Welcome visitors

This is the blog of the news editing class I taught in the winter of 2009 at the University of Michigan-Flint. I've added this greeting, in part, because I've written an article about my experience - which was my first time teaching - for the Nieman Reports. And, in the interest of full disclosure, I also want to explain that I've made a few changes since the class concluded to this blog. All of them are related to the names of students. I've only included the full names of students and links to their blogs from those who have granted me permission, as recommended by more experienced professors at UM-Flint.

If you have any thoughts about my article or this blog, feel free to comment on this post or e-mail me at cmachnia@umflint.edu. Thanks for visiting.

-- Chris

It's over -- good luck to all

As of about 20 minutes ago, all details in grading have been sent out to everyone. Please let me know if you have any questions.

In closing, it's been my honor to teach this class this semester, and I wish everyone the best of luck if you're now a graduate or if you still have more classes ahead. If you need advice or have questions about journalism, feel free to contact me (cmachnia@umflint.edu or tofermachniak@yahoo.com), and I'll try to help.

Kindest regards,

- Chris

Updates on grades

The final grades are in to the university to meet Monday's deadline. I still owe everyone a breakdown of scores and details from the final and the last two main assignments. I plan to begin sending those via e-mail later Monday (today). Again, after you see everything, feel free to ask questions.

Your hard work is done (mostly) - now it's my turn … and the winner is …

With today's final compete, I hope to get it — and any other outstanding assignments — graded and back to you as soon as possible. Expect e-mails with grading updates. The final will not be until after Thursday afternoon. This is because I plan to include the answers with your grade and one student who couldn't take the test today is taking the final that day.

My deadline for grades is 10 a.m. Monday, so if you have any questions about any grades as I start to send them — on the final or whatever — please don't be shy. Contact me either via e-mail or telephone (My numbers are on the syllabus).

And, as I said before the final today, it was an honor to teach everyone this semester, and I hope that everyone now knows a heck of a lot more about news editing.

One more thing: As I announced during the final, John McKay has won the extra credit contest, and in a late charge, Jessica M. took second place with Michael S. finishing third. A post explaining the final fixes will follow, but it will be prioritized behind other grading. Everyone should note that I say "nearly final" because there are some possible extra credit points that still could be awarded that I haven't investigated yet, but even if they are granted, it wouldn't change the top 3.

John McKay opens up large lead in extra credit contest

April 27, 2009, update: This post has been updated to reflect more points for John McKay.

John McKay. scored 17 points during the past few days in the race for extra credit while Jessica M. also has picked up three points to gain on Michael S., who is in second place. Note, John McKay found 11 errors in one story, so even though the contest ends midnight Monday, someone still could make a big move.

Here's a breakdown of McKay's scoring:

+1 – He caught a typo in the study guide for the final.
+1 – He was the first in class to complete the "Cleaning Your Copy" exercise.
+2 – In an April 13 Andy Heller column, he caught the wrong style for the Masters golf tournament and C-SPAN (It was The Master's and C-Span).
+1 – In an April 15 sports story, he found an inconsitency on All-Region (It was all-region in one case).
+1 – In an April 15 celebrity news item, he pointed out that we should have included "the" as part of the name in bolding "the Decemberists." He is correct, but our style is to not bold "the" when it is not capitialized. Still, for pointing it out, he grabs a point.
+11 – In an April 15, he found multiple errors in a story about high school musicals. Here is what he said in his e-mail:

"A movie classic, the tale of 'Grease is a 1950s rock 'n' roll musical. Rydell High's spirited class of '59 -- gum chewing, hubcap stealing, hot rod loving boys with D.A.'s and their wise cracking girls in bobby sox and pedal pushers -- capture the look and sound of the 1950s in a rollicking musical.

'Grease' should have an end-quote.
I think it should say 'gum-chewing, hubcab-stealing, hot rod-loving boys' (modifiers) and there shouldn't be an apostrophe for D.A.'s, though I do not know what 'D.A.' refers to. Should also say 'bobby socks' and 'wise-cracking girls.'

'...the prom, the burger palace, and the drive in movie.'

I believe this should say drive-in movie, as that is a modifier.

'Songs recall the Buddy Holly hiccups, the Little Richard yodels and the Elvis Presley wiggles that made the music of the 50s a gas.'

Should be '50s.

'Grease's eight-year run made Broadway history and its recent long running revival put it among today's most popular musicals.'

Should say 'long-running revival.'

'The Holly High School spring musical 'Hello Dolly' will be performed April 23, 24, 25, with evening performances starting at 7:30 pm.'

Should say '7:30 p.m.' …"

Here's a breakdown of Jessica M.'s scoring:
+1: In an April 1 story, she pointed out the misspelling of reportedly.
+2: In an April 16 editorial, she pointed out the misspelling of "The" (It was "he"), and she found some goofy characters at the end of a sentence that should not have been there.

Some upcoming journalism courses

For those looking for some upcoming journalism classes. Here are some provided in a recent flier from Journalism Director Michael Lewis:

Spring:

Broadcast Scripting — JRN 353
Tuesdays, Thursdays from 1:30-4 p.m.

News Writing — JRN 225
Mondays, Wednesdays from 4:30-7 p.m.

Summer:

News Blogging — JRN 351
Mondays, Wednesdays from 4:30-7 p.m.

Fall:

Sports Reporting and Editing — JRN 399

Media Law and Ethics — JRN 399
Online

Note: Flint Journal Columnist Andy Heller is teaching the News Blogging course, and both fall courses are special topic courses that are new.

Study guide for final is now on Blackboard

For those who missed today's class or who later misplace the printed copy I circulated today, the study guide for the final exam is now on Blackboard under course documents.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Online discussion for chapters 15 and 16 of ‘The Art of Editing’: Editor as coach and/or manager

April 17, 2009, update: Students are permitted to also discuss Chapter 16, which focuses on editors as managers.

This is one part of the text — which gives basic but valuable information about the different roles of editors — should have been put much earlier in the book, in my opinion. Building effective relationships between reporters and editors, I believe, is the core of producing good journalism. This is why I have tried to stress that in lectures and give you opportunities to work together in those roles.

The chapter, while relatively brief, provides helpful insight, especially for beginners. I like the advice the authors give to conclude. It is:

"• Embrace the editing process. Understand that editing almost invariably makes the product better
• Embrace the coaching process. Take criticism of your work not as something personal but as an opportunity to improve.
• Find peers to respect and emulate. Almost every newsroom has role models for you to follow. What what the pros do and how they do it. Similarly, avoid the bad habits of the worst.
• Seek advice. Don't come across as know-it-all. Show your editors that you are willing to grow professionally and improve your skills.
• Don't be seen as a complainer. Remember that no workplace is perfect. Keep your complaints to yourself or complain directly to your supervisor, not the entire newsroom.
• Work hard. People advance to higher positions in the news business when they outwork and outperform their peers.
• Adhere to the highest standard of ethics. It you see a co-worker take ethical shortcuts, quietly report it to your boss. Never, ever take an ethical shortcut yourself.
• Adhere to the highest standards of excellence. Practice good journalism in every story, no matter how long or how short. There is no such thing as an unimportant news story.
• Never be satisfied with your work. You can always get better."

Some of this is just advice on how to be a professional. Now, I do not agree with some of what the authors assert. For example, while I agree those who work hard can get ahead, it is also true in some organizations that other human factors based on friendships and other connections also play a role. That's just newsroom politics. I also disagree with the bluntness about a being a complainer. To be a good journalist, you have to question authority all the time and that switch does not turn off in a newsroom. I do agree there is a professional way to bring that criticism and it can be bad if it goes too far, but for them to say it should be limited to yourself or your supervisor is simply unrealistic. Everyone sometimes need to complain to co-workers to deal with stress and commiserate - it's healthy and only human.

Of course, there also is plenty I do agree with, especially what they say about upholding ethics and high standards. In our new media world those skills, I believe, will increase in value as the public hungers for reliable information.

Another aspect the chapter I wanted to briefly comment on is the role of coaching. Personally, I have benefited from several mentors throughout my journalism career. On numerous occasions, whether it was an individual story or something about my career path, they have helped guide me in a business where everything keeps changing and no two stories are ever exactly like. So I would encourage everyone to seek out others to help you, especially those who know what they are doing.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours about this list about? How have editors or mentors shaped your journalistic career? What else did you find interesting in this chapter?

The deadline for this online discussion is midnight April 27 (a week from Monday). Remember, this is the final one for the semester and if you have not participated in at least one online discussion, your participation grade will be adversely affected. Conversely, if you participate in more than one, it will enhance that grade.

Lastly, you need to produce at least 300 words in one or multiple posts.

John McKay takes lead in race for extra credit

John McKay has found multiple errors in print and online to move past Michael S. for the moment to move into first place. He has submitted so many I am still verifying some, so the details and his exact total will be updated later. What is clear though is that there are plenty of mistakes to be found if people take the time.

Deadlines in detail listed with final exam time, date, place

Midnight Monday (April 20):
• Audio-based assignment
• Video-based assignment

Midnight (Monday) April 27:
• Video-based extra credit opportunity
• Extra credit contest concludes
• Cleaning Your Copy style and grammar exercise

4:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. (Tuesday) April 28:
• Final exam in Room 4159 of the White Building (where we normally meet).

Additional reminder: Please bring any class-issued audio recorder used for the audio-based assignment to the final if you still have one at that time.

Jennifer Profitt tallies point in finding incorrect final exam start time in syllabus

Jennifer Profitt earned a point in the extra credit contest this afternoon in class for correcting the final exam start time. In the syllabus, it says 4 p.m., but it's actually 4:15 p.m., according to the University of Michigan-Flint calendar. If I recall, my source for the 4 p.m. time was a printed copy of the winter class schedule, so I am not sure if I was just wrong or if the time was subsequently updated. No matter, Profitt has put us on the right track.

John McKay nets another point

John McKay found a typographical error in a mass e-mail I sent to the class, earning him another point in the extra credit contest (I misspelled the word promise in a message about the video-based assignment). He rightly reminded me that I said any mistakes I make in assignment sheets or e-mail is fair game. So, good hunting!