University of North Texas
Department of Journalism
Online Journalism – JOUR 3340
Semester: Spring 2008

Instructor: Neil Foote, Instructional Assistant Professor, GAB 109
Phone: 214.448.3765
Email: neil@neilfoote.com (preferred)
Office hours: By appointment or immediately following class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Class Meetings: Throughout the course of the semester we will meet in two difference classroom/labs: GAB 319 and GAB 101 (NewsLab).

COURSE NOTES

January 29 – Elements of an Online Website

February 5 – Engaging Readers

February 12 – Generating Story Ideas & Crowdsourcing

February 19 – The Makings of a Website 

 February 21 – Eyetracking: Poynter Institute Study

 February 26 – Digital Storytelling: The 5 I’s

 February 28 – Digital Storytelling: Storyboarding & Media Types

March 4th – Graphics

Text: Convergent Journalism: An Introduction–Writing and Producing Across Media (Paperback) by Stephen Quinn (Editor), Vincent Filak (Editor)

Additional readings will be made available online or be held on reserve at the library.

RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL MATERIALS NEEDED:
* 3 DVD-R Blank Discs
* 1 CD-R to record your audio stories
* A one (1) OR (2) gig flash drive
* Sony MDRV 150 Headphones

Course Objectives
The purpose of this class is help you strengthen your reporting, writing and editing stories to produce stories for the web, and enable you to combine your traditional journalism skills with the digital media tools of the 21st Century. This will be a very hands on class where you will be using your basic journalism skills as well as learn the basics of integrating audio, photographs, graphics and video to enhance your articles. There will be regular and timely assignments where you will analyze, critique and discuss current
practices of interactive tools on media websites. You will be required to post at least weekly entries on current issues in electronic media issues on the Yahoo! Group, and your final course project will include creating a news blog.

Additionally, this course addresses nine of the ACEJMC core competencies (#1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11):

1. Understand and apply First Amendment principles and the law appropriate to professional practice.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of groups in a global society in relationship to communications.
4. Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information.
5. Work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.
6. Think critically, creatively and independently.
7. Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work.
8. Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve.
9. Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness.
10. Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts.
11. Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.

Getting the Most Out of This Class
Since the goal of this class is to prepare you for a potential career in electronic media, you will be expected to become as knowledgeable as possible about the current media trends and issues. To help you get the most out of this class, there are several websites throughout the course of the semester to which I will be referring and you are encouraged to review on a regular basis. Here are several of the major ones. Others will be identified throughout the course of the semester:

* Local/regional media sites, e.g. dallasnews.com, startelegram.com, dentronrc.com, NTDaily.com, KRLD.com KNTU.com.
* National/international sites: cnn.com, nytimes.com, msnbc.com, BBC (bbc.co.uk),
washingtonpost.com
* CyberJournalists.net: http://cyberjournalist.net
* News Voyager: http://newsvoyager.com
* Poynter Institute: http://poynter.org
* American Press Institute: http://www.mediacenter.org/ and
http://www.mediacenter.org/convergencetracker/search/
* Editor & Publisher: http://mediainfo.com
* Wired Magazine: http://wired.com
* Media Week: http://mediaweek.com
* Broadcasting & Cable: http://broadcastingandcable.com
* MediaPost.com: http://mediapost.com

University Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism, in a nutshell, is using other people’s written words as your own. Some people consider the use of seven to ten words in a row, copied from another source, as plagiarism. Be sure to include citations when using other people’s writing, because plagiarism is a serious offense in any discipline, especially journalism. It’s a firing offense in the professional world. In the Department of Journalism and Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism at UNT, students face a range of penalties for plagiarism (depending on
the importance of the assignment):

* A grade of ‘F’ on a minor assignment;
* A request that the student drop the class;
* Withdrawal of the student form class, initiated by the professor;
* An ‘F’ for the course;
* A referral to the UNT Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities;
* A notation on the student’s transcript; and,
* Expulsion from the university.

A combination of these penalties may also be used. If you need more information or have questions about plagiarism, ask your nearest journalism professor or visit the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities.

DISABILITIES. The Journalism Department, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, makes reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. If you require any such accommodation, please contact the instructor within the first three weeks of class.

IMPORTANT DATES

(SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Course Outline
Week 1: Jan. 15 and 17th
Introduction: Review syllabus, grading, class format.
Overview: Discuss evolution, role and importance of online journalism. Create blog.

Week 2: Jan. 22nd & 24th
Types of Convergence/Characteristics of Online News
Writing for the Web – Part 1
Week 3: Jan. 29th & 31st
Writing for the Web – Part II
Components of the Online News Story

Week 4: Feb. 5th & Feb. 7th
Defining the Audience: Who’s Reading/Viewing/Clicking?
News Websites: The Good,The Bad & The Ugly

Feb. 5 Class Notes – Engaging Readers

Week 5: Feb. 12th & 14th
Developing Story Ideas/Story Pitching
Hooking Your Readers/Viewers
GUEST SPEAKER

Week 6: Feb. 19th & 21st
Online Layout & Content Management/StoryBoarding
Editing & Posting Online News

Week 7: Feb. 26th & Feb. 28th
Defining/Discussing Digital Storytelling
Tools of the Digital Journalist

Week 8: March 4th & 6th
Adding Dimension to Online News: Photos & Videos
Using Graphics and Links/Cool sites & tools
Final Project Discussion

Week 9: March 11th & 13th
Mid-Term Exam
User-Generated News: Blogs, Podcasts, Facebook, Myspace
GUEST SPEAKER
DUE MARCH 13TH: FINAL PROJECT PROPOSAL
Week 10: March 18th & 20th
SPRING BREAK

Week 11: March 25th & 27th
News v. Blogs: Defining the Difference. Are blogs journalism? Analysis of media blogs v. pundits. What are the elements of a blog? What makes a good blog?

Week 12: April 1st & 3rd
Ethics: Doing the Right Thing
Legal/Copyright: Knowing What’s Right
GUEST SPEAKER

Week 13: April 8th & 10th
Innovation & Ideas – Mobile Technology
Final Project Workshop

Week 14: April 15th & 17th
Final class presentations
Week 15: April 22nd & April 24th
Final Class presentations

GRADING:
You may earn up to 1000 points in this course. Every student starts with a zero, and you will earn points based on the following:

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS – 400 points (5 in-class assignments)
BLOG ENTRIES – 100 points (min. 10 entries x 10 points eadh)
MID-TERM EXAM – 150 points
FINAL PROJECT – 275 points
TEACHER EVALUATION – 75 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE …………………………..1,000 points

FINAL GRADE SCALE:
1000 – 900 = A
899 – 800 = B
799 – 700 = C
699 – 600 = D
599 – Below = F

NOTE: The work you do in this class must be original and may not be turned in for any other class. You are allowed to use only the equipment assigned to this class. You may NOT use personal equipment or gear from NTTV or KNTU for any assignments unless specifically approved by your professor.

WRITING ASSIGMENTS: 80 points each
Your in class and homework assignments include writing from wire copy, newspaper/magazine/e-zine articles, notes, tapes/CDs, lectures, your own interviews and textbooks. Since this class is preparing you for a real-life journalism experience, you must follow the rules accuracy, clarity, conciseness, spelling, usage, grammar. You must meet all deadlines.

BLOG ENTRIES: 100 points
Part of your experience of becoming a journalist of the 21s Century is that you constantly practice the craft. During the first week of class, we will set up your course-related blog at WordPress.com. On this site, you must write a weekly item that discusses any issue related to electronic media, which may discuss and/or analyze topics we discuss in class or items you find in the news or on media websites. Your weekly posting must be made BEFORE the Thursday class at 11am.

MID-TERM EXAM: 150 points
This exam will include questions over the text, lectures, notes, speakers, writing assignments, exercises, handouts, speakers, and class discussions.

FINAL PROJECT: 275 points
This project is going to reflect a culmination of all your coursework. Your final project is designed to: (1) Take our class readings, discussions and analysis and put them into practice; (2) Tap into your skill as a journalist and novice at understanding how the internet works, particularly how content can be presented on the Internet; and (3) Allow you to further develop your blog into a credible site that – if you so desire -
can continue to maintain beyond this class. Your final grade for this project will be based on your thoroughness in reporting and writing; use of interactivity (e.g. use of related links, photos, slideshows, audio and video), your creativity and your 10-minute in-class presentation. You are not expected or required to hire a web designer or a programmer. All the tools you need are readily available for free on the web, and do not require any sophisticated technical knowledge.

TEACHER EVALUATION: 75 points
You will be judged throughout the semester on your participation, creativity, energy, ideas and improvement.