Syllabus

CM212 Photojournalism Workshop Syllabus

Fall 2010

Paula K. Dixon, M.A.

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Course Description

Students receive practical training and experience in photojournalism while serving on the staff of EC's yearbook, The Lion. Emphasis is on digital photojournalism and includes photo composition and processing, and electronic layout/design with Adobe software. Photo types are portraits, candids, and photo essays. Professional cameras are provided; personal cameras are permitted by approval. This one-hour course is offered each semester and may be repeated an unlimited number of times.

E-mail & Internet Requirements

Students MUST activate their campus e-mail accounts with our college no later than one week into the semester. The instructor distributes and collects assignments via campus online resources such as campus e-mail and NetLearn. Students should check messages at least 2-3 times each week. Basic e-mail operations will be reviewed in class by the instructor as needed.

Course Goals

The purpose of this course is to provide students with practical opportunities to develop career goals and experiences. Students completing this course should be able to do the following:

	demonstrate practical competency within a photojournalism setting,
	explain the use and development of such competencies as they relate to individual students working within a larger system,
	relate course material to individual professional goals,
	demonstrate research ability in assigned areas,
	sharpen time management and multitasking skills,

	use e-mail to send and receive messages including attaching or downloading files to or from e-mails, and
	demonstrate sensitivity in preparing or delivering messages to varied cultures in interpersonal, small group and audience situations.

Course Objectives

Students will complete the following in this course:

	photograph people in a respectful, informative and interesting way,
	document major events on campus through photographs,
	download digital photographs on to the yearbook network drive,
	process digital photos using Adobe PhotoShop for print including cropping, resolution, mode (cmyk or grayscale),
	write cutlines for photos,
	add credit lines for photos, and
	meet deadlines.

Course Procedures

Camera Policy

To check out one of our Canon Rebel SLR cameras, submit a request a minimum of 24 hours in advance. First, call the number at the bottom of the form to make a verbal request, and, second, have the form ready when picking up a camera. More details are on the form.

Remember these guidelines when you have a camera:

	You must keep cameras and lenses in control climate, i.e., not too hot and not too cold. I can't over-emphasize the importance of this.
	Make sure cameras and lenses are always secure. Protect them like your most prized possession...a dear loved one, your most treasured secret, a brick of gold from Fort Knox, etc. If they're stolen or damaged, we won't be getting another one any time soon. (If you're ever reported or caught being irresponsible with them, you won't be allowed to check them out again.)
	Never ever let anyone except yourself use our cameras or lenses. Honestly, I'd rather no one else even touch them.
	Keep cameras and lenses far away from food or drinks or the like.
	Set down the camera bag or camera like it is a fragile egg. Even if the camera isn't in the bag, the other lens is.

Attendance Policy

Class participation is vital; assignments, deadlines and details will be presented during class meetings. Significant portions of course material will be presented through in-class interactive assignments and discussions; therefore, attendance will directly affect your success and course grade. Because this class meets only once a week, students who miss 2 classes will drop a letter grade; students who miss 4 drop another letter grade, and so on.

The instructor records attendance in NetLearn at the beginning of class, and students may access attendance in NetLearn any time. If a student is late, then that same day s/he should make sure the instructor records a tardy instead of an absence. If s/he is absent but is excused according to EC's current Attendance Policy, then within one week s/he should make sure the instructor records an excused absence instead of unexcused. Any written excuses, such as a doctor's excuse, must be given to the instructor within one week of the absence to allow make-up tests or assignments.

Responsibility Grade

Twenty percent of the course grade will be a direct reflection of the student's attendance, conduct in the classroom, participation in class discussions, group work, interaction with peers, instructors and guests. This reflects issues of attitude, effort, attentiveness, timeliness, participation, the ability to work well with others, meeting deadlines, etc.

Automatic Grade Reductions
1. Reading a Speech
Presentations require extemporaneous speaking style, not manuscript. Students who read or appear to read will receive zeroes on those assignments.
2. Missed Deadlines
Because of the nature of the business industry, timely communication, and the importance of time management skills in any field, this instructor does not give full credit for any assignment or in-class exercise after the deadline/due date. Late submissions result in a deduction of 20 points per each day after the deadline for the assignment or exercise.
Each deadline for each assignment and exercise is clearly outlined in the course schedule of this syllabus, and the instructor usually reminds students frequently about upcoming deadlines. However, it is the responsibility of the student to keep up with deadlines and plan accordingly.
If the student foresees a problem with meeting a deadline, for example an absence on that particular deadline date, then that student should plan to submit that assignment before the deadline and should talk to instructor to arrange that. Early submissions are always welcome.
3. Failure to Cite Sources
Assignments which intentionally or unintentionally omit sources will receive a grade of zero. The instructor may or may not give one warning, but do not expect two. This refers to written, visual, and audio sources. "In plain language, plagiarism is taking someone else’s work and passing it off as one’s own without proper acknowledgment or documentation" (www.ala.org, July 3, 2003).
4. Copyrighted Works
Unless the artists or their representatives have granted permission to use a copyrighted works, students will NOT be allowed to use copyrighted works in their projects. This includes--but is not limited to--music, film, images, etc. Violations will result in a grade of zero.

EC's Distance Education Policy
Because some of this course is handled in an online format, please be aware of Emmanuel College's policy:
"Because of the nature of online courses, if a faculty member has any concerns that a student’s work might not be his/her own, the College reserves the right to require any distance education student to take or re-take any quizzes or exams in a supervised setting. Furthermore, under such circumstances, the College reserves the right to base the entire course grade upon the results of a supervised comprehensive exam. Students refusing to take supervised quizzes/exams will be subject to administrative withdrawal from the course(s). Attempts by any student to buy, borrow, or steal work from another individual for the purpose of submitting that work as one’s own will be treated as the equivalent of actually having submitted the work and may result in failure of assignment, failure of course, and/or expulsion from the College."

Dress Code
Students are expected to comply with the dress code of modesty in the Student Handbook.

Photojournalism Assignments

This workshop concentrates on print and electronic photojournalism and provides students with the practical experience in media writing, photojournalism and electronic layout (pagination) as part of the staff of our college yearbook, The Lion.

Calculation of Course Grade

Grading Scale A = 93-100, A- = 90-92, B+ = 87-89, B = 83-86, B- = 80-82, C+ = 77-79, C = 73-76, C- = 70-72, D+ = 67-69, D = 63-66, D- = 60-62, F = 0-59

Assignments...80%

Responsibility Grade...20%

Writing Across Curriculum Policy

Consistent with our college's goal of striving for writing excellence in all classes, this instructor will grade all high stakes assignments for correct grammar, spelling, and the like. Points will be deducted for writing mistakes and will not receive an A regardless of content. For assistance, visit EC's Success Center in Aaron 207.

Multicultural Objective

Students are expected to show respect for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, cultural background, disability, or religious viewpoint.

Paula K. Dixon, M.A. Communication

CM212 Photojournalism Workshop Syllabus