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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "COM 221-1"
COURSE NAME: "Writing Across the Media"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2021
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Helton Vilar De Andrade Levy
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course introduces students to the various kinds of writing they will encounter in the media professions and in digital multimedia production, and prepares them for more advanced media courses in the Communications and Media Studies program. Students will also be introduced to basic legal and ethical issues, such as libel, copyright, privacy. Activities include writing for online media, press releases, strategic campaigns, and short scripts for visual and audio media as well as exercises to pitch their ideas. They will also explore issues concerning style, communicability, and effective storytelling.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

All students are required to create an e-portfolio or thematic website using WordPress. Students should develop a body of work anchored in this blog/website. They are expected to deliver weekly drafts of their production based on the guidelines offered during each of the sections. These assignments include blog posts, short scripts (audio and visual, including a podcast) for a public service announcement, institutional communication, a press report and a press release. The final assessment consists of an evaluation of this e-portfolio, blog or website.

Every week, students will be offered a theoretical and a practical session. The practical part will consist of feedback from the professor and course colleagues on the piece produced in each week. Assignments will be explained and drafted during the first session and delivered/discussed during the second class. It is expected that every piece produced may range between 500-800 words, in which students are urged to stay in the same topic they elected during the first class.

This module uses the flipped approach to teaching, in which students are introduced to the learning material before the class and classroom time then being used to deepen understanding through discussion with peers and problem-solving activities facilitated by the professor.

By the end of the module, all students are expected to have developed a robust body of work that can be incorporated into a future portfolio. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

·            Learn legal and ethical principles of writing for the media

·            Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of writing for various media professions

·            Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for a variety of communications professions

·            Apply tools and technologies appropriate for different communications professions

·            Critically assess institutional and individual media practices

·            Understand how to promote and share written works online

·            Conceive, draft, edit and finalize a basic script for visual and audio media

TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
The basics of media writing: a strategic approach. Kuehn, S. A., & Lingwall, J. A. (2018). CQ Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications..  

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
An Introduction to Writing for Electronic Media : Scriptwriting Essentials Across the GenresMusburger, Robert B. Taylor & Francis Group, 2007. ProQuest Ebook Central. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.jcu.idm.oclc.org/lib/johncabot/detail.action?docID=535221
Writing for social media. Marshall, C. (2018). BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT..  
Writing for the workplace: business communication for professionals (First, Ser. Corporate communication collection).Mizrahi, J. (2015). Business Expert Press.  
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Blogging and news reportsContent created for Weeks 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 1220%
Press Release and advertisementContent created for Weeks 7, 9, 1020%
PSA and media reportsContent created for Week 820%
Audiovisual (Including podcast)Content created for Week 4, 5, 1320%
Digital Portfolio The originality of all materials developed and published on the WordPress website and submitted via Moodle.10%
Attendance/ParticipationAttendance and participation is required. More than three unexcused absences will result in an automatic loss of a letter grade.10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until December 14.

Students will not be penalized for three absences from classes meeting twice a week.

Participation grade will be deducted by 5 points for each additional absence beyond the three absences.

Three late arrivals (or early dismissals) count as one absence. 

Please refer to the JCU Student Handbook and Dean of Students communication emails for updates on COVID-19 protocol.

ACADEMIC HONESTY 

As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision. STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES


John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

This Spring 2021, our course consists of 28 sessions in 14 weeks of approx. 80 minutes each. Each session splits into practical and theoretical parts. Moodle and MS Teams will be the main platforms of the course.  Students are expected to work individually and as part of online groups.

Students are expected to draft their ideas during the first session of the week (Mondays) and present/discuss them during the second section (Wednesdays).

Feedback will be offered by professor and colleagues and on an individual basis. To ease feedback and presentation, all formats and pieces are expected to be available on the same website/portfolio/blog created at the beginning of the course. All texts and materials should be developed within/around the same topic/theme elected at the beginning of the course.  

At the end of the course, students are required to export their production to a html or word file (see guidance on how to export your blog on Wordpress), which should be uploaded on Moodle for grading. The failure in uploading the consolidated portfolio with all texts produced during the course will result in an INC (incomplete) grade.

 Research workshops can be conducted by a librarian*, please contact JCU library for further information.

 Please refer to our Moodle course for a detailed and weekly syllabus breakdown of each session, with resources, activities and assignments and other course material.

 Office hours and personal feedback is available via MS Teams via our Moodle class board. For questions, comments or discussion with professor, please use the MS Teams class chat functionality. 

Final grading happens on Exam week, but students will receive ongoing feedback on their writing.

Check Moodle for weekly assignments/sessions/readings.