DaveStanton.us

About the Course

This is a course in which you will have a chance to apply the journalism skills you have learned in other classes and pick up some new skills related to online news production.

We will produce for The Gainesville Sun a publication called Newszine. Your work will involve selecting and editing stories, photos and multimedia content via a content management system. Newszine is a dynamic news publication intended to represent typical systems used in newsrooms throughout the world.

You will learn how to use on-line resources to post existing stories and create packages with additional content, multimedia and context. We will cover some advanced CSS and dynamic site planning topics. Students are required to have previous XHTML and CSS experience. The basics will not be taught in this class. A heavy emphasis is placed on video capture, editing and delivery.

Course and University Policies

Description

This course examines the technologies and methods for online news production in the United States and around the world through the use of an applied newsroom. Let's make one thing clear from the outset: This is not an "easy" course. I expect a lot from my students; that's how you learn. It is likely this class will consume more of your time than you anticipate.

Objectives

1. Demonstrate skills in a critical, decision-making role in a newsroom.
2. Understand the process of working within a content management system (CMS).
3. Better understand a variety of skills including audio, photo, and video capturing and editing.
4. Develop self-learning strategies to help with continuing education.

Attendance and Attitude

Students are expected to show respect for one another and for the instructor. Attendance and punctuality are essential. Any absence without prior clearance or medical proof will result in a 5-point reduction of a student’s final grade. This policy in non-negotiable. Quizzes will be administered at the beginning of the class periods. You cannot make quizzes up if you are late or absent. All attendance and grading questions will be answered during the instructor’s office hours. Do not bring these topics up during class or via e-mail. The instructor will not respond.

Deadlines

Late assignments will not be accepted. Assignments will only be accepted at the beginning of the class periods unless otherwise requested by the instructor. As with attendance, advance notice and documentation of illness or personal emergency is the only exception to the deadline policy.

Academic Honesty

Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Cheating hurts you, hurts our college and hurts the industry. Any dishonesty will be reported to Student Judicial Affairs, and the student will receive a failing grade for the course. The university’s Academic Honesty Guidelines provide additional details. You are expected to know and understand these guidelines completely. You are encouraged to ask the instructor for clarification if you are in doubt.

Students with Disabilities

Reasonable accommodations will be made for any students with disabilities. If you have a disability, the Dean of Students Office will give you official documentation. You must provide this to the instructor. More information is available at the Dean of Students Office’s Disability Resources page.

Book Requirements

Weekly reading assignments are indicated in the Schedule

Required Books

Weynand, D. (2007). Final Cut Pro 6: Professional Editing in Final Cut Studio 2. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press. ISBN: 0-321-50265-5

Associated Press Stylebook. 2006 or later.

Quizzes cover assigned AP Stylebook sections and required readings. The AP Style book is sold in most stores, though I assume you already own it. Amazon.com has one of the lowest prices for the required text.

Grading Criteria

For descriptions of the assignments, see Required Work

Total: 100 points

Assignments

10 points — Weekly Quizzes
30 points — Newszine
10 points — Video Project
10 points — 3D Modeling Project
15 points — Group Project (O&B)
25 points — Individual Project

Grading Scale

90 – 100 : A
88 – 89 : B+
80 – 87 : B
78 – 79 : C+
70 – 77 : C
68 – 69 : D+
60 – 67 : D
Less than 60 : F

Course Schedule

Key Dates

Aug. 25 — Classes start
Aug. 29 — Drop/Add ends
Dec. 10 — Classes end

UF Holidays

Nov. 27 — Thanksgiving

Weekly Schedule

• Week 1 | Aug. 27

• Week 2 | Sept. 3
• Weynand: Chapter 1
• Read: TDH's "Design Process" at Devlounge
• Read: Dave Shea's "Photographic Palettes"
• Quiz: Open book

• Week 3 | Sept. 10
• Weynand: Chapter 2
• Read: Khoi Vinh's and Mark Boulton's "Grids are Good"
• Quiz: Open book

• Week 4 | Sept. 17
• Weynand: Chapters 3 & 4
• Read: Jeff Croft's "Elegant Web Typography"
• Quiz: ABC

• Week 5 | Sept. 24
• Due: Individual project proposal
• Weynand: Chapters 5 & 6
• Quiz: DEF

• Week 6 | Oct. 1
• Weynand: Chapters 8 & 9
• Quiz: GHI

• Week 7 | Oct. 8
• Weynand: Chapters 10 & 11
• Quiz: JKL

• Week 8 | Oct. 15
• Weynand: Chapters 12 & 13
• Quiz: MNO

• Week 9 | Oct. 22
• Due: Video exercises

• Week 10 | Oct. 29
• Lesson: Google SketchUp 1
• Quiz: PQR

• Week 11 | Nov. 5
• Lesson: Google SketchUp 2
• Quiz: STU

• Week 12 | Nov. 12
• Quiz: VW

• Week 13 | Nov. 19
• Due: 3D Modeling Project (bring project file)
• Quiz: XYZ

• Week 14 | Nov. 26
• Thanksgiving: No class Tues. or Wed.
• Only Newszine stories, photos and blogs
• Use this week for make-up work

• Week 15 | Dec. 3
• Presentations: Individual projects
• Quiz: Business

• Week 16 | Dec. 10
• Due: Final group project
• Quiz: Sports

• Finals | Dec. 17
• Due: Individual projects

Required Work

Weekly Quizzes

The weekly quizzes are intended to test your AP Stylebook knowledge and ability to edit copy. A question or two may also come from assigned readings. An extra credit question related to current news may be added at the discretion of the instructors. No late or make-up quizzes will be given. The lowest two scores will be dropped.

Newszine

During this portion of the class, you will be evaluated as employees of a professional, commercial, interactive newspaper. You will be evaluated on your productivity and quality of work as a member of a team, just as you would be as a worker at a media business.

Video Exercises

You will complete assigned book exercises for FinalCut Pro 6. Exercises will be collected together. I want to see you understand concepts and how to utilize tools to create a quality edit.

3D Modeling Project

You will use Google SketchUp to create a three-dimensional model. This model may be journalistic and included in your individual final project.

Final Project (O&B)

At the end of the semester, you will have completed the online version of the Orange and Blue Magazine, which is produced by the magazine capstone course. Grade will be based on multimedia production and site development.

Individual Project

You will write a short proposal for an in-depth journalistic topic to cover throughout the semester. The objective is for a student to individually report, edit and produce a multimedia journalism package. The contents and structure of the package should be included in your proposal. I will help guide you to create an outstanding package to be entered into competitions such as the Hearst multimedia category.