Reporting, Editing & Marketing Converged Media: fall 2008

Journalism 4992/7992 is the Capstone and upper-level Writing Intensive course for undergraduates in the Convergence Sequence. Graduate students interested in long-form projects are also encouraged to enroll. The class meets on Mondays from 10-11:50 a.m. in the 045 Walter Williams computer lab.

You and your colleagues will bring together the reporting, editing, management and marketing skills gained in previous convergence courses as well as your individual areas of concentration to plan, produce, promote and evaluate long-form, highly-creative journalistic content. Unlike Convergence Reporting and Convergence Editing & Producing, your work in this course will take a longer view. You'll spend the entire semester working on a single project. High levels of critical thinking and professional presentation skills are expected. Class discussions will focus on your projects, the latest developments in converging media and current ethical/political debates in journalism, especially those influenced by changes in the media landscape.

Here's the list of this semester's projects and team assignments.

Instructor:

Mike McKean, 882-3434(o), 808-5163(m), 874-4034(h),McKeanML@missouri.edu

Other faculty/staff you may interact with on a regular basis:

Lynda Kraxberger, 882-6633(o), 289-8612(m), KraxbergerL@missouri.edu
Karen Mitchell, 882-0860(o), 529-9199(m), MitchellKK@missouri.edu
Reuben Stern, FL Editor, 882-5735(o), 808-4088(m), SternR@missouri.edu
Olga Missiri, FL Editor, 884-9143(o), 639-9800(m), MissiriO@missouri.edu
Keith Politte, RJI Testing Center Manager, 268-3658(m), PolitteK@missouri.edu
Tom Warhover, Exec. Editor, Missourian, 882-5734, WarhoverT@missouri.edu
Janet Saidi, News Director, KBIA-FM, 882-3431, SaidiJ@missouri.edu
Stacey Woielfel, News Director, KOMU-TV, 884-NEWS, WoelfelS@missouri.edu
Randy Reeves, Managing Editor, KOMU-TV, 884-NEWS, ReevesR@missouri.edu
Jen Reeves, Interactive Editor, KOMU.com, 884-NEWS, ReevesJ@missouri.edu

Credits: 3 hrs

Prerequisite: Convergence Reporting (J-4804/7804) or instructor's consent

Hours for Futures Lab:

• Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 9 pm
• Friday, 9 am - 5 pm
• Saturday, 1 - 5 pm
• Sunday, 1 - 9 pm

Key Phone Numbers:

• Futures Lab TA/equipment checkout, 882-9251
• KBIA News, 882-3431
• KOMU News, 884-6397 (884-NEWS)
• Missourian Newsroom, 882-5720
  

Class Materials

Students are expected to provide all consumable materials used in class including a mini-DV tapes and appropriate portable media for recording and transporting digital audio and still images.

Changes in Course Content

The instructors reserve the right to alter any aspect of the course described in the syllabus. If changes must be made, we will try to introduce them in ways that minimize inconvenience to students.

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful.

Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to the following:

1. Use of materials from another author without citation or attribution.
2. Use of verbatim materials from another author without citation or attribution.
3. Extensive use of materials from past assignments without permission of your instructor.
4. Extensive use of materials from assignments in other classes without permission of your instructor.
5. Fabricating information in news stories.
6. Fabricating sources in news stories.
7. Fabricating quotes in news stories.
8. Lack of full disclosure or permission from editors when controversial reportorial techniques, such as going undercover to get news, are used.

When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting or collaboration, consult with us. For closed-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes conferring with other class members, copying or reading someone else's test and using notes and materials without prior permission of the instructor. For open-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes copying or reading someone else's work.

Classroom Misconduct

Classroom misconduct includes forgery of class attendance, obstruction or disruption of teaching, failure to turn off cellular telephones leading to disruption of teaching, playing games or surfing the Internet on laptop computers unless instructed to do so, physical abuse or safety threats, theft, property damage, disruptive, lewd or obscene conduct, abuse of computer time, repeated failure to attend class when attendance is required and repeated failure to participate or respond in class when class participation is required.

IMPORTANT: Entering a classroom late or leaving a classroom before the end of the period can be extremely disruptive behavior. Students are asked to arrive for class on time and to avoid early departures. Instructors have the right to deny students access to the classroom if they arrive late and have the right to dismiss a student from the class for early departures that result in disruptions.

Under MU policy, your instructor has the right to ask for your removal from the course for misconduct or excessive absences. The instructor then has the right to issue a grade of withdraw, withdraw failing or F. The instructor alone is responsible for assigning the grade in such circumstances.

A Special Note About Web Access in Class

The above language regarding classroom misconduct stems from discussions between MU Faculty Council and the Provost's Office. While Convergence Journalism faculty endorse the intent expressed above, we also tolerate (and actively encourage in many instances) personal web access during class time. Attention to and mastery of content discussed during class is your responsibility. We will alert you if there are specific times during a lecture, training session or class discussion when we intend to limit or prohibit web access.

Dishonesty and Misconduct Reporting Procedures

MU faculty are required to report all instances of academic or classroom misconduct to the appropriate campus officials. Allegations of classroom misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU's Vice Chancellor for Student Services. Allegations of academic misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU's Office of the Provost. In cases of academic misconduct, the student will receive at least a zero for the assignment in question.

Professional Standards and Ethics

The School of Journalism is committed to the highest standards of academic and professional ethics and expects its students to adhere to those standards. Students should be familiar with the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists and adhere to its restrictions. Students are expected to observe strict honesty in academic programs and as representatives of school-related media. Should any student be guilty of plagiarism, falsification, misrepresentation or other forms of dishonesty in any assigned work, that student may be subject to a failing grade from the instructor and such disciplinary action as may be necessary under University regulations.

University of Missouri-Columbia Notice of Nondiscrimination

The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action institution and is nondiscriminatory relative to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran. Any person having inquiries concerning the University of Missouri-Columbia's compliance with implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, or other civil rights laws should contact the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Human Resource Services, University of Missouri-Columbia, 130 Heinkel Building, Columbia, Mo. 65211, (573) 882-4256, or the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.

ADA Compliance

If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and need assistance, please notify us and/or the Office of Disability Services, A038 Brady Commons, 882-4696, immediately. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your special needs.

Religious Holidays

Students are automatically excused for recognized religious holidays. Let us know in advance if you have a conflict.