COMM 467News Editing and Evaluation

3 credits · Communications · Penn State

Concepts and procedures involved in processing news for various news media, but with emphasis on print media editing. COMM 467 News Editing and Evaluation (3) The goal of the course is to qualify the student to be a proficient newspaper copy editor. These skills can be easily transferred to editing assignments on a Web site, in magazines and other publications, in broadcasting, and in public relations. Even if the student does not intend to become a copy editor, the course should help him or her do a better job of writing. The course emphasizes editing for accuracy, clarity, precision in language, and fairness of content. Students will learn about evaluating the relative importance of news and writing headlines, captions and other display elements. The course familiarizes the student with editing photographs and graphics and designing a newspaper page.Skill in editing is particularly important to the student majoring in print journalism. It is useful to anyone who regularly works with words. The student is evaluated through written work (editing copy, writing headlines and captions) and through quizzes, examinations, or other methods the instructor chooses to assess a familiarity with the theory and principles of the course.Because students need an opportunity to practice their skills under supervision, the course must be taught in a laboratory setting in which each student has access to a computer connected to the Internet.COMM 260 is a prerequisite. COMM 467 builds on the student's understanding of reporting and news writing techniques by teaching rigor in the use of language.