+

Connecting with the Newspaper CourseRachele KanigelSan Francisco State UniversityRkanigel@gmail.com

+JOUR 609 Publication Lab

Newspaper production course in a journalism department

All students required to take at least once, most take at least twice

Prerequisites: Newswriting + Reporting (reporter/editors)

OR Newswriting + Photojournalism 2 (photographers)

+Staff

10-15 editors

20-30 reporters

10-15 photographers

1-3 designers (sometimes not enrolled in class – they may take independent study)

+Publication

Newspaper distributed weekly on Wednesdays

Website updated daily

10,000 circulation

+Class Structure

Class meets twice a week, Mondays & Fridays 9:30-11 a.m.

Mondays: Critiques

Wednesdays: Workshops, guest lecturers, discussions of ethical issues, panel discussions, brainstorming sessions, project planning sessions

Last 15 minutes of class reporters & editors meet

+Grading reporters

Minimum requirements:

15 stories (roughly one per week)

20 production hours

Weekly story pitches

Reporters turn in three portfolios, each after about 5 weeks

+Grading reporters

Portfolio includes:

Original draft of each story and story as it appeared online or in print

Memo for each story explaining how story originated, problems encountered, how reporter and editor worked together

Weekly beat memos (story ideas)

Production hours log

Self-evaluation form

Evaluation of editors

+Grading reporters

Point system:

Portfolio 1 Up to 25 points

Portfolio 2 Up to 25 points

Portfolio 3 Up to 25 points

Beat Report Up to 5 points

Class participation Up to 5 points

Beat handoff Up to 5 points

Production hours (20)

1/2 point per hour

Bonus points 1 for each weekly award

Total Up to 100

+Grading reporters

Evaluation process:

Reporter assembles portfolio and fills out self-evaluation

Editors fill out evaluation form for each reporter they work with.

Instructor reviews portfolio, evaluation forms and grades portfolio

Instructor meets with each reporter in the first grading period; conferences are recommended but not required after that

After meeting with all reporters instructor meets with each editor to discuss their performance

+Class activities Group critiques – Students meet in small groups to

select best headline, best story, best lede, best photo, best page design, etc.

Story hunt -- Send groups of 3 (a mix of editors, reporters and photographers) out on a story hunt; each group has to find an upcoming event, a feature idea, a subject for a multimedia story, a trend story

Brainstorming session – Students meet in small groups to generate story ideas. Ask: What’s challenging about being a student? What frustrates you about this school? How does the economy/budget cuts/upcoming election, etc

affect students on this campus?

+Textbook

Instructors can order a free examination copy at wiley.com

+Resources

Golden Gate [X]press can be viewed at xpress.sfsu.edu

Syllabus available for download atissuu.com/rkanigel/docs/newspapercoursesyllabus

This presentation is available at slideshare.net/rkanigel/connectingwiththenewspapercourse