CAP Journalism 2015-2016
Ms. Cullen Room
158
COURSE
OVERVIEW
Welcome to CAP Journalism! This
year we will learn basic journalism skills in the
following areas: opinion/editorial,
news and feature writing, grammar/spelling/punctuation,
gathering and reporting news,
interviewing techniques, analysis and critical thinking,
and copy editing. We will also
incorporate social media into our reporting whenever possible.
Students will also be introduced
to rights and responsibilities of the press, including how to avoid libel and
censorship. We will also address the First Amendment, the impact of the
political blogosphere in presidential campaigns and the ethics of reporting,
and discuss at length the Watergate and Valerie Plame scandals, including the
inherent dangers of using anonymous sources.
On a lighter note, we will learn
methods of photojournalism, page layout and design, and
learn why cartoons are an
important part of journalism. Various guest speakers and a field trip to the
Newseum and/or The Washington Post
are planned.
Assignments
All work is to be typed,
double-spaced with one-inch margins using 12 point Times New Roman. To ensure
anonymity and the highest degree of objectivity in grading, only your student
ID number and class period should be single spaced in the upper right corner. Assignments should be free of spelling,
punctuation and grammatical errors, particularly final drafts. Careless
mistakes are costly and WILL affect your grade. Specific criteria will be
outlined on each assignment’s rubric.
Grading
All assignments are important
and should be taken seriously, regardless of their point value.
Expectations for individual
assignments will be explained in class, and all points issued
are final. Learning
how to handle constructive criticism from me and your peers is an important
step in becoming a good writer.
Grading
key:
A=publishable
quality
B=publishable with editing
C=substantial editing needed
D=marginal quality
E=unacceptable
B=publishable with editing
C=substantial editing needed
D=marginal quality
E=unacceptable
Rules and
Guidelines
Students must
meet ALL deadlines. Students are welcome to turn in work early, but if a
deadline is missed, it cannot be accepted for credit. You are responsible for
your success in this class.
Come to class ready to submit
work. Computer or printer/ink problems are NOT valid excuses for late work.
Passes to the Media Center will not be issued to print out assignments, nor
will the classroom computer be available to print work. Late is late.
Extensions will not be granted
except for extreme emergencies (e.g. death in the family,
hospitalization), and extra credit is not an option.
Attendance
The most successful students
have exemplary attendance records. You
should make every effort to be in class every day. I also expect students to arrive on time and
ready to learn.
You are responsible for meeting deadlines
regardless of absences. If you know you will be absent on a due date or deadline,
you should email me an electronic copy. Emailed work is only acceptable when
you are absent, not when you forget to bring your work to school.
Tests or quizzes are to be made
up the day you return, not the next class period.
When you are absent for a test
or major deadline, it does not go unnoticed by your CAP teachers.
Academic
Support
My email is Anne_W_Cullen@mcpsmd.org.
I can also meet with you before/after school in the English department (141),
or during lunch by appointment only.
If at any time you don’t
understand or need help, please ask. Make every effort to hand work in
to me personally, but please do not interrupt another class to do so. If I am
absent, you should submit work to another CAP 10 teacher or to the substitute
teacher for that day. Journalism is a
profession that engenders passion, debate, criticism. Bring your opinions to class and share them
openly. Feel free to suggest topics for
discussion and to voice your opinions and ask questions.
