JOUR 592: Specialized Journalism: Reporting the Arts 2.0 unitsFall 2015 – Wednesday – 2:00 to 4:40 pmSection: 21675DLocation:

Instructor: Sasha AnawaltOffice: Office Hours: after class or by appointmentContact Info:

I. Course DescriptionThis course relies on you to take the upper hand in shaping, organizing and staffing the Annenberg Media Center’s Culture Desk and its principal online arts and culture podcast and website, Ampersand. You’ll be called upon to be endlessly creative, inventive and playful, while using the tools and skills you learned in the summer digital immersion course. The direction of this course is informed by Slow Journalism principles, meaning I want you to take your time connecting in a human way to the people who make and receive the art and entertainment you are covering. You will be working in collaboration with Annenberg Radio News (ARN) dominantly, but also with Annenberg Television News (ATVN) and Neon Tommy (NT) in a converged newsroom. Multimedia and technology-enhanced learning are stressed in concert with your need to tell stories about living artists. Finally, this is an arts and entertainment reporting course that focuses on Los Angeles often through the lens of USC’s Visions & Voices series. This is where you strengthen your voice and, it is hoped, are marked as journalism agents of change. Bring your entrepreneurial hat! Connect economic and social realities to the “how-tos,” and to your passion and vision for the future that is yours as an arts reporter who tells stories that genuinely enlighten people.

II. Overall Learning Objectives and AssessmentYou have the opportunity in this course to determine what a Culture Desk, covering arts and entertainment in Los Angeles, should look like. You will be instrumental in setting the agenda, planning the coverage and determining work flow and hierarchy. Tone, voice, intensity of coverage, philosophy and style will be constant subject matters for your discussion and debate; you will be expected to write, produce radio, shoot photos, take video, and design web elements in service to the Culture Desk. You may also be part of the social media and marketing team for your media outlet, Ampersand, asking such questions as, how do we build an audience and keep it? You are required to have a role on the Culture Desk, one that counts for 10 percent of your final grade.

The collaborative ethos of this summer’s Jour 528 will carry over and it is hoped that you will hang out at least two hours a week in the Media Center’s Culture Desk and respect it as an operation that puts your work and that of your colleagues into the real world, while working together. Yes, this is a training ground and laboratory for experimentation, but our standards are professional and your work for this course will be public and, thus, evaluated for its professionalism.

If you cannot be physically and actively present during the week on the Culture Desk, and give at least two hours of your week to a well-defined role, we will work out responsibilities that can be done principally in absentia. Class attendance is, of course, mandatory; exceptions are for extreme situations and with only with my consent.

Your participation in this class counts for 15 percent of the grade; your fullest engagement is desirable and will be evaluated by me. I confess I have a low tolerance (as in possibly zero) for lateness. Don’t be late to class. It throws us all off and is unfair to your on-time colleagues. Each class has a designed beginning, middle and end. You won’t get the goods, if you come late.

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For 40 percent of your final grade, you must produce for Ampersand either one significant audio piece that is at least 5 minutes-long or a 1000-word webtext piece or two shorter -- but no less substantial – pieces (2.5” audio or 500-word webtext) that could be part of a series spread over Ampersand I and II. Video is also welcomed. The exact length and nature of the pieces for this course will be decided in conjunction with your colleagues who are in editorial and producer roles at Ampersand, and with me.

In addition, every student must produce four shorter “daily” pieces that can be aired on ARN or another media outlet across the duration of the semester for 20 percent of your final grade.

In sum, you are required to produce no fewer than five pieces that the public can find over the course of the semester, which can be of almost any nature (opinion, interview, feature, profile, or critical review etc.).

While producing relevant and newsworthy stories, you will be reading texts that inspire and bolster adventuresome journalism tactics; you will be introduced to radical artists and journalism-thinkers; you will be expected to see performances and festivals and art exhibits on a weekly basis and to use L.A as your culture lab; and you will be encouraged to spend a lot of time observing one specific artist of your choosing and following his or her process.

You’ll also be asked to consider the economic and social context of L.A.’s arts ecosystem. How can you affect the system? Help people? Is empathy a pre-requisite? How do you put yourself in others’ shoes without buying into their agenda or taking advantage?

You will be given a number of in-class exercises and homework assignments that stimulate unusual responses to art. I look at this course as a place to gain practice and training to be a leader in a field that is in desperate need of reinvention. Where you start and where you end up as an arts reporter will be taken into account. I’ll be paying attention to your growth and individual contribution. I want you to get good at change. This means you won’t always be comfortable. Change takes practice. In this course, I want you to make the time for practicing change.

III. Description of Assignments Each assignment in the chart below represents one for which you are responsible, and that will have an impact on your grade. Some are for credit/no credit (meaning they will not be graded with a letter or numerical grade, but must be completed by you in order to receive credit). Others are for letter and numerical grades, and those will be handed back to you with a rubric that will show you how points were allocated. You will receive the rubric in advance of doing the project.

Deadlines matter. If you cannot hit yours, you are expected to let me know and make arrangements with the Culture Desk.

The main focus of this course is on Ampersand and producing one or two significant and polished works of arts journalism out of the Culture Desk. Since this course also emphasizes experimentation, you will produce no fewer than four pieces for ARN’s magazine show that is about USC’s Visions & Voices series. Use these to play.

Your big-deal assignments are:

1. One long-form piece that is polished and up to professional snuff for Ampersand I or II (equivalent to 40 percent of your grade) or two shorter pieces, one for Ampersand I and one for Ampersand II, that delve deliciously into the arts and are perhaps NPR-worthy or NYT-worthy (20 percent each or 40 percent of your final grade). Expect to do multiple re-writes or edits and to spend time on these. The resulting work may be one large piece or it could be a set of “series pieces.”

2. Four short pieces for ARN’s weekly magazine show, most probably tied to Visions & Voices.3. Writing and completing your contract and meeting with me one-on-one once this semester.

There are several assignments that are for credit/no credit, and they include:

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1. A list of stories you want and hope to do.2. A 400 to 750- word personal essay based on Mary Gordon’s “Still Life” piece.3. A proposal for how to make arts journalism relevant, that you pitch in class.4. A role on the Culture Desk (producer, editor, reporter, critic, host, social media manager, website content

director, etc.) that you enthusiastically uphold throughout the semester and for which you meet deadlines. This should add up to a minimum of two hours per week in the MC.

IV. Gradinga. Breakdown of Grades

Assignment Deadline % of Grade

Story list (credit/no credit) 2 p.m. on 9/10 2.5%

Contract completion and one-on-one meeting (credit/no credit) 2 p.m. on 9/08 7.5%

Mary Gordon essay (credit/no credit) 2 p.m. on 9/15 2.5%

“Relevant Journalism” proposal (credit/no credit) 2 p.m. on 9/22 2.5%

Role on the Culture Desk (credit/no credit) N/A 10%

Either one major piece for Ampersand (40%) or two shorter (20% each) 2 p.m. on 10/20 and/or 12/2

40%

Four 1” pieces for ARN N/A 20%

Participation N/A 15%

TOTAL 100%

There is no final exam or paper in this course. Each student is responsible for helping Ampersand I and II meet professional standards. I expect the final podcast and website publication to be produced by Exam Week or earlier.

Any assignment accompanied by a rubric will be graded on a scale of 1-100, and then translated into traditional letter grades.

Please note that specific assignments, readings and weekly subjects may be revised as the course progresses.

As a general rule, your written assignments are due 2 p.m. the day before class and should be sent to Anawalt@usc.edu.

Every student is required to schedule at least one meeting with me mid-term or soon thereafter to discuss your contract and progress. You should, however, feel free to talk to me at any point during the semester, if you have concerns.

b. Grading Scale + StandardsIn all assignments, you will be judged first on the accuracy and fairness (and where appropriate, the objectivity) of your stories. You will be then evaluated for Chicago style, grammar, broadcast style, editing, production value, originality and ability to meet deadlines. Writing will also be graded on correct punctuation and spelling. Any indication that a student has fabricated or plagiarized information will result in an “F” in the course and possible expulsion from the School of Journalism and USC. Be aware that stories will be randomly checked to verify sourcing and attribution.

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I will be happy to discuss the content of your work. I will not, however, discuss the grade you have received. If you wish to appeal a grade, a formal process is available.

In grading your work, I consider quality of research and clarity of expression. Good writing needs to be backed up by good research, and involves good organization. Additionally, I look for evidence of insight into the topic – do you seem to really grasp the subject matter and say something interesting and original about it? Have you supported your opinion with evidence, no matter how passionately you may feel about the topic? For this class and your future endeavors, you want your work to be compelling and convincing. Achieving that balanced combination is always difficult but always possible.

Projects earning an A are professional and ready to publish; they are accurate, clear and comprehensive, and probably include multiple online elements. Headlines and text are well written and require only minor editing for Chicago style, grammar/punctuation/spelling and consistency. Headlines have been crafted with an eye toward analytics and audience building. Visual or audio elements are relevant (e.g., no video just for the sake of having video), and edited or cropped effectively and appropriately. A = 95-100. A- = 90-94.

Projects earning a B require more than minor editing, and have a few style or spelling errors. There is at least one significant online element omitted (can be as minor as a link). B+ = 87-89. B = 84-86. B- = 80-83.

Projects earning a C need considerable editing or rewriting. There are online elements missing or incomplete. C+= 77-79. C = 74-76. C- = 70-73.

Projects earning a D require excessive rewriting and have numerous errors. They likely go little beyond the original print or broadcast story (if there is one), or are sloppy and/or unprofessional. They are not publishable and should not have been submitted. D+ = 67=69. D = 64-66. D- = 63-65

Projects earning an F have failed to meet the major criteria of the assignment, have numerous errors or both. They may be misleading or contain content from third parties used without attribution. They are not publishable and should not have been submitted. A story that has a factual error that is material to the story merits an F. There should be no exceptions. Excessive occurrences of misspelled proper names also merit an F. Assignments and projects will be judged on elements including text, visuals (photos, graphics, video), interactivity, navigation and adherence to assignment specifics. Design and color decisions will be judged on appropriateness and usage of concepts discussed in class. Because the class is cumulative, students should demonstrate an understanding of all previously covered concepts in each assignment, even if the assignment does not specifically address those issues. 63 and below.

The following are some other circumstances that would warrant a grade of “F”:● Plagiarizing any content.● Plagiarizing a script, portions of a script, or information from any source – wire copy, feed packages,

another reporter’s package or story script. ● Staging video or audio: When the reporter tells or asks someone to do something specific, unless that is

revealed or made obvious in the context of the story. (Gray areas will be discussed in class.)● Using video shot, audio recorded or photos taken by someone else and presenting it as original work.● Telling interview subjects what you want them to say. ● Putting yourself or anyone you know in your video, audio or photography scenes to make it appear

different from the natural state; avoid appearance of conflict of interest at all costs.● Distorting video: shooting video in one location and presenting it as being another location.● Using the camcorder to intentionally intimidate, provoke or incite a person or a group of people to elicit

more “dramatic” video.

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● Promising, paying or giving someone something in exchange for doing an interview, either on or off camera.

This class will be carried out like a professional newsroom. The instructor is as editor-in-chief and you need to be in communication with me during the assignments. Don’t miss deadlines.

Late assignments without a legitimate excuse and/or prior communication with me may receive a failing grade, but should be completed nonetheless as they may qualify for a grade up to a “C” under the rewrite policy. You will lose half a point per missed day. Students should turn in each assignment as specified – some may be sent by e-mail, some turned in as hard copy, some posted to our class website www.msj2014.org.

Follow the Chicago Manual of Style for written assignments. Please do not depend on your computer to catch spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. Sloppiness will have a negative impact on your grade for the assignment.

V. Assignment Submission Policy A. Generally, written assignments are due 24 hours before class meets and should be sent to Anawalt@usc.edu. Submissions for Ampersand or other MC media outlets or for outside outlets are on a case by case basis.

VI. Required Readings and Supplementary Materials There is no textbook for this course. Instead you will be given readings as we go. Below are recommended texts that I will be happy to lend you or steer you toward on an as-needed basis. Each of you has a different strength and line of specialization. I’ll curate your reading accordingly. These recommendations, below, offer different perspectives on arts reporting and can be easily purchased on Amazon.com.

Recommended:

Chasman, Deborah and Chiang, Edna, editors (2000). “Drawing Us In: How We Experience Visual Art,” Boston Press, 134 pages.

English, John W., (1979). “Criticizing the Critics,” Hastings House Publishers, 221 pages. Kern, Jonathan, (2008). “Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production,” University

of Chicago Press, 382 pages. Kramer, Mark and Call, Wendy, editors (2007). “Telling True Stories,” Penguin Group, 317 pages. McLeese, Don and writers of The New York Times (2011). “Arts & Culture, New York Times Reader,” CQ

Press, 269 pages. Thornton, Sarah, (2009). “Seven Days in the Art World,” second edition, W.W. Norton & Company, 271

pages.

NEWS CONSUMPTION/OTHER RESOURCES As journalists, it is imperative that you become news consumers. You must follow the news and be familiar with what is going on around the world, the country and in Los Angeles. You should read the Los Angeles Times EVERY DAY. You should also listen to NPR, either Morning Edition or All Things Considered (listen on KPCC, 89.3 FM so you will also hear the local cut-ins) and KNX 1070 (AM) Radio. You should also develop a list of other news sources that you check daily; these could include ArtsJournal.com, LA Observed, The Daily News, New York Times, Washington Post, Sacramento Bee, The Huffington Post, Pro Publica, California Watch, Rough and Tumble.

Training sites:

KDMC (http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/)

Lynda (http://www.usc.edu/its/lynda)

W3Schools (http://www.w3schools.com/)

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Journalism-related sites:

ArtsJournal (www.artsjournal.com)

Artsmeme (http://artsmeme.com/)

The Atavist (https://atavist.com/)

10,000 Words (http://10000words.net/)

Carnival of Journalism (http://carnivalofjournalism.com)

Howlround (http://howlround.com/)

Hyperallergic (http://hyperallergic.com/)

Mashable (http://mashable.com/)

Nieman Journalism Lab (http://niemanlab.org)

Online Journalism Review (http://www.ojr.org/)

PBS Mediashift (http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/)

Read Write Web (http://www.readwriteweb.com/)

Romenesko (http://jimromenesko.com/)

Interactive Narratives (http://www.interactivenarratives.org)

COURSE MATERIALS

Chicago Stylebook: Your work is expected to conform to Chicago style, unless otherwise noted by the instructor that another style takes precedence.

Class Site: AmpersandLA.com (http://www.ampersandla.com/)

Laptop and email access: Our class communications will be mostly through email; please have an email account and be sure that your usc.edu account is switched over to the one you primarily check. You are responsible for all email communications form the instructor, updating assignments or giving other important informations about the class.

All graduate Annenberg students are required to have a PC or Apple laptop. Please refer to the Annenberg Virtual Commons for more information. To connect to USC’s Secure Wireless network, please visit USC’s Information Technology Services website.

Web accounts: Please have an account for these Web services:

YouTube (http://www.youtube.com)Google (http://google.com - you may already have one) Twitter (http://www.twitter.com)

VII. Laptop Policy

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All undergraduate and graduate Annenberg majors and minors are required to have a PC or Apple laptop that can be used in Annenberg classes. Please refer to the Annenberg Virtual Commons for more information. To connect to USC’s Secure Wireless network, please visit USC’s Information Technology Services website.

VIII. Course Schedule: A Weekly Breakdown

DROP/ADD DATES: This is a required course for the MA degree in Specialized Journalism; you effectively may not drop it and expect to graduate.

Important note to students: Be advised that this syllabus is subject to change - and probably will change - based on the progress of the class, news events, and/or guest speaker availability.

Topics/Daily Activities

Readings and Homework Deliverable/Due Dates

Week 18/26

SLOW JOURNALISMOrientation to content, philosophy and purpose of this course -- Intro to Ampersand and the Culture Desk

What are we doing as arts journalists? How?

Looking ahead at the LA arts + culture 2015 fall calendar, spotting patterns and possible themes for Ampersand. Division of labor + roles.

The Game (dice + stories)

Housekeeping rules.

Possible in-class writing exercises; your creative DNA, “first acts” etc.

Build your semester story list for the Culture Desk; familiarize self with Visions & Voices. (Be thinking about artists to interview or profile. Must deliver at least one significant, in-depth polished piece by end of semester for Ampersand I or II. Every Thursday there is a V & V spot on the Magazine Show (ARN). You must publish/produce four short pieces for it or other outlets by end of semester).

Read The Atlantic, “An Introverted Writer’s Lament” by Meghan Tifft. http://theatln.tc/1OJ2ASw

And read this of Dinah Lenny’shttps://lareviewofbooks.org/review/into-the-wild-h-is-for-hawk

Note: We will likely need Ampersand editorial meetings this week outside of class.

08/27-08/30 Dominique Moody’s Nomad in Leimert Park

09/30 – Artwalk in Leimert Park to close the Festival

09/1 -- USC Fisher Museum opening reception for “Gyre” from 6 pm to 8 pm

“To Eat and Dine in LA” at LAPL

2 pm on 9/01 Tuesday

Week 29/02

WRITING WORKSHOPGuest speaker, Dinah Lenney

Write your first draft of a contract for this semester’s work + assignments. Include a one sentence pitch for each. Your reasons may include that you want to learn a form that’s new to you (radio, video,

2 pm on 9/08, Tuesday

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photography or perhaps profile, feature, review). You can also choose to be in charge of the website or social media + marketing campaigns.

Take whatever Media Center workshops are required.

Note: We will likely need Ampersand editorial meetings this week outside of class.

Junot Diaz tonight at Bovard Auditorium for V&V, 7 pm

09/03 – 09/05 “Mojado” is in previews (09/10-10/03 runs)

Week 39/09

PRODUCTION WORKSHOPStory list; division of Ampersand labor and roles. Pitches!

Ampersand orientation w/ Stephanie Case

The Game (dice + stories)

In-class exercise walking in another person’s shoes, or…

Builders, fixers, creators, maintainers and destroyers

Revise your contract. Submit final version.

Do the Mary Gordon “Still Life” writing assignment (400-550 words) and bring copies to class next week. Be prepared to read aloud.

Take whatever Media Center workshops are required.

The Frank Gehry exhibit opens at LACMA

Clifton’s Restaurant re-opens this month

“Reshaping Tradition,” contemporary ceramics from east Asia – opens at USC Pacific Asia Museum thru Jan. 31

2 pm on 9/15, Tuesday

Week 49/16

WRITING WORKSHOPBe prepared to read your Mary Gordon aloud.

3:45 pm pop-by from Jeff Watson about this Sunday’s event

Relevant Journalism – what do you think needs to happen to make what you do matter? Propose a creative experiment, using what’s available to you in the MC and across the spectrum of your colleagues. Have hunches and ideas – and back them up w/ relevant reading on journalism now.

What sites do you follow religiously? Why? Discover some long form sites (Atavist?). Pretend Ampersand is your major media outlet – what does it need to do? Imagine possibilities. Serve your own professional objectives.

[Rosh Hashanah: Sunday - Tuesday, September 13 - 15]

Deadline: 2pm on 9/22, Tuesday

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Write down your ideas. 250-word (or one-page) proposal/outline. Be prepared to pitch your idea in class.

Read this, if you have not already, about how not to pass along the ills of this arts journalism world onto the next: http://us7.forward-to-friend.com/forward/show?u=7b3692e5974d30da3d7aca79f&id=dacc9d1217

And seriously consider spending some time at this Sunday’s day-long “Design Fictions – Imagined Futures” V&V event.

Work on your in-depth Ampersand stories, and shorter V & V pieces for ARN.

“Hopscotch” tix go on sale Alonzo King LINES Ballet, 7:30 pm

Bovard Auditorium tonight w/Jim Keith

Press preview of The Broad tonight

9/18 – USC’s trip to “Mojado” at the Getty

9/19 -- Diavolo (Architecture in Motion) performs world premiere of L’Espace du Temps at VPAC

9/20 – Jeff Watson’s V&V on “Design Fictions – Imagined Futures”

9/21 – Musical instruments of Ken Butler for V&V

Week 59/23

THINKING BIG WORKSHOPGuest speaker from Seattle, Doug McLennan, founding editor of ArtsJournal.com

Possibly listen to first set of Ampersand pieces and for other MC media outlets.

Work on your in-depth Ampersand stories, and shorter V & V pieces for ARN. If your role is to be in charge of the website or social media and marketing, then now is the time to swing into action.

9/26 at 2 pm -- Rick Lowe’s lecture and workshop

9/27 – Rick Lowe’s walking tour of Leimert Park

Watts Towers Drums & Jazz Festival (Nomad in Studio Garden across from Mingus Center)

“The Art of Memoir” with David L. Ulin + Mary Karr at the ALOUD series

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Week 69/30

PITCH WORKSHOPZachary Pincus-Roth, arts editor of LA Weekly in for visit.

The Anthony Lane “to be or not to be” exercise

Listen to Ampersand pieces and those for other MC media outlets.

Work on your in-depth Ampersand stories, and shorter V & V pieces for ARN.

10/02 – The Gloaming, a V&V signature event: Irish folk meets NY art music, 7:30 pm Bovard

10/06 -- David L. Ulin’s book is published

[Sukkot: Sunday - Sunday, September 27 - October 4]

Week 710/07

FIELD TRIPCynthia Minet has a solo show, “Beast of Burden” with the “Gyre” exhibition at USC Fisher Museum of Art

Work on Ampersand and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

Roll out the social media and marketing campaign.

Profile ledes. Read and memorize.

Dana Gioia’s night at USC Fisher, 7 pm for V&V

10-3-10/25 – “Hopscotch” in preview

Week 810/14

PROFILESThe art of the profile lede. Elements of style and adhesion. Recite your lede.

3:30 pm “pop by” visit from Geoff Manaugh and playwright Jason Grote

Listen to Ampersand pieces and those for other MC media outlets.

Work on Ampersand and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

One-on-one sign-ups with Anawalt.

10/15 -- “Gaming the Future of L.A,” 4 pm at Doheny w/ Geoff Manaugh and Jeff Watson for V&V

Week 910/21

PRODUCTION WORKSHOP (possibly in the MC)

Ampersand I produced and “aired”

Work on Ampersand II and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

Memorize profile ledes.

Sister Helen Prejean in Annenberg Auditorium, 7 pm for V&V

Week 1010/28

CRITICISM --What is (good)

Work on Ampersand II and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

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criticism? A brief history of it in America.

Possible guests: film critics Kenneth Turan + Peter Rainer

10/28 – V&V evening with Robert Schenkkan, playwright of “All the Way,” 7 pm at Town & Gown

10/31 -- “Hopscotch”opens, and on 11/01

Peter Rainer is back in town

Week 1111/4

FIELD TRIPKPCC and “The Frame,” produced by Oscar Garza and hosted by John Horn, with editing by Darby Maloney in Pasadena

Work on Ampersand II and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

“Hopscotch” on 11/7 and 11/8

Week 1211/11

LECTURE“How to look at dance” as learned from Ted Shawn and his work on Francois Delsarte, and how this relates to the subject of “Los Angeles: Cradle of American Modern Dance”

Work on Ampersand II and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

11/12 – Jennifer Taylor’s film screened

11/14 – USC organizes trip to see Gehry retrospective at LACMA

11/15 – “Hopscotch” ends (also on 11/14)

11/17 – Korean Hip-Hop w/Josh Kun for V&V

“An Evening w/ Patti Smith” at ALOUD

Week 1311/18

FREELANCERS WORKSHOPThe Art of Persuasion and its relationship to passion, including how to write an email pitch, catch attention and develop an insider’s network.

Work on Ampersand II and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

11/20 -- Field trip to USC Pacific Asia Museum

Week 1411/25

NO CLASS Work on Ampersand II and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

[Thanksgiving Break: Wednesday - Saturday, November 25 - 28]

Week 1512/2

PRODUCTION WORKSHOP (possibly in the MC)

Complete your work on Ampersand II and other pieces. Fulfill your contract.

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Ampersand II produced and “aired.”

IX. Policies and ProceduresAdditional Policies

CELL PHONE/LAPTOP POLICYInformation communication technologies are a part of the modern education landscape. Students are welcome to use laptop computers in classroom for purposes relevant to the class lesson and furthering discussion. However, out of consideration for the learning environment and fellow classmates, we respectfully ask that you refrain from extraneous activities such instant messaging, gaming or other online services. On the occasions when the professor asks for laptops and devices to be put away in the classroom, please honor those requests.

CLASS PROTOCOL AND PROFESSIONAL DRESS CODEThis is a professional degree program. As such, students are expected to deal with each other and with their instructors in a collegial manner. That means you should immediately talk to your instructor if you have any concerns about the course, grading, fellow students, the length of time it takes to get back graded assignments, etc.

For purposes of this class, you are a bona fide member of the working press. You should expect to be treated with all of the normal courtesies and privileges afforded to the news media. In return, you are expected to represent the profession in a dignified and appropriate manner. That means while you are reporting or working in the field you should dress like a professional, not a college student. Business casual is best: women should wear skirts or dresses of an appropriate length and pants that are not jeans; men should wear button-down shirts and pants that are not jeans. No skimpy or tight clothing, shorts, wrinkled t-shirts or flip flops. Avoid clothing with any sort of logo, including USC logos.

RESEARCH ASSISTANCEUSC has 23 libraries and research centers that provide access to thousands of electronic and print resources. Make sure you become familiar with resources available to you. The librarian for the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is Chimene Tucker, 213-740-2332 cetucker@usc.edu. For your research needs schedule an appointment with Chimene or visit the Reference Desk in Doheny Library. http://www.usc.edu/libraries

INTERNSHIPSThe value of professional internships as part of the overall educational experience of our students has longbeen recognized by the School of Journalism. Accordingly, while internships are not required for successful completion of this course, any student enrolled in this course that undertakes and completes an approved, non-paid internship during this semester shall earn academic extra credit herein of an amount equal to 1 percent of the total available semester points for this course. To receive instructor approval, a student must request an internship letter from the Annenberg Career Development Office and bring it to the instructor to sign by the end of the third week of classes. The student must submit the signed letter to the media organization, along with the evaluation form provided by the Career Development Office. The form should be filled out by the intern supervisor and returned to the instructor at the end of the semester. No credit will be given if an evaluation form is not turned into the instructor by the last day of class. Note: The internship must by unpaid and can only be applied to one journalism class.

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Statement on Academic Conduct and Support Systemsa. Academic ConductPlagiarism Presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words - is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in SCampus in Section 11, Behavior Violating University Standards https://scampus.usc.edu/b/11-00-behavior-violating-university-standards-and-appropriate-sanctions/. Other forms of academic dishonesty are equally unacceptable. See additional information in SCampus and university policies on scientific misconduct, http://policy.usc.edu/scientific-misconduct/.

USC School of Journalism Policy on Academic Integrity The following is the USC Annenberg School of Journalism’s policy on academic integrity and repeated in the syllabus for every course in the school:

“Since its founding, the USC School of Journalism has maintained a commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct and academic excellence. Any student found plagiarizing, fabricating, cheating on examinations, and/or purchasing papers or other assignments faces sanctions ranging from an ‘F’ on the assignment to dismissal from the School of Journalism. All academic integrity violations will be reported to the office of Student Judicial Affairs & Community Standards (SJACS), as per university policy, as well as journalism school administrators.”

In addition, it is assumed that the work you submit for this course is work you have produced entirely by yourself, and has not been previously produced by you for submission in another course or Learning Lab, without approval of the instructor.

b. Support SystemsEquity and DiversityDiscrimination, sexual assault, and harassment are not tolerated by the university. You are encouraged to report any incidents to the Office of Equity and Diversity http://equity.usc.edu/ or to the Department of Public Safety http://capsnet.usc.edu/department/department-public-safety/online-forms/contact-us. This is important for the safety of the whole USC community. Another member of the university community - such as a friend, classmate, advisor, or faculty member - can help initiate the report, or can initiate the report on behalf of another person. The Center for Women and Men http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/cwm/ provides 24/7 confidential support, and the sexual assault resource center webpage https://sarc.usc.edu/ describes reporting options and other resources.

Support with Scholarly Writing A number of USC’s schools provide support for students who need help with scholarly writing. Check with your advisor or program staff to find out more. Students whose primary language is not English should check with the American Language Institute http://dornsife.usc.edu/ali, which sponsors courses and workshops specifically for international graduate students.

The Office of Disability Services and Programs http://sait.usc.edu/academicsupport/centerprograms/dsp/home_index.html provides certification for students with disabilities and helps arrange the relevant accommodations.

Stress ManagementStudents are under a lot of pressure. If you start to feel overwhelmed, it is important that you reach out for help. A good place to start is the USC Student Counseling Services office at 213-740-7711. The service is confidential, and there is no charge.

Emergency Information

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If an officially declared emergency makes travel to campus infeasible, USC Emergency Information http://emergency.usc.edu/ will provide safety and other updates, including ways in which instruction will be continued by means of Blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technology.

X. About Your InstructorSasha Anawalt is an associate professor and director of the USC Annenberg Master's Program in Arts Journalism, a partnership with USC’s six arts schools that she co-founded in 2008. She has co-produced and built numerous innovative journalism projects known as the Engine Series. In summer 2015, her groundbreaking DanceMapLA, an original online surveying project funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, took census of over 1000 dancers and choreographers in LA and culminated in a highly visible Dancers Forum IV event at the Screen Actors Guild. She wrote The Joffrey Ballet: Robert Joffrey and the Making of an American Dance Company, called a “milestone in dance writing” by the New York Times and published by Scribners. A documentary film about the Joffrey Ballet based on her book aired on PBS American Masters in January 2013. Anawalt served on the Pulitzer Prize juries for criticism for two years. She was chief dance critic for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner for six years and later for the LA Weekly and KCRW, an NPR affiliate in Santa Monica. She attended McGill University and graduated from Barnard College.

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