Writing Across Media - CST 228 at Germanna Community College
https://courses.vccs.edu/colleges/gcc/courses/CST228-WritingAcrossMedia
Effective: 2023-05-01
Course Description
Provides instruction in writing and reporting techniques within various professional media fields, to include public relations, advertising, print, broadcast, and online journalism. Focuses on information gathering, developing appropriate and accurate stories, journalistic storytelling, grammar, Associated Press Style, and knowledge of current affairs.
Lecture 3 hours. Total 3 hours per week.
3 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
Students will increase their writing competency and knowledge within multiple journalistic formats by focusing on reporting, research, Associated Press Style and ethics.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisite: ENG 112 or departmental approval.
Course Objectives
- Written Communication
- Write different types of news stories using journalism writing techniques, adapting for content to context, medium, and audience.
- Critical Thinking
- Demonstrate understanding and application of journalistic storytelling and research throughout multiple writing assignments.
Major Topics to be Included
- Describe and critique the journalism process
- Explain the relevance of a beat and apply it to multiple writing assignments.
- Apply the journalism process to all major writing assignments.
- Evaluate the role ethics play in the journalism process
- Provide peer feedback that focuses on story development, story structure, grammar and AP Style.
- Identify careers within the journalism field and how the journalism process is incorporated.
- Conduct a journalistic interview
- Execute and incorporate interviews into all major writing assignments.
- Utilize credible sources for research and interviews
- Comprehend the role credible sources play in media writing.
- Incorporate multiple credible sources into all major writing assignments.
- Use sound judgment to identify and develop newsworthy stories under deadline
- Provide a weekly report on current local, federal and international news stories and participate in classroom discussion.
- Complete multiple in-class prompted writing assignments under a strict deadline
- Write several types of basic news stories, adapting content to context, medium and audience
- Follow guidance of journalism process and complete a social media, biographical, print news, web news, advertising and press release writing assignment.
- Apply rules for proper grammar, punctuation, and AP Style
- Complete weekly AP Style quizzes
- Complete weekly AP Style/Grammar writing exercises
- Incorporate AP Style into all writing assignments
- Adapt stories for multiple formats including broadcast, print, web, advertising copy, and public relations
- Recognize the role of media writing and incorporate its structure into all major writing assignments.