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Columbia College, Chicago
INFORMATION SEARCH STRATEGIES
53-1132-02 Undergraduate
INSTRUCTOR: Len Strazewski, LenStrazewski@compuserve.com or LeonardS10@aol.com
home voice and fax: (773) 764-4514
LOCATION: Torco 1301 Undergraduate News Room
SCHEDULE: WEDNESDAYS 1:30 p.m.. to 4:20 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Students learn both how and when to use the range of information-gathering methods available to the modern journalist, including library and publication indices, Internet searches and analyses of databases. Course emphasis is on deciding which methods are appropriate for particular news assignments and evaluation of content for news sources.
Prerequisite: Intro to Writing and Reporting.
OBJECTIVES:
To locate and retrieve information from traditional and online sources. To verify, qualify and analyze this information for relevance and value to newswriting. To use this information to improve interview techniques and establish accountability. To write clearly and accurately about diverse information related to news topics. REQUIRED TEXTS/EQUIPMENT:
The Internet Handbook for Writers, Researchers, and Journalists, by McGuire, Stilborne, McAdams, and Hyatt (Guilford Press, 1997). 3.5-inch diskette for personal storage of writing assignments. Electronic mail account as provided in class. GRADES:
Short in-class writing assignments based on information searches....30% Mid-term exam....30% Term project pitch memo/source analysis....10% Term project feature article....20% Class participation and cooperation....10% Short in-class assignments (500 words each) are designed to demonstrate the student's performance according to each of the course objectives and develop skills leading to successful completion of the term project. The term project/feature article (1200 to 1500 words) is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to integrate a variety of information search techniques into a coherent and interesting newspaper or magazine article. In-class writing assignments and term project feature article assignments will be graded according to how well they reflect the student's ability to use diverse sources of information and write coherently in a news reporting style about the information uncovered.
Students will be expected to show a progressively improving ability to leading toward a goal of professional publishability.
Short in-class assignments will be written on deadline and discussed in class after deadline.
Students will need to keep a copy of their assignment and be prepared to read aloud for class discussion.
The term project feature will require at least two interviews, one of which must be conducted "live" or in person as well as information obtained from other kinds of research.
Term projects will be due on the last day of class. Late projects will not be accepted.
Writing assignment grades will conform to the following standards: A. Shows mastery of information, news judgment and effective organization.
A-. Generally well-written as above, but requiring minor editing for precision or to correct style and spelling errors.
B. No major errors but copy needs some editing and polish.
B-. Story has at least one significant problem in style, spelling, organization.
C. Basic organizational problems or misinterpretation of facts.
Grades of C or below on in-class article assignments may be returned to the student for rewrite and reconsideration of grade though rewrites are unlikely to raise a grade beyond a B.
Missed assignments may made up at the instructor's discretion but will be subject to a grade penalty. Term projects will not be rewritable, but major problems should be eliminated by review of the final project pitch memo/source analysis. The pitch memo will be graded in a manner similar to the shorter assignments.
Extra points for insight and ingenuity awarded. The mid-term examination will focus on information covered in the text and lecture and will include successful completion of Internet searches conducted during the exam period. All assignments must also conform to the highest professional and academic standards. Any instance of plagiarism, fabrication of sources or other information will be grounds for failure.
Class participation and cooperation is essential to success in the course and students are expected to help and teach each other as much as be taught by the instructor. Active participation on a weekly basis can be the difference between letter grades.
ATTENDANCE: This course complies with the college and departmental attendance policies. More than three absences is grounds for failure. Absence is not an excuse for an incomplete assignment. If you expect to miss class, it is your responsibility to get the assignment to the instructor in hard copy by the beginning of class. COURSE OUTLINE
1. Sept. 30, INTRODUCTION--REALSPACE, INFOSPACE, CYBERSPACE: Welcome. Discussion of class schedule and objectives. General introduction to the philosophy of investigation. Physical trails, paper trails, cybertrails. What is the Internet?
FOR NEXT WEEK:: Chapters 1,2 and 5
2. Oct. 7, COMPUTER-BASED INFO BASICS: LIBRARY DATABASES, INTERNET: What can you find where and how good is it? Demos and discussion. Understanding the Internet, Web, browsers and electronic mail.
FOR NEXT WEEK:: Chapters 3 and 4
3. Oct. 14, NAVIGATING AND SEARCHING THE WORLD WIDE WEB: From browsers to search engines.
IN-CLASS WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Tracking somebody online
FOR NEXT WEEK:: Chapter 6, Appendix B
4. Oct.21, THE WEB AND BEYOND: Newsgroups, Listservs, chats and using e-mail to contact sources Turning online data in stories and interviews
FOR NEXT WEEK:: Chapter 7, Appendix C
5. Oct. 28, EVALUATING CONTENT: Who do you trust? Should you trust anything online at all? Confirming sources, information and avoiding the lunatic fringe.
FOR NEXT WEEK:: Read pre-election press coverage in local newspaper.
6. Nov. 04, RESEARCHING GOVERNMENT ISSUES: Assessing pubic opinion and role of online sources in election coverage.
IN-CLASS WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Assessing an election DISCUSSION OF MID-TERM EXAM AND REVIEW
FOR NEXT WEEK:: Appendices D, E and F
7. Nov. 11, MID-TERM EXAM: Also introduction to term project.: topics, approaches, pitch memos
8. Nov. 18, BUILDING STORIES/FINDING EXPERTS: Discussion of techniques for structuring longer stories and developing interviewable sources from online information. Discussion of term project pitch memo
9. Nov. 25, Research day--no formal class meeting. PITCH MEMO DUE: BY MONDAY NOV. 30 e-mail or fax to instructor
10. Dec. 2, INTERVIEWING: ONLINE, OFFLINE, FACE-TO-FACE: What makes a good interview? Strengths and weaknesses of interview types, techniques. Deciding what interviews are necessary for your term project. Presentation of term project pitch memos to class.
11. Dec. 9, INFO SEARCHING AND LOCAL NEWS: Chicago news and information sources and how to use them.
IN-CLASS WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Chicago news update.
12. Dec. 16, ADVANCED COMPUTER SEARCHES: Spreadsheets, databases and geographical information systems. Importance of quantitative information. Questions and discussion of term project research.
FOR NEXT WEEK:: Chapter 8
13. Jan. 6, INTERACTIVE NEWS AND NEW MEDIA PUBLISHING: Trends and opportunities for young journalists. Jobs, free-lancing. self-publishing. Term project preliminary report and brainstorming. Interview strategies and troubleshooting.
14. Jan. 13, JOURNALISM AND MEW MEDIA: How interactive technology is changing the journalism profession, its tools, style and power structure. The big picture and newest technology. Last call for help on final projects.
15. Jan. 20, Term project articles due. Final comments, great thoughts, closing remarks.
