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Course Syllabus

COMM 1130 Media Writing

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Communications
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
  • Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
  • Semester Approved: Spring 2024
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2029
  • End Semester: Fall 2029
  • Optimum Class Size: 18
  • Maximum Class Size: 20

Course Description

In this course, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of writing for the media, which will prepare them for further studies in public relations, marketing, business, and technical writing. The course will cover the necessary skills needed for processing complex information, verifying it, and effectively communicating it in both digital and print formats. Students will also learn about digital media and how to maintain the Snowdrift website.

Justification

Writing for Communications encourages students to read, discuss, and write about current events, trends, and happenings on the Snow College campus in Utah, Nationally, and Internationally. This course is designed specifically to highlight digital media and to introduce students to career options in journalism, to help them become better writers for many aspects of Communications, and to prepare them to meet transfer requirements. Most of the other colleges in the state offer a similar course.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. The course primarily consists of digital media content and writing assignments, supplemented by in-class work, homework, and news quizzes. Some stories are finished outside of class, while others are completed within a set timeframe during class.
  2. Students will create a blog to demonstrate an understanding of writing for varies media outlets.
  3. Students will gather information for news stories by conducting interviews, data mining, and accessing both printed and electronic data. They will evaluate information for validity, accuracy, and applicability before incorporating it into their news stories.

Course Content

This course will cover the following topics: digital media basics, understanding the ethical foundations of journalism and its values, including the importance of a variety of ideas. The students will be introduced to the basic elements of digital storytelling and will learn to meet deadlines. They will be taught to understand and apply the AP style to news stories. Additionally, they will learn to find appropriate news sources, interview sources, and conduct research necessary for strong news stories.