What's required, and when

Course requirements:

• Attendance—if you missed more than five classes, you will fail. Excellent attendance (missing no classes) will be used to raise your final grade should your score be borderline.
• Be on time—three times late equals an absence. If you are more than 15 minutes late, that equals an absence.
• Follow class blog weekly,  I Am Journalism
• Assigned online readings.
• Quizzes and writing based on assigned readings.
• Term paper, presentation on historical figure in journalism for second half of semester. Details in first week of class.
• NO CLASS SEPT. 29. ATTEND SESSIONS. WRITING ASSIGNMENT TO COME.

·      Media evaluation-- You will provide a one-page, double-spaced statement of what you believe to be the most important mass media development to date and why. I will grade this on the basis of grammar, punctuation, spelling and how well you logically defend your position. This will be turned in at the time of the final exam and count one third of your final grade. 


·      Midterm and final tests.

GRADING SCALE: 100-91--A; 90-81--B; 80-70--C; 60-69--D.

• 10 reading quizzes, writing assignments—100 points—20 percent
• Term paper, presentation—200 points—40 percent
• Media evaluation—50 points—10 percent
• Two tests--75 points each--30 percent
• Total: 500 points

DEADLINES: Must be met. Absolutely. Period. End of discussion. Journalism is a deadline business. Accordingly, late work will not be accepted. Don’t bother to hand it in—you get a “0” grade. Absence is no excuse. If you miss a day, you may not make up the assignment.

·      Since this is a class of discovery and living journalism, exact timetables cannot be guaranteed because of student discussions and individual interests. Flexibility is essential to quality education, not rote memory or lockstep schedules. Accordingly, the professor reserves the right to amend the syllabus, with notice to class, at any time, in order to facilitate your learning.

COURSE SCHEDULE

·      Weeks one-three-- Intros, Colonial, New Nation, Quiz over syllabus.  

·      Weeks four, five—New nation and trials

·      Weeks six-eight— Mass Comm Week! 1800s

·      Weeks nine-eleven—Fall Break, Midterm, early 20^th Century.

·      Weeks twelve, thirteen—The digital age

·      Weeks fourteen, fifteen—Student presentations

·      Final exam—9 a.m., Dec. 13.

• All university policies regarding grading, grade appeals, academic dishonesty, adding and dropping apply. See appropriate university publications. Academic Affairs’ Student Information Sheet  http://www.uco.edu/academicaffairs/

Any case of plagiarism will result in a 0 for the assignment. A second case will flunk you for the course, and probably ruin your future as a journalist.

·      Check syllabus attachment later for more details.

·      Note: NO FACEBOOK IN CLASS. Turn off cell phones, except for in-class research. No texting. If your phone goes off or you text, in class, you must leave and take an absence.