Instructor: Greg Jones
Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: 205-652-3752
Office: Wallace Hall 108A
OFFICE HOURS
MW 8:30AM - 11:00 AM or by appointment
TTH 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM or by appointment
CELL PHONE: 601-513-1833
3 SEMESTER HOURS
CLASS MEETING SCHEDULE
TTH 9:30-10:45
COURSE DESCRIPTION
IMC 320 focuses on professional writing in various modes in the media environment through the use of style books, copyediting symbols, and other basic tools of writing with emphasis on the legal and ethical considerations of public writing.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course requires the ability to set and maintain deadlines, gather information, and present material in an organized manner that reflects an understanding of standard English grammar, audience, and AP Style.
In IMC 320, you will learn the impact and responsibility involved in mass media writing. You will explore more deeply the basic principles of journalism, including the relationship between non-print and print media and the relationship between media and other aspects of culture; ethical, moral and legal rights and responsibilities of journalists.
As a media writers working in the 21st century, you must think “multimedia” and be comfortable writing across multiple media platforms. Because of the nature of media ownership today, media writers find themselves in the position of writing a story for traditional print media and then turning in the same copy into a story for the Web or content across social media platforms.
In this class, you will learn to think about language and how it is used in the communication industry. Despite the daily changes in the communication industry, your ability to use language effectively will remain a chief skill. Most importantly, you will improve your writing, both in your use of grammar and in choice of content. Discussions of audience, tone, style and purpose will be woven throughout all of the assignments. As a result, you will gain confidence in your own skills as a media writer, and you will build materials that can be used in your professional portfolio.
Finally, you will learn to meet a deadline. Media writers must be available to communicate quickly and accurately. Remember: no matter the media platform one finds oneself in there is no substitute for good writing and one’s ability to meet deadlines.
Advanced Media Writing is designed to effect in the student the following abilities: