Written assignments: This is the focus of this course and therefore worth 90% of your final grade (this includes both exams). Most of the writing you do in this class will be in lab. Outside written assignments (homework) that include reporting will be weighted to count double. You will have at least three homework assignments that involve reporting. Details of these assignments will be discussed when the assignment is made.
Sources for the final project and slice-of-life stories: All stories must have multiple sources (more than 2). Your selection of sources plays a major part in your story evaluations. If you interview someone, that person's phone number MUST BE listed at the end of the story so the instructor may check the veracity of the information. You may not interview close friends, roommates, family members. Violation of this policy will be considered academic dishonesty.
Midterm Exam: There will be a midterm exam that will count 10% of your grade. It will take place in the Mac Lab. You will write a news story from a fact sheet. Classes preceding the midterm will be used to prepare you for the midterm.
Final Exam: The final exam will count 25% of your grade. The exam will have two parts. One part will take place in the Mac Lab during exam week. For this exam, you will listen to a videotape of a speech, take notes and then write a news story. It will count as 10% of your grade. The second part requires you to develop a story idea (2.5% of your grade), report and write the story (10% of your grade), meet me in conference, and then rewrite the story (2.5% of the grade).
Quizzes, homework: These will count for 10% of your grade. Expect a quiz at the beginning of every class. Some quizzes will be announced, some will be a surprise, and some may be take home quizzes. If you arrive late, you may take the quiz but you will be given no extra time to finish. Content for quizzes will be the assigned reading for the class, AP style, grammar, current events from the newspaper.
I am available to meet with you or to help you when you need it. Do not hesitate to call my office or my home. But I cannot help you unless YOU ASK FOR HELP.
Please, do not wait until the semester is nearly over before meeting with me. If you have a physical problem or disability that affects your participation in this class, please see me immediately in private so that we can reach a reasonable accommodation.
Office: 530-898-3608
Cell: 352-225-1440
mdblake (at) csuchico.edu
Design © 2006 Matthew Blake