Course

20801272 Journalism Practicum 2
Course Information
Description
Journalism Practicum 2 builds on Practicum 1, giving students deeper real‑world experience in news production. Students work as members of The Clarion staff, contributing to reporting, editing, and editorial decisions. They produce issue‑based enterprise stories and also handle copy editing, fact‑checking, and refining longer, in‑depth newsroom pieces.
Total Credits
1
Course Competencies
  1. Identify relevant news and feature stories for a student specific newspaper, newsletter, radio program/podcast and website audience and learn basic newswriting and reporting conventions
    Assessment Strategies
    Attending The Clarion training sessions
    Attending The Clarion staff meetings
    Polling and interviewing students
    Exploring long-form journalism such as feature writing
    Exploring the use of opinion-supported storytelling and reviews
    Exploring beat reporting
    Criteria
    Examine the role of the student journalist in society
    Identify the qualities of an important news story
    Discover news story ideas
    Create your news story ideas that are later developed into stories published in The Clarion
    Define libel law and how and why it evolved
    Consider the boundaries of libel law when engaged in news reporting for The Clarion
    Define copyright law and how and why it evolved
    Consider the boundaries of copyright law when engaged in news reporting for The Clarion
    Define obscenity laws and how and why they evolved
    Consider the boundaries of obscenity laws when engaged in news reporting for The Clarion

  2. Communicate news story ideas and impact of The Clarion to a group of peers
    Assessment Strategies
    Attending The Clarion staff meetings
    Working with editor on the news story development including photo and video needs
    Producing news content for The Clarion media (at least two stories or two broadcasts)
    Using Associated Press style for journalism
    Using primary and secondary research/sources
    Fact checking and attention to media law and ethics
    Using quotes and paraphrasing/sourcing appropriately
    Giving at least one oral presentation about The Clarion organization to Madison College audiences during the semester
    Attending four meeting with the Practicum instructor
    Criteria
    Articulate your news story ideas to peers and superiors at The Clarion
    Accept feedback on news story ideas
    Attend Clarion staff meetings on a regular basis
    Act in a professional manner during Clarion staff meetings
    Articulate the role of a student media organization at a community college
    Give oral presentations to small and large groups at Madison College

  3. Cultivate sources in the beginning stages of story research
    Assessment Strategies
    Learning the importance of the process of source cultivation to quality journalism
    Locating key Madison College sources for stories
    Developing news stories that are supported by key sources
    Using primary and secondary sources
    Integrating interviews in reporting
    Criteria
    Cultivate Madison College sources who trust you as a journalist
    Develop good working relationships with Madison College sources
    Consider diverse voices in storytelling

  4. Produce stories and visuals for The Clarion media
    Assessment Strategies
    Fact checking
    Considering what is fair and balanced
    Employing FOI and open records requests when necessary
    Using technology tools for research including AI support for data review and presentation
    Writing feature-length stories for more indepth coverage of a critical or complex issue
    Seeking out student voices
    Conducting interviews
    Exploring primary and secondary sources
    Meeting deadlines
    Writing with Associated Press style format for citing sources
    Criteria
    Identify key interviewees for news stories
    Contact key interviewees for news stories within time limit
    Relate the importance of good interviewing skills to the news reporting process
    Implement good interviewing skills during the research stage of news reporting
    Develop quality news and feature stories based on effective interviews and research
    Write news stories published in The Clarion that consistently include key interviews
    Conduct fact checking
    Defend the importance of being “on location” during the news reporting process
    Apply conventions of news writing structure, including the inverted pyramid format and the narration storytelling model
    Develop news stories for The Clarion based on the inverted pyramid structure of news writing
    Explain the role of “deadline writing” during the news writing process
    Use good time management skills during the news writing process
    Write news stories in a timely manner
    Submit quality news and feature stories to Clarion editors before deadlines
    Submit a self-assessment
    Use effective copyediting techniques
    Edit the works of others as specified by the instructor
    Engage in effective copyediting during the news writing process of your own stories
    Engage in effective copyediting of news stories written by peers at The Clarion
    Write news and feature stories that do not violate current media laws
    Consider ethics and ethical situations during the news reporting process
    Develop a journalistic practice of reporting news stories based on ethical procedures and situations
    Present stories to a campus group of peers
    Preform as a student ambassador for The Clarion organization
    Articulate the role of a student media organization at a community college