Reading assignments are identified in the week-by-week calendar.

There are two tests during the course of the semester. These tests could include multiple-choice, short answer and writing and editing on deadline. The final exam will be comprehensive and will be similar to the midterm.

While working in class, these parameters apply:

• Quizzes: What resources students may use will vary. Before each quiz, I will tell the class whether the quiz is open-book. I would anticipate that students will be free to use the Associated Press stylebook in most cases.

• In-class/in-lab assignments: Use any reliable references, including stylebooks, dictionaries and online sources. Be careful with information found on the Web. When in doubt, cross-check.

• 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. I will try to be clear about each assignment. Generally, students should operate under the assumption that they are accountable for their own work. When in doubt, ask.

Deadlines:
• 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. Turn in whatever has been done by deadline.

• If we have out-of-class assignments, they must be turned in by the deadline. The only exceptions are medical- or health-related or those previously arranged and approved by the instructor. Assignments will not be accepted more than a week after deadline for any reason.

• 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.

Format for all assignments: Please remember: Double-space, 12-point type. Avoid exotic fonts and odd page layouts.

How your grade will be computed (note: this is a change from the printed syllabus):

To compute your final grade, add up your point totals, apply the appropriate percentages, then refer to this +/- grading chart:

For some assignments, the following point deductions and additions will apply:

+2 to +10 for: developing an exceptionally effective lead; adding substantial and appropriate supporting material; exceptional reorganization or clarification.

+2 to +5 for: clarifying or simplifying confusing copy (including leads); developing effective transitions; catching an elusive error.

-2 to -5 for: (in photos/design) failing to set a byline or credit line in type properly; writing too many or two few lines in a cutline; failing to provide an accurate photo credit; discretionary errors as unnecessarily bumping heads, placing art next to ads or failing to vary head sizes.

-2 to -10 for: eliminating relevant detail; mistakes in grammar, punctuation and AP style; introducing changes that add confusion or wrongly interfere with the writer’s style; failing to improve significant organizational problems (e.g., buried leads); failing to change an ineffective lead or confusing sentence; allowing the copy to
contain jargon, clichés, wordiness, repetition, inappropriate quotes or inaccurate words; minor factual errors (e.g., an inaccurate time element if the effect on the story is insignificant); failing to supply missing information.

-5 to -10 for: (in headlines/cutlines) failing to use all available space on the line effectively; violating fundamental headline/cutline principles, such as bad breaks, unnecessary use of past tense, or passive voice; acronyms or names that would not be immediately recognized by the average reader.

-10 for: each spelling error and each math error.

-10 to -20 for: (in headlines/cutlines) tone or language inappropriate to the story; minor punctuation errors; grammatical errors; minor capitalization or style errors; a first-day headline on a second-day
story, or vice versa; omitting key facts; missing the news; misleading, inaccurate or inappropriate word choice.

-10 to -20 for: (in photos/design) cropping a photo to remove an important detail; failing to fit a story on a page; violating fundamental design principles, such as non-modular layout or wrapping type out from under or above its own headline.

-20 for: not complying with a headline order (e.g., wrong font, size, number of columns or lines).

-50 for: a major factual error, such as a misspelled name; a misspelled headline; introducing libelous material into copy.

-100 for: writing a libelous headline (much more on this later).

• Reporting for the Media, by Fedler, Bender, Davenport and Drager
• Associated Press Stylebook
• Email subscription to the New York Times’ daily headlines (it’s free)
• Access to local newspaper (Rome News-Tribune) and major daily (i.e., New York Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Wall Street Journal). We can't talk about newspapers if we don't read them.

Stuff you might want (not required, but recommended):