·      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

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

Three late arrivals count as one absence. A late arrival begins after one minute of the official class time.

Our WAM course consists of 28 sessions across 14 weeks.

Moodle is the main platform of the course.  

2_Intro & News Research sessions

10_Blog sessions

6_PSA sessions

6_Podcast sessions

4_Press Kit sessions

WAM Topic: You will pitch and write four different projects within the same umbrella media topic you select for the semester. You will become an expert in the topic and experience communicating in four different media or languages.

Course material: handouts, manuals, script templates and numerous Internet resources including an ethics course are expected to be read and used. 

Please refer to our Moodle course for a detailed and bi-weekly breakdown of each session, with resources, activities and assignments and other course material.  Each in-class session requires both preparation and follow up (homework).  

A course book is not mandatory. For further reference of instructor’s classes the recommended book is: The Basics of Media Writing (A Strategic Approach), by Andrew Lingwall and Scott. A. Kuehn, 2018.  Our syllabus delineates page numbers to read. See Moodle for Google docs link.

Sessions: Each session covers a different step of your creative process. If you miss one session you miss one step, and thus are expected to catch up from the respective Moodle week. 

Prep and task work: In preparation to each project, every class session is followed up by to work at home. You are expected to complete each activity in order to move forward during class and be prepared to participate. These activities count towards the final participation grade.

Research activities: research is key to this course and it is expected for every project submission. The schedule signals research activities and workshops held throughout the semester.

Folders and bookmarks: please create both a file folder and bookmarks folder to save all the material and research for each project and throughout the course.

Office hours and contacting professor:  For any questions or comments about a session, message me on the Moodle class chat from Monday through Thursday. Questions or queries during the weekend will be resolved on Monday. For an in-person meeting, we can arrange a chat on a weekday afternoon- before 3 p.m. I check my JCU email account twice or thrice a week. The best way to communicate with me is via Moodle, which I manage every day. 

Communication of absence or lateness: In-class attendance is mandatory unless you have Dean's Office permission to be absent. Please do not email me if you will be late or absent. Communicate with me in person before or after class next time you see me, thank you. I'm available before of after class.

Electronic equipment policy- With the exception of learning accommodations or unless notified in advance for a class activity, the use of electronic equipment such as laptops, tablets, or phones is not permitted during class. Please save battery and brain power. Engage and interact with your peers and instructor.

Projects  are submitted via Moodle every month in the order below= 4 submissions. Late submission policy- Late submissions will incur in a penalty of 3 percentage points per calendar day. Projects will not be accepted after three days late. 

 Projects- Weights and Deadlines

See general calendar below. For details, please see Moodle regularly. Syllabus may be subject to slight changes.

Thank you for reading.

Have a great semester.