11/21/2024 12:54:52 AM	JOUR 56 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  JOUR 56	Title:  EDIT FOR NEWS MEDIA
Full Title:  Editing for News Media
Last Reviewed:12/9/2019

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	1.00		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	17.50
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	4.00			Contact Total	70.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 175.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  JOUR 106

Catalog Description:

This course will introduce students to editing for the news media. Students will learn how to edit for text, audio, video, digital and multimedia content for print, online, broadcast and social media publication.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Course Completion of JOUR 1 or JOUR 2; and eligibility for ENGL C1000 or equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course will introduce students to editing for the news media. Students will learn how to edit for text, audio, video, digital and multimedia content for print, online, broadcast and social media publication.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Course Completion of JOUR 1 or JOUR 2; and eligibility for ENGL C1000 or equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2020	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Edit print, broadcast, digital and social media stories for content, clarity, precision, grammar, punctuation and Associated Press (AP) Style; articulate strategies for self-editing, copy editing and proofreading; and apply journalistic storytelling techniques.

2. Write and edit headlines, cutlines titles and sub-headers for news media publications: digital, social, broadcast and  print.

3. Edit audio, video and multimedia content and apply technical aspects for digital publishing.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.   Edit articles for accuracy, clarity, fairness, structure, ethics and libel concerns.

2.   Edit articles for conciseness, grammar and spelling.

3.   Correct and apply proper punctuation.

4.   Learn and apply Associated Press (AP) Style.

5.   Write and edit headlines and blurbs for various story types.

6.   Write and edit cutlines (photo captions) for print and online news media.

7.   Identify methods and techniques for self editing, copy editing and proof reading.

8.   Edit audio, taking into consideration content and technical quality issues.

9.   Edit video on mobile devices for content and technical quality issues.

10. Edit video using professional editing software for content and technical quality issues.

11. Edit and craft multimedia, taking into consideration content, appropriate medium,

      interactivity and other issues.

12. Construct and edit social media posts with consideration of text, graphics, photos and

      content/promotion goals.

Topics and Scope

I. Content Editing for Print, Digital and Broadcast

    A. Libel and invasion of privacy overview

    B. Ethics overview

    C. Accuracy and fact checking

    D. Fairness, balance and objectivity

    E. Structure and flow

    F. Leads, holes and other issues

         1. clarity issues

         2. awareness of sexism, racism, ageism and other problems language can inadvertently

             convey

     G. Effective storytelling and connection to audience

II. Conciseness

    A. Active/passive

     B. Repetition and wordy expressions

    C. Using simple language

    D. Gerunds and "to be"

    E. Other conciseness issues

III. Grammar and Spelling

    A. Noun/pronoun and subject/verb agreement

    B. Modifiers, dangling, misplaced and squinting

    C. Verb tenses

    D. Rules of spelling

    E. Parallel structure

IV. Punctuation

    A. Comma splices and fused sentences

    B. Quote punctuation

    C. Proper punctuation for phrases, clauses and sentences

    D. Apostrophes, plurals and conjunctions

    E. Proper comma use

    F. Semicolons vs. colons

    G. Compound modifiers

V. Precision

    A. Blob words

    B. Strong nouns and verbs

    C. Word choice

    D. Common misused words

    E. Avoiding clichés

VI. Associated Press (AP) Style

    A. Numbers and sports scores

    B. Titles and proper names

    C. Dates, times, addresses

    D. Word choice and more

    E. Other AP Style

VII. Headlines and Cutlines

    A. Headline writing and editing.

    B. Cutline writing and editing

VIII. Editing Strategies

    A. Self editing methods

    B. Proof reading vs. copy editing

    C. Strategies for thorough editing

IX. Audio Editing

    A. Content considerations

    B.  Equipment and editing programs (mobile and computer- based)

    C. Technical aspects, such as cuts and sound quality

    D. Uploading and promoting Podcasts

X. Video Editing

    A. Content considerations (webcast vs. video journalism)

    B. Technical aspects

    C. Mobile video (smartphone) editing apps

    D. Professional video editing software (Adobe Premiere Pro CC)

    E. Best industry practices

XI. Editing Multimedia

    A. Storyboarding various mediums (text, graphics, audio, photos, video)

    B. Combining elements to create a whole

    C. Interactivity

    D. Best industry practices

XII. Social Media Editing

    A. Text and formatting considerations

    B. Graphics, photos, video, live recordings and stories

    C. Platform specific considerations and practices

    D. Marketing strategies

XIII. Editing Jobs in News Media

    A. Newsroom editor positions

    B. Copy editor and fact checker jobs

    C. Editing for digital media jobs, i.e. social media editor

 

All topics are covered in the lecture and lab portions of the course.

Assignments:

Lecture-Related Assignments:

1. Reading 10 to 40 pages per week

2. Weekly exercises

3. Critiques of editing in storytelling projects in various mediums

4. One to two midterm exam(s) and a final exam

 

Lab-Related Assignments:

1. Daily/weekly skills-building exercises and/or quizzes covering the specific topics, such

    as:

    A. AP Style

    B. Content editing

    C. Punctuation

    D. Grammar

    E. Clarity and precision

    F. Cutline writing/editing

    G. Headline writing/editing

    H. General copy editing and proof reading

    I. Audio editing

    J. Mobile video editing

    K. Video editing

    L. Multimedia project editing

    M. Social media editing and marketing

    N. Editing to the ear and eye

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 20 - 40%
Editing exercises and assignments (skills-building exercises)
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 5 - 20%
Editing strategies and critiques
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 25 - 50%
Skills building exercises/quizzes and editing projects
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 20 - 30%
Exams including a final
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 20%
Attendance and classroom participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Instructor-prepared materials.

 

The Associated Press (AP) Style Book. The Associated Press. Current edition

Editing for Today's Newsroom: A Guide for Success in a Changing Profession. 2nd ed. Stepp, Carl Sessions. CRC Press. 2008 (classic)

Editing Made Easy: Simple Rules for Effective Writing. Kaplan, Bruce. Upper Access. 2012 (classic)

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