Covering the Courts Syllabus

(JOUR 3633)       Spring 2009

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Rev. 1/09


JOUR 405V, Sect. 3         

Katherine Shurlds, J.D.         

Class: T-Th 12:20 -1:50 p.m., Kimpel 111 and sometimes 119J
Office:     KH 109 D
Phone :    Office: 575-6305 (voice mail)
E-mail:     kshurlds@uark.edu (the best way to reach me)

Class Web Page: http://www.uark.edu/~kshurlds
    The class schedule is located here. You will need to have a copy of the schedule so you’ll know when assignments are due.       

Office Hours:     2-3 Tuesdays and Thursdays and by appointment

Texts and materials
•    Alexander, S.L.(2003). Covering the Courts—a handbook for journalists (2nd edition). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
•    Handouts and Web pages as assigned
•    The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual .Latest version.

Course description
    This course is a blend of writing, editing and research designed to acquaint the student with the issues of tension inherent in the application of the First and Sixth Amendments.  With the “fair trial/free press” issues as a backdrop, the course provides the student with the mechanics and nuances of covering trials and other aspects of legal affairs reporting.  Students will heighten their critical thinking skills by analyzing and discussing the various points of conflict between and the ethical considerations of both the media and the judicial system.

Course objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
•    Articulate the competing values of the First and Sixth Amendments.
•    Understand the basic processes and terminology within criminal and civil trials.
•    Know the various sources of information available to reporters covering the courts.
•    Report knowledgeably and accurately on the courts and the trials held there.
•    Edit legal affairs news stories for accuracy and focus.
•    Comprehend legal documents for news potential.
•    Conduct research and successful interviews of court sources for news.
•    Develop newsworthy and relevant stories from the legal affairs beat.

Grading: The grading scale for your final grade is:   
            A = 90-100%
            B =  80-89 %
            C =  70-79 %
            D =  60-69 %
            F = less than 60 %

A total of 600 points are possible in the class.
Mid-term exam 
100
                        
Class Participation 		70
Glossary Quizzes (4 @ 20 pts ea.)
  80
News stories  (10 @ 15 pts ea.)  150
Judges Day Assignment   100
Research paper     100
Total      600


Midterm exam: The exam will be a combination of multiple-choice questions and essay questions. The exam will be given in 119J and you will type your essay question answers. You may bring one 3 x 5 card as a “cheat sheet” for the exam.
   
Class Participation: Class sessions will involve group discussions and analyses of assigned readings. Reading the assignments is required. I will be asking you questions about the readings in class. You cannot use your book to answer these questions, but you may use notes that you have taken while you were reading the assignments. I will give you one “pass” on being called on in class. Tell me privately before class begins that you are taking your pass. If I call on you and you have not asked for your pass, your class participation grade will be reduced if you don’t show knowledge and understanding of  the readings.

Glossary Quizzes: Knowing the nomenclature is essential in court reporting. There are many legal terms that have precise meanings that you need to know to understand the story and more important, to explain it to the reader.
    As you read the assignments, add to your glossary list. Many of the words that will be on the quiz are in boldface; some are not. Bottom line, be able to explain/define everything presented in your readings and in class.

News stories: You will be watching videos or presented with hypotheticals from which you will take notes and then write a news story. These will be done in the lab, 119J and you will be expected to finish your story before the class is over. At least one story will be assigned as homework, after you observe an actual trial in a court.

All assignments must be typed, double-spaced and turned in by deadline.  Any story handed in after deadline receives no credit.

The stories will be graded for factual accuracy, completeness, Associated Press style and writing proficiency.  Factual errors will reduce the grade by 5 points each; spelling, grammar and punctuation errors will reduce the grade by 2 points each.
    EXCEPTION: Any paper turned in with a misspelled word that would have been underlined by spell check will receive a zero.

Judges Day Assignment:  On April 20, our class will host “Judges Day” at the University of Arkansas. We will be affiliated with the National Center for Courts and the Media,  at the University of Nevada, Reno. The organization is an offshoot of the National Judicial College, a highly respected center of the continued education of jurists throughout the nation. Two Arkansas Supreme Court Justices will visit that day and, along with local judges, lawyers and journalists, will present an entire day’s worth of lectures on the exact topics we are studying this semester.
    You will be expected to assist with the activities that day, as your schedule allows. I will expect at least one hour’s work from each student in the class. If your schedule does not allow you to be there on Monday, April 20, be sure you have let me know so that I can assign you some work that can be done ahead of time.
    In addition, you will be responsible for a news story, minimum 1,000 words, that will be published in a special tabloid newspaper that day. The newspaper will be distributed in the Traveler and during the Judges Days activities, and other distribution possibilities are being considered.  This will be an excellent publication for you to have when you go job-hunting.

Research paper:  In lieu of a final examination, you will produce a research paper of 20 pages double-spaced.  Topic ideas will be presented in class; however, you may come up with  your own. It must, of course, be approved by the professor.

Excused Absences: Because much of the material covered in class is necessary for a legal affairs reporter, attendance is essential.  You are allowed two excused absences during the semester. To get an excused absence, you must notify me before you are absent. You will not be able to make up class work unless your absence is excused and you must make arrangements with me to make up the work within one week of your return.

Academic dishonesty: The only thing a journalist has to offer the public is credibility in keeping the public informed.  That trust by the public can only be achieved if the journalist faithfully adheres to an ethical approach to the profession. Honesty is paramount.  Therefore, any instance of plagiarism, cheating or any other ethical violation will result in a failing grade for the course.
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