REPORTING FOR THE WEB

JRN305 - Spring 2010

Prof. Brett Orzechowski
203.889.8074
bjorzechowski@quinnpiac.edu
(Outside of class meetings available upon request at least 48 hours in advance.)

Purpose of the Course:

Students will be able to help define and enhance the future of journalism and further their
development as aspiring journalists by mastering an assortment of multimedia tools. They will also
complete the course with a full understanding of the media industry's rapidly changing landscape.

Required Texts, Resources, Supplies, & Materials:

There is no required text for this class. If editing suite time is needed to complete assignments,
please see the professor. At the beginning of the semester, each student should e-mail the professor
and inform him of which, if any, video and audio editing programs they have in order to complete
out-of-class assignments. Accommodations can and will be made for all students on a need basis.

Course Objectives:
Students will complete the class with a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of multimedia
reporting and journalism. Students will be graded on their complete body of work. Overall,
everything produced will reflect what each student comprehends and masters over the course of the
semester.

Course Schedule:
JRN305A - Tuesday
JRN305B - Thursday

Tuesday, January 19/Thursday, January 21

Blogging
preparation: Each student should choose and be prepared to explain why at least two online
media outlets are effective in their reporting. Explanation should focus on the outlet's tools, content
quality, audience and what they offer visitors.
Assignment: Develop a blog for a niche audience. Incorporate basic themes, design and write
at least two blog entries - one explaining the purpose; one explaining what drove the journalist to
create this blog. Both entries must be written with elements of AP style and must be no longer than
250 words each. The entries should include at least three hyperlinks to other Web content.

Tuesday, January 26/Thursday, January 28

Exercises in brevity
preparation: Students should identify two media outlets that are comparable to their blog for
a niche audience. Be prepared to discuss how these outlets relate and differentiate from your blog.
Assignment: Add a blog post analyzing a topic from your niche audience. The post must
include two well-written concise paragraphs with three hyperlinks each. The analysis should also
include two forms of rich media that tie into the analysis of the topic.

Tuesday, February 2/Thursday, February 4

Visual components
preparation: Identify two videos that tell complete, compelling stories from any media outlet.
One video must be one minute or less. The other must be three minutes or more. Be prepared to
discuss why you chose each video.
Assignment: Incorporate two best practices of visual multimedia journalism that relate to your
audience and explain in two paragraphs each why the content would add value to your niche
audience. Two hyperlinks are required for each explanation.

Tuesday, February 9/Thursday, February 11

Video
preparation: Be prepared to identify what makes good video storytelling. An in-class graded
exercise will follow.
Assignment: Write and produce one (1) two-minute video for an aspect of your niche
audience. Be creative. Tell a story. Interview at least two people. Take chances.

Tuesday, February 16/Thursday, February 18

Photos/Images
preparation: Be prepared to identify what makes a good photo. An in-class graded exercise
will follow.
Assignment: Produce one (1) two-minute soundslide presentation for an aspect of your niche
audience. Be creative. Tell a story. Interview at least two people. Take chances.

Tuesday, February 23/Thursday, February 25

Audio/Podcast
preparation: Be prepared to identify what makes good audio storytelling. An in-class graded
exercise will follow.
Assignment: Write and produce one (1) two-minute podcast for an aspect of your niche
audience. Be creative. Tell a story. Interview at least two people. Take chances.

Tuesday, March 2/Thursday, March 4

Mid-Term: The multimedia interview

Tuesday, March 9/Thursday, March 11

No Class Spring Break
Tuesday, March 16/Thursday, March 18
Social Media/Maps/distribution
preparation: Be prepared to discuss how social media benefits reporting. An in-class graded
exercise will follow.
Assignment: Incorporate one open-source tool that will benefit your niche audience. Include
two well-written paragraphs with three hyperlinks each (six total) discussing why this will benefit
your audience. Also, interview two people and include two quotes - one from a citizen, one from
an expert - that help explain the purpose of your open-source tool.

Tuesday, March 23/Thursday, March 25

Widgets/APPs
preparation: Identify two widgets or applications that will add depth to your overall
semester's work. Be prepared to discuss how they will benefit your niche audience.
Assignment: Select one of the following: 1) Link to the widget or app and use it as a visual to
support your reporting. You can also link to any story on the widget or app and explain how the
tool helps your reporting/society/etc. 2) Interview the creator of the widget or the app and ask them
why they did so and what role does the tool play. (Only one source needed, two is preferred).
3) Create your own app or widget and explain what function the tool serves. Do not use first
person. Explain the social situation - cause and effect style.

Tuesday, March 30/Thursday, April 1

Documents/Timeline/Streaming
preparation: Find one public document through original reporting and be prepared to
pinpoint the three most important components of the document. An in-class graded exercise will
follow.
Assignment: Select one of the following: 1) Find one document and explain why it add depths
to your presentation. Interview two people - one citizen and one expert - regarding the contents of
the document. 2) Create one interactive timeline with Dipity - a good practice of explanatory
journalism. 3) Stream one three-minute segment live and explain what value this adds to your
audience in a written blog entry. Must be presented next class.

Tuesday, April 6/Thursday, April 8

Database
preparation: Go to the Texas Tribune (www.texastribune.org) and be prepared to analyze
three aspects of their Web site that add depth to their reporting. An in-class graded exercise will
follow. Please e-mail instructor concept for final presentation by this class.
Assignment: Conduct your own data research through polls or find data that can be embedded
into your presentation. Discuss the results in three well-written paragraphs and hyperlink to three
(3) news stories that strengthen your case and two (2) that dispute your findings.
Tuesday, April 13/Thursday, April 15
Open source/Breaking News
preparation: Identify three open-source tools that will add depth to your overall semester's
work. Be prepared to discuss how they will benefit your niche audience.
Assignment: Selection for Mobile Journalism exercise. Each student will select an assignment
and work with a team for this out-of-class exercise. Simply go to the chosen location and tell a
story with multimedia components. You will work in teams and each student will produce a
multimedia component. More guidelines will be discussed in class.

Tuesday, April 20/Thursday, April 22

Mobile Journalism
preparation: Bring your "A" game.
Assignment: Work toward final.

Tuesday, April 27/Thursday, April 29

Open Date
Each student is required to meet with the instructor to discuss any concerns or needs to fulfill their
final requirement. A meeting on this date is mandatory and a calendar will be posted.

Grading System:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D 60-69
F 0-59

Course Policies:
Peer Review
Students are asked to be constructive in their criticism and treat peers the same way they expect to
be treated. Peer review is essential not only to advance the conversation but for others to learn in a
cooperative environment. Reviews serve as exercises to help one another, voice views, and
enhance the learning experience.

Attendance
A student can miss one class a semester and not be penalized. Any class missed after that without a
medical/reasonable excuse lowers their class grade by a full letter.
Extra Credit
Opportunities for students will be discussed at the beginning of the semester.

Course Breakdown:
1) Body of work/blog/content/final - 40 percent
2) Participation/Attendance - 30 percent
3) Weekly mastery - 20 percent
4) Midterm - 10 percent

Note: Syllabus subject to change