Media Writing Syllabus for 2026-2027
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

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For-credit academic and workforce education courses offered at Amarillo College are limited to the course options available in the statewide inventory for two-year public institutions. Courses in the state-authorized lower-division Academic Course Guide Manual and Workforce Education Course Manual have specific descriptions that prescribe course content and may include specific student learning outcomes. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) maintains and regularly updates these manuals. Amarillo College faculty and leaders ensure that these courses are aligned with THECB guidelines and evaluated based on student performance outcomes. Students enrolled in these courses are expected to engage with and learn course content. According to the AC Board of Regents Policy Manual, "faculty members are entitled to academic freedom in the conduct of research and teaching and are tasked with the associated responsibilities" (DGC). Students are entitled to academic freedom in the classroom, as well, and faculty "must not attempt to force on students a personal viewpoint and must at all times allow diversity of opinion" (Amarillo College Academic Affairs Manual).

Course

COMM-2311-002 Media Writing

Prerequisites

Course Description

Fundamentals of writing for the mass media. Includes instruction in professional methods and techniques for gathering, processing and delivering content.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

Hours

(3 sem hrs 3 lec 1 lab)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Required

• Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism, 3rd ed., Tim Harrower

• The Associated Press Stylebook, 2019 edition or later

Suggested

• The Associated Press Guide to News Writing, Rene J. Cappon

Supplies

Students should have access to:

• Notebook and pen

• Voice recorder or phone recording application

• Computer and reliable internet access

• Blackboard

• Equipment or software may be scheduled for use to complete specific multimedia assignments as identified by the instructor

Students are responsible for protecting source information and complying with applicable privacy, recording and confidentiality requirements.

Student Performance

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate proper media writing and editing styles.

2. Modify writing styles to fit various media platforms.

3. Demonstrate effective information-gathering skills and techniques.

4. Demonstrate understanding of laws, ethics and responsibilities of media writing.

Students will also develop skills in the following areas:

Reporting and Information Gathering

• Make sound news judgments.

• Gather information using interviews, traditional research methods, online research, records and other appropriate sources.

• Identify credible and appropriate sources.

• Ask effective interview questions and appropriate follow-up questions.

• Verify information before publication.

• Maintain appropriate notes and reporting records.

Writing and Editing

• Write newspaper and magazine stories using standard journalistic structure and AP style.

• Recognize and write summaries and other types of news leads.

• Recognize and write news and feature stories using inverted-pyramid and other appropriate structures.

• Recognize and write columns and reviews.

• Organize information into clear, cohesive stories.

• Use quotations, attribution and transitions effectively.

• Apply commonly used Associated Press style and know how to locate additional AP style guidance when needed.

• Edit and revise their own work and provide respectful, useful feedback on the work of others.

Audience, Platforms and Multimedia

• Recognize similarities and differences among writing for print, online, broadcast, public relations and other media platforms.

• Consider the intended audience when determining angle, language, format and presentation.

• Identify potential news-photo opportunities and understand basic principles of digital photography, composition and professional conduct.

• Consider appropriate multimedia elements when planning stories.

• Use multimedia to add information, context or accessibility for an audience.

Law, Ethics and Professional Responsibility

• Identify professional behavior expected of journalists.

• Understand major ethical and legal concerns affecting day-to-day reporting.

• Distinguish fact, opinion, interpretation and unverified information.

• Apply standards of accuracy, fairness, attribution and accountability.

• Recognize potential concerns involving libel, privacy, copyright and other legal or ethical issues.

• Report multiple perspectives when they are relevant to accurately informing the audience.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

COMM 2311 is a professional, skills-based course. Students are expected to communicate respectfully, meet reporting and production deadlines, work professionally with classmates, editors, advisers and sources, and take responsibility for the accuracy and quality of their work.

All submitted work must represent the student's own reporting and writing unless collaboration is specifically authorized.

Journalistic integrity includes:

• Accurately representing sources and quotations.

• Verifying information before publication.

• Crediting information obtained from other sources.

• Avoiding plagiarism.

• Avoiding fabrication.

• Avoiding invented or altered quotations.

• Avoiding reporting events or information that did not occur.

• Distinguishing reported fact from personal opinion.

• Following Amarillo College academic-integrity requirements.

Students should expect to receive and provide constructive feedback. Feedback should remain respectful, specific and focused on improving the journalism.

Questions involving academic or journalistic integrity may require the student to provide reporting notes, source information, drafts, recordings or other supporting materials.

Grading Criteria

Final Course Grade

70% - Major Story and Multimedia Assignments

• Six reporting stories

• One multimedia project

10% - Course Participation and Supporting Work

• Online exercises

• Copy editing

• Peer editing

• Homework

• Course discussions

• Related activities

20% - Exams and Quizzes

• Final assessment

• AP Style quizzes

• Reporting quizzes

Individual assignment values within each category will be identified in Blackboard.

Grade Scale

• A: 90-100

• B: 80-89

• C: 70-79

• D: 60-69

• F: 59 or below

Major Story Rubric

Each major reporting assignment will generally be evaluated on a 100-point rubric:

• Reporting & Source Quality: 25 points

• Accuracy & Verification: 25 points

• Story Construction & Audience: 15 points

• Writing & AP Style: 15 points

• Multimedia & Accessibility: 10 points

• Professional Process: 10 points

Total: 100 points

Accuracy is a fundamental requirement of journalism. Significant factual inaccuracies, inaccurate quotations, unsupported claims or failures to verify information may substantially reduce the Accuracy & Verification portion of the story grade regardless of the quality of the writing.

All factual errors must be corrected. Fabricating information, quotations, sources or events is not a reporting mistake and may be addressed under Amarillo College academic-integrity policies.

Attendance

ATTENDANCE

COMM 2311 is an asynchronous web-based course. Regular participation is demonstrated by accessing Blackboard, completing assigned work, responding to course communication and meeting reporting and production deadlines.

Most weekly work is due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. unless an assignment lists a different deadline. Publication work may have earlier newsroom deadlines, including Thursday at 5 p.m.

Reporting may be completed in person or remotely when appropriate. Interviews may be conducted in person, by phone, through email or by video call. Students should choose topics they can report within the available time and communicate early if access to a source or location creates a barrier.

Any required on-campus Student Media activity will be announced in advance. Students who cannot attend should contact the instructor promptly to discuss an appropriate alternative.

Calendar

Additional Information

What This Course Is About

Media Writing is a professional, skills-based course built around reporting, writing, editing and publishing for real audiences.

Students will learn how to gather accurate information, determine what information matters to an audience, interview credible sources, verify facts and produce clear media stories on deadline.

The goal is not simply to complete assignments for The Ranger. Student Media provides the working environment in which students practice skills that can transfer to other journalism and media organizations.

Students will practice adapting reporting for written, visual, audio and digital formats. By the end of the semester, students should be capable of independently reporting and producing publication-ready work at an intermediate level, with opportunities for stronger students to approach professional-level work.

How We Will Learn

Media writing is learned through practice.

The instructional process for this course will generally follow:

Why Is It Important → See How It’s Done → Do It → Receive Helpful Feedback → Revise → Publish → Reflect → Do Again

Students will:

1. Learn why a reporting or writing skill matters.

2. Examine examples of that skill in professional media.

3. Practice the skill.

4. Receive feedback from classmates, instructors, advisers and/or editors.

5. Revise their work.

6. Prepare appropriate work for publication.

7. Reflect on what worked and what should improve.

8. Apply those lessons to the next assignment.

Students will receive more guidance early in the semester. As the course progresses, students will be expected to take greater responsibility for story development, sourcing, reporting, deadlines and editorial decisions.

Generative AI and Writing Tools in Media Writing

Because COMM 2311 teaches reporting, writing, editing and verification skills, students are expected to complete their own reporting and produce their own original writing.

May Be Used For

Students may use approved writing-support tools when they are improving work the student has already created. Examples may include:

• Spelling assistance

• Grammar assistance

• Punctuation assistance

• Suggestions that improve clarity without replacing the student's original reporting or writing

• Instructor-approved classroom activities involving AI

• Instructor-approved assignments that specifically allow generative AI

Students are responsible for reviewing all suggested changes and for the accuracy, meaning and originality of the final submission.

If generative AI is specifically permitted for an assignment, students must follow the instructions for that assignment and disclose its use when requested.

May Not Be Used For

Generative AI tools may not be used to:

• Write or substantially rewrite a story, assignment or portion of a story submitted for credit.

• Create, alter or invent quotations.

• Create sources, interviews, facts, statistics or other reporting information.

• Present AI-generated information as verified reporting.

• Replace required interviews, research or firsthand reporting.

• Generate multimedia material that is presented as original reporting unless specifically authorized for the assignment.

Students should maintain their reporting materials, including notes, source information, interview recordings when appropriate, drafts and revisions. These materials may be requested when reviewing factual accuracy, the reporting process or questions concerning authorship.

AI should support learning, not replace the reporting and thinking required in this course. Regardless of what technology is used, the student is responsible for the accuracy, ethics and originality of all work submitted for this course.

News, Opinion and Viewpoint

Students are not expected to change their personal beliefs as a result of this course.

Media Writing does require students to distinguish between personal opinion and reported information. News and feature stories should be based on verified information, credible sources and appropriate attribution rather than the reporter's personal viewpoint.

Students may encounter people, ideas or perspectives with which they disagree. The reporter's responsibility is to report relevant information accurately, fairly and professionally.

Major Course Assignments

The primary work in COMM 2311 is reporting and producing journalism for Amarillo College Student Media.

Students should anticipate completing:

• 6 stories for The Ranger newspaper and/or website

• A separate multimedia reporting project

• Online reporting and writing exercises

• Copy-editing and peer-editing activities

• Textbook-related quizzes or activities

• Course discussions and other homework

• 1 final assessment

Multimedia may also be incorporated into regular reporting assignments throughout the semester.

Actual publication is an editorial decision. A student's course grade is based on completion and quality of the reporting assignment, even when a completed story is not ultimately published.

Story Requirements

Unless an individual assignment provides different instructions:

• Written news and feature stories should generally contain at least 400 words.

• Stories require at least three credible sources.

• Assignments may require specific combinations of live interviews, documents, institutional records, data or other appropriate sources.

• Meeting the numerical source minimum does not automatically demonstrate strong reporting. Sources must be credible, relevant and appropriate for the story.

• Students should avoid editorializing in news and feature stories.

• Information must be verified before submission.

• Quotations must accurately represent what the source said.

• Stories should use an appropriate lead, organization and journalistic structure.

• Students are expected to apply AP style as their knowledge develops throughout the semester.

Source Verification Information

At the end of each submitted story, students must include contact information for human sources used in the story.

Include:

• Source name

• Title or role

• Phone number and/or email address

Source contact information is provided for instructor/editor verification and is not part of the published story.

Reporting Materials

Students should retain their reporting materials throughout their time working with The Ranger, including:

• Interview notes

• Source information

• Interview recordings when appropriate

• Research documents

• Drafts

• Revisions

• Photographs or multimedia materials created for assignments

These materials may be requested for verification or instructional purposes.

Students are encouraged to maintain these materials so they can review their growth from their first story through the end of the semester and develop material for a professional or student portfolio.

Feedback, Editing and Revision

Editing is part of journalism.

Students should expect feedback from classmates, instructors, advisers and student editors throughout the reporting process.

The reporter remains responsible for the reporting and writing. Feedback should identify problems, ask questions and help the reporter strengthen the work rather than replace the reporter's work.

When appropriate, an instructor, adviser or editor may demonstrate a limited wording change while working directly with the student. The purpose is instruction, not rewriting the student's assignment.

Students are expected to learn how to:

• Receive feedback professionally.

• Give feedback respectfully.

• Ask questions about an edit.

• Explain and support a reporting or writing decision.

• Revise work based on appropriate feedback.

When a student disagrees with an editorial recommendation, the student, instructor/adviser and editor may review the reporting and reasoning together.

Academic Revision Window

Students have five calendar days after receiving graded feedback to submit a revision unless a different deadline is provided.

If a revision is not submitted, the original submission will be used as the final graded version.

Revision is part of the professional reporting and editing process and is an opportunity to demonstrate improvement.

Publication-related corrections may require a shorter turnaround because of newsroom production deadlines.

Deadlines and Professional Communication

Journalism is deadline-driven. Course deadlines also affect classmates, editors, advisers and the Student Media production process. More importantly, meeting deadlines gives students the opportunity to produce timely content.

Students are expected to submit work by the assigned deadline.

If circumstances may prevent a student from meeting a reporting deadline, the student should contact the appropriate instructor, adviser or editor no later than 24 hours before the deadline whenever reasonably possible. This advance-notice option may be used no more than twice during the semester.

Advance communication does not automatically remove consequences for late work. Communication and deadline management are part of the Professional Process portion of the story grade.

Specific deadlines will be listed in Blackboard and/or individual assignment instructions.

Peer Editing

Students may review one another's work before grading.

Peer editing is intended to help reporters identify questions, weaknesses or opportunities for improvement. Students do not determine another student's course grade.

Peer feedback may address questions such as:

• Is the story angle clear?

• What information needs verification?

• Is an important source or perspective missing?

• Does the lead effectively introduce the story?

• Are quotations useful and appropriately attributed?

• Is opinion being presented as fact?

• Is the organization easy to follow?

• Are there AP style or writing issues the reporter should review?

All feedback should remain respectful, specific and focused on improving journalism.

Developmental Focus of Ranger Stories

The six Ranger assignments are not intended to be six repetitions of the same exercise. As students gain experience, the instructional emphasis will progress.

Ranger Story 1 - Learn the Process
Students receive substantial guidance while learning the complete reporting workflow.

Ranger Story 2 - Strengthen Sourcing
Emphasis on source quality, interviews, source diversity, follow-up questions and verification.

Ranger Story 3 - Strengthen Story Construction
Emphasis on angle, lead, organization, quotations, transitions and AP Style.

Ranger Story 4 - Audience & Multimedia
Students consider how the story can best reach and serve its audience through appropriate written and multimedia formats.

Ranger Story 5 - Greater Independence
Students take greater responsibility for sources, reporting decisions, communication and deadline management.

Ranger Story 6 - Demonstrated Competency
Students demonstrate increasingly independent use of the reporting, writing, verification, editing and professional practices developed throughout the semester.

Actual story subjects and deadlines will follow the Student Media assignment and production schedule.

Feature and Evergreen Writing

Later coursework introduces students to evergreen and magazine-style reporting that remains useful beyond a single news cycle.

The assignment may emphasize:

• Feature writing

• Profiles

• Human-interest reporting

• Longer-term relevance

• Alternative story structures

• Richer description and storytelling

• Audience-centered presentation

This work provides experience with a different purpose, structure and publication cycle than straight-news reporting.

Multimedia

Multimedia is part of modern media writing and should be considered throughout the reporting process rather than only at the end of the semester.

Students should ask:

What additional format would help this audience understand, access or experience this story?

Appropriate multimedia may include:

• Original photography

• Audio quotations

• Narration

• Podcast-style storytelling

• Video or YouTube content

• Photo slideshows

• Interactive maps

• Other instructor-approved digital formats

Multimedia should add information, context or access rather than function only as decoration.

Students should also consider accessibility when producing multimedia, including captions, transcripts, descriptive text and other appropriate alternatives for the selected format.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students are responsible for reviewing and following Amarillo College Student Rights and Responsibilities and all applicable college policies.