Each of the News Cluster (NC) projects results in the production of 3 complementary stories in 3 different media (digital ink, videocast, podcast, photo essay) that explore different dimensions of the same news event. The NC series is challenging because it requires you to develop, research, craft, and publish topically meaningful, timely stories in 3 complementary-but-different media in the same news cycle.
This project requires prototype and final submissions for News Cluster 1 only, with first submission serving as the final submission for News Clusters 2 and 3. Story content is submitted through your team's publication space (refer to the Publication Design project). All files are submitted to a News Cluster folder in your shared course space on Dropbox.com.
Each submission stage requires you to submit a memo.
For the full list of core and supporting documents/files, see Submission Requirements.
Journalism has transformed significantly in recent years. Contemporary journalism sometimes seems to bear little resemblance to the everyday news that we encounter through print/digital ink, television and radio broadcast, or through independent news agencies. Much of the time, those differences manifest in specific ways: less attention to detail, less concern for accuracy or truth, lower professional standards for written and spoken word. At its lowest value, journalism loses all objectivity and embraces one or more forms of bias (e.g., political slant, cultural bias, personal values). However, quality journalism is still the expected norm in many contexts. It is that classical standard of professionalism that we will strive for in this project series.
During the first weeks of the semester, we explored categories of journalism: traditional, corporate, organizational, local/community, niche. This project challenges you to embrace the qualities, characteristics, and standards of one or more of these categories as you progress through News Cluster cycles. You may choose to develop all 3 News Clusters around one news category, or you may choose to shift from one category to another each News Cluster. Just do not mix categories within one submission.
Deliverables: memos (3); news clusters (3)
Document scope: 150 words (memos); 1200 words or less (articles); 3 minutes (videos); 4-5 minutes (podcasts); 10-12 photos (photo gallery); refer to the description below for specifics
Project value: 650 points (50 points for prototype of NC1; 200 points per final cluster)
Evaluation rubric: _Eval_NewsCluster.pdf
Recommended tool(s): Google Sites; CapCut (video); Adobe Audition (audio); Adobe Photoshop (photos)
Although this project is assessed individually, you'll work in coordination with publishing team to curate the stories you produce for this assignment cluster. Your over-arching goal is to produce increasingly refined content as you go, with the final Cluster demonstrating the best quality of the 3 issues of your publication.
Each News Cluster should meet the same core standards for content & design. Each Cluster must include 3 complementary stories that connect to the same topic. That is, do not tell the same story 3 ways in different media. Rather, each Cluster should tell a coherent story in 3 parts. Leverage the intrinsic qualities & characteristics of each medium to tell a story about the core topic in a way that takes fullest advantage of that medium. For example, consider what a podcast can do that a digital ink story cannot, and vice versa. What can a video story do that the other media cannot?
Each medium comes with specific expectations.
Each cluster will present stories in 3 of the 4 media available to you: digital ink, video, audio, photo gallery. Across your submissions for the 3 News Clusters, you must present at least 1 story in each of these 4 media. Each cluster must include a digital ink story. Each cluster will be comprised of 1 lead story and 2 complementary stories.
Lead story length: digital ink = 1000 words, video = 5 minutes, audio = 10 minutes. Photo galleries cannot serve as lead stories.
Complementary story length: digital ink = 600 words, video = 3 minutes, audio = 6 minutes. Photo essay = 8-10 photos.
Follow these standards for curating each type of media.
For News Cluster 1, follow this specific set of standards.
I will offer developmental feedback in response to your News Cluster 1 prototype submission. You'll use that commentary to revise your content for final submission.
For News Clusters 2 and 3, follow these standards. Remember that each cluster must include a digital ink story, but you may choose whether that serves as the lead or as a complementary story.
You will offer each other editorial and developmental guidance within your publishing team for NC2 and NC3.
A memo of transmittal introduces the accompanying document to its audience(s). You will craft such a memo with each submission for the project. Your memos should be addressed from you to me, and should introduce the accompanying project. Your memos should incorporate the following content elements.
For your NC1 prototype submission, your memo should address the following content and design specs.
For your NC1 final submission, your memo should address the following content and design specs.
For your NC2 and NC3 submissions, your memo should address the following content and design specs.
This section is designed to help you anticipate and avoid problems as you work on this project. Therefore, as you work, consider the following hints and tips.
Approach this project as a journalist. Consider what it means to tell the best possible story with the greatest integrity and professionalism that you can bring to the moment.
Remember that communication in professional and technical contexts values highly the ability to write and speak with economy, directness, and professionalism. Another way of saying this is to make every word count. Stay focused on the details necessary to communicate effectively with your audience(s). Write and rewrite until your textual content makes sense and represents careful, concise, professional communication.
Edit carefully, seeking to express your ideas clearly and concisely. Edit out loud with the intent of writing in such a manner that your sentences sound professional and focused. Work to meet the design specs. Scrutinize your work so it is consistent, professional, and quality. Refine your document continuously throughout the stages of development.
Read and attend carefully to these submission guidelines. Failure to do so may result in delays in receiving feedback on your project, or in points lost on the final evaluation of it.
Create a project folder inside your shared class folder on Dropbox.com. Remember, I can only view files that you place inside the shared folder. Until you place files in that space, you have not in practice submitted them.
Name the folder News Clusters.
Make sure the memo is available to me in the project folder by the NC1 prototype deadline. Model your filename on the listed example:
Note. Do not share the file with me. By placing it in your project folder, you have already shared it by default.
Make sure the memo is available to me in the project folder by the NC1 final deadline. Model your filename on the listed example:
Note. Do not share the file with me. By placing it in your project folder, you have already shared it by default.
Make sure the memo for the current News Cluster is available to me in the project folder by the NC deadline. Model your filenames on the listed example:
Note. Do not share the individual files with me. By placing them in your project folder, you have already shared them by default.
This section describes the standards by which your prototype and final submissions will be evaluated.
There are 50 possible points for the prototype stage of this project. You will earn points according to the following standard.
The final project submission is worth 200 possible points. You will earn points according to the standard described on the policies page (see Policies for a description of these categories).
The specific areas of emphasis for the NC1 project are drawn from this description and our discussions of the project (including the supporting teaching materials that I provide to you along the way). Review the project rubric (_Eval_NewsCluster1.pdf) for the specific qualities and characteristics emphasized in each evaluation category.
Remember that I will only post the point values for projects on the Grades page in SVSU Canvas. I will provide the supporting details relevant to that evaluation in your class folder in a project-specific file. Look for a Microsoft Word file in your shared class space on Dropbox with a filename that that follows this pattern:
YourLastName_Eval_NewsCluster1.docx.
These final project submissions are worth 200 possible points each. You will earn points according to the standard described on the policies page (see Policies for a description of these categories).
The specific areas of emphasis for the NC1 project are drawn from this description and our discussions of the project (including the supporting teaching materials that I provide to you along the way). Review the project rubric (_Eval_NewsCluster2.pdf, _Eval_NewsCluster3.pdf) for the specific qualities and characteristics emphasized in each evaluation category.
Remember that I will only post the point values for projects on the Grades page in SVSU Canvas. I will provide the supporting details relevant to that evaluation in your class folder in a project-specific file. Look for a Microsoft Word file in your shared class space on Dropbox with a filename that that follows this pattern:
YourLastName_Eval_NewsCluster2.docx; and
YourLastName_Eval_NewsCluster3.docx.
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