COMM 150 - discussion question for Friday Wednesday (in class)

Here are three questions. Post your answers as comments to this blog post. It's very easy, but I'll show you how below.

1. How much of what you know about the world did you get from mass media?

2. What information did you get from which media?

For example: I find out about Illinois politics from newspaper websites and The Capitol Fax blog, national and world news from newspaper and magazine websites ... and Jon Stewart. Celebrities from the Internet. Paris Hilton is everywhere lately.

3. What mass media/messages have you encountered so far today?

Examples: Alarm on clock radio [whatever program was on]. Internet: Surfed Yahoo! and Google news pages, watched Fox News video my right-wing cousin sent me, checked out Huffington Post to see if Jon Stewart is back from vacation. TV: Today Show [or ESPN, Home Shopping Network, whatever you watched]. Newspapers: Felt guilty about not buying State Journal-Register any more, checked out J-R website. The possibilities are endless ...

Post your list of mass media as comments to this blog post. And read each other's comments. The value of online in-class discussion comes when you see what your classmates are thinking and learn from each other.

How to post your response
Scroll down to the bottom of this post. On the right side of the last line, there will be a link that says "___ comments" (with a number filled in where I've left a blank, depending on how many comments have been posted). Click on that link and fill in the comment field on the right. Sign in (and make a note of the username and password you choose because we'll keep on posting to the blog, and if you don't make a note of it, you'll forget it and you'll be out of luck). Review your comment if you wish, and publish it by clicking on "Publish Your Comment." Blogger is relentlessly user-friendly.

If you have trouble getting in, make sure that your user name is an email address ... i.e. with the "...@blahblahblah.blah" tag. When Blogger asks for a user name, 99 percent of the time it's looking for an address.

COMM 337: Getting started ... blogging and free-lancing

COMM 337, if it works the way I hope it will, is designed to actually put money in your pocket. You'll open a blog, and we'll look at some blogs that professional writers use for their research notes, trying out ideas before committing them to print and, sometimes, communicating with their audiences.

But mostly you'll blog about four types of journalistic writing that are listed in the course description, and you'll write a publishable free-lance story. It's all in the syllabus, which I have posted to this blog at http://mackerelwrapper.blogspot.com/2010/08/comm-337-syllabus-fall-2010.html ...

So that's what I mean about putting money in your pockets. In COMM 337 you'll learn how to write and market a publishable free-lance story. You'll want to get started on it ASAPest, so be thinking what you'd like to write about and who you can interview for it. I follow the old newspaperman's rule: No interview, no story.

[Translation: "ASAP" means as soon as possible. "ASAPer" means sooner. And "ASAPest" means soonest of all, like really, really soon. Like now.]

Your textbooks are (1) Donald M. Murray, "Writing to Deadline" [ISBN 978-0325002255]; and (2) "The Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing" [ISBN 978-1582973340]. They're cheap, and you can get them from Amazon.com or any other online book sellers. They're not in the BenU bookstore.

Let's set up a couple of face-to-face meetings in the next week or two, so we can get started.

In the meantime, Amy has given me permission to excerpt (lightly edited, of course) from our email messages last week. It has some of my thoughts about free-lancing and about the course.

Amy wrote:

Hi Doc,

I was wanting to get the names of the books that we are going to need for this class, and a syllabus if you have one. I know that the last time we talked you said the class would be conducted mainly through email, but let me know if you want to meet up the first week or so to go over the work that we will be doing. Thank you. Oh, and how's the book coming?

And I replied (in part):

I'll get back to you with some of my thoughts on how to get started ... beyond the obvious, i.e. ordering the books ... but first I've got to *think* about it. Basically you'll be blogging and doing a free-lance article. ... send me a link to whatever blog you want to use for the course. And we can set up a time to meet.

And ... oh, yeah, the book. Thanks for asking.

No book in sight, but I'm juggling about three article ideas now, about halfway into writing one, and I've sold another which will tentatively come out in the winter issue of a dulcimer players' hobby magazine ... writing them all on spec but with specific markets in mind and planning to query them once I have a final draft I'm satisfied with. And making sure that I have more than one iron in the fire at all times, which is some of the best advice for free-lancers I've ever heard. In fact ... wow! ... I'm actually trying to do the stuff we'll be reading about.

A word about blogs.

This blog, The Mackerel Wrapper, is mostly a student blog. But my other blog, called "Hog-fiddle" at http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/, has turned into a pretty fair example of a research blog since we stopped offering my cultural studies classes. I write mostly about traditional music, and I can do a lot of my research on line. So it's full of links to information about songs.

I'll link you to some better blogs later. One word of caution: If you're working on an article with a specific market in mind, don't post your drafts to a blog. That might be considered prior publication, and it might disqualify your article. It's best to use a blog sort of like a writer's journal. Try out short descriptive passages, notes to yourself, possible story ideas, links to other people's stories you might want to study for a "swipe file," etc.

I'll see what I can find on writer's journals and post them to the blog ASAP.

English guitar - fingerpicking technique videos

Awesome website: Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop

Martin Carthy teaches "The Siege of Delhi"




http://www.youtube.com/user/GtrWorkShp#p/u/99/OWlA8J_JEuY

John Fahey "In Christ there is no East or West"

James J. Kilpatrick, Nov. 1, 1920 – Aug. 15, 2010

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/aug/17/jkob17-ar-457099/

His career with the evening newspaper spanned the tumultuous years after the 1954 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that outlawed racially segregated schools — a decision against which Mr. Kilpatrick, acknowledged even by foes as a gifted wordsmith, thundered with pointed eloquence.

“These nine men repudiated the Constitution, spit upon the 10th Amendment and rewrote the fundamental law of this land to suit their own gauzy concepts of sociology,” Mr. Kilpatrick wrote after the court ruling.

“If it be said now that the South is flouting the law, let it be said to the high court: you taught us how.”

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/aug/17/ed-kilpo17-ar-456808/ Kilpatrick: My Journey From Racism

Editor's note: The late James J. Kilpatrick, former editorial page editor for "The Richmond News Leader," wrote this piece for the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" in 2002. It is reprinted by permission.

Our nation would have been better off, said Sen. Trent Lott, if it had elected Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond in 1948. We wouldn't have had all these problems over the years.

It was a stupid thing to say, profoundly wrong, deeply offensive. Lott was endorsing the racial segregation on which Thurmond had based his campaign. By "all these problems," he meant the difficulties experienced by white folks in adjusting to the new realities. The statement ended Lott's usefulness on the national stage -- a reality he finally accepted on Friday, with his resignation as Senate majority leader.

Why did he say what he said? Lott's 534 colleagues in the House and Senate know exactly what happened at Thurmond's birthday party. On one occasion or another, they have been there and done that. The senator was surfboarding on a wave of bonhomie. As Dr. Samuel Johnson remarked long ago, in lapidary inscriptions men are not upon their oaths. The jovial Lott sought only to make Strom feel good, a worthy endeavor. In the fulsome process he fecklessly attempted to defend the indefensible.

I can offer a second explanation, but it requires a touch of autobiography.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/16/AR2010081602555.html

Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff wrote in "The Race Beat" (2006), their Pulitzer Prize-winning book about journalism in the civil rights era.

"Kilpatrick, by propagating a whole vernacular to serve the culture of massive resistance -- interposition, nullification, states' rights, state sovereignty -- provided an intellectual shield for nearly every racist action and reaction in the coming years," Roberts and Klibanoff wrote.

Mr. Kilpatrick told a Roanoke newspaper in 1993 that he had intended merely to delay court-mandated integration because "violence was right under the city waiting to break loose. Probably, looking back, I should have had better consciousness of the immorality, the absolute evil of segregation."



http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/aug/17/jkob17r-ar-457095/ "He was a hell of a fella. He cultivated a public image on TV of being a cranky conservative . . . but he wasn't a cranky conservative at home. . . . He apologized over and over publicly and in print when he could about being on the wrong side of the segregation issue. He was a son of the South." Marianne Means, Kilpatrick's widow
November 1, 1920 – 15 August 2010

COMM 337 syllabus - fall 2010

COMM 337: Advanced Journalism Writing
Benedictine University at Springfield
Fall Semester 2010

"There are no dull subjects. There are only dull writers." -- H.L. Mencken

Communications 337 meetings TBA. Much of the communication between instructor and students will be on line, and students are required to check their email on a daily basis. Instructor is Pete Ellertsen, 2125 S. Lincoln Ave., Springfield, Ill. 62704, email: pellertsen@sci.edu. tel. 793-2587.

I. Course Description.
Course Title: Advanced Journalism Writing
Course Number: COMM 337
Credits: 3.00

Description
Students practice the major styles of journalistic writing beyond newswriting: public affairs reporting, feature writing, magazine writing and editorial writing. Periodically.
Prerequisites
COMM 209

II. Textbooks . You have three: (1) Donald M. Murray, "Writing to Deadline" ISBN 978-0325002255; (2) "The Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing" ISBN 978-1582973340; and (3) "The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual" ISBN 978-0465012626 or any recent edition. Also required are the readings on the World Wide Web linked below in the Tentative Calendar.

III. MISSION STATEMENT
Benedictine University is dedicated to the education of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. As an academic community committed to liberal arts and professional education distinguished and guided by our Roman Catholic tradition and Benedictine heritage, we prepare our students for a lifetime as active, informed and responsible citizens and leaders in the world community.

IV. Goals, objectives and student learning outcomes.
A. 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.

Course Goals: Students will understand the techniques, attitudes, values and craft agenda of professional writers, and practice their mastery of the craft by preparing a publishable article and by publishing their analysis of current published writing in a Web log of their own creation.

B. Course Objectives/Outcomes
As a course requirement within the degree program, COMM 337 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:
1. To write a publishable feature, news-feature or opinion article
2. To research markets for a free-lance article and write a query letter
3. To explain the attributes of and criteria for judging newspaper and magazine feature writing, public affairs writing and social/political commentary.
4. To create a Web log and publish their analysis of current journalistic writing on the blog, using the criteria and attributes referenced above.

V. Teaching Methods. Small group and whole classroom discussion (including participation in discussion on the Message Board linked to my faculty webpage and my teaching blog), pre-writing, drafting and editing exercises.

VI. Course Requirements.
A. Attendance Policy. Attendance is mandatory. To avoid class disruption, students in COMM 337 must be on time. If a student misses class, is the student's responsibility to get class notes, assignments, etc., from classmates. Missed in-class work, by its very nature, cannot be made up.
B. Reading Assignments. Please see the Tentative Calendar below.
C. Written Assignments. (1) Students will write a 1,500- to 2,000-word article on a current political, social, cultural or artistic issue, research potential markets for it and write a one-page query letter tailored to a specific market. (2) Students will create a web Log (blog) and write analyses professional writing of 1,000 words each of: (a) a newspaper feature story, (b) a magazine feature, (c) a piece of public affairs reporting and (d) an opinion or op-ed piece on the blog. (3) Both the midterm and final exam will be take-home essay examination. (4) Students also will be assigned to cover public gatherings on campus (which tend to happen during the noon hour) without notice. These assignments, by their nature, cannot be made up; missing deadlines will hurt your grade.

The instructor's grading scale is as follows: A = 100-90. B = 89-80. C = 79-70. D = 69-60. F = 59-0. Please note, the letter grade of “E” has been changed to a letter grade of “F.”

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 . Your final grade will be based on assignments weighted as follows: (A) class participation and journals, including the four analyses of professional writing, worth 50 percent of the total grade; (B) reporting assignments, including coverage of noontime events as well as the 1,500-word article and query letter, in total worth 25 percent of the total; and (C) quizzes and tests including the midterm and the final exam, worth 25 percent.
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.

Grade Appeal Process
Grade appeals must be initiated 90 days prior to the end of one semester after the course in question has been completed. The process for appealing a grade is outlined below.

First, contact the Instructor.
1. A student must appeal to his/her instructor in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed.
2. The instructor must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide a copy to the Division Chair.
Second, contact the Division Chair.
3. If the student wishes, he/she may then appeal to the Division Chair in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed without the instructor’s permission. The student should understand that overwhelming evidence must be presented to the Division Chair to prove that the current grade is incorrect.
4. The Division Chair must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide a copy to the academic dean.
Lastly, contact the Academic Dean.
5. If the student wishes, he/she may appeal to the academic dean in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed without the instructor’s or the Division Chair’s permission. The student should understand that overwhelming evidence must be presented to the academic dean to prove the grade is incorrect.
6. The academic dean must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable). The academic dean’s decision is final.

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 passing grade, 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 Calendar. Please see Tentative Calendar below. The schedule of assignments is tentative, and departures from it will be announced at the class meeting prior to the change -- or via the Message Board. Students who miss class are responsible for keeping up with rescheduled assignments.

IX. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
Benedictine University at Springfield provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in campus-sponsored programs, activities, and services, or to 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 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. Read Murray, Chapters 1-2, on craft and process; "Writer's Digest Handbook," foreword, intro and Chapter 1 on free-lancing and finding ideas; Chapter 2 on querying; and Chapter 4 on finding markets (which are an integral part of finding ideas if you want someone to buy your story). Choose a name and open your Web log. Post your reaction to the reading assignment in Murray, plus questions I will post to the blog.

Week 2. Re-read "Handbook" Chapter 5 and 6 on research and interviewing. Read Murray, Chapters 3-4, on "reporting for surprise" and finding the flow (Murray calls it "tension," among other things) of a story. As you read Murray, try to figure out what he means by "surprise." It's almost impossible to explain, but it's important. It may be the single most important thing that makes your work stand out in the crowd. Post your reaction to the reading assignment in Murray, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 3 Read Murray, Chapters 5-6, on pre-writing (much of which you do in your head) and writing a story. Post your reaction to the reading assignment in Murray, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 4 Read "Handbook" Chapters 8-9 on writing and revision; Murray, Chapters 7-8, on writing, editing and revising so readers will want to read what you wrote. (Hint: How do you do that? Surprise them.) Post your reaction to the reading assignment in Murray, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 5 Read "Handbook" Chapter 10 on working with editors; and Murray, Chapter 9, on how to think like a professional -- i.e. like an apprentice! Post your reaction to the reading assignment in Murray, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 6 Midterm. Post your 1,000-word analysis of a public affairs (politics, government, society or cultural) story to your blog, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 7 Post your 1,000-word analysis of an opinion article or op-ed piece to your blog, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 8 Post your 1,000-word analysis of a newspaper feature story to your blog, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 9 Post your 1,000-word analysis of a magazine article to your blog, plus questions I will post to the Mackerel Wrapper.

Week 10. Work on feature story. Readings from Writer's Digest and internet TBA.

Week 11 Work on feature story. Readings from Writer's Digest and internet TBA.

Week 12 Work on feature story. Readings from Writer's Digest and internet TBA.

Week 13 Work on feature story. Readings from Writer's Digest and internet TBA.

Week 14 Review and assessment.

Final exam schedule TBA.

COMM 150 syllabus - fall 2010 [rev. 09-04-10]

Communications 150, Intro to Mass Comm.
Benedictine University Springfield
Fall Semester 2010

http://mackerelwrapper.blogspot.com/2010/07/comm-150-syllabus-fall-2010.html

[Television] is not a tool by which the networks conspire to dumb us down. TV is a tool by which the networks give us exactly what we want. That's a far more depressing thought. -- "The Vent," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jan. 19, 1999.


Communications 150 meets from 1,50 to 2 p.m. MWF in Dawson 220. Instructor, Pete Ellertsen. Email, pellertsen@sci.edu. Office hours TBA. Home: 2125 South Lincoln, Springfield, IL 62704.

I. Course Description:

Course Title: Introduction to Communication
Course Number: COMM 150
Credits: 3.00

Description
A writing and speaking-intensive introduction to communication arts theory and research, with an emphasis on analyzing mass media messages and understanding their underlying cultural and historical contexts.

II. Textbooks. Vivian, John. The Media of Mass Communication. (10th or any recent edition). ISBN 978-0205693054 . Pearson Education, Inc., Boston, MA, 2008. In this course, you will be expected to use AP style writing. A copy of The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual is on reserve at the circulation desk in Becker Library. If you plan to major in mass comm., I encourage you to purchase this book as a supplement for all communication classes and your future professional career.

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

A. 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.

Course Goals
1. The main goal of this course is to develop a critical understanding of mass communication and its influence in society.
2. Students will understand the practice, theory and ethics of various communication industries or careers.
3. Students will gain practical experience through observations of their own personal interactions with the media in daily life.
B. Course Objectives/Outcomes
As a course requirement within the degree program, COMM 150 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:
1. Discuss the historical and social context of mass communication and how it evolved.
2. Describe the major media, functions, and models of mass communication.
3. Demonstrate critical thinking skills by discussing and evaluating mass-media issues.


V. Teaching Methods. Small group and whole classroom discussion, in-class research and writing assignments, and occasional lectures by the instructor to introduce points of discussion. The instructor reserves the right to pre- and post-testing CATs and embedded questions in test instruments as appropriate will be used for assessment of learning outcomes.

VI. Course Requirements, Readings, Written Assignments and Tests
A. Attendance Policy. Attendance is mandatory. To avoid class disruption, students in COM 150 must be on time. If a student misses class, is the student's responsibility to get class notes, assignments, etc., from classmates. Missed in-class work, by its very nature, cannot be made up.
If a student knows (s) he will miss class, it is the student's responsibility to alert the instructor. Assignments should be turned in via e-mail by the beginning of the class period the assignment is due. Absences are not an excuse for missed assignments. Period. Coordinate with fellow students to get class notes. Contact the instructor or classmates to get assignments due for the next class period.

Participation and class discussion are key to your success in this course. Be prepared to discuss the weekly reading assignments and contribute thoughtful, topical questions and comments about the material. Please be considerate and respectful of one another. 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.

B. Reading Assignments, Please see the tentative calendar for reading schedule. 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,
• Writing expectations. In your assignments for COMM 150, try to follow the standards you see in professional writing for a public audience. If you plan to major in mass communications, you are encouraged to create a professional Web log and post your journals – which I define in this class as non-graded writing that counts for class participation but not as a formal documented essay – to your blogs. Sources of information in all of your writing must be attributed or documented. If you write down anything that you didn’t know before, say where you found it! Failure to do so, even unintentional, is plagiarism. In our field, it may also be copyright infringement. Do not write just to fill up space. Create clear, concise, accurate, and relevant thoughts. And convey them to readers in a well-written, grammatical, engaging fashion. Each student will write, (1) a documented term paper (at least 2,000 words or eight pages) on a subject to be chosen by the instructor dealing with some aspect of mass communications, to be agreed upon ahead of time by the instructor and the student; or (2) two documented essays (at least 1,000 words of four pages each) reflecting on topics to be assigned by the instructor. Additional in-class writing may be assigned without notice. Details will be posted to The Mackerel Wrapper.

• Tests. Both midterm and final will be a combination of essay questions, in which students will discuss broad trends related to course goals and objectives; and short answer questions. I reserve the right to give another test during the course of the semester but your final will be a demonstrated understanding of the material.

Note to students, If you are considering going on to major in communications, English or the social sciences, you should keep copies of your written work for your senior portfolio.

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. Written work for COMM 150 will be graded for mastery of SLOs 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,

• Class participation, 25 percent
• Term paper and/or oral presentation, 25 percent
• Midterm and Final Exam, 25 percent
• In-class and online writing, including blogging, 25 percent
Grading scale, A = 90-100. B = 80-89. C = 70-79. D = 60-69. F = 0-59.

Grade Appeal Process
Grade appeals must be initiated 90 days prior to the end of one semester after the course in question has been completed. The process for appealing a grade is outlined below.

First, contact the Instructor.
1. A student must appeal to his/her instructor in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed.
2. The instructor must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide a copy to the Division Chair.
Second, contact the Division Chair.
3. If the student wishes, he/she may then appeal to the Division Chair in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed without the instructor’s permission. The student should understand that overwhelming evidence must be presented to the Division Chair to prove that the current grade is incorrect.
4. The Division Chair must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide a copy to the academic dean.
Lastly, contact the Academic Dean.
5. If the student wishes, he/she may appeal to the academic dean in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed without the instructor’s or the Division Chair’s permission. The student should understand that overwhelming evidence must be presented to the academic dean to prove the grade is incorrect.
6. The academic dean must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable). The academic dean’s decision is final.

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 passing grade, 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.

VIII. Course Outline and/or Calendar.

I. Introduction and overview

a. Media literacy
b. Technology and mass communications
c. Postmodernist critiques of media

II. Media forms and history

a. Print – books, newspapers and magazines
b. Recordings – audio and video
c. Broadcast – radio and television
d. Internet

III. Media functions

a. News, PR and advertising -- Information and persusasion
b. Entertainment
c. Transmission of culture

IV. Research

V. Mass media effects

a. On society
b. On government

VI. Media law and ethics

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 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

All readings listed herein are in Vivian. In addition to the textbook, I will link to World Wide Web sites for supplemental reading on issues as they arise. Due to the nature of mass communications, we will discuss real-world events as they arise – even though they may not follow the exact order listed in the textbook. [Newsmakers have a distressing habit of not consulting with me before they do things that might be relevant to our class.] You need to keep up with the assigned readings in Vivian, however, order to understand the context for events as they arise.

First Week. Introduction to Class, syllabus, academic integrity, etc. Read Chapter 1, Mass Media Literacy; Chapter 2, Media Technology. Write: How much of what you know did you learn from mass media? How many of your attitudes, interests, tastes, etc., derive from mass media?

Second Week. Read Chapter 3, Books; Chapter 4, Newspapers; and Chapter 5, Magazines

Third Week. Read Chapter 6, Sound Recording; and Chapter 7, Motion Pictures

Fourth Week. Read Chapter 8, Radio; and Chapter 9: Television

Fifth Week. Read Chapter 10, Internet.

Sixth Week. Midterm over Chapters 1-10. Read Chapter 11, News; and Chapter 12, Public Relations.

Seventh Week. Read Chapter 14, Entertainment.

Eighth Week. Read Chapter 15, Media Research

Ninth Week. Read Chapter 16, Mass-Media Effects on Society

10th Week. Read Chapter 17, Global Mass Media

11th Week. Read Chapter 19, Mass Media and Governance

12th Week. Read Chapter 20, Mass Media Law

13th Week. Read Chapter 21, Mass Media Ethics

Final exam TBA.

xxx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/21/rachel-maddow-white-house_n_654134.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/98995259.html


It began Monday, when the clip, from a 43-minute speech Sherrod gave in March to an NAACP Freedom Fund dinner in Georgia, appeared on the conservative website Breitbart.com. In a blog post, activist Andrew Breitbart called it a "racist" tale in which she "racially discriminates against a white farmer." Breitbart, long at odds with the NAACP, said this demonstrated its racism. The NAACP had passed a resolution at its national conference last week calling on the tea party movement to repudiate racist elements in its ranks.

Out of an already-buzzing blogosphere, the clip was sucked into the 24/7 news cycle. Many major cable news outlets ran it, evidently without watching the rest of the speech.

Lambasted by NAACP president Benjamin Jealous, Sherrod resigned, saying later she'd been pressured to by an administration official worried that the story was going to be on Glenn Beck's show on Fox. Her boss, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, declared "zero tolerance for discrimination."

Then . . . somebody looked at the whole speech. Turns out it wasn't what it seemed. Quite the reverse.

"This shows you do your work, better check your facts, or you'll end up doing something you're going to regret," says Brooks Jackson, director of FactCheck.org, a project of the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School of Public Policy.



Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/98995259.html#ixzz0uQHvMzNJ
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else

COMM 317: Query letters - the best tipsheet I've seen yet!

The subject line kind of says it all, doesn't it?

It's the SAMPLE QUERY LETTER on the James Russell Publishing website. It's much, much more than sample boilerplate. It explains why we should say the things James Russell says we should say. And it's the best thing I've seen yet in 20-some years of reading sample query letters and how-to-write-a-query-letter pieces in how-to-write-a-book books.

But I already said that, didn't I?

Here's Rule #1:

You may mail query letters to most all publishers, but here's the rule: Your query letter must be professional in all aspects, and this includes e-mail queries. For some reason, writers believe the e-mail query may include less information. This is not true. Your e-mail query letter must mimic your postal mail query letter! ...

I'm not going to summarize the rest of it, because I want you to read it. But here, way down on the list, is a tidbit I hadn't known before:

Never send a manuscript in a padded envelope! These brown kraft paper envelopes are filled with millions of shredded fibers. When publishers and agents see them they hit the roof! They know the manuscript will be filled with these fluffy dust particles and will mess up their clothes, desktops, floors, hands and the manuscript itself. Use bubble envelopes! Some editors become so upset when they see a padded envelope they simply reject the manuscript without even reading it!

So there. Now we all know.

Stephen Cobert on intellectual property theft

Call it plagiarism. Call it copyright infringement. Call it theft of intellectual property. Call it whatever you want, but TV comic Stephen Cobert has a word for it. Well, not exactly a word. Let's call it a hand gesture.

Here's the setup:

1. During the televised Grammy awards ceremony, Cobert wore a jacket with a large inside pocket called the "iPad Suit Pocket."

2. Not long thereafter The Wall Street Journal ran a story about jacket with a large inside pocket called the "iPad Suit Pocket."

3. The Journal didn't acknowledge Cobert had it first.

4. So Cobert had a perfect opportunity to make The Journal look like a bunch of amateurs.

5. He took the opportunity.

Watch here. Content advisory: The gesture is impolite. Some would call it an obscene gesture.

COMM 150, COMM 209: BBC On the beat with a local reporter

On the beat with a local reporter 1min report, follows young reporter interviewing candidates, voters, etc. She uses shorthand!

Local newspaper reporters have been working overtime in the run-up to the British elections.
Katie Davis, news editor of the local north London newspaper the Ham and High, gave this first person account of what it's like to cover the campaign.

Peter Ellertsen / Resume

Peter Ellertsen, 2125 South Lincoln Avenue, Springfield, Illinois 62704. Telephone: (217) 793-2587. Email: peterellertsen@yahoo.com. [Updated 11-23-10]

Professional experience

Free-lance writer, living history interpreter and amateur musician, 1995-present. I have articles on music in Dulcimer Players News, the EverythingDulcimer.com website and regional history magazines in Illinois and Missouri [see below for list]. As a trained volunteer interpreter at Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site, Route 1, Petersburg, Illinois 62625, I staff interpretive stations and demonstrate period music on the Appalachian dulcimer in an 1830s historical village. I developed presentations on shape-note singing schools and 19th-century "ballads, Bobby Burns and fiddle tunes" for the Road Scholars Program, a speaker's bureau of the Illinois Humanities Council, 2001-2004, and currently give talks on music history for a negotiable fee. I also coordinate meetings of the Prairieland Dulcimer Strings, a group of amateur musicians in Springfield.

College instructor and associate professor, 1993-2010. Taught English, journalism and interdisciplinary humanities courses in Native American cultures and American roots music at Benedictine University at Springfield [formerly Springfield College in Illinois]. Served as faculty adviser to campus literary magazine,The Sleepy Weasel, and chaired faculty Assessment Committee,dealing with learning outcomes assessment and accreditation issues. Named to the LaFata Endowed Chair for distinguished service to the College and its students, 2002-03. Listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers. I continue to teach mass communications classes as an adjunct instructor.

Webmaster and editor of campus publications, 1998-2010. As faculty adviser to The Sleepy Weasel, I produced an online magazine featuring public affairs, research and creative writing by students, faculty, alumni and others in the Benedictine/Springfield College community. As assessment committee chair, I wrote and edited Nuts & Bolts, a monthly newsletter for faculty providing updates on federal education policy and learning outcomes assessment techniques and issues.

Web log administrator, 2006-present. The blogs were initially created for student assignments at SCI-Benedictine and maintained for my own research notes. Hogfiddle, at http://www.hogfiddle.blogspot.com/, contains my notes on Appalachian dulcimers (also known as "hogfiddles"), shape-note hymnody, Doctor Watts spirituals, gospel, blues, Anglo-Celtic ballads, old-time string band music, cultural studies and folklore. The Mackerel Wrapper, at http://www.mackerelwrapper.blogspot.com/, has assignments for my mass comm. students, plus links and comment on newspapering and journalism.

Desktop publisher. 1992-2000. Rosehill Press, Springfield. Sole proprietor, with wife Debi S. Edmund, of home-based desktop publishing business specializing in short-run literary titles including the chinkapin oak: poems, 1993-1995 by John Knoepfle and Tramping Across America (1999), a reissue of Vachel Lindsay's travel writing.

Administrative assistant. 1991-1993. Office of the Treasurer, Illinois Capitol, Springfield 62706. Researched banking, taxation and legislative issues assigned by state Treasurer Patrick Quinn; wrote office profile in the Illinois Blue Book and estate tax manual for county treasurers; drafted press releases and assisted with downstate news media advance.

Political reporter and columnist. 1985-1991. The State Journal Register, One Copley Plaza, Springfield 62701. Covered city, county, state and federal elections and political news. Wrote op-ed column, spoke to civic groups and moderated candidate debate panels.

Courthouse reporter. 1984-1985. The Rock Island Argus, 1724 4th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois 61201. Covered county government, political and economic news. As weekend city editor, assigned spot news stories, sized photographs, edited copy, wrote headlines and laid out inside pages.

Reporter and state editor. 1975-1982. The Oak Ridger, 785 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37828. Covered government, schools, politics, environmental and nuclear industry issues, labor relations, courts and police news in a four-county area. Supervised and edited regional correspondents, helped train beginning reporters.

Articles and presentations

"Psalmodikon: A Joyful Revival." Dulcimer Players News Fall 2010: 50-53+.

"Vachel Lindsay, Edgar Lee Masters and the Roots of Oldtime Music." Illinois State Museum Brown Bag Lecture, Research and Collections Center, Springfield. Sept. 22, 2010.

"The Music Behind the Poetry: Vernacular Traditions in Vachel Lindsay's and Edgar Lee Masters' Writing." Vachel Lindsay Home, Springfield. Sept. 18, 2010.

"Years of Jubilee: Music of the Civil War Era." March 7, 2010. Decatur Public Library, Decatur, Illinois. [See coverage by Kenneth Lowe, "The Sounds of Lincoln's Time: In Music as in Life, the Past is Prologue." Decatur Herald and Review March 8, 2010. http://www.herald-review.com/news/local/article_86354fe6-2ab7-11df-8ad3-001cc4c002e0.html.]

"Drones, Picks and Popsicle Sticks: The Ancient Sound of the Dulcimer." EverythingDulcimer.com. Sept. 1, 2009. http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91:drones-picks-and-popsicle-sticks&catid=30:dulcimer-happenings

"Minding the Store at New Salem." Illinois Times Nov. 13, 2008. http://illinoistimes.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A8908

"What Does an Old Fiddle Tune Have to do With Rev. John Berry’s Service in the War of 1812?" The Prairie Picayune [Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site] October 2009. Available at http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2009/10/period-music-workshops-at-new-salem.html

"A Legend about Peter Cartwright." Prairie Picayune July 2008. http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2008/06/legend-about-peter-cartwright.html

"Tales of Sir Galahad." Illinois Times Jan. 17, 2008. http://illinoistimes.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A7238

"A Shape-Note Sing-Along." Presentation at Pioneer Days, W.H. Sommer Park, Peoria Park District, Peoria. Aug. 26, 2007.

"Alaskan Liturgical Hymns, Our Lady of Sitka and the 'Presence of the Holy' in Cross-town Traffic." The Sleepy Weasel 12 (2007-2008). http://www.sci.edu/comm_arts/sleepyweasel/v12/sitka.htm and http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2010/03/our-lady-of-sitka-in-cross-town-traffic.html

Sacred Music: Early Black and White Gospel Music Traditions." Presentation at Dixon Mounds State Museum, Lewistown, Illinois. July 22, 2007.

"A 'Doleful Sound' at Springfield's First Hanging." Prairie Picayune March 2006.
http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2006/02/at-springfields-first-public-hanging.html

"Anglo-Celtic Ballads and Fiddle Tunes in Southern Illinois, 1800-1850" Presentation at John A. Logan Museum during Apple Festival, Murphysboro, Illinois. Sept. 16, 2006.

"Seeking the Old Paths: Shape-Note Singing at Eagle Creek." Midwest Open Air Museums Magazine 37.1 (Spring 2006) 22-28.

"Sacred Harp Singing in a Living History Environment." Paper presented at Midwest Open Air Museums Coordinating Council, Fall Conference, Eagle Creek Conference Center, Findlay, Illinois, November 10, 2005. http://www.sci.edu/classes/ellertsen/livinghistory.html

"For Dulcimer: Gospel Hits of 1830s?" Prairie Picayune November 2005.
http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2006/02/appalachian-dulcimer-1830s-style.html

Classroom Assesment for Continuous Improvement: A Guide for Instructors. Springfield: Springfield College/Benedictine University, 2005.

Introduction, The Missouri Harmony Songbook [with Karen Isabell]. Wings of Song ed. St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society, 2005.

"Healing Power of Art" [Review of prayer against famine & other irish poems by John Knoepfle]. Sleepy Weasel 10 (2004-2005) http://www.sci.edu/comm_arts/sleepyweasel/archive/weasel05/review.html

"The Missouri Harmony: Revisiting the Hymnbook of Shape-Note Music" [with Karen Isabell]. Gateway [Missouri Historical Society] 25.1 (Summer 2004): 33-41.

"Praise on the Prairie: The Dark Poetry of the Missouri Harmony." Illinois Heritage, April-May 2004: 8-9.

"'Untaught melody of grateful hearts': Southern Appalachian Folk Hymnody in Illinois, 1800-1850." Journal of Illinois History 5.4 (Winter 2002): 258-82.

"Closing the Loop: Assessment in the Springfield College English Department" [with Judi Anderson and Lynette D. Shaw-Smith]." Presentation at Allerton Community College and University English Articulation Conference, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, April 26, 2001.

"Soul of the Wind." Illinois Times April 19, 2001: 9. http://www.sci.edu/classes/ellertsen/cedarflute.html.

"'It Takes a Whole Village' ... to Pass a Referendum." [with Debi Edmund]. Illinois School Board Journal Nov.-Dec. 2000: 4-7 http://www.iasb.com/files/J0111202.htm; Jan.-Feb. 2001: 26-31 http://www.iasb.com/files/j1010206.htm.

"American Folk Hymnody in Illinois, 1800-1850." Paper presented at Conference on Illinois History, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Springfield, October 14, 2000. http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2010/05/american-folk-hymnody-in-illinois-1800.html and http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2010/05/works-cited-1.html

"Dulcimer: Home-Made Southern Upland Music." Prairie Picayune September 2000. http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2006/02/for-dulcimer-gospel-hits-of-1830s.html

"Faith, Hope and Poetry: (Pre-)Postmodern Ways of Knowing in the Poetry of Kathleen Norris." Last Lecture Series, Springfield College in Illinois, March 9, 2000. http://hogfiddle.blogspot.com/2010/08/faith-hope-and-poetry-2000.html

Tramping Across America: Travel Writings of Vachel Lindsay. Springfield: Rosehill Press, 1999. Edited, designed, researched and wrote endnotes for the book, which was self-published by William Furry of Springfield.

"[Paul] Simon: We Have to Stand for Something" [with Debi Edmund]. Illinois School Board Journal Nov.-Dec. 1998: 8-11.

"Beyond Press Releases: Building Community while Building a School" [with Debi Edmund]. Illinois School Board Journal July-Aug. 1997: 18-22.

"Shape Note Singing Returns to New Salem." Illinois Times 14 Nov. 1996: 14.

"The Battle of Belmont and the Citizen Soldiers of the 27th Illinois Infantry." Civil War Regiments 3.4 (1994): 24-67.

"Richard Durbin: Congressman Who Loves his Job." Illinois Issues April 1991: 11-13. http://www.lib.niu.edu/1991/ii910411.html

"Paul Simon: First Stop, Iowa." Illinois Issues July 1987: 8-11.

"Moline Election Fouled Up by Computer." Illinois Issues Nov. 1985: 12-15.

"James Agee, the Bomb and Oliver the Cat." Christian Century 31 July 1984: 709-11.

Education

Workshops in Appalachian dulcimer, ballad, folk hymn and shape-note singing traditions, 1999-present. Appalachian State University, John C. Campbell Folk School; Western Carolina University; and annual Dulcimerville conference, Black Mountain, N.C.

M.A., journalism, 1983. Pennsylvania State University, University Park.

Ph.D., English, 1975. University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

M.A., history, 1967. University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Studied Norwegian language and history, 1966. International Summer School, University of Oslo, Norway.

B.A., history, 1964. Albion College, Albion, Michigan.

COMM 150 (intro to mass comm.): Final exam

Communications 150: Intro to Mass Comm.
Benedictine University at Springfield
Instructor: Pete Ellertsen pellertsen@sci.edu

Final Exam, Spring Semester 2010

Below are one 50-point essay question and two 25-point short essay questions. To earn maximum credit, please write three to four pages (750 to 1,000 words) on the 50-point essay and at least a full page (250 words) on each of the 25-point essays. This means you will write answers to all three questions below. Use plenty of detail from your reading in the assigned books, the Internet and handouts I have given you, as well as class discussion, to back up the points you make. Your grade will depend both on your analysis of the broad trends I ask about, and on the specific detail you cite in support of your analysis. Due at the regularly scheduled time for our final, at 1:30 p.m., Monday, May 10, in Dawson 220.

1. Essay (50 points). In a September 2009 interview with Steve Kroft of CBS News, President Obama said, “The truth of the matter is that-- there has been I think a coarsening of our political dialogue.” Among its causes, he added, is sensationalized media coverage of politics. “I will also say that in the era of 24-hour cable news cycles that the loudest, shrillest voices get the most attention.” Based on your reading of John Vivian’s “Media of Mass Communications,” class discussion and website we have visited in COMM 150, would you agree that media coverage of politics is loud, coarse and shrill? Or is it just entertaining? Do the economic pressures of making a profit in a competitive media environment contribute to an emphasis on entertainment at the expense of reasoned public debate? If so, how? Or do you think competition gives us a better selection of information, opinion and entertainment as consumers? If so, how so? Be specific.

2a. Self-reflective essay (25 points). What have you learned in Communications 150 that surprised you the most? How, specifically, did it surprise you? What was your overall impression of the mass media before you took the course? How has that changed as a result of your reading, class discussion and research for the course? Consider it in the context of what you knew at the beginning of the semester and what you know now. In grading this essay, I will evaluate the relevance of your discussion to the main goals and objectives of the course; the detail you cite to support or illustrate your points; and the connections you make. Be specific.

2b. Short essay (25 points). In our textbook John Vivian says public relations and advertising both contribute to effective brand management in a good integrated marketing communications plan. “The new wave of IMC, according to one of its primary texts, is “respectful, not patronizing; dialogue-seeking, not monologic; responsive, not formula driven. It speaks to the highest point of common interest – not the lowest common denominator.” How can public relations practitioners incorporate an organization’s mission statement fit into a well-designed IMC program? Why would they want to? Be specific. Always be specific. Remember: An unsupported generalization is sudden death in college-level writing.

COMM 209 (basic newswriting): Final exam

Our final exam will partly consist of the story you covered Friday, April 30, of the SpringFest celebration in Gingko Square. I check my Yahoo! account several times a day. The exam, posted below, is a takehome, but you have the option of coming in and writing it during the regularly scheduled period, from _____ to _____ Friday, May 7, in Dawson Hall. In the meantime, I'll keep banker's hours in my office during final exam week, and I'm always available by email.

COMM 209: Basic Newswriting
Spring Semester – May 7, 2010
Instructor: Pete Ellertsen pellertsen@sci.edu

Final Exam

Question 1. Write a story (50 points). On Friday, April 30, the university’s annual SpringFest was held on Gingko Square. Your assignment: Write a color story about the event in modified inverted pyramid newspaper style. Length: 10 to 15 column inches, at least 450. Quote at least three sources. Organize it with a narrative lede, a nut graf that sums up your overall impression of the event and pertinent detail including quotes and description in the body of the story.

Question 2A. Self-reflective essay (25 points). How has your perception of yourself as a writer changed as a result of what we have studied in COMM 209? What was your overall sense of your writing before you took the course? How has that changed as a result of your reading, class discussion and the stories you wrote? How much have you used what you learned in COMM 209 in your other writing? Consider it in the context of what you knew at the beginning of the semester and what you know now. In grading this essay, I will evaluate the relevance of your discussion to the main goals and objectives of the course (which are listed in the syllabus); the detail you cite to support or illustrate your points; and the connections you make. Be specific.

Question 2B. News value (25 points). Attached to this exam is a story from the New Orleans Times-Picayune on the blessing of fishing boats in south Louisiana where the economy is threatened by an oil spill. Evaluate it in terms of the elements of news value outlined by Tim Harrower in “Inside Reporting” and his principles of writing a good news-feature story. Be specific: How do specific elements of news value correspond to specific angles in the story? Quote specific examples of feature elements, human interest and color in the story.

Cubs to Naples, Fla.?

Here's a bandwagon that might be worth jumping on ...

Since the Arizona Legislature has ended its session without voting on the funding package for a new Chicago Cubs spring training stadium in Mesa, it revives talk of the Cubbies moving to Naples, Fla., according to the Phoenix Business Journal. The details:

The Legislature failed to revive a plan to help Mesa build an $84 million Cactus League ballpark for the Cubs. A bill that would have help fund that stadium via an 8 percent ticket tax on all Arizona spring training games and a new $1 fee on rental cars in the Valley failed.
Mesa officials and Major League Baseball failed to come up with a new plan and they hope to formulate one this summer and fall. The Cubs have talked to Naples, Fla., about moving their spring training to the Grapefruit League if they don’t get a new stadium in the East Valley by 2013.

Here's the Cubs' official comment - more of a no-comment as reported by Carrie Muskat of MLB.com on the Cubs' official website:

CHICAGO -- The Arizona Legislature adjourned Thursday without passing legislation the Cubs need to keep their Spring Training site in Mesa, Ariz. However, that doesn't mean the Cubs are headed to Florida.
The Cubs and Mesa officials signed a memorandum of understanding in late January that provides for exclusive negotiations between the team and the city. One of the conditions of the agreement was that the Legislature determine some kind of funding by July 12. Although lawmakers ended their session Thursday without a decision, they still could call a special session.

The Cubs are the top-drawing Spring Training team and have been wooed by officials from Naples, Fla., to relocate their facility there.

COMM 150: Why the media covering the 'immigration crisis' need to stop and take a deep breath

Edward Schumacher-Matos


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/29/AR2010042903646.html


Forget the hyperventilated furor over the new Arizona immigration law and consider this overlooked fact: The number of illegal immigrants getting into the country has slowed to a relative trickle.

And more have left than are coming in. The number of unauthorized immigrants in the country has gone from an estimated high of 12.5 million in 2007 to 10.8 million in this year's first quarter and is still dropping, according to experts in the Census Bureau, the Department of Homeland Security and some think tanks.

The illegal immigration crisis, in other words, is easing -- and is not really a crisis, except in the eyes of activists, political opportunists and breathless media.

* * *

After the dangerous overreaction in Arizona, what we need now is for everyone to calm down. The best thing that could happen would be if responsible Republican and Democratic leaders -- and there are many -- tuned out all the noise and started a discussion over who we want to admit into our country and what kind of country we want it to be. Only two basic premises should guide our response to illegal immigration: what is best for America and what works.

The anger in Arizona and elsewhere may be partly understandable, but someone among our leaders has to tell people that their feelings don't fit the facts and to -- yes -- trust the government. It has been doing a pretty good job gearing up to meet the immigration challenge under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

* * *

On crime, meanwhile, despite public fears, studies show that unauthorized immigrants commit violent crimes at a rate of four to eight times less than American citizens.

http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/Rumbaut%20-%20Undocumented%20Immigration%20Crime%20and%20Imprisonment.pdf

" Undocumented Immigration and Rates of Crime and Imprisonment:
Popular Myths and Empirical Realities" by Rubén G. Rumbaut, University of California, Irvine
Paper presented to the Police Foundation National Conference on
“The Role of Local Police: Striking a Balance Between
Immigration Enforcement and Civil Liberties,”
Washington, DC, August 21-22, 2008

COMM 209: Springfest flier in today's SCI email (and now you know as much about the event as I do)

Springfest is BACK!

Friday, April 30 th

10:00 – 2:00

Lunch, Inflatable Obstacle Course, Mechanical Bull, Wax Hands, Caricatures, Bring a Friend Day, Lunch, DJ, Karaoke, and a special appearance by student music group, Missing Muse!

Faculty/Staff vs. Student Softball Game

3:00 at Padre Canella Field (8 th Street)

If rain, all events will happen in Angela Hall Gym!

GO BULLDOGS!

HUM 221; COMM 150, 209, 291, 297, 393: Schedule, all classes

Cross-posted to both my student blogs. - pe

Last week of classes:

• Wednesday, April 28. HUM 221: Finish watching "Smoke Signals." In-class journal. COMM 150: Read Chapter 19, Mass Media Law Chapter 12, Public Relations, in Vivian
  
• Friday, April 30. COMM 150: Re-read Chapter 1 and the sections in Chapter 2 on new media and convergence
  
• Monday, May 3. LAST DAY OF CLASSES. You will get copies of study questions for final exam in HUM 221, COMM 150.

Final exam week:

• Tuesday, May 4. COMM 291 (magazine editing), self-reflective essays and all other written work (i.e. "Years with Ross" papers) due. COMM 297 (internship) self-reflective essays due; COMM 393 (senior portfolio), portfolios due; schedule appointment with me for exit conference.
  
• Wednesday, May 5.
  
• Thursday, May 6. COMM 297 (internship) evaluation letters from workplace supervisors due.
  
• Friday, May 7. COMM 209 (12 noon MWF), 1:30-3:30 p.m.
  
• Monday, May 10. HUM 221 (10 MWF), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; COMM 150 (1 MWF), 1:30-3:30 p.m.

COMM 209: Copyright, here's what you need to know

The stuff on libel and privacy in our textbook Tim Harrow's "Inside Reporting" is important, so we'll do a quick review in class today. But as students you'll probably need a working knowledge of copyright long before you get into the kinds of situations that expose people to lawsuits.

So ...

We're going to elaborate on it.

And we're going to make sure something about it appears on the final exam. Capice?

Here's a good practical link to get started.

For an unusually clear introduction to the whole copyright schmear, go to the Washington State University copyright page at http://publishing.wsu.edu/copyright/ ...

Some points for writers (that would be us), distilled from Washington State and elsewhere:

• You don't have to register a work with the Library of Congress anymore. You just publish it. "Publish," by the way, means something different in copyright law than it does in libel law. In this case, it is "the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending. " Job tip: Little inconsistencies like that make work for lawyers.
• It's still a good idea to register with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress. Its Web site at http://www.copyright.gov/ tells how.
• Books should be registered with a company called Bowker, which issues them an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and gets them listed in an authoritative catalog of "Books In Print" available at most libraries (including Becker) and on line.
  When you sell an article to a magazine, they buy the right to publish it unless you specifically negotiate secondary rights. If you write something on the job, the law assumes you assign all rights to your employer unless you negotiate a more favorable arrangement.

Country singer Willie Nelson sold his rights to a song called "Family Bible" for $50. He needed the money. But over the long run, he got screwed. Don't laugh. The song has been worth millions in royalties over the years. But not for Willie Nelson.

Even so, most of the stuff that most of us write - that would include me, by the way - isn't worth enough to take somebody to court over. Sad, but true. Worrying too much about copyright, e.g. registering your rhymed verse about Aunt Gertrude that begins "Roses are red, violets are blue / Aunt Gertrude rocks, / Through and through" with the U.S. government can be interpreted as the sign of an amateur.

Some points for users of copyrighted material. Copyright infringement, unlike plagiarism, is a violation of the law. It is similar to plagiarism in that it consists of the use of another person's intellectual property without permission. It is different in that you can be sued if you violate copyright. [Also see the footnote about fair use and plagiarism below.] The practices you learned in school about avoiding plagiarism, however, will help you avoid infringement. Giving credit, not quoting too much, etc. Here are some things I learned on the job:

• Be very, very careful with the words to songs. Best bet: Always seek permission to quote song lyrics, and never quote more than two or three lines. stuff. Musicians and recording companies are most vigilant about protecting their copyright because the words to a hit song, obviously (think about it), have value.
  
• If you're publishing to the Internet, for example blogging, be careful. (Are you beginning to see a pattern here?) You can link to other pages without permission, but if you're going to copy their stuff, email them and obtain permission first.
  
• Seek permission for anything you use. See another pattern?
  
• Some stuff is copyright free. Examples: U.S. government documents (but not necessarily state government, so be careful). An interesting development in Web publishing is Creative Commons licensing. But it's not really mainstream yet.

Two big exceptions for journalism students fall under the legal doctrine of fair use (which is not the same as fair comment in libel law). Fair use, according to Wikipedia, "... allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders, such as use for scholarship or review." And covering the news.

So if you're writing a review of a published work for The Bulldog, you can quote from it under the doctrine of fair use. And you can say mean and nasty things about it under the of fair comment.

Why? What's the difference?

Footnote on plagiarism. Quoted from Wikipedia's discussion of fair use: "While plagiarism and copyright violation are related matters—-both can, at times, involve failure to properly credit sources—-they are not identical. Copyright law protects exact expression, not ideas: for example, a distant paraphrase that lays out the same argument as a copyrighted essay is in little danger of being deemed a copyright violation, but it could still be plagiarism. On the other hand, one can plagiarize even a work that is not protected by copyright, such as trying to pass off a line from Shakespeare as one's own. Plagiarism—using someone's words, ideas, images, etc. without acknowledgment—is a matter of professional ethics. Copyright is a matter of law. Citing sources generally prevents accusations of plagiarism, but is not a sufficient defense against copyright violations (otherwise, anyone could legally reprint an entire copyrighted book just by citing who wrote it)."

Norwegian-American humor: Ole and the game warden

Ole was stopped by a game warden in Northern Wisconsin recently leaving a lake well known for its walleyes. He had two buckets of fish. As it was during the spawning season, the game warden asked,

"Do you have a license to catch those fish?"

Ole replied, "No, sir! Dese here are my pet fish."

"Pet fish?" the warden replied.

"Ya sure, you betcha." answered Ole. "Every night I take dese fish here down to da lake and let dem svim around for a while. Den I vhistle and dey yump back into der buckets and I take dem home."

"That's a bunch of hooey. Fish can't do that." Said the game warden.

Ole looked at the game warden with an expression of great hurt, and then said, "Yumpin Yimminy! Vell den, I'll just show you den.

It really does vork, don'tcha know?"

"O.K. I've got to see this!" The game warden was really curious now.

So Ole poured the fish into the lake and stood waiting. After several minutes, the game warden turned to Ole and said, "Well?"

"Vell what?" responded Ole.

"When are you going to call them back?"

"Call who back?" asked Ole.

"The fish!"

"What fish?"

Ireland - travel tips, links

Cross-posted to both my blogs in advance of the Benedictine University-Springfield Ireland tour in May.

Plenty of information available at the "Ireland Expert" website. They do package tours, and they're selling a book, have some very good basic information on the website as a sample of their product (which looks pretty good). For their FAQs, link to

http://www.irelandexpert.com/faqs.htm

Also an excellent primer on The ABC's of ATM's Abroad at the Magellan's website. Plenty of other stuff. They sell travel supplies and have lots of tipsheets.