Instructor
Instructor: Dr. Robert Bergland
email address: bergland@missouriwestern.edu
Office: EDER 221a Phone: 271-4446
Home phone: 279-1699 (between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.)
Office Hours: M-F 2-3 p.m. in office
Required Materials
Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual
Grammar Handbook
Course Goals
The course is designed to help you:
¥ Prepare you to edit copy in future jobs in public relations and journalism
¥ Learn/Relearn grammar rules
¥ Have a good command of the AP Stylebook
¥ Write effective headlines/cutlines
¥ Understand basic layout strategies
¥ Be proficient in finding and correcting various kinds of errors
¥ Improve your own writing skills
Groundrules
¥ Attendance: Every absence over six–excused or unexcused–is a 25 point deduction from your course grade.
¥
Plagiarism: An
act of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty usually results in an F for the
course. You are expected to do
your own work on tests, projects and homework assignments, without help from
others.
Late Work. Deadlines are crucial in journalism, public relations and technical writing. Unless an extension is granted--usually only because of a severe illness or death in the family--late work will not be accepted. Unless announced otherwise, homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class period, and will not be accepted if turned in after the first five minutes of class.
--If you know you are going to be absent, you need to turn in the homework before class (the afternoon before) to the EFLJ receptionist and have him/her sign it and indicate the time and date on the paper.
--If you are absent without foreknowledge, you need to provide documentation to turn in any assignment late.
--To be able to make up a quiz, you must both call me before class and provide documentation for a valid excuse by the next class period.
¥ Disabilities: Students with disabilities that may affect their performance in this class should contact me individually as soon as possible.
I am always willing to help you improve your writing skills and give you feedback on documents you produce for other classes or a company or organization. Please see me during my office hours or talk with me to set up a meeting time.
Planned Workload
Quizzes (16 quizzes@ 10 pts each, drop lowest) 150 pts
Homework (26 homework assignments@ 20 pts each, drop lowest) 500 pts
Tests (2 tests, 75 pts each; 1 test 50 pts) 200 pts
Copy Edit page of newspaper 50 pts
Total 900 pts
Grading Scale : 90/80/70/60