SPRING 2012 --
INSTRUCTOR: Pete Ellertsen -- 2125 S Lincoln Ave, Spfld
eellertsen @ ben.edu (copy and paste into address field and delete spaces)
Dawson 220 -- 2:30-3:45 TR
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
COMM-353 (3). Advanced Seminar in Writing, Editing and Page Design for Publications. In this seminar, students work on a major publications project, engage in critical reading of media content, discuss writing, editing and page design strategies, have drafts of their work critiqued in class, and develop a professional portfolio of the work. Prerequisite: COMM-150, COMM-207, COMM-208 and COMM-209.
II. TEXTBOOKS. (1) Carol Fisher Saller, "The Subversive Copy Editor: Advice from Chicago" (Chicago, 2009). ISBN 978-0226734255. (2) James Thurber, "The Years with Ross" (ed. Adam Gopnik, HarperCollins Perennial Classics edition, 2001). ISBN 978-0060959715. We will keep up with The New Yorker’s website at
http://www.newyorker.com/ and read selected articles therein assigned by the instructor and/or suggested by students. The Associated Press Stylebook will be used as the stylebook for the course. Optional but also recommended are: “The Chicago Manual of Style” (15th or any recent edition, used copies widely available on line); and Ben Yagoda, “About Town: The New Yorker and the World It Made” ISBN 0-684-81605-9.
III. MISSION STATEMENT OF BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY. Benedictine dedicates itself to the education for the undergraduate and graduate students from diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. As academic community committed to liberal arts and professional education distinguished and guided by its Roman Catholic tradition and Benedictine heritage - the University prepares its students for a lifetime as active, informed and responsible citizens and leaders in the world Community.
IV. GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Degree Program Goals
The Communication Arts degree program goals are as follows:
1. Prepare graduates for careers in advertising, electronic and print media, journalism, public relations, publishing, writing or other careers requiring sophisticated communications skills;
2. Prepare graduates for continued study in graduate or professional school;
3. Develop the student's critical and imaginative thinking, reading and writing skills;
4. Develop skills to empower the student to communicate ideas effectively, through speaking, writing and the use of technology;
5. Develop skills for critical interpretation of the media;
6. Foster aesthetic understanding in both production and interpretation of media texts;
7. Develop knowledge of the methods to make responsible social and personal decisions;
8. Develop primary and secondary research methodologies;
9. Develop an understanding of the history, structure and operation of the mass media;
10. Provide an understanding of the impact of mass media industries and messages on the individual, society and culture;
11. Develop professional-level skills in written and oral communication for a variety of media and audiences;
12. Develop professional-level production skills for both print and electronic media;
13. Encourage the development of creative expression; and
14. Help the student develop a professional media portfolio.
B. Course Goals
• Students will apply basic editorial principles, attitudes and practices in academic and quality magazine settings
• Students will gain practical editing experience on a demonstration literary magazine,
• Students will gain metacognitive knowledge of their experience and its relation to the practices and principles detailed in their readings
• Students will have their work included in a juried piece suitable for inclusion in their portfolios
B. Course Objectives/Outcomes
As a course requirement within the degree program, COMM 353 was designed with the above goals in mind. Thus, upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate mastery of the following objectives and student learning outcomes:
• Students will apply specific editing, production and critical thinking skills required in the preparation of articles and art for publication and in the production of a "little" magazine of literature, the arts and public affairs.
• Students will refine their critical thinking and professional standards and sense of craftsmanship by reading about 20th-century editorial principles and processes; applying principles to the present media environment; and editing each other’s work for a group portfolio piece.
V. TEACHING METHODS. COMM 353 is designed as a practicum, i.e. a course in which students apply the principles learned in their prerequisite courses, as well as areadings throughout the semester, to the writing, editing and production of a demonstration literary-type magazine.
There are two major components of the course:
1. [Lab magazine.] Students will contribute between three and five written pieces to the magazine, and between one and three pieces of artwork, i.e. visual or graphic work; edit and critique each other’s copy; and prepare all copy for publication. Contributions to the magazine can be work that was preciously submitted in other classes. The finished demonstration magazine will be submitted to outside jurors for evaluation, and the instructor will supervise, mentor and evaluate students during the editing and production phases, and assign final grades to students.
2. [Reading and reflection.] Students will read an introduction to editorial principles, attitudes and procedures by a line editor at the University of Chicago Press and a biography of the founding editor of The New Yorker. They will write essays and Web log (blog) posts reflecting on the craft agenda, attitudes and procedures of the Chicago press and the New Yorker, and apply these principles to current demands on media professionals both in print and on-line platforms.
Embedded questions in test instruments and essay assignments will be used for assessment of learning outcomes.
Students please note: Participation and class discussion are the keys to your success in this course. Be prepared to discuss the weekly reading assignments and contribute thoughtful, topical questions and comments about the material both in face-to-face class meetings and on your blogs. Please be considerate and respectful of one another. Web logs evaluated for course credit in my classes comprise a virtual community and an electronic extension of my classroom. In asking students to post to blogs, as in all of my classes, I encourage you to think for yourselves and try out new ideas; to do that safely, we have to respect and trust each other. Therefore, I must ask that we refrain from negative personal comments or "flame wars" on line. What sounds like friendly kidding when we're F2F (face-to-face) with each other can look hostile and intimidating in writing. Distractions in class will not be tolerated (e.g. disrespectful interruptions of instructor, guest speakers, fellow students, cell phones, and discussions irrelevant to class topics) and can affect your grade. Comments or concerns about specific material presented by the instructor or fellow students (should a student be dissatisfied or concerned) need to be brought to the instructor’s attention before or after class.
VI. COURSE REQUIREMENTS, READINGS, WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS
A. Attendance Policy.
Attendance is required during all class sessions. Students may miss no more than 10 percent of classes without penalty. Unexcused absences in excess of 10% will result in a reduction of the final grade in direct ratio accordingly. For example, an absence percentage of 17% will result in a reduction of the final grade by 7%. If you must miss a class for legitimate reason – e.g. illness, a child care emergency, jury duty or military duty – you must notify me ahead of time or, in the case of an emergency situation that arises without forewarning, within a reasonable period of time as soon as you are able to contact me. I will attempt to arrange make-up work in the case of a bona fide emergency, but the editing processes involved in COMM 353 are collaborative, and your absence will hurt not only your own performance in the course but also that of your classmates. If the final exam is missed for any reason, it may not be made up. If the absence occurs on the date an assignment is due, the late penalty for assignments still applies.
B. Reading Assignments, Please see the discussion of textbooks above and the tentative calendar below for reading schedule. You are expected to complete readings by the assigned dates and to turn in reflective essays on or before the dates assigned in the syllabus. You will keep up with The New Yorker’s website on a weekly basis. In addition to the readings outlined below, you may be given additional reading assignments including articles, journals, websites, etc. Quizzes and/or tests may cover any of the assigned readings or discussions.
C. Written Assignments and Tests. In addition to writing and editing the material in the demonstration magazine, students will write: (1) two five- to eight-page essays discussing selected issues raised in the assigned readings, with particular attention to how they can incorporate the attitudes, practices and procedures in their own writing; (2) a weblog in which they post weekly updates reflecting on issues raised in their assigned reading and their experience in editing and producing the magazine; (2) a midterm essay examination over the “Subversive Copy Editor” textbook; and (3) a five- to eight-page self-reflective essay at the end of the semester in which they evaluate their perceptions of the course material and its impact on their writing and editing. All assignments are due on the date indicated in the tentative calendar, and must be emailed to the instructor or posted to your blog by the beginning of class on the Thursday of the week during which they are due.
Benedictine University at Springfield Student Academic Honesty Policy
The search for truth and the dissemination of knowledge are the central missions of a university. Benedictine University at Springfield pursues these missions in an environment guided by our Roman Catholic tradition and our Benedictine heritage. Integrity and honesty are therefore expected of all University students. Actions such as cheating, plagiarism, collusion, fabrication, forgery, falsification, destruction, multiple submission, solicitation, and misrepresentation are violations of these expectations and constitute unacceptable behavior in the University community.
Student’s Responsibility
Though there is no formal honor code at Benedictine University at Springfield, students are expected to exhibit academic honesty at all times. Violations against academic honesty are always serious and may result in sanctions that could have profound long-term effects. The final responsibility for understanding the Academic Honesty Policy of the institution, as well as the specific policies for individual courses normally found in syllabi, rests with students. If any doubt exists about what constitutes academic dishonesty, students have the responsibility to talk to the faculty member. Students should expect the members of their class to be academically honest. If students believe one or more members of the class have been deceitful to gain academic advantage in the class, students should feel comfortable to approach the faculty member of the course without prejudice.
Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy will be reported to the Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs. Along with a verbal warning, the following are consequences a student may face for academic dishonesty:
• a failing grade or “zero” for the assignment;
• dismissal from and a failing grade for the course; or
• dismissal from the Institution.
VII. MEANS OF EVALUATION.
The instructor's grading scale is as follows: A = 100-90. B = 89-80. C = 79-70. D = 69-60. F = 59-0.
Written work will be graded for mastery of student learning objectives as evidenced by an evaluation of content, including clarity of thought and the use of relevant detail to support the student's conclusions. A final examination will be given, consisting of essay and short-answer questions, which will be evaluated for content. Quizzes and in-class journal exercises may be assigned without notice at the discretion of the instructor. Contribution to class discussion and participation in on-line research exercises in class will weigh heavily in each student's grade. Final grade weighting is as follows:
WEIGHTING
- Student blogs and class participation – 25 percent
- Demonstration magazine – 25 percent. This will be a group grade, based in part on outside jurors’ evaluations.
Essays – 50 percent
a. Midterm -- on “Subversive Copy Editor”
b. Reflective essay on “Years With Ross”
c. Self-reflective essay (in lieu of final exam)
If a student believes that an error has been made in reporting a grade, an appeal must be made in writing to the instructor and must be initiated 90 days prior to the end of one semester after the course in question has been completed. The appeal should contain specific information on why it is believed the grade reported is inaccurate. See the Student Handbook for details.
Add/Drop Dates
Please refer to the current Academic Calendar for add/drop dates.
Incomplete Request
To qualify for an “I” grade, a minimum of 75% of the course work must be completed with a “C” or better, and a student must submit a completed “Request for an Incomplete” form to the Registrar’s Office. The form must be completed by both student and instructor, but it is the student’s responsibility (not the instructor’s) to initiate this process and obtain the necessary signatures.
Student Withdrawal Procedure
It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course by completing the appropriate form, with appropriate signatures, and returning the completed form to the Advising Office. Please refer to the Student Handbook for important financial information related to withdrawals.
VIII. COURSE OUTLINE AND/OR CALENDAR.
A. The “how” of editing – principles and procedures
1. Working with writers
2. Collaborative nature of editing
3. The zen of editing
B. The “why” of editing – editorial standards, New Yorker case study
1. Literary role and standards
2. Journalistic role
3. Relevance to 21st century?
C. The day-to-day reality of editing – applying the “how” and “why”
1. Editorial standards
2. Professional standards
3. Personal standards
Please see also the tentative calendar below.
IX. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. Benedictine University at Springfield provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in educational programs, actives and services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should contact the Director of the Resource Center as early as possible.
If documentation of the disability (either learning or physical) is not already on file, it may be requested. Once on file, an individual student’s disability documentation is shared only at that individual’s request and solely with the parties whom the student wishes it shared. Requests are kept confidential and may be made by emailing jharris@sci.edu or by calling 217-525-1420, ext. 306.
X. ASSESSMENT. Goals, objectives, and learning outcomes that will be assessed in the class are stated in this syllabus in Sections IV and VI. Instructor will use embedded questions in graded writing, background knowledge probes, one-minute papers, reflective essays and/or other Classroom Assessment Techniques as deemed necessary in order to provide continuous improvement of instruction.
TENTATIVE CALENDAR
Week 1 (Jan. 17-19)
• Reading: Saller, Intro (ix-xvi) and Thurber, Intro by Adam Gopnik (ix-xxix). Survey the New Yorker’s website at
http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: On your own blog, answer these questions, among others I will post to The Mackerel Wrapper. What can you learn from the two introductions that you can use in your writing and editing career? Who’s blogging for the New Yorker’s website these days? What is their slant on things? What are their backgrounds? What can you learn from them?
• Editing: We will begin the process of planning a demonstration magazine, as described in the syllabus above.
Week 2 (Jan. 24-26)
• Reading: Saller, Part I “Working with the Writer, for the Reader” (3-53). Keep up with the New Yorker at http://www.newyorker.com/. What’s new this week? Does your perception of it change as you become more familiar with it? If so, how?
• Writing: Keep up your own blog. It should begin to take on a journal-like quality as you read the assigned texts, follow the New Yorker on line, begin to work on pulling together a demonstration magazine and reflect on how you might be able to use what you’re learning in our own career.
• Editing: Choose examples of your own writing you wish to have included in the magazine. We need three to five written pieces and one to three pieces of artwork and/or graphic design from each of you.
Week 3 (Jan.31-Feb. 2)
• Reading: Saller, Part II “Working with your Colleagues, and With Yourself” (55-102). Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging.
• Editing: We should be well into the planning stages now, making realistic decisions about copy flow, deadlines and the assignment of duties. While I will have suggestions for you based on my experience as faculty adviser to the old Sleepy Weasel, you will be responsible for making the magazine happen.
Week 4 (Feb. 7-9)
• Reading: Saller, Chapters 10, 11 and Appendix, on free-lancing, the Zen of editing and “breaking in” (103-119). Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging. I will assign the midterm over Saller. It will be a take-home essay examination, due in class Thursday, Feb. 16.
• Editing: By now we should have a rough idea of our production schedule and deadlines. We need to “crash” the magazine and take it through final edit by the week of April 17-19 in order to get it in the hands of jurors, i.e. outside readers who will evaluate it and help determine the final grade for the group project. So we will have to work back from there.
Week 5 (Feb. 14-16)
• Reading: Thurber, ix-35 (this includes reading Thurber’s foreword and re-reading Gopnik’s, which may give you some indication of how important I think it is). Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging. As you start reading Thurber, ask yourself how this story of a very idiosyncratic guy who founded a magazine nearly 100 years ago can have any relevance to our world of bewildering change in media. Blog about it. Keep it in mind as you read on.
• Editing: Have copies of your contributions to the magazine ready to be reproduced and edited by other members of our editorial group. As we begin the process, we will have to figure out a foolproof system for identifying who has edited a piece of copy and which is the final version that goes in the magazine.
Week 6 (Feb . 21-23)
• Reading: Thurber, 36-99. Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/. As you read more of Thurber, you’ll notice he isn’t exactly writing a straight biography. He’s tricky. What’s his attitude toward Ross? How does he convey it? What can you learn about editing – and about writing – from reading it? Are there principles and practices, tricks, techniques or odd little bits of information you can apply you own career?
• Writing: Keep blogging about your experience and your reading. My questions under the reading assignments are intended to be blogworthy, and you should address them in the blog.
• Editing: We will schedule “workshop” discussions of your contributions and your edits in class.
Week 7 (Feb. 28-March 1)
• Reading: Thurber, 100-120. Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/. How were the outsize personalities and towering egos of the people who worked with the New Yorker able to mesh in a collaborative manner? Can you infer any psychological and/or management principles from Thurber’s account? Or are these just long-dead personality issues?
• Writing: Keep blogging. As we compare edits and try to come to a consensus on different pieces of writing, what insights do you get from the process into the collaborative nature of writing and editing? Of preparing work for publication?
• Editing: Workshop discussions begin.
Week 8 (March 6-8)
• Reading: Thurber, 121-154. How did the New Yorker’s editorial product change from the “roaring 20s” to the Great Depression, World War II and beyond? How did Ross change? Or did he?Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging. What insights from the long-ago historical periods that Thurber writes about can offer you guidance for the second decade of the 21st century?
• Editing: Workshop discussions continue.
Week 9 (March 13-15)
• Reading: Thurber, 155-211. Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging. How, in your opinion, does the New Yorker today compare to the magazine of the early 20th century as James Thurber described it?
• Editing: Workshop discussions.
Spring Break (March 19-25)
Week 10 (March 27-29)
• Reading: Read Thurber, 212-72. As you finish “The Years With Ross,” you’ll notice the tone becomes almost elegiac. What does it tell you about Ross? About Thurber? About the collaborative nature of publishing? Keep following the New Yorker at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging. I will assign you an essay reflecting on Thurber’s biography of Harold Ross and its applications, if any, to today’s world.
• Editing: Workshop discussions.
Week 11 (April 3-5)
• Reading: Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Five- to eight-page essay on “Years With Ross” due Thursday, April 5 (grace period to Tuesday, April 10).
• Editing: Copyfitting and layout.
Easter Recess (April 6-9)
Week 12 (April 10-12)
• Reading: Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Grace period expires on Thurber essay. Keep blogging as we start crashing the magazine.
• Editing: Copyfitting, layout and last-minute crises.
Week 13 (April 17-19)
• Reading: Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging, crashing and more blogging.
• Editing: FINAL EDIT
Week 14 (April 24-26)
• Reading: Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Keep blogging. I will assign final self-reflective essay.
• Editing:
Week 15 (May 1-3)
• Reading: Keep following the New Yorker’s website at http://www.newyorker.com/.
• Writing: Self-reflective essay due.
• Editing:
Last Day of Classes (May 5).
Final Exams (May 7-12). Our exam period TBA.
