REPORTING & WRITING (RWI) J6001X
Columbia University, August 2006
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Sig Gissler, professor
At Columbia: 212-854-7327
E-mail: sg138@columbia.edu
Fax: 212-854-3342
At home: 212-595-2938
Cell: 917-519-1142
Web site: www.columbia.edu/~sg138
Pam Frederick, adjunct professor
E-mail: ppf5@columbia.edu
At home: 212-566-6068
Cell: 917-902-9233
Ruth Padawer, adjunct professor
E-mail: r.padawer@verizon.net
At The (N.J.) Record: 201-646-4442
At Home: 201-227-8627
Cell: 201-723-6015
Gissler's office: Room 709.
Office hours: Monday (3 to 6 p.m.) and Tuesday (3 to 6 p.m.). Sign-up
sheets are posted on my door. Or call for appointment.
* * *
OBJECTIVES AND PHILOSOPHY
Under deadline conditions in the crucible of New York City, you will learn
by doing. You will develop and hone reporting and writing skills over
a range of news and feature stories. As you improve your craft, you will
delve into substance, such as race, crime, politics. You will sharpen
critical thinking, news judgment, street smarts, ethical sensitivity.
You will learn teamwork. Your teachers are committed to helping you succeed.
However, ultimately, your education is your responsibility. In fact, a
good journalist embraces a lifetime of self-directed learning.
ORGANIZATION
You will practice deadline writing in the lab but spend most of your time
on the street -- in neighborhoods, on news runs. Think shoe leather and
MetroCard. Each of you will cover an ethnically diverse neighborhood,
cultivate a neighborhood beat, do enterprise stories off your beat. Think
story idea. Other assignments, sometimes off the AP daybook, will take
you elsewhere in New York, such as City Hall or Police Plaza. As the course
evolves, longer, more complex stories will be assigned, taking several
days of work or longer. Those stories will include a substantial profile
and an *enterprise project* (which may be linked to your master's
project).
CLASS DETAILS
Your classroom is your newsroom. Tardiness is not tolerated. Always
be on time.
Here's how your week will unfold:
Monday, four-and-a-half hour class day.
9 - 11:30 a.m. Seminar in Room 709C. On occasion,
we have guest speakers or field trips.
11:30 - Noon Break
Noon - 2 p.m. Deadline writing in Room 511C.
Tuesday, street-reporting preparation.
Wednesday, street reporting.
On Wednesday, while on the street, you will stay in contact
with me as if I were your city editor. I will work from my Pulitzer office
at Columbia where I have two phone lines. You must call me before noon.
Stories usually are due at 6 p.m. Wednesday or 9 a.m. Thursday.
Be clear about your deadline and be sure to give yourself enough time
to pull your story together.
All assignments must be completed and every deadline must be met.
Late stories will NOT be edited. So always turn in something. If time
runs out, go with what you've got. Give us your best shot. Only stories
can be published, not excuses.
Your stories will be critiqued in detail by your instructors.
Sometimes, your work will be edited by fellow class members. We call it
the *CAT-scan.* You will sharpen your editing skills and develop
a keener sense of newsroom life and of writing for an audience.
From time to time, we spot check stories for accuracy - names,
facts, quotes. Accuracy is at the heart of credibility.
In seminars, we share experiences and explore techniques, tactics,
ideas, problems. Sometimes we'll have guest speakers. Your participation
is essential and will be evaluated.
Laptop computers shall not be used during the seminar. They distract.
And you should practice note-taking. Likewise, during the lab drills you
will take notes on paper, not on the computer.
This syllabus is our flexible road map. Read it. Use it to plan
your work. We'll follow the schedule but everything is subject to change
because of news developments, shifted assignments and other factors.
Check your e-mail several times a day. I send frequent messages.
We also use e-mail to send reading assignments, share reporting experiences
and swap comments.
POLICE RIDES
Students will have a chance to ride in a NYPD patrol car on its tour of
duty. Stories cannot be published, but you will do an assignment for class.
Official sign-up forms must be filled out early this month so rides can
be scheduled promptly. Our ride is tentatively targeted for Friday,
Oct. 13. Let me know immediately if that date is a problem. Sign-up
details to come.
FIELD TRIPS
We will tour the Manhattan criminal courts. Details to come.
REQUIRED READING
Newspapers:
Reading newspapers daily is crucial. You must read The New York Times
and New York Daily News. Pay special attention to *The City*
section in the Sunday Times. You should at least scan the New York Post.
RECOMMENDED READING
Books (at Columbia bookstore):
Melvin Mencher: News Reporting and Writing (McGraw Hill, 10th edition).
While not required, the book is an excellent primer and students new to
journalism are strongly advised to read it. A copy of Mencher is also
on reserve in the Journalism Library.
The Green Book, a New York government reference book; 2005-2006
edition on order.
Check on availability with the textbook desk at the Columbia bookstore.
Two other important books are provided by Columbia (you should have your
own grammar book):
The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.
William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White: The Elements of Style.
Newspapers and magazines:
You should be familiar with the Wall Street Journal, New York Observer,
Newsday, New York magazine, the Village Voice and community weeklies on
your beat.
Maps:
Get a free subway map and borough bus maps. Hagstrom's pocket atlas for
the five boroughs also is very helpful in a pinch.
GRADING
It's pass/fail. From day one, your work will be measured against the professional
standards of major media, with emphasis on accuracy, clarity, focus and
flow. If at first you falter, don't despair. A prime goal is steady improvement
toward consistent, skillful performance. How well you do in the final
weeks is more important than how well you start. There will be no tests,
but we'll have a regular quiz on significant news events and AP style
(remember: read the papers).
ABSENCES
Attendance is mandatory for all class sessions. Any absence requires notification
and a valid explanation
-- just like a real job.
INTEGRITY
Honesty is crucial. Anyone faking quotes, falsifying a story or plagiarizing
will risk summary dismissal from the school.
MIDTERM
Sign up for periodic office appointments. However, I also will schedule
a one-on-one evaluation at midterm. At that time, file all your written
work chronologically in a folder. Bring it to our midterm meeting.
FILING STORIES
Send your stories to your instructors via e-mail as Word attachments.
However, within three hours of the deadline, hard copies should also be
submitted to Professor Gissler in the blue tray outside his office.
BEWARE: LATE E-MAIL STORIES
DO NOT e-mail your story only a few minutes before the deadline. It can
arrive very late. What counts is when we receive the story not when you
send it. So file your story early and avoid the e-mail trap.
FORMAT FOR STORIES:
When filing by e-mail, single-space your stories. When submitting a hard
copy, double-space your stories. All stories must follow our format. Remember
to include a word count and to list significant sources (including phone
numbers). At the end of your story, always list three additional story
ideas. Otherwise, your assignment is incomplete.
LENGTH OF STORIES
Length will vary with assignment. Clarity, focus and graceful expression
are more important than bulk. Most stories will be 500 to 1,000 words.
Major pieces will run from 1,500 to 2,500 words. You must honor the assigned
length. When a story is too long, the excess portion - zap! - will not
be edited. This is an important part of your training.
AP STYLE
Mastery of AP style is very important (and a sign of professionalism).
REWRITING
Stories should be polished and carefully edited before they are turned
in. However, don't be surprised if you are asked to rewrite your story
(with a new deadline). Be sure to attach the original story to the rewritten
one or the latter will be unacceptable.
READINGS
Assigned reading is linked to the upcoming week's theme. Be prepared to
discuss key points in the Monday seminar. All handouts must be read.
* * *
COURSE SCHEDULE
We begin in August with an important preparatory program. It is designed
to increase your understanding of New York City and sharpen some basic
skills. You also will begin to explore your assigned neighborhood, cultivate
sources and zero in on issues. You will get the feel of being a street
reporter.
After Labor Day, we quicken the pace and move into our regular RW1 schedule.
We usually have a weekly theme. However, we're also flexible, especially
in the final third of the course. Much depends on the pace of our progress.
AUGUST: SOME KEY DATES
Mon., Aug. 21
First class meeting, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Room 709C
Introductions, review syllabus, assign neighborhood beats
Reading: Mencher, Chapters 1 through 7
Beatnote assignment: due 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5
Diagnostic, 2 - 4 p.m., Room 601A
Tues., Aug. 22
Professor Porter's lecture on news writing, 9:30 -11 a.m., Lecture Hall
Seminar, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Room 709C
Drill, 2 - 3:30 p.m., Room 801
Wed., Aug. 23
Professor Gissler's lecture on street reporting and covering a beat, 9:30
- 11 a.m., Lecture Hall
Seminar, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Room 709C
Drill, 2 - 3:30 p.m., Room 511C
Thurs., Aug. 24
Breakout session on interviewing, 3 - 4:30 p.m., with Professor Gissler,
Lecture Hall
Fri., Aug. 25
Bus trip (Bronx), departs 116th and Amsterdam. Be there at 8:30 a.m.
sharp.
Led by Bob Kappstatter, New York Daily News, Bronx bureau chief
Mon., Aug. 28
Seminar, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Room 709C
Person-on-street story due via e-mail at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30
Thurs., Aug. 31
Drill, 1 - 2:45 p.m., Room 607C
Fri., Sept. 1
Seminar, 9:00 - 11 a.m. Note early start
Discuss *Remembering 9/11* feature story ideas (fifth anniversary
of attack)
Speaker: TBA
Assignment: Complete beatnote, due 9 a.m. Tuesday
REGULAR WEEKLY RW1
Week 1: The Reporter's Craft
Tues., Sept. 5 Note seminar meets on Tuesday. Beatnote due 9 a.m.
Seminar: Covering New York City and beyond
Speaker: Dan Barry, About New York columnist, The New York Times
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: "Remembering 9/11" feature story, due 9 a.m. Friday
Reading: Mencher, Chapters 11 through 16
Week 2: Covering Welfare and Poverty
Mon., Sept. 11:
Seminar: The welfare reform controversy and poverty issues
Speaker: Professor Hancock, former education editor, Newsweek
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: Human impact of poverty, due 9 a.m. Thursday
Two enterprise project ideas, due 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 2
Reading: Mencher, Chapters 17, 18, 20
Week 3: Covering Police
Monday, Sept. 18 -- Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 23
Seminar: The cops and their culture
Speaker: Al Baker, reporter, The New York Times
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: Police/crime story, due 6 p.m. Wednesday
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 21
Week 4: Covering Courts
Mon., Sept. 25:
Seminar: Covering courts
Field trip: Manhattan criminal courts (No lab drill)
Assignment: Courts story, deadlines to be assigned
Week 5: Covering Immigrant Communities -- Yom Kippur, Oct. 2
Mon., Oct. 2: Two enterprise project ideas, due 9 a.m.
Seminar: Creating a Muslim beat in the New York region
Speaker: Andrea Elliott, reporter, The New York Times (class of '99)
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: All-city story (deadlines to be assigned)
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 19 (for obit drill next week) and Chapter
24 (especially *covering schools*)
Week 6: Covering Education -- Columbus Day, Oct. 9
Mon., Oct. 9: Police ride Friday, Oct. 13 (tentative)
Seminar: Covering the schools
Speaker: David Herszenhorn, education reporter, The New York Times
Lab: Deadline writing (Obit drill)
Assignment: Neighborhood school story, due 9 a.m. Thursday
Police ride assignment due Monday, Oct. 16
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 8
Week 7: Enterprise Reporting
Mon., Oct. 16
Seminar: Discuss *telling detail* and long-form writing
Guest: Bruce DeSilva, news features editor, the Associated Press
Lab: Deadline writing (Obit drill)
Assignment: Progress report on enterprise project, due 9 a.m., Thursday
-- Enterprise project due 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6 --
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 17 (review section on race) Chapter 27
(especially *racial issues*)
Week 8: Covering Race and Ethnicity
Mon., Oct. 23
Seminar: Candid coverage of race and ethnicity
Speaker: Elizabeth Llorente, senior writer, The (Bergen) Record
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: Race in the neighborhood, due 9 a.m. Thursday
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 26
Week 9: Profile and Feature Writing
Mon., Oct. 30:
Seminar: Profile and feature writing techniques
Speaker: Michael Powell, New York bureau chief, The Washington Post
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: Work on neighborhood personality profile, due 9 a.m. Thursday,
Nov. 9
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 24 (review politics section),
Week 10: Election Coverage
Mon., Nov. 6
Seminar: State and local races
Lab: Deadline writing (Election Day drill)
Assignment: Election or all-city story (deadlines to be assigned)
Personality profile, due 9 a.m. Thursday
Week 11: Investigative Journalism
Mon., Nov. 13:
Seminar: The watchdog role and how to dig out the tough story
Spaker: David Barstow, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, The New York Times
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: Work on enterprise project, 800-word draft due 9 a.m. Monday,
Nov. 20
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 23 (for business reporting drill next week)
Week 12: Covering Gender Issues
Mon., Nov. 20: Enterprise draft due, 9 a.m. (Deadline for approval of
master's project)
Seminar: How to create and cover a new beat
Speaker: Ruth Padawer, gender/relationships reporter, The (Bergen) Record
Lab: Deadline writing (Business drill)
Assignment: Work on enterprise project, due 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6
Reading: Mencher, Chapter 26 (review), Chapter 27
Thanksgiving recess 11/23-11/26
Week 13: Ethical Challenges Ahead
Mon., Nov. 27: -- (Deadline for master's *billboard,* Dec. 1)
--
Seminar: An Editor's Dilemmas: The Jeffrey Dahmer case
Speaker: Professor Gissler
Lab: Deadline writing
Assignment: Work on enterprise project, due 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6
Week 14: Jobs Panel
Mon., Dec. 4 Final class
Seminar: How to get a job in today's world
Speaker: Bill Grueskin, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Online,
and former RW1 reporters
Assignment: Enterprise project due 9 a.m. Wednesday
End of class but enterprise project subject to further revision if
necessary
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