• CA500 Class Syllabus

SYLLABUS updated Monday, Aug. 28, 2017

CA 500: MEDIA WRITING
Fall 2017, Meets Mondays, 8/29 through 12/12, 6 to 8:45 p.m.
No class on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4. Also no class on Monday, Oct. 9.
(But we DO have class on both Mondays before and after Thanksgiving.)
Classroom: Pandora Building, P-345
Instructor: Adjunct Professor Jeff Rapsis
E-mail: jeffrapsis@gmail.com (That’s the best way to reach me! Don't use UNH e-mail.)
Phone: (603) 236-9237 • Web site: www.jeffrapsis.com
Class blog: https://ca500fall2017.blogspot.com/

Office Hours
After class, or as necessary via phone conference, or another time that’s mutually agreed upon. Don’t hesitate to ping me via e-mail or call me. Seriously! Communication is important. This is the Communications Department, after all. :)

Course Description
An introduction to business and freelance writing, editing, and rewriting in such areas as press releases, newsletters, internal communications, and external communications in a variety of formats. Students will get extensive practice in crafting written messages in a variety of formats and for a variety of business or communication purposes. The goal is to sharpen your writing skills so that you’re prepared to tackle any writing assignment competently. Prerequisite: ENG 401, 4 credits.

Required Texts

• Title: Dynamics of Media Writing
Author: Vincent F. Filak. Format: Paperback. ISBN-10: 1483377601 / ISBN-13: 978-1483377605
Publisher: Sage Publications, CQPress / Publication Date: 2016 / Price range: $60 to $70

• Title: The Inside Scoop
Author: Fred Lager. Format: Paperback ISBN-10: 0517883708 / ISBN-13: 978-0517883709
Publisher: Crown Business; Reprint edition (May 16, 1995) / Publication Date: 1995 / Price range: $10 to $15

• Title: Into Thin Air
Author: Jon Krakauer. Format: Paperback. ISBN-10: 0385494785 / ISBN-13: 978-0385494786
Publisher: Anchor; Reprint edition (October 19, 1999) / Price range: $8 to $10.

• Optional:
The Associated Press Stylebook, any recent edition
Plus we will make use of in-class handouts, and possibly Canvas.

Class Format
Each three-hour class will be divided into two parts separated by a short break. Format will be flexible depending on the material to be covered. Generally, most classes will include a lecture/conversation between the instructor and students, in-class evaluation of weekly assignments, and guest speakers or other exercises and projects.

Turning in Assignments
Most writing assignments will be due by Friday night prior to class. Assignments are to be submitted via e-mail to jeffrapsis@gmail.com. Please submit assignments as attachments or as e-mail body copy as requested by the instructor. Any attachments should be submitted as .doc files; text should be Times 12-point and double-spaced. Please include your name and assignment title on all pages.

Attendance
With only 15 class sessions, attendance is essential. Please be on time for class, and please do not miss any classes. Attendance will count for 10 percent of your grade. Students are allowed to miss one class without penalty, but will be required to make up any missed assignments. If you must miss a class, will be late, or have to leave early, please let me know in advance by e-mail or phone and we’ll make arrangements for you to go over what you missed and keep up. Thank you for making an effort to be on hand for all class sessions.

Classroom Electronic Devices
Please consider our class sessions the equivalent of business meetings. Thus, the same etiquette that applies in business meetings should apply to our class sessions. Please give the courtesy of your attention to whomever is speaking. Please do not use electronic devices of any kind, including cell phones, laptops, or any personal communication devices to send messages or take notes. Please wait until the break or until after class to take calls, send text messages, or perform similar tasks. Electronic devices are a distraction and discourtesy to others in a meeting or classroom setting.

Weather and Cancellations
Occasionally UNH-Manchester is closed or subject to delayed opening. If you’re not sure classes will be in session, please check out the Web site at www.unhm.unh.edu/cancellations.html, WMUR-TV Channel 9, New Hampshire Public Radio at 89.1 FM, or call the school at 641-4100. In the event of a cancelled class, I’ll adjust our schedule and we’ll pick things up at the next class.

Grading
Students will be given a numerical score for each assignment on a scale of 1 to 100:

93 to 100 = A
90-92 = A-
87-89 = B+
83-86 = B
80-82 = B-
77-79 = C+
73-76 = C
70-72 = C-
67-69 = D+
63-66 = D
60-62 = D-
59 and below = F

Grading of Assignments
Assignments will be given a numerical grade based on the instructor's assessment. Factors include completeness, timeliness, creativity, and fulfillment of all requirements. Generally, a writing assignment that is handed in on time and meets all basic requirements will receive at least a 90, or the equivalent of an A minus. The grade may be higher if, in the judgment of the instructor, basic expectations are exceeded.

Also, a main goal of this course is to help you write clearly and avoid common errors. Each week, we will review certain writing pitfalls that students will be expected to avoid. In subsequent assignments, generally one point will be deducted for any writing errors that have been covered in the course.

Course Requirements / Elements of Your Grade
Six elements will be factored into your grade:

A. Media Writing and Rewriting Assignments: 20 percent of overall grade.

These weekly assignments (taken mostly from our readings) are the heart of the course. There will be approximately 20 out-of-class writing assignments for you to complete and hand in for evaluation. Generally, deadline for each of these assignments will be each Friday prior to class. They will then be evaluated and discussed at the following class. The grade for this portion of the course will be an average of all such assignments.

B. Blog: 20 percent of overall grade.

By Week 3, each student will have established a blog and will maintain it regularly throughout the remainder of the course. This is the one long-term project for the course. The blog will be flexible in form and content. The intention is for the student to develop online content that he or she could possibly continue to maintain beyond the scope of the class. Students will receive feedback from the instructor and will be expected to respond as appropriate. In the second half of the class, each student will also do a class presentation about his or her blog.

C. Mid-term & Final Exam: 25 percent of overall grade.

On Monday, Oct. 23, we'll have a one-hour in-class mid-term exam that will cover the writing and usage issues that we cover in class. Example: the difference between it's and its. A similar final exam will be given on Monday, Dec. 11.

D. Quizzes: 15 percent of overall grade.

Each week, there will be a short quiz on the material being covered. Quizzes will either be in-class or take home. These quizzes are important to ensure that you’re keeping up with the reading as well as the basic concepts being covered in the course.

E. Attendance: 10 percent of overall grade.

• Students are allowed one excused absence with no effect on grade.
• Beyond that, each absence = 20 points subtracted from this portion of the grade.
• No make-up quizzes are given for missed classes.
• Students who miss more than half a class = 10 points off.
• Students who miss more than two classes may not complete the course.

F. Class Participation: 10 percent of overall grade.

Plagiarism
• Don’t do it. Ever.
• Any assignment that, in the judgment of the instructor, contains plagiarism will receive a 0.
• In the case of repeated plagiarism, you will be reported to the Academic Dean, to the chair of the Communications Department, and to the University Registrar. You may be subject to receiving a zero for the course.