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Course Syllabus

COMM 1900 Newspaper Production I

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Communications
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 2; Lecture: 2; Lab: 1
  • Semesters Offered: Fall
  • Semester Approved: Fall 2019
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2025
  • End Semester: Summer 2025
  • Optimum Class Size: 15
  • Maximum Class Size: 20

Course Description

Students will learn the theory and practical application of newspaper design, production, and reporting through classroom instruction and hands-on production as staff members of the Snowdrift, Snow College's student newspaper.

Justification

The Newspaper course is designed to give students a basic understanding of journalism and newspaper writing techniques.; Students will write, edit, and layout six issues of the school newspaper, both in print and in an online version. Students will develop their writing abilities and editing skills by reviewing their own work as well as their peer's work. Students will be introduced to Adobe programs, and gain experience in advertising.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students completing this course will know and practice the principles and skills of good newspaper production as they write, edit, design, layout, and publish the school newspaper.
  2. Students will practice researching information for their news stories through interviews, accessing printed and electronic resources and databases, and will then assess the accuracy and appropriateness of that information for publication.
  3. The focus of this course is to write articles for every publication in the newspaper. Students will read newspapers, and respond critically to professional journalistic writing.
  4. An important goal of this course is to foster an appreciation of the Scholastic Journalism rules and regulations. Students will experience all aspects of journalism and will be required to meet assigned deadlines for in class publications.
  5. Students will learn to work with the second-year newspaper editorial staff and be able to meet deadlines. Instructor feedback as well as senior staff feedback will be provided.

Course Content

Course objectives will be accomplished by providing students with learning experiences in the following subject areas: Reporting techniques; Interviewing techniques (including how to take notes); learning how to make contact and where to find sources; tools of the trade, typography, and page dummying; story design; page design; photos and art.