MCOM 0347
TEXT
Kenneth Rystrom. The Why, Who, and How of the Editorial Page. Strata. 4th edition
THE DESIGN
The focus of this course will be the editorial pages and op-ed pages of the nation's newspapers. You will read, first extensively in a range of sources and later intensively in one newspaper's editorial page and one columnist's work, seeking models for your own opinion writing. You will write editorials on a variety of subjects, write a series of columns modeled after a columnist of your choice, and conclude with a series of editorials packaged as an editorial campaign.
POLICIES
Attendance -- I consider the discussions we have in class and the work we do in class essential to the course. Consequently, your attendance is required. After three absences (excused or unexcused), your grade will be affected. Specifically, your grade will drop a notch for each additional class you miss. If you had an A, for exampole, but had missed four classes, your final grade would be lowered to an A-.
Deadlines -- Since meeting deadlines is imp;ortant for practitioners of editorial writing as well as news writing, I will expedct you to get your assignments in on time. You will be pehalized if you don't.
Classroom Decorum -- PLEASE do not use the computer keyboards or in any other way interact with the machines except when we are writing, researching, or looking at online publications.
SHOW AND TELL
You may earn a small amount of extra credit by showing to me and your fellow students an editorial or column you've found interesting. You should briefly describe the subject of the piece you've brought in (copies for the class or the URL so we can follow along) and briefly analyze the writer's work. For each show and tell (you may do ONE each week), you will get a half point on your midterm or final exam.
NOTE-TAKING INCENTIVE
You may show me your notebooks before the midterm and the final exam for extra credit of one to three points on those two tests. I'll be particularly interested in seeing notes on classes although I wouldn't discourage anyone from doing review notes.
GRADES
We'll have weekly quizzes on the assigned reading, a midterm, and a final.
Here is roughly how your grade will be determined.
Quizzes -- 15 percent
Midterm -- 15 percent
Final -- 20 percent
Editorials and columns -- 50 percent