Course: COMM 1900
Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Communications
Title: Newspaper Production I
Semester Approved: Fall 2019
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2025
End Semester: Summer 2025
Catalog 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.
Semesters Offered: Fall
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 2; Lecture: 2; Lab: 1
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: 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. This will be assessed in their article writing, as well as assignments.
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. Students will demonstrate their skills through written assignments.
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. Written assignments will be returned with suggestions for improving the student's writing skills.
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. Participation and class discussion will be used as an assessment tool for this outcome as well as publication and distribution of the newspaper.
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. Participation and class discussion will be used as an assessment tool for this outcome.
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.
Key Performance Indicators: Completion and quality of stories written for publication 30 to 50%
Distribution of Newspapers on campus 20 to 30%
Additional Assignments 20 to 30%
Class Participation 20 to 30%
Representative Text and/or Supplies: Tim Harrower, Inside Reporting, current edition, Dubuque: WCB Brown and Benchmark.
Local and national newspapers will be analyzed, as well as The Snowdrift and other college newspapers.
Pedagogy Statement: This is a hands on class. Students actively participate and produce a student newspaper. Emphasis is placed on active participation, research and presentation skills.
Instructional Mediums: Lecture
Lab
Maximum Class Size: 20
Optimum Class Size: 15
