English 211: News Writing and Investigative Reporting
Class Schedeule
(subject to slight modification)
Unit 1: The Elements of Journalism—Then and Now
8/25: Introduction
- syllabus overview
- Discussion: Why study journalism?
8/30: Discussion: What is Journalism For?
- pp. ix-77 in Kovach & Rosenstiel
- Bache, “A Calm Observer,” pp. 3-8 in Shapiro
- Barber, A History of the Amistad Captives, pp. 8-10 in Shapiro
9/1: Gathering and the facts, reporting the news
- Chapters 1 and 2 in Knight and complete end of chapter exercises and be ready to discuss your answers
- Metzler, “Learning to Listen” (pdf in Dropbox/ on blog)
- Blog: find a news article with an interesting lede, post it to the blog and write brief assessment of its quality/merits.
- Discussion of blogging
[Group B blogging Sept. 5-9]
9/6: Building the story
- Group A article #1 due
- Read Chapters 3 and 4 in Knight and complete exercises
- Shapiro, pp. 45-67: Bly, Riis, and Wells
- Blog: choose one article in Shapiro, assess quality of the lede, quote, and description. Post assessment of the article to blog by class time.
- How will blogging group cover 9/11?
9/8: Writing Well
- Read chp 5 in Knight and complete exercises
- Workshop Group A’s articles
9/13: More on Writing Well
- Read chp 4 in Kovach and Rosenstiel and 6 in Knight; complete exercises
- Read Shapiro 89-133: Tarbell and Sinclair
9/15: Objectivity vs. editorializing
- Chapter 5 in Kovach and Rosenstiel
- Read Shapiro 184-192 and 254-260
- Blog: Evaluate one of the week’s readings from Shapiro in terms of principles of Kovach and Knight and post analysis to blog
[Group A Blogging Sept. 19-23]
9/20: Giving Voice to the Voiceless: Advocacy Reporting
- Group B article #1 due
- Read chps 6-8 in Kovach and Rosenstiel
- pp. 275-284 in Shapiro
9/22: Reading like an editor
- Workshop of Group B article #1
- Read chps 7 and 8 in Knight
- Bring an article to class from a major news organization that you think is in need of editing
9/27: Covering Global issues
- Aslan reading TBA
- Chp 10 in Kovach and Rosenthiel
- Reza Aslan lecture, 8 pm
9/29-9/30: Reading Days
[Group B blogging Oct. 3-7]
10/4: Covering National/Global issues, contd.
- Group A article #2 due (**must be national/international angle)
- Identifying a topic for you investigative journalism article
10/6: Covering National/Global issues, contd.
- Workshop Group A article #2
- Read chp 9 in Knight
[Suggested event: 10/10: Lecture by Don Goodrich producer of the 9/11 documentary Axis of Good ]
10/11: Telling stories visually
- Guest lecturer Bryan Alexander
10/13: Telling stories visually, contd.
- Infographic analysis due to blog
- reading TBA
[Group A Blogging Oct. 17-21]
10/18: The Tools of Investigative Reporting: Social Media? Your personal interests?
- Group B article #2 due (must be national/international angle)
- Read Carson, pp. 292-313 in Shapiro
10/20: Investigative Reporting contd.: (un)covering conflict
- Read Hersh, pp. 337-352 in Shapiro
10/25: Investigative Reporting contd.: anonymous sources and political intrigue
- Read Woodward and Berstein, pp. 368-375
10/27: Investigative Reporting contd.: Using the Library
- Meet in library
11/1: Investigative Reporting contd.: Other on-line sources
- Group A article #3 due (must focus on an issue, law, or policy)
- Reading TBA
11/3: Avoiding bias when investigating
- Workshop Group A article #3
11/8: Structure of Investigative Articles: Reportage vs. Narrative
- Readings TBA
11/10: Structure of Investigative Articles: Reportage vs. Narrative
- Readings TBA
[Group A blogging Nov. 14-18]
11/15: Structure of Investigative Articles: heading and sub-headings
- Group B article #3 due (must focus on an issue, law, or policy)
11/17: Structure contd.
- Workshop Group B article #3
THANKSGIVING BREAK
[Group B blogging Nov. 28-Dec 2]
11/29: Journalism and the Law
- Draft of investigative article due
12/1: Workshop investigative articles
12/6: Worskhop investigative articles
12/8: Last day of class
