Communication
368
Public Relations
Copywriting
Spring, 2002
8:15am-9:30 am M
& W SCH 33
(only for initial
meetings)
On-Line Course
Professor: Dr. B.D.
Neff, Associate Professor, Department of Communication
Telephone X6827
E-Mail—Bonita.Neff@Valpo.Edu
Office Hours: AC-CC
8 MTWTh 11:15-2:00pm W 2:00-4:00pm and by appointment
Objectives
To focus on key skills,
strategic thinking, problem solving, creativity, and management techniques
needed to handle an entry-level position in public relations.
To provide exercises
which reflect current work responsibilities in the field.
To connect the student
with various professional associations.
To prepare students
for the interviews and tests required for internships.
To update a resume
throughout the semester.
To develop a portfolio
of one’s work.
To develop a relationship
with a client.
To learn more about
technology—class taught on-line using Prometheus
Texts
Treadwell, Donald
and Treadwell, Jill B. (2000). Public Relation Writing: Principles in
Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Treadwell, Donald and
Treadwell, Jill B. (2000). Public Relation Writing: Principles in Practice.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Student workbook.
Prerequisites:
Comm
261 (Newswriting) & 265 (Principles of PR)
Evaluation
Students must successfully
complete all of these assignments to receive a course grade (written assignments
must be hardcopy with exercise ID/name/date/"Class Assignment" tag):
1. exams (150 points)
2. special projects
(250 points)
3. an unspecified
number of unannounced quizzes-exercises; these will account for an additional
(100 points). Quizzes and/or exercises will be based on reading assignments,
and/or student presentations, and/or lectures
Unauthorized Aid
It is the responsibility
of each student to review and understand the University's Honor Code. For
purposes of this course, it is a particular violation of the Honor Code
to submit papers or assignments based on materials submitted by students
in previous offerings of COMM 368. Project proposals are expected to be
original, and not derived in whole or in part on others' work. Work submitted
in other classes, including COM 368, or from work planned for submission
in those classes. If you have any doubts about what you plan to propose
in this course, see the instructor. Plagiarism of published literature
reviews and/or research designs is an absolute violation of the Honor Code.
The Honor Code must be written out.
Grading
Course grades will
be based on the following point breakdowns (total available points = 500):
| A |
485 |
(95%) |
|
B- |
440 |
(80%) |
|
D+ |
401 |
(67%) |
| A- |
470 |
(90%) |
|
C+ |
431 |
(77%) |
|
D |
395 |
(65%) |
| B+ |
461 |
(87%) |
|
C |
425 |
(75%) |
|
D- |
380 |
(60%) |
| B |
455 |
(85%) |
|
C- |
410 |
(70%) |
|
|
|
|
YOU ALWAYS KNOW HOW
YOU ARE DOING IN THIS COURSE. TAKE THE NUMBER OF POINTS YOU HAVE ON ANY
GIVEN DAY AND COMPARE THEM TO THE NUMBER OF POINTS YOU COULD HAVE IF YOU
HAD OBTAINED A PERFECT SCORE ON EVERYTHING. Take your actual score point
total divided by the perfect score total, and match the resulting percentage
to the grade list above.
Since the exams, quizzes
and presentations/projects represent ample opportunity for evaluation in
this course, there will be no opportunity for extra credit work.
Attendance
Because the exams and
quizzes are derived from lectures and readings, regular participation and/or
communication is important--especially since this course is offered on-line.
Failure to keep up with electronic communication will result in course
points being deducted. Deficiency notices begin after the second missed
class experience in cyberspace.
VACATION POLICY: The
University specifies clearly when vacation periods begin and end. The course
operates strictly on that schedule, which students are expected to know.
Leaving for vacation early, returning late, missed rides or failures to
make alternative transportation arrangements do not constitute good excuses
for missed classes, assignments, quizzes and exams.
GRADE RECORD SHEET
Please keep a record
of your grade points. That way you will easily be able to compute how well
you are doing in the course on any given day. The number of lines do not
necessarily represent the total number of assignments.
| #1 |
#11 |
#21 |
| #2 |
#12 |
#22 |
| #3 |
#13 |
#23 |
| #4 |
#14 |
#24 |
| #5 |
#15 |
#25 |
| #6 |
#16 |
#26 |
| #7 |
#17 |
#27 |
| #8 |
#18 |
#28 |
| #9 |
#19 |
#29 |
| #10 |
#20 |
#30 |
Special Projects
plus portfolio (250 points)
Exams (150 points)
Exercises (100
points)
Portfolio expectations:
Each
portfolio piece must have a label which identifies a) the type of exercise
(ad, news release, background paper), b) the date finalized (1/8/00), c)
labeled as "PR Course." Once the piece has been evaluated you must make
corrections and hand in again to assure you have final copy (no additional
credit). You will redo until final copy--just like in the work world. Each
exercise must be placed in a plastic holder with the ID label on the paper
not
on the plastic cover. Drop off portfolio assignments in my office or under
my door by Friday 3:00pm.
COURSE CALENDAR
Week of . .
Jan 9 Obj:
Review
syllabus
Obj: Develop
professional resume
Obj: Develop
an effective cover letter
Readings
Text: Chp One, Introduction, 1-8
(Resume Expert available from the Career Center, if needed)
Resume may a current copy or a new one and turned in
for editing
Portfolio: Resume and
cover letter.
WkBk: Ex 2-4 Personal public relations in practice,
107-108
Jan 14 Obj: Participate
and analyze MLK Day (your choice)
Obj: Understand Issue-Driven
Public Relations
Readings
Text: Chp Two, Public relations writing, 9-51
WkBk: Read background on Central Valley 2-10
You will represent one of the following clients—
AmeriCollect, Inc 11-35 (last name A, K, or P)
Central Valley College 36-59 (last name B or G)
Midstate Health System/Medical Center 60-81 (last name
C, H or R)
ValleyLINK Communications, Inc 82-103 (last name L, M,
or N)
WkBk-Prometheus:
Exercise 2.1 Current debates in PR, 104
WkBk-PORTFOLIO:
Exercise 2.2 Precise-writing, 104-105
Exercise 2.3 Copyediting,
106
Assignment
Attend one session
of MLK Day
E-mail your pre analysis
the first week. Send your post analysis after attending.
Jan 21 Obj:
To understand
public relations planning
Readings
Text: Chp 3, Research
for public relations writing, 52-85
Wkbk-Prometheus:
Ex 3.1 Web research: key words
Wkbk-sheets:
Ex 3.2-3.7 (use your background info)
Jan 28 Obj:
To write
from behavior principles
Readings
Text: Chp 4, Planning,
87-108
Wkbk-Portfolio:
Ex 4.1 Planning for
public relations writing (prioritizing publics), 118
Ex 4.2 Gantt Chart
119-120
Ex 4.3/4.4 PERT, 121-122
Feb 4 Obj: Understanding
approaches to building a case.
Readings
Text: Chp 5, Ethics
and corporate culture, 109-129
WkBk sheets:
5.1 ethical decisions,
122-123
5.2 ethical characteristics,
123-124
5.3 ethics, culture
and media decisions, 124-125
5.4 writing to reflect
organizational culture, 125-126
Exam: Covers material
up to this point
Feb 11 Obj:
To understand how to execute an effective news release
Readings
Text: Chp 6, Legal
issues and authorities
WkBk-sheets:
6.1 Importance of
a domain name
6.2 Protecting privacy,
127
6.3 Monitoring legislation,
128
Feb 18 Obj:
To understand how to write for an electronic media
Readings
Text: Chp 7, Design
issues in public relations
WkBk-Portfolio:
7.1 Exploring layouts,
129
7.2 Effective charts,
130
7.3 Color selection,
130-131
7.4 Presentation folders,
131
Feb 25 Obj:
Understand what is involved in developing special events
Readings
Text: Chapter 8,
From preparation to practice, 189-213
WkBk-Portfolio:
Ex 8.1 Report writing,
132
Ex 8.2 Fact sheets,
133
Ex 8.3 Boilerplates,
133
Ex 8.4 Bios
EXAM—see Prometheus
March 4/March 17—Spring
Break
Mar 18 Obj: To
understand organizational communication
Readings
Text: Chp 9, Newswriting
for the mass media, 214-275
WkBk-sheets:
Ex 9.1 PR writing
as a media source, 134
Ex 9.2 Defining news
topics, 136-137
Ex 9.3 Reviewing releases,
138
Ex 9.5 Writing for
broadcast, 139
Ex. 9.6 Reaching publics
during a crisis, 140
Ex. 9.7 Writing when
the news isn’t good
WkBk-Portfolio:
Ex 9.4 Writing press
releases, 138-139
Ex 9.8 Pitch letters,
141-142
Midterm: Portfolio
turned in and go to web site for further instructions
Mar 25 Obj:
ability
to work with and select controlled media
Readings
Text: Chp 10,
Writing for media under your control, 276-334
WkBk-sheets:
Ex 10.1 Crisis communications
to special audiences, 142-143
Ex 10.2 Identifying features with appeal, 143
Ex 10.5 Understanding newsletter audiences, 145-146
Ex 10.6 Newsletter sources, 146
Ex 10.7 Newsletter writing, 147
Ex 10.9 Writing highlights for interest, 148-149
Ex 10.10 Writing the CEO, 149
Ex 10.11 Annual report photos, 149
Ex 10.13 Employee annual reports, 150-151
WkBk-Portfolio:
Ex 10.3 Writing the
feature story, 144-145
Ex 10.4 Scriptwriting,
145 and
Ex 11.5, Public Service
Announcements, 155 (your PSA client)
Ex 10.8 Newsletter
design, 148
Ex 10.12 Interpreting
numbers, 150
Apr 2 Obj:
to learn to work with a variety of media
Readings
Text: Chp 11,
Writing to persuade, 336-397
WkBk-sheets:
Ex 11.1 Endorsements, 151
Ex 11.2 Effective argumentation. 152-153
Ex 11.3 Advocacy ads, 153
Ex 11.4 Anticipating argument,
Ex 11.6 Building effective mailing lists, 156-157
Ex 11.7 Writing a direct mail appeal, 157-158
Ex 11.10 Grants, 159
Wkbk-Portfolio:
Ex 11.8 Brochure, 158-159
Apr 1 Obj: To
understand how the Internet can support public relations work
Readings
Text: Chp 12,
writing for the global audience, 410-451
WkBk-sheets:
Ex 12.1 Intercultural
opportunities, 160
Ex 12.2 Researching
web statistics, 160-161
Ex 12.3 Web, 161
Ex 12.4 Newsgroups,
161
Ex 12.5 Writing for
newsgroups, 161-162
Ex 12.6 Implementing
mission and goals-web, 162
Ex 12.7 Web site content
and links, 162-163
Ex 12.8 Web site planning,
163
Ex 12.10 On-line newsletter,
164-165
Ex 12.11 Web in a
crisis, 166
Ex 12.13, Key words,
166-167
WkBk-Portfolio:
Ex 12.9 Web site
copy, 164
Ex 12.12 Web site
design, 166
Ex 12.14 On-line research,
167
Apr 8 Obj: To
understand the role of annual reports, media kits in public relations
Readings
Text: Chp 13,
Special events, 453-489
WkBk-sheets:
13.1 Speechwriting,
167
13.2 Planning and
writing for special event, 168-169
13.3 Exhibition, 170-173
Apr 22 Portfolios
due by Tuesday of final exam period
Apr 29 Review
each portfolio with the form provided. Then compare what you found with
your portfolio. What would you change? How does your portfolio compare
with the others?
May 6 Appointment
to review your portfolio
May 8 Reading
Day W (Department Picnic-Senior Awards-AWC/PRSSA Meetings)
Final: Portfolio
work/exercises due by this time. Tu, May 14, 8:00am to 10:00am