ENGL 126 Introduction to Journalism

This course will provide a framework for the practical applications required to operate as a journalist in the twenty-first century. Students will discuss the role and responsibility of press in a free society and will benefit from the opportunity to evaluate popular journalistic media and their respective contents while applying their conclusions to their own decisions and styles as future journalists. They will take on the role of journalist as they adhere to the professional standards of news, feature, and opinion pieces for a magazine or newspaper. Finally, students will implement the writing process, from research, interviewing, and note-taking through editing, proofreading, and potential publication.

Credits

3

Prerequisite

ENGL 121

Hours Weekly

3 hours weekly

Course Objectives

1. Identify and write for specific purposes and audiences in a range of journalistic media, such as news, feature, opinion and online.
   
2. Demonstrate an understanding of various techniques for generating story ideas and gathering information through interviews and research.
   
3. Plan, edit, revise, proofread, and work with feedback to achieve more effective communication of ideas and to ensure that writing has relevance, credibility, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
4. Understand the purpose of the lead in journalistic writing and formulate clear leads in your own journalistic writing.
   
5. Employ appropriate analysis, argument, summary, reflection, or description that includes relevant evidence, data, and examples to support well-defined claims as appropriate for the style of journalistic writing.
   
6. Locate, evaluate, and use appropriate sources of information ethically and effectively, using a variety of news-gathering techniques.
7. Understand the legal, economic, technological, social, and historical influences and challenges that impact the profession of journalism and create the basis for "news" in society.
8. Analyze and apply the sound ethical and professional judgments inherent in journalistic writing.
   
9. Understand the various roles of journalistic professionals (i.e. writer, editor, photographer, press service) and how they contribute to the presentation of news in all its various mediums.
10. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of adhering to deadlines and word count limitations.

Course Objectives

1. Identify and write for specific purposes and audiences in a range of journalistic media, such as news, feature, opinion and online.
   

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Rubric for Writing Assignments

   Written Communication

   • WC1
2. Demonstrate an understanding of various techniques for generating story ideas and gathering information through interviews and research.
   

   This objective is a course Goal Only

3. Plan, edit, revise, proofread, and work with feedback to achieve more effective communication of ideas and to ensure that writing has relevance, credibility, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Rubric for Writing Assignments

   Written Communication

   • WC2
4. Understand the purpose of the lead in journalistic writing and formulate clear leads in your own journalistic writing.
   

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Rubric for Writing Assignments

   Written Communication

   • WC3
5. Employ appropriate analysis, argument, summary, reflection, or description that includes relevant evidence, data, and examples to support well-defined claims as appropriate for the style of journalistic writing.
   

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Rubric for Writing Assignments

   Written Communication

   • WC4
6. Locate, evaluate, and use appropriate sources of information ethically and effectively, using a variety of news-gathering techniques.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

7. Understand the legal, economic, technological, social, and historical influences and challenges that impact the profession of journalism and create the basis for "news" in society.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

8. Analyze and apply the sound ethical and professional judgments inherent in journalistic writing.
   

   This objective is a course Goal Only

9. Understand the various roles of journalistic professionals (i.e. writer, editor, photographer, press service) and how they contribute to the presentation of news in all its various mediums.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

10. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of adhering to deadlines and word count limitations.

    This objective is a course Goal Only