JCU Logo
JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "COM 221-1"
COURSE NAME: "Writing Across the Media"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Antonio Lopez
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 8:30 AM 9:45 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:

Our Writing Across the Media (WAM) course consists of 28 sessions across 14 weeks. Moodle and MS Teams are the main platforms 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 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). 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 Teams chat on a weekday afternoon- before 3 p.m. I check my JCU email account twice a week. The best way to communicate with me is via Moodle, which I manage every day.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1.     Apply legal and ethical principles to writing for the media

2.     Critically assess institutional and individual media practices

3.     Distinguish the affordances and constraints of different media platforms as they relate to writing

4.     Write clearly in forms and styles appropriate for a variety of media formats

5.     Apply appropriate communication tools to media writing activities

6.     Identify, find and verify authoritative information sources to develop strategic communication

7.     Apply research methods and strategies that are appropriate for communication task
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
BlogMaintain a personal weblog (blog) throughout the semester. This will involve creating a personal website using WordPress, which will serve as a digital portfolio for class assignments.25%
Press kitCreate a professional press kit for a band, film or book that features different types of copywriting.15%
PSA ScriptWrite a short script for a video spot25%
Participation/AttendParticipation and attendance is required. More than three unexcused absences will result in an automatic loss of a letter grade.10%
Podcast ScriptWrite a podcast script based on your blog.25%

-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:
More than three unexcused absences will result in the automatic loss of a letter grade. Being late three times counts as an absence. Chronic tardiness will also impact your attendance/participation grade.
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

Please note that the schedule is subject to change. Always refer to the course Moodle for the most updated information.

Week

Topic

In-Session

Out-Session

Reading

1

Overview

1) News curation:

Knowing news

Sources

2) Choosing WAM

topic

News headlines

1) Media bias

Activities

2) WAM

Worksheet +

WAM

headline

 

Pt. I

Blogging

2

1) News research

2) BLOG identity & audience connection

1) Research

workshop and

NEXIS

2) Blog essentials:

name, tagline

about page/target

audience

Create website!

Chapter 9

Target

Audience

pp. 297-299

3

blog ethics

 

1) COPYRIGHT:

linking,

embedding,

inserting

2) COPYRIGHT:

attribution

/quoting

Defamation,

privacy

Q&A

Poynter

Quiz

Chapter8

Media Law &

Ethics pp.

248 - 286

4

1) Blog anatomy

1) Blog post

anatomy /

Opinion/ CTAs

2) Headlines /

Summaries/

Leads /

 

Chapter 5

Multiplatform

Story and

Leads

pp. 142 - 151

5

1) Blog

2) Blogger recommendations

1) Workshop

2) The Review Post and

Organization

Profile posts

1) Read handouts

2) Prepare for

workshop

 

6

1) Blogger recommendations

2) Blog Flow and design

1) The Review Post and

Organization

Profile

2) WORKSHOP

Work on blog

submission

 

Pt. II

PSAs

7

PSA

1) Ethos, pathos,

logos persuasion

/Print Ads /

Aesthetics &

Empathy

2) Planning PSA

video: the

treatment

1) Library

2) Workshop

 

Chapter 11

Persuasive

Writing

pp. 362- 389

 

Begin filling

out your

factsheet

 

Blog due

8

PSA

1) Factsheet

2) script

1) Work on treatment

2) Work on script

 

9

PSA

1) Storyboards

2) screenings

Work on storyboard

 

Pt. III

Podcasting

10

Podcast

1) Project & Treatment

2) Searching forscholar to interview

 

Research workshop

 

PSA Due

11

Podcast

1) Anatomy of one episode in 3 segments & fair use
2) Script

 

 

 

12

Podcast

1)Writing for the Ear
2) History or podcast/radio

 

 

 

Pt. IV

Media Kits

13

Media Kits

1) Intro / History

2) News hooks &

event planning

 

News Values

pp. 110–111,

116 – 117

 

Podcast due

14

Media Kits

Pitch Letter &

Press Release

Attachments

 

Chapter 12

Press Release

pp. 417 - 419