Week 3: CyberHounds

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3—This Week in NewsHounds Online

(Sept. 6-12, 2009) Note: Monday, Sept. 7, is Labor Day. No classes.

This week, we continue to develop our news sense—what is news? and how to write it. But before we get too serious, I offer for your amusement two items that illustrate a) the importance of using language properly, and b) how a picture can tell much more than 1,000 words.

The “Accidental Language” reading is a list of amusing excuses from drivers trying to explain their car crashes to insurance adjusters. Note that imprecise language and sloppy syntax (sentence construction) can get you in trouble.

The Harrower reading (Ch. 2) introduces you to “How Newsrooms Work.” And we continue our discussion of what news is with “A Newswriting Primer,” which expands on basic elements of news.

Watch . . . . . . . . . . . .
• See Professor Ted’s new home movies on Blackboard (Week3): What’s news, the Fred Rule and other stuff.

Read . . . . . . . . . . . .

• Today’s WORD on Journalism (every day). Comment (rant) if you like.

• Harrower, Ch. 2—“How Newsrooms Work”
• Associated Press Stylebook A-D
• Accidental Language
• A Newswriting Primer

• Newspapers/TV/Online news (every day)

File . . . . . . . . . . .

• Participate in the Week 3 NewsTalk on Blackboard.

• NewsQuiz (due by BB email to Professor Pease Friday @ 9 a.m.). Click here for directions.
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