20801274Journalism Practicum 4
Course Information
Description
Journalism Practicum 4 is a follow-up to Journalism Practicum 3. Students will spend the semester working on the staff of The Clarion. In Journalism Practicum 4, students will perform service hours engaged in high-level editing, managing and directing activities for The Clarion media organization. In addition to continuing the news reporting, news writing, video journalism, and photojournalism that they did for Journalism Practicums 1, 2, and 3, students will assume high-level management roles, as well as work with advanced elements of newspaper design and broadcast direction. Students of Journalism Practicum 4 will lead editorial meetings, direct supporting staff, and manage the development of all Clarion operations. Students who take Journalism Practicum 4 as a one-credit course must spend at least 36 hours working as a news reporter for The Clarion. Students who take Journalism Practicum 4 as a two-credit course must spend 72 hours working as a Clarion journalist.
Total Credits
2
Course Competencies
  1. Provide news story idea guidance for staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Convey the role of the journalist in society
    Defend the role of a student news organization at a community college
    Describe the qualities of print and Web journalism
    Generate news story ideas
    The Clarion issues and webpages contain relevant news stories for The Clarion audience

  2. Communicate news story ideas to staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Articulate your news story ideas to Clarion journalists
    Willingly accept feedback on story ideas
    Evaluate news story ideas of staff journalists
    Editorial meetings are productive, creative and inspiring for all participants

  3. Cultivate sources as a high-level editor
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Defend the importance of source cultivation to quality journalism
    Locate key Madison College sources for news stories
    Evaluate sources for news ideas discussed at editorial meetings
    The Clarion news stories are developed through the use of source cultivation
    Cultivate Madison College sources who trust you as a journalist
    Develop good working relationships with Madison College sources

  4. Provide source identification guidance for staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Identify key interviewees for news stories
    Contact key interviewees for investigative stories within time limit
    The Clarion news and feature stories contain key sources that support the stories

  5. Provide interviewing guidance for staff reporters
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Defend the importance of good interviewing skills to the news reporting process
    Implement good interviewing skills during the research stage of news reporting
    Evaluate interviewing skills of staff reporters
    The Clarion consists of news stories based on effective interviews

  6. Provide background research guidance for staff reporters
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Defend the importance of background research as part of the investigative reporting process
    Use key databases and Internet research for background research
    Use telephone communication for background research
    Use face-to-face visits and communication for background research
    Evaluate background research of staff reporters
    The Clarion consists of quality news stories based on effective background research strategies

  7. Provide fact-checking guidance for staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Defend the importance of fact-checking information as part of the news reporting process
    Use the tools of fact-checking
    Evaluate fact-checking of staff journalists
    The Clarion consists of quality news stories that have been fact-checked

  8. Provide "on location" guidance for staff reporters
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance, Written Product and/or Website
    Criteria
    Defend the importance of observation skills as part of the investigative reporting process
    Use the tools of observation, specifically the use of senses
    Defend the importance of being “on location” during the investigative reporting process
    Provide “on location” advice to staff writers
    Influence how audio/video journalists use locations to support audio/video news stories
    Provide “on location” advice to staff audio/video journalists
    The written stories in The Clarion are descriptive and compelling
    The audio/video stories on The Clarion website have effective audio and video support from location recordings

  9. Instruct reporters on how to use computer-assisted reporting (CAR) tools for investigative stories
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance, Written Product
    Criteria
    Use the tools of computer-assisted reporting
    Evaluate the effectiveness of computer-assisted reporting tools
    Provide computer-assisted reporting guidance for staff journalists
    The Clarion consists of investigative and interpretive news stories in which computer-assisted reporting tools were used

  10. Provide news writing guidance for staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance, Written Product
    Criteria
    Apply conventions of short-form and long-form journalism, specifically the inverted pyramid format and the narration storytelling model
    Evaluate news writing of staff journalists
    The Clarion consists of news stories structured effectively according to the conventions of news writing

  11. Provide audio/video news development guidance for staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Performance
    Criteria
    Apply the conventions of audio/video news stories
    Evaluate audio/video news stories of staff journalists
    The Clarion consists of news stories structured effectively according to the conventions of audio/video news stories

  12. Edit stories of fellow Clarion journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Written Product
    Criteria
    Convey the importance of copyediting to the news writing process
    Use effective copyediting techniques
    Edit the works of others
    News stories are edited accurately and effectively, within time limit

  13. Provide social media guidance for staff journalists
    Criteria
    Manage social media sites (i.e. YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
    Apply the conventions of social media writing
    Instruct staff journalists on use of social media sites
    Social media sites are used effectively to share Clarion stories with audiences

  14. Provide layout and design guidance to staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Written Product
    Criteria
    Apply the conventions of layout and design for print newspaper formats
    Evaluate layout and design of staff journalists
    The Clarion is published with an effective layout and design

  15. Provide artwork guidance to staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Drawing/Illustration
    Criteria
    Apply the conventions of newspaper artwork
    Evaluate artwork of Clarion artists and illustrators
    The Clarion is published with quality artwork

  16. Provide photography guidance to staff journalists
    Assessment Strategies
    Product
    Criteria
    Apply the conventions of photojournalism
    Evaluate photography of staff photojournalists
    The Clarion is published with quality news photographs

  17. Provide audio/video guidance to staff journalists
    Criteria
    Apply the conventions of audio/video news stories.
    Evaluate audio/video news stories of staff journalists.
    The Clarion website is published with quality audio/video news stories.

  18. Lead editorial meetings
    Assessment Strategies
    Presentation
    Criteria
    Follow guidelines of effective editorial meetings
    The Clarion has a foundation of regular editorial meetings that are productive, engaging and inspiring for all participants

  19. Establish deadlines for staff journalists
    Criteria
    Model the importance of “deadline writing” during the writing process
    Use efficient time management skills to establish deadlines for staff journalists
    Communicate deadlines to all staff journalists and editors
    All Clarion staff members meet their deadlines

  20. Manage entire newspaper editing process
    Assessment Strategies
    Written Product
    Criteria
    Follow management principles as identified by the instructor
    Oversee all edits in the print edition of The Clarion
    Issues of the print edition of The Clarion consistently reach The Clarion audience, error-free

  21. Manage entire website development process
    Assessment Strategies
    Product
    Criteria
    Follow management principles as identified by the instructor
    Oversee the website format of The Clarion
    The Clarion website is updated on a regular basis

  22. Provide media law guidance
    Criteria
    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 current obscenity laws and how and why they evolved
    Consider the boundaries of obscenity laws when engaged in news reporting for The Clarion
    Describe state “shield laws”
    Describe sunshine laws in Wisconsin and around the nation
    Use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain government documents
    Evaluate products of staff journalists for media law violations
    The Clarion follows media laws
    You write a Freedom of Information Act application letter

  23. Provide guidance on ethics and journalism
    Criteria
    Defend the reporter’s need to consider ethical dilemmas during the news reporting process
    Develop a journalistic practice of reporting news stories based on ethical procedures and situations
    Evaluate products of staff journalists for ethical violations
    The Clarion is known for ethical journalism

  24. Preform as a student ambassador for The Clarion Orginazation
    Assessment Strategies
    Presentation
    Criteria
    Articulate the role of a student media organization at a community college
    Give oral presentations to small and large groups at Madison College
    You give at least four oral presentations about The Clarion organization to Madison College audiences during the semester
    You uphold the values of The Clarion as being known for a quality organization where students can engage in real-world writing and journalism
    The Clarion attracts new writers, photographers, editors, and videographers each semester

This Outline is under development.