Murphy 210
375.2511
dwilkins@sbu.edu
102.03: TTh 2:30 - 3:45, M106
102.04: MW 2:30 - 4, M104
102.06: TTh 4 - 5:30, M106
Office hours:
Monday through Thursday
12:30 - 2 p.m.
or by appointment
J/MC program
objectives
Course catalog description:
Functions, responsibilities,
and techniques of news
editing; evaluation and
processing of news.
Majors and minors only.
3 credits.
Final
exam:
For 102.03:
Friday, May 8
8 - 10:30 a.m.; M106
For 102.04:
Saturday, May 9
1:10 - 3:40 p.m..; M104
For 102.06
Friday, May 8
3:45 - 6:15 p.m., M106
WORTH
A LOOK:
American Copy Editors Society
An
editor is a person
who knows more about
writing than writers do
but who has escaped
the terrible desire to write.
--
E.B. White, writer, 1954
Give
the people
a new word and
they think they
have a new fact.
--
Willa Cather, author, 1936
I thought if I could
parachute behind enemy
lines in a way and join the
journalistic profession, that
I could begin to let my
perspective about politics
seep in and maybe influence
the presentation of politics.
--
John F. Kennedy Jr.
editor, George, 1960-1999
I am not in the
entertainment business.
--
Jim Lehrer
anchor, PBS'
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Joining
the Information Age
doesn't require that [people]
take leave of their senses.
--
William Raspberry
syndicated columnist
How
do you balance
safety and privacy concerns
when the Internet is
in a constant state of flux
and has no boundaries?
--
Soledad O'Brien
journalist, CNN
I hate
to bash the
media, but these
gasbags feed the problem.
--
Bill Maher
ex-host, Politically Incorrect
We
must resist the
notion that unless
something is on film,
it's not news.
--
Tony Blair
British prime minister
Government
secrecy
breeds stupidity.
--
William Strunk
When
it comes to
the First Amendment
in our schools, administrators
don't trust it, teachers
don't teach it, and our kids
don't get it.
--
Paul K. McMasters
The Freedom Forum
If
a man is pictured
chopping off a woman's
breast, it only gets an
'R' rating; but if, God forbid,
a man is pictured kissing
a woman's breast, it gets an 'X' rating. Why is violence more acceptable
than tenderness?
--
Sally Struthers, actor, 1984
What's
wrong with
appealing to the
prurient interest?
We appeal to
the killing interest.
--
Lenny Bruce,
comedian
We
are a nation of voyeurs.
We demand to see everything ...
and if we don't see it, we think
somehow we've been cheated.
--
Tom Wicker, journalist
Facing
the press is more
difficult than bathing a leper.
--
Mother Teresa, missionary
Objectivity
means trying to give all sides a hearing. It does not, in my view, mean
treating all sides as equal.
--
Christiane Amanpour
CNN correspondent
The
polls are the new experts in town. ... Numbers don't reflect reality,
they create it.
--
Kathy Frankovic
director of surveys, CBS News
I cannot
and will not
cut my conscience to
fit this year's fashions.
--
Lillian Hellman,
writer, 1952
Instead of being excited
about daily journalism,
editors have this angst
about the daily budget.
--
Frank Blethen
publisher, The Seattle Times
The press is really like
a canary in a mine — when
the press is suppressed,
it's a clue to other terrible
things that might happen.
--
Anthony Lewis, columnist
Times
have not become
more violent. They have
just become more televised.
--
Marilyn Manson, singer
If
you feel you are
possessed of the truth,
or a fact, simply state it.
Do not give it advance billing.
--
William Strunk
About
Dr. Wilkins
syllabus posted 1.10.09
|
Good writers
and editors exemplify the finest traditions of journalism — traditions
of accuracy, dedication, attention to detail, versatility, writing excellence,
exceptional analytical ability ... and most of all, a tradition
of sound judgment.
That's what
this course is about. Here you continue to acquire the basic skills, knowledge
and hard-earned journalistic wisdom that communicators everywhere admire
and seek to attain. Here you continue to learn one of most integral aspects
of the professions of journalism and mass communications — the art
and craft of language use as applied to writing and editing.
And what
an art it is. Writing and editing, of course, require sound knowledge
of language use — grammar, punctuation, proper word use and a knowledge
of the traditional forms of journalism as well as their innovative variants.
Professional-level writing and editing are about insuring that the
story makes sense. They require, too, knowing how to effectively
structure presentations of information. And, of course, good
writing and editing require— repeat, require— that you know
the Associated Press Stylebook intimately.
Writing and
editing have been described as "paying attention to a voice inside your
head that says something is wrong here — something is wrong with
this copy somewhere." Strive to develop that sixth sense, that intuitive,
"hair-standing-up-on-the-back-of-your-neck" feeling that sounds an alarm.
But, you say, you do not wish to be a journalist, let alone work as
a copy editor? Why does the journalism school require that you take this
course?
Mastering the ability to edit words written by others (or by you) adds
to your versatility. Editing is a skill practiced (and needed) in many
aspects of communication. Everyone needs a good editor. That
means good editors can find rewarding work in many media. Editing is another
aspect of developing abilities that increase your value in the job
market.
After graduation, you may eventually:
• write and edit proposals written by others in fields other than
journalism.
•
write and edit internal and external communications for your company.
• blog as a freelancer or as a representative of your company.
• be responsible for the accuracy and clarity of your company's
Web site.
• write and edit grant proposals for a company or non-profit organization.
• be asked by a superior to "look over" something he or
she wrote.
• file information by SMS or Twitter, requiring brevity and accuracy.
High-level writing and editing are necessary skills in virtually any field
you may consider. Your ability to write well — and clearly and accurately
— is enhanced in a course such as this that examines the acts of
writing and editing closely. That's why the journalism school requires
this course — even if you have no intention of becoming a journalist.
These are
the course objectives for JMC 102:
• to detect, avoid and eliminate error in writing and editing.
• to achieve competence in writing and editing headlines for print
and online use (such as blogs).
• to understand that writers and editors must be able to justify
and defend, in specific terms, any changes they make to copy.
• to achieve professional standards in the use of grammar, punctuation
and spelling and mastery of The Associate Press Stylebook.
• to work effectively under tight deadlines.
• to discuss in detail the wide range of ethical considerations
that accompany writing and editing stories.
Most importantly,
successful
writers and editors, through intelligence guided by experience, have
learned to make sound ethical judgments. The attainment and exercise of
good judgment separate the good copy editors from the pedestrian ones
(see the
seven deadly sins of copy editing). If you take nothing else from
this course, please take away the importance of judgment — not just
in good copy editing but also in the conduct of living.
The required
tools you'll need:
•
The Associated Press Stylebook 2007 and Briefing on Media Law
(42nd ed.) or newer
• an inexpensive calculator with basic
arithmetic functions.
• a map of the Olean/Allegany area.
• computer media on which to save your work.
Recommended: Media Writer's Handbook
(4th ed.) by George T. Arnold or another grammar and punctuation handbook
designed for everyday use by media professionals. Also recommended: On
Writing Well by William Zinsser.
Bring AP
Stylebook, media, map and calculator to every class.
Know the
technology in your writing lab, because technological excuses for missing
deadlines are not acceptable. Know how to work interchangeably in Windows
and Macintosh operating systems. Those who depend
on technology must be prepared to be failed by technology. Be
aware of the university's policy on printing from lab computers.
READ
THIS:
How to format
and submit your assignments.
READ
THIS: The
rules: Attend class; meet deadlines; avoid academic dishonesty.
Worth
a look:
How
a copy desk works [traditional]
Worth
a look:
How
a copy desk works ['presentation' and 'issue' teams]
Worth
a look: What
exactly is a copy editor?
Worth
a look: Wanna
be a copy editor? Some career advice
Worth
a look: Copy
Editor's Toolbox [from
the American Press Institute]
You will
be graded primarily on:
• out-of-class
rewriting and editing assignments (probably five or six at 20 points each)
• quizzes on grammar, punctuation, spelling, percentage calculation
and analysis skills and AP style (probably 9 or 10 at 20 points each)
• a final exam (10 points)
You'll
see grades such as "18/20" and "16/20" on your stories and quizzes. At
the end of the course, I add up your total points, divide by the number
of 20-point equivalents and compute the mean.
There is
no midterm; there is a final exam.
Here's how
I will evaluate and grade your written work (in the interest of attribution,
I borrowed this from Prof. Ray Chavez of the University of Colorado at
Boulder).
A
(20 points) — Story is publishable as it stands; needs only further
light editing, if any. Has the news in the lede. Story shows a mastery
of facts, news judgment, narrative flow, proper style, writing and editing
and fairness and balance. Minimal use of passive constructions. Only
one or two grammar, punctuation, spelling or AP style errors.
A-/B+ (19, 18) — Well-written
and -edited, accurate copy. Contains relevant material but may lack completeness.
Has
two or three Associated Press style, grammar, punctuation or spelling
errors.
B (17)
— Handled assignment fairly well although left 'holes' in the story.
Weak lede. Copy needs further editing and polishing before publication.
Has a few Associated Press style, grammar, punctuation
or spelling errors.
B-/C+ (16, 15) — Problems affecting
clarity in writing or editing, structure, syntax, spelling, style and/or
inaccuracies. Information missing. Weak, wordy lede. Contains
several grammar, punctuation, spelling or style errors.
C (14) — Significant organizational
and writing problems. Contains inaccuracies or lacks completeness. Ineffective
lede. A half-hearted effort that produces an adequate but cursory story.
Needs considerably more editing. Many style,
spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.
C-/D+ (13, 12) — A weak story.
Confusing lede. Cannot be published without major editing and rewriting.
Needs extensive additional information. Poorly proofread. Many
style, spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.
D/D- (11, 10) — A poor story
that demonstrates only minimal ability to deal with facts and present
them. Needs drastic overhaul of content and organization. Has
numerous style, spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.
F (9 and below) — An unacceptable
story in terms of overall quantity of errors. Failure to complete assignment
by deadline. Contains an error, such as a misspelling, with a proper
name. Contains libelous material. Contains plagiarism or reveals
academic dishonesty.
Any error
in fact will result in a three-point deduction
(a full letter grade) from any grade assigned to a first draft or a rewrite.
Most errors in fact result from poor, ambiguous
wording. Strive for clarity and accuracy.
All first drafts require rewrites.
Your assignment grade will be, at minimum, the average of grades for the
first draft and the rewrite. Each rewrite must be accompanied by a "lessons
learned" memo.
The rewrite,
because you will have had the benefit of my comments on the first draft
as well as comments in class or by e-mail, must show substantial
improvement to warrant a higher grade. Simply fixing grammatical
and punctuation errors found in the first draft will not be enough to
warrant a better grade on the rewrite. Better
ledes, better organization and better writing are expected.
I encourage
students to work collegially, to meet to discuss how to approach assignments.
But remember that you're responsible for your work. Talk about the
assignment if you wish, but go your separate ways to write the story.
What you turn in must be the product of your own effort and no one else's.
(This might be a good time to read
about plagiarism.)
READ
THIS:
Avoid "the intolerable
no-nos."
Worth
a look:
'Sharp
points': One copy editor's biggest beefs
Worth
a look:
Evan
Jenkins' 'Language Corner' at CJR
Worth
a look:
Newsroom
101: Exercises in Grammar, Usage and Associated Press Style [Ron
Hartung has provided great interactive practice questions. See also The
Tongue Untied and The
Glamour of Grammar for grammar and punctuation review.]
This syllabus
does not give a blow-by-blow account of what will happen on a class-by-class
basis. Two reasons: First, writers and editors never really know from
day to day what they will face. Second, I don't know you well as writers
and editors — yet. I do not know the pace at which you will most
effectively work. I will set a pace slightly faster than you'd like, of
course, because that's an important part of the professional tasks of
writing and editing.
We've got
about 15 weeks, two class meetings a week.
Begin
immediately studying the AP Stylebook.
Know how it is organized. You would have access to the stylebook in the
newsroom; you will have access to the stylebook and your course notes
on quizzes as well. Use of the Internet will generally be allowed during
quizzes, but not universally.
You are responsible for correctly using these AP
Stylebook entries.
Week
2
will begin intensive quizzes on grammar,
punctuation, syntax, spelling and AP style. Each quiz will have a
few questions that test your ability to deal with percentages.
Through Week
3, expect:
• review
of the most common language-use errors
• SVO, VP (subject-verb-object, verbal phrase) in ledes
• summary ledes
• writing summaries, such as heds
• the principle of identification
• discussion of mathematical, statistical literacy
Weeks 3 through 11:
•
more writing, editing of stories
• writing summaries, such as heds, for online media
• elimination of vague, redundant wording
• rewriting and editing stories on deadline
Weeks 12
through 15:
• still more writing, rewriting, editing stories
•
legal concerns
• writing, editing and ethics
Again, this
is a rough guide. Circumstances may alter it.
Bibliography: The bulk of
what you will learn will be based on the 20 years of professional experience
of your professor in writing more than 2,000 editorials and commentaries
and 10,000 news stories, editing nearly 40,000 news stories and writing
nearly 45,000 heds. Your professor continues to regularly write commentary
for print publications and the blog Scholars
& Rogues. Nevertheless, the university requires a bibliography
for this course. These readings are appropriate for students in a foundational
journalism course such as this:
• Baker, Bob. Newsthinking: The Secret of Making Your Facts
Fall into Place. New York: Allyn & Bacon, 2001.
• Bowles, Dorothy and Borden, Diane. Creative Editing.
Belmont, Calif.: Thomson, 2004.
• Cappon, Rene J. The Associated Press Guide to News Writing,
3rd edition. Lawrenceville, N.J.: Arco, 2000.
• LaRocque, Paula. The Book on Writing. Oak Park, Ill.:
Marion Street Press, 2003.
• Scanlan, Christopher. Reporting and Writing: Basics for the
21st Century. Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt College Publishers, 2000.
• Stepp, Carl Sessions. Writing as Craft and Magic. New
York: NTC, 2000.
• Walsh, Bill. Lapsing into a Comma: A Curmudgeon's Guide to
the Many Things That Can Go Wrong in Print -- and How to Avoid Them.
Chicago: Contemporary Books, 2000.
• Wicker, Tom. On The Record: An Insider’s Guide to Journalism.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002.
• Zinsser, William. On Writing Well, 6th ed. New York:
Harper, 1998.
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