J-333 / News Editing

TOPIC PAPERS

Accuracy

Select any five (5) of the "44 Tips for Greater Accuracy" and find one (1) example of each error in a newspaper or magazine. Examples don't all have to come from the same publication. Write a brief (one- or two- or three-paragraph) description of the problem, and how you would have prevented it were you the editor. Include a clip or copy of each problem you found.

Due: Day 4, Jan. 13
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Editing 1

In newspapers or magazines of your choice, find one example each of the following grammar and usage problems commonly found in journalism (see, for instance, Bowles & Borden, pp. 22-34; Friend, Challenger & McAdams, Ch. 4; Brooks & Pinson, complete): (1) a subject-verb disagreement, (2) a noun-pronoun disagreement, (3) a misuse of essential and non-essential clauses, (4) a misplaced or dangling modifier, (5) a non-parallel construction, (6) an unnecessary passive voice, (7) an incorrect use of punctuation. Show how you would fix each error.

Due: Day 6, Jan. 20
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Headlines

Examine a week's worth headlines in the Columbus Dispatch. Make a list of "rules" for writing headlines that you see at work in the paper (e.g., "use active voice," "do not break words over two lines"). In your report, include an example of each rule at work.

Due: Day 8, Jan. 27
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Editing 2

In newspapers or magazines of your choice, find one story that is poorly written and edit it. Include clip or copy of the original and your fully revised version of the story. In your report, analyze what you did and why you did it (e.g., "sentence written in passive voice; edited to make it active voice").
Due: Day 10, Feb. 3
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In newspapers or magazines of your choice, find 10 violations of the AP Stylebook's rules. Include a clip or copy of each problem found and show how you would correct it using AP style.

Due: Day 12, Feb. 10
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Design 1

Examine a week of first-section layouts in the Columbus Dispatch. Make a list of "rules" for page layout and design that you see at work in the paper (e.g., "no bumping heads"). In your report, include an example of each rule at work.

Due: Day 14, Feb. 17
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Redesign

Write a three- to five-page recommendation on how you would reconceptualize or restructure this course. Identify good points and bad, explain your reasoning and tell what you would do with J-333 if you were king or queen of the world.

Due: Day 20, March 9

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(1) Daily Format. The first part of each day's class will be devoted largely to lecture, to critiques of copy that you see in newspapers and to resolving any questions you have from homework reading. There will be no formal break but you may leave the room at any time. The second half of the class most often will be devoted to practical exercises, many of which will be turned in for grading.

(2) Discussion Topics. You will be expected to put what you are learning into practice, both in classroom exercises and exams and in active discussion and critique of examples of good and bad editing that you see in newspapers and other media. Bring examples to each class and be prepared to lead the discussion about what you've found.

(3) Attendance. You are expected to meet the attendance standards of professional journalists. That means be in class every day. No unexcused absences will be permitted. If an emergency arises and you cannot attend class, please try to call me before class or leave a message at my office or home. If it is impossible to do this beforehand, please get in touch with me sometime during the day of the class you miss. Bear in mind that the instructor is the arbiter of what absences will be excused. Because of the schedule, makeup tutoring is impracticable. Note: Anyone who misses more than two classes must drop the course and take it another quarter, no matter how late the third absence may be.

(4) Back Papers, Handouts. If you are absent from class for any reason, it is your responsibility to obtain any graded assignments or handouts distributed by the instructor on the day you missed.

(5) Collaboration. Newsrooms are social places and, as you'll hear, reporters and editors are encouraged to talk over their work in hopes that better things will result from such conversations. However, in this course you are expected to do your own work. That means: (a) No sharing results of your individual research efforts. (b) If, during an exercise, you have questions about the work, come to me, not your neighbor. (c) On tests, quizzes or graded exercises, any computer problems should be brought to me for resolution. At all times, the spirit and letter of the university honor code must be followed.

(6) Quizzes and Graded Exercises. Expect a quiz or graded exercise every class period. There may be days when there is no graded work during class, but count on lots of quizzes and graded exercises throughout the quarter. Graded exercises, identified in the course schedule or announced in class the period before or both, will assess your editing, headline, graphics and layout skills after you've had a chance to practice them. Quizzes may cover fundamental style, grammar, spelling and punctuation along with material from readings, lecture, class discussion and current events. Some will be open book (i.e., Stylebook questions), others will not. Key quizzes are identified in the course schedule but, as noted, you should expect a quiz at any class period.

(7) Assignment Preparation. All outside assignments must be typed, double-spaced, and all pages must be stapled -- not paper clipped. They are due at the beginning of the class for which they are assigned.

(8) Missing Links, Reserve Material. It is your responsibility to report to me immediately reserve readings that cannot be found or Web links that do not work. If you alert me to a problem in a timely fashion, I can solve it in an appropriate manner. Don't wait until the day of the quiz to tell me you could not find a reserve book or a link. Hint: The phone works better than e-mail when time is critical.

(9) Extra Credit. You have the opportunity to gain extra credit by joining the Copy Edit the World project. Basically, I give 4 points for an error (typo or other) found in a publication intended for general public circulation, and 2 points for an error found in a newspaper or magazine. The rationale is that newspaper and magazine errors are too easy to find, and that by expanding the scope of the 4-pointers you will see how errors creep into lots of other publications (menus, course syllabi, posters, fliers, church bulletins, etc.). You may hand in examples right up to the last day of class, and there is no maximum on points. The points are applied to the quiz grades. The instructor is the final arbiter on what counts as an acceptable submission in Copy Edit the World. Examples must be prepared in fashion similar to the topic papers (e.g., identify the error, say what's wrong, and show how you'd correct the error). It is expected that this will be your own work, and not the result of a collective enterprise. The instructor reserves the right to amend the rules as experience indicates.

Copy Editing

A variety of interesting links -- from style tips to grammar texts to discussion groups -- can be found at Copy Editor's Links for Copy Editors.

The home page of the American Copy Editors Society is an important, engaging, ever-expanding source of information about, by and for copy editors (and all other journalists, too). Its discussion lists put you in touch with a wide range of copy editors and an infinite number of topics.

The Slot, Washington Post copy editor Bill Walsh's wide-ranging site should be in everybody's list of bookmarks.

BONG Bull, the creation of Dayton's own Charley Stough, offers a wry slant on copy editing and journalism in general from the Burned-Out Newspapercreatures Guild. Subscription information and archives available at the Web site.

The Poynter Institute is a font of material for journalists. One gem is Roy Peter Clark's brief item, "If I were a carpenter: The tools of the writer."

Headlines

For the up side of headlines -- saluting good work around the country -- take a look at "Heads Up" in the Words On Words section of the American Copy Editors Society page.

Journalism Internships, Jobs and Salaries

The Free Press site links you to the Knight Ridder job listings. Gannett listings are also on-line. A growing resource for copy-editing jobs is the American Copy Editors Society job board, searchable by state.

A good, close-to-home page that can get you started in a lot of good directions is the Scripps Job Resources page. Among its several good links are American Journalism Review's JobLink for Journalists and Editor & Publisher magazine's classifieds and Copy Editor magazine's job board. The American Society of Newspaper Editors' Careers in Journalism site has some good information, including an up-to-date internship guide and information targeted to that first job at a small newspaper.

Some good information is to be had at the National Diversity Newspaper Jobs Bank, including listings of minority job fairs. Sources of minority internships and fellowships are also available at the National Association of Black Journalists, Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists and Native American Journalists Association sites. Likewise, the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association has a jobs board at its site.

Don't forget to check out Professor Stewart's interview tips site. The focus may seem to be on broadcasting but the tips will be useful in any endeavor..

For internships, start by looking at the opportunities in the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund program.

To help you prepare for internship and job tests, I've put together a small collection of links at Internship Prep. Some of the links duplicate items in the much-longer collection you see here, but some are unique to Internship Prep. Check it out.

The Poynter Institute site has a wealth of material, including some good suggestions for St. Petersburg Times copy editor applicants as the paper searches for "the perfect copy editor." Don't be fooled by the focus on copy editing, these tips will work for anyone.

The Cincinnati SPJ chapter has an interesting report on trends in journalism pay at the "Show Us the Money" site. The American Newspaper Guild's website includes reports on  top minimums and other salary data for U.S. and Canadian newspaper reporters, photographers and editors.

Math for Journalists

Grammar & Language Skills

Jack Lynch's Grammar and Style Notes page.

Know what a "solecism" is? A "tautology"? Want to brush up on spelling skills? Mindy McAdams' Words for Copy Editors has a lot, including the syllabus for a course she teaches in magazine copy editing.

Stumped on spelling? Not sure of an acronym? Need a thesaurus? Looking for off-beat dictionaries? Robert Beard's, one-site shopping center, On-Line Dictionaries, links to more than 400 searchable references.

Style Guides

A thoughtful style guide is maintained by Bill Walsh of The Washington Post. It's The Curmudgeon's Stylebook.

Layout & Design

Online Courses, Syllabi, Texts

For a look at what's being taught in editing courses in the United States, check out EditBank, an online collection of editing syllabi and links to editing syllabi created for the Newspaper Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Searches, Finding Stuff

An excellent tutorial on search engine strategy is available at Bill Dedman's Power Reporting site.

Internet Sources for Copy Editors offers a glimpse at how to use the Internet to get to some useful data bases.

FACSNET is a valuable site created by The Foundation for American Communications, "to provide the knowledge and resources journalists and their sources need to effectively communicate information to the public through the news." Good source of background information, reporting tips, etc.

Ethics & Editing

The E.W. Scripps Co. has a page that offers you a chance to wrestle with some real-world issues in ethics and editing. Put yourself in The Editor's Shoes.

The Journal of Mass Media Ethics is indexed from Vol. 10 (1995) on.

For a large collection of case studies in media ethics, check out this Indiana University site.

Online Newspapers

Journalism from A to Z

Another useful starter site is Moorhead State University's Writing and Editing Help, with links to a variety of important pages.

Publications

Professional Associations

Associated Press Managing Editors Association.

American Society of Newspaper Editors

Society of Professional Journalists

National Association of Black Journalists.

Asian American Journalists Association.

National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Native American Journalists Association.

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association.

Last revised: Monday, Dec. 29, 1999