5 Reading Day (no classes).

December 6-12 Final Exams.

December 12 Last Class Day.

For other important dates please visit http://registrar.unt.edu/registration/summer-registration-guide .

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ACADEMIC ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREUnderstanding the academic organizational structure and appropriate Chain of Command is important when resolving class-related or advising issues. When you need problems resolved, please follow the step outlined below:

Individual Faculty Member/Advisor

Director, Mayborn School of Journalism

Dean, Mayborn School of Journalism

OFFICE OF DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS

The University of North Texas and the Mayborn School of Journalism make reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. Students are strongly encouraged to deliver letters of accommodation during faculty office hours or by appointment. Faculty members have the authority to ask students to discuss such letters during their designated office hours to protect the privacy of the student.  For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at http://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.

COURSE SAFETY STATEMENTSStudents in the Mayborn School of Journalism are urged to use proper safety procedures and guidelines. While working in laboratory sessions, students are expected and required to identify and use property safety guidelines in all activities requiring lifting, climbing, walking on slippery surfaces, using equipment and tools, handling chemical solutions and hot and cold products. Students should be aware that the University of North Texas is not liable for injuries incurred while students are participating in class activities. All students are encouraged to secure adequate insurance coverage in the event of accidental injury. Students who do not have insurance coverage should consider obtaining Student Health Insurance for this insurance program. Brochures for this insurance are available in the UNT Health and Wellness Center on campus. Students who are injured during class activities may seek medial attention at the UNT Health and Wellness Center at rates that are reduced compared to other medical facilities. If you have an insurance plan other than Student Health Insurance at UNT, please be sure that your plan covers treatment at this facility. If you choose not to go to the UNT Health and Wellness Center, you may be transported to an emergency room at a local hospital. You are responsible for expenses incurred there.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTYAcademic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or exams; dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor, the acquisition of tests or other material belonging to a faculty member, dual submission of a paper or project, resubmission of a paper or project to a different class without

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express permission from the instructors, or any other act designed to give a student an unfair advantage. Plagiarism includes the paraphrase or direct quotation of published or unpublished works without full and clear acknowledgment of the author/source. Academic dishonesty will bring about disciplinary action which may include expulsion from the university. This is explained in the UNT Student Handbook.

If you are caught engaged in conduct deemed academically dishonest, I reserve the right to give you an F for the course, drop you from the class or give you a “0” for the assignment. The severity of the punishment will depend on the severity of the conduct.

MSOJ ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICYThe codes of ethics from the Society of Professional Journalists, American Advertising Federation and Public Relations Society of America address truth and honesty. The Mayborn School of Journalism embraces these tenets and believes that academic dishonesty of any kind – including plagiarism and fabrication – is incongruent with all areas of journalism. The school’s policy aligns with UNT Policy 18.1.16 and requires reporting any act of academic dishonesty to the Office for Academic Integrity for investigation. If the student has a previous confirmed offense (whether the first offense was in the journalism school or another university department) and the student is found to have committed another offense, the department will request the additional sanction of removing the student from the Mayborn School of Journalism. The student may appeal to the Office for Academic Integrity, which ensures due process and allows the student to remain in class pending the appeal.

CLASSROOM POLICIESStudent behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students’ opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom, and the instructor may refer the student to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to consider whether the student’s conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The University’s expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classrooms, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found at http://www.unt.edu/csrr/student_conduct/index.html.

The Mayborn School of Journalism requires that students respect and maintain all university property. Students will be held accountable through disciplinary action for any intentional damages they cause in classrooms. (e.g., writing on tables). Disruptive behavior is not tolerated (e.g., arriving late, leaving early, sleeping, talking on the phone, texting or game playing, making inappropriate comments, ringing cellular phones/beepers, dressing inappropriately).

STUDENT EVALUATION OF TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS (SETE)The Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness (SETE) is a requirement for all organized classes at UNT. This short survey will be made available at the end of the semester to provide students a chance to comment on how this class is taught.  Student feedback is important and an essential part of participation in this course.

FINAL EXAM POLICYFinal exams will be administered at the designated times during the final week of each long semester and during the specified day of each summer term. Please check the course calendar early in the semester to avoid any schedule conflicts.

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ACCESS TO INFORMATIONAs you know, your access point for business and academic services at UNT occurs within the my.unt.edu site  www.my.unt.edu. If you do not regularly check EagleConnect or link it to your favorite e-mail account, please so do, as this is where you learn about job and internship opportunities, MSOJ events, scholarships, and other important information. The website that explains Eagle Connect and how to forward your email: http://eagleconnect.unt.edu/  

COURSES IN A BOX Any MSOJ equivalent course from another university must receive prior approval from the MSOJ academic advisor to insure that all MSOJ degree plan requirements are met. For example, courses that are taken online or from a program that offers course material via CD, booklet, or other manner of correspondence must have prior advisor approval.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR F-1 STUDENTS TAKING DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSES

To comply with immigration regulations, an F-1 visa holder within the United States may need to engage in an on-campus experiential component for this course. This component (which must be approved in advance by the instructor) can include activities such as taking an on-campus exam, participating in multiple on-campus lecture or lab activity, or other on-campus experience integral to the completion of this course.

If such an on-campus activity is required, it is the student’s responsibility to do the following:(1) Submit a written request to the instructor for an on-campus experiential component within one week of the start of the course.

(2) Ensure that the activity on campus takes place and the instructor documents it in writing with a notice sent to the International Advising Office. The UNT International Advising Office has a form available that you may use for this purpose.

Because the decision may have serious immigration consequences, if an F-1 student is unsure about his or her need to participate in an on-campus experiential component for this course, students should contact the UNT International Advising Office (telephone 940-565-2195 or email international@unt.edu) to get clarification before the one-week deadline.

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION & PROCEDURESUNT uses a system called Eagle Alert to quickly notify you with critical information in an event of emergency (i.e., severe weather, campus closing, and health and public safety emergencies like chemical spills, fires, or violence).  The system sends voice messages (and text messages upon permission) to the phones of all active faculty staff, and students.  Please make certain to update your phone numbers at www.my.unt.edu.  Some helpful emergency preparedness actions include: 1) ensuring you know the evacuation routes and severe weather shelter areas, determining how you will contact family and friends if phones are temporarily unavailable, and identifying where you will go if you need to evacuate the Denton area suddenly. In the event of a university closure, your instructor will communicate with you through Blackboard regarding assignments, exams, field trips, and other items that may be impacted by the closure.

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Statement of Student Learning Outcomes, UNT Journalism

Since 1969, the UNT Department of Journalism (Mayborn School of Journalism effective September 1, 2009) has been accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. This national accreditation also extends to the Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism, the only accredited professional master’s program in Texas. About one-fourth of all journalism and mass communication programs in the United States are accredited by ACEJMC. National accreditation enhances your education here, because it certifies that the department and graduate institute adhere to many standards established by the council. Among these standards are student learning outcomes, covered by journalism courses in all sequences.

This course, JOUR 2310, will help to meet the student learning outcomes that have been checked by your professor, Mark Donald .

Each graduate must:

Understand and apply First Amendment principles and the law appropriate toprofessional practice.

Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals andinstitutions in shaping communications.

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

Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of imagesand information.

Work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.

Think critically, creatively and independently.

Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to thecommunications professions in which they work.

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

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

Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts.

Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in

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which they work.

THE WHEREWhere places are often dictates what goes on there.As news occurs, routinely look up the geographical location and note its placement and surrounding countries.

The following are just some of the places you will need to need to be able to locate on a blank world map during this class.

Middle EastAfghanistan IranPakistan IraqSyria Saudi Arabia Yemen

Africa/MediterraneanTunisia LibyaEgypt SomaliaIsrael SudanLebanon SyriaWest Bank and Gaza Strip

AsiaChina South KoreaJapan North KoreaThe Philippines IndiaVietnam Turkey

EuropeUK NorwaySpain UkraineGermany RussiaItaly Greece

Western HemisphereMexico HondurasHaiti CubaColombia VenezuelaBrazil Chile

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