The course will introduce students to the basics of media editing on multiple platforms. Students will master the art and science of editing stories on paper and on computers while critically assessing the content of the news. Upon successful completion of the hybrid class making extensive use of Brightspace/D2L, WordPress and Adobe InDesign, you should be able:

•  To use online educational environment (D2l/Brightspace) to accent learning in a classroom environment;
•  To edit content for accuracy, completeness, fairness, balance, sensitivity;
•  To edit content based on ethical, legal, technical and journalistic criteria;
•  To identify grammatical mistakes and correct them;
•  To identify errors in spelling and correct them;
•  To identify errors in punctuation and correct them;
•  To identify errors in Associated Press style and correct them;
•  To identify errors in current events and issues, discuss and correct them;
•  To write concise and accurate headlines and captions for print and online/social media;
•  To design a basic news page;
•  To understand and discuss the basic ethical issues confronting editors;
•  To apply social media skills to all forms of media writing;
•  To evaluate a news/features/editorials based on news value, readability, use of direct and indirect quotations (objective); persuasiveness (subjective);
•  To produce materials ready for online and/or print distribution; and
•  To work successfully under deadline pressure.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

• Aug. 22-25 | Hotter ’N Hell 100
• Jan. 18 | Classes begin
• Jan. 20 | Martin Luther King’s Birthday observed (no class)
• Jan. 22 | Syllabus; different levels of editing, an introduction; the noun and pronoun
• Jan. 27 | Verbs and verbals
• Jan. 29 | Sentences
• Feb. 2 | Groundhog Day; Super Bowl LIX
• Feb. 3 | Common grammar problems
• Feb. 5 | Editing test 1; review
• Feb. 10 | Fact vs. opinion; law review; ethics review
• Feb. 12 | Editing exercises (actual stories)
• Feb. 14 | Valentine’s Day
• Feb. 17 | Washington’s Birthday; President’s Day; Punctuation review
• Feb. 19 | Editing exercises (actual stories)
• Feb. 20-22 | Association of Texas Photography Instructors
• Feb. 24 | Spelling bee prelims
• Feb. 26 | ONLINE CLASS: AP style review
• Feb. 27-29 | Associated Collegiate Press (San Francisco)
• March 2 | Spelling bee finals; Texas Independence Day; Read Across America Day
• March 3 | Super Tuesday
• March 4 | AP style review
• March 6-7 | .AEJMC Midwinter Conference (University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City)
• March 8 | Daylight Saving Time starts
• March 9 | Editing test 2; review
• March 11 | Headline writing
• March 16-21.Spring Break (no classes)
• March 23 | Headline writing
• March 25 | Caption writing
• March 30 | .Caption writing; Last Day for “W”; Drops after this date will receive grades of “F.”
• March 31 | Cesar Chavez Day
• April 1 | .Editing test 3; review
• April 6 | Headline writing test
• April 8 | .ONLINE CLASS: Caption writing test
• April 9-12 | Holiday Break (no classes); Passover; Good Friday; Easter Sunday
• April 13 | .Geography bee prelims
• April 15 | ONLINE CLASS: grammar review (terminology); Tax Day
• April 16-18 | Journalism Education Association / National Scholastic Press Association (Washington, D.C.)
• April 20 | Geography bee finals
• April 22 | Editing test 4; review
• April 22-23 | Celebration of Scholarship/UGRCA Forum
• April 27 | .Playing in Adobe InDesign
• April 29 | Recreating a page
• April 30-May 1.UIL Academic State Meet
• May 4 | Editing test 5; review; edit page
• May 5 | Cinco de Mayo
• May 6 | Course evaluation; edit page; review for final (come prepared with questions)
• May 8 | Last day of classes
• May 10 | Mother’s Day
• May 11 | .Final exam, 8 a.m. (online)
• May 15 | Senior documentary screenings
• May 16 | Commencement

1. 25% Editing tests (5)
2. 30% Weekly online quizzes (current events and review; 10-20 questions each)
3. 30% Other in-class assignments (including participation, attendance, quizzes, other stories)
4. 15% Online Final exam

Notes:

• LATE WORK: Late work receives a grade of zero.

• MISSPELLED NAMES: Any story submitted with a name misspelled in a final draft receives a grade of zero.

• WORK FOR ANOTHER CLASS: You may not submit a story that has been (or will be) submitted in any other class unless you get my explicit, written permission.

• GRADES: I will not discuss grades in any fashion via electronic means. You must discuss grades in person.

• CODE OF ETHICS: Review and follow the Society for Professional Journalists Code of Ethics available online at http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp.

Students are expected to be in class each and every time the class meets. Students will not be able to make up unannounced quizzes given in classes they miss. E-mail Dr. Wilson prior to the absence as a courtesy. Students are responsible for making up any work missed on their own time, working with classmates.

Students who need to miss class due to University-sponsored events such as field trips or athletics, should see me as far in advance as possible. They will be required to complete the assigned work on or before the due date and will be required to submit an official form from the University before the absence.

Students with excused absences — as determined by the Office of the Dean of Students or other appropriate University departments — may make up major exams on a schedule mutually agreeable with the instructor and the student. Projects and stories with advance deadlines will NOT be accepted late. Plan ahead.

Any student can be dropped from the class after the fourth absence in accordance with University policy.

Unless otherwise indicated, material is due at the beginning of class. Late work receives a grade of zero.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed the 6 hours of Communication Core and 2) earned 60 hours. Students may meet this requirement in one of three ways: by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam, passing two Writing Intensive Courses (only one can be in the core), or passing English 2113. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at https://msutexas.edu/academics/wpr, or call 397-4131.

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.