COM 329: Digital Storytelling SPRING 2011 MWF 11-11:50 a.m. | LAU 111, LAU 113 & other places Professor: Dr. Brian Carroll Office: LAU 100 Office hours: MWF 3-5pm | Thursdays 1-5pm on the phone: 706.368.6944 via email: bc at berry.edu on the web: www.cubanxgiants.com on the blogs: Wandering Rocks on twitter: twitter.com/tarheelblue

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• Understand how digital, networked media are changing the media industries, both in the production and distribution of content.
• Better understand the social, psychological and professional impact of technological trends and developments in digital environments.
• Be comfortable working in and with digital media.
• Know how to gather, select, organize and evaluate information and present it in digital formats.

• The Elements of Journalism, Kovach & Rosenstiel (Three Rivers Press)
• Writing for Digital Media, Carroll (Routledge)

• Lauren Kessler and Duncan McDonald, When Words Collide: A Journalist’s Guide to Grammar and Style (Norton)
• Steve Krug, Don’t Make Me Think (New Riders)
• Andrea Lunsford, The Everyday Writer (Bedford/St. Martin’s)
• Patrick Lynch and Sarah Horton, Web Style Guide 3 (Yale University Press)
• Robin Williams and John Tollett, The Non-Designers Web Book (Peachpit Press)

• Blog posts: Our discussions in class will be amplified and continued online, at http://wanderingrocks.wordpress.com. Students will be given instructions when to post, and on what subjects.
• Research Project: These projects vary from term to term, but you will ask a big question, do research to find an answer to the big question, then present your findings to the class. This project does not have to take the form of a traditional research paper.
• Weekly projects & assignments: Topic-related assignments, some in-class, some take-home, some group, some individual.
• Discussion: Each student will lead or co-lead two class discussions on specific readings. A signup sheet will be distributed, giving students latitude in choosing topics. Students are encouraged to lead discussions on topics related to if not parallel with their research paper topics. Student discussion leaders will be graded by their peers as well as the instructor. Specific instructions and peer-grading guidelines will be provided. Supplementary handouts are encouraged. Powerpoint is not.
• Note that professionalism is a significant dimension to each grade. Attendance, participation, preparation and overall professionalism are aspects of this 10%. Please see the policies section for details on how points are won and lost.

• In-class/in-lab assignments: You may use any and all reliable references, including stylebooks, dictionaries and online sources. Be careful with information found on the Web. When in doubt, cross-check and verify.
• Collaboration: I support collaboration, but any graded work must be the student’s own. In some cases, I will encourage feedback sought from one another. For other assignments, I may require solitary work. Generally, students should operate under the assumption that they are accountable for their own work. When in doubt, ask.

• When an in-class/in-lab assignment is due, it is due. This reflects the reality of many mass communication professions and work environments. Late in-class assignments will not be accepted unless permission for extension had been granted prior to deadline. Turn in whatever has been done by deadline.
• If we have out-of-class assignments, they will be accepted for up to one week after deadline, but late assignments will be penalized. Remember, penalized work is not necessarily the same as 0 (zero) points. Complete out-of-class assignments and learn from them, even if they are turned in late. Partial credit can be earned. After an assignment is more than a week late, however, that work is not eligible for points.
• Please note: If a student misses a class when an assignment is due and that student has a legitimate excuse, I will accept the late assignment without penalty at my discretion. I define what constitutes a legitimate excuse and reserve the right not to grant full credit for assignments turned in under these circumstances. The same holds true for exams.

If you have special needs of any kind, including learning disabilities, please let me know. Come discuss it with me. I want to make sure on the front end that we prevent any problems associated with the course. From Martha Van Cise, director of the Academic Support Center: “Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodation in this course are encouraged to contact the Academic Support Center in Krannert Room 301 as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.”