College of Arts & Sciences > Department of English > Performance Standards > Journalism Track

 

Content Standards For The English Major:

Journalism Track

 

Students who have completed the Journalism Track of the English major at Valdosta State University will be able to demonstrate the following knowledge and skills.  Note that they will be able to meet all content standards for the student in the traditional track at the minimally acceptable proficiency level.

Content Standard 1

General statement of knowledge and/or ability

Performance Standards

Guidelines for evaluating performance

Assessment Methods

Activities used to assess student

performance

Students will be able to perform basic reporting tasks, including research, observation and interviewing.

Expert Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the expert level of reporting meet the following criteria:

  • effective use of traditional library resources, including reference material, to obtain accurate biographical, historical and technical data (Who’s Who, Facts on File, encyclopedias);
  • effective use of Internet resources, especially for government records and information, to obtain accurate information;
  • use of physical public records;
  • effective interviewing techniques for the specific type of story being researched (news, feature, profile, for example) to obtain accurate information;
  • multi-verification of information from two or more sources;
  • routine use of direct observation to develop stories and leads;
  • ability to routinely develop logical reporting strategies to obtain complete, accurate and balanced information;
  • ability to routinely develop effective reporting strategies to find and get difficult to obtain information, including a working knowledge of state and federal open records and open meetings laws;
  • rare inaccuracies in reported stories.

Minimally Acceptable Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the minimally acceptable level of reporting meet the following criteria:

  • reasonable use of traditional library resources, including reference material, to obtain accurate biographical, historical and technical data (Who’s Who, Facts on File, encyclopedias, eg.);
  • reasonable use of Internet resources, especially for government records and information, to obtain accurate information;
  • effective interviewing skills for basic hard news and feature stories to obtain accurate information;
  • use of at least two sources to verify controversial information;
  • frequent use of observational skills to develop stories and leads;
  • ability to frequently develop logical reporting strategies to obtain complete, accurate and balanced information;
  • ability to frequently develop effective reporting strategies to find and get difficult to obtain information, including a working knowledge of state and federal open records and open meetings laws;
  • occasional inaccuracies in reported stories.

Non-proficiency—

Students demonstrating the non-proficient level of reporting have one or the following problems to an extraordinary degree or several of these to a lesser degree:

  • poor use of traditional library resources, including reference material, to obtain accurate biographical, historical and technical data (Who’s Who, Facts on File, encyclopedias, eg.);
  • poor use of Internet resources, especially for government records and information, to obtain accurate information;
  • lack of  basic interviewing skills;
  • failure to verify information;
  • poor ability to develop a reporting strategy to obtain complete, accurate and balanced information;
  • rare use of observation to develop stories or leads;
  • routine inaccuracies in reported stories.

Students may be assessed according to:

published work in the Spectator or other media.

their internship performance evaluations. (Note that not every student will complete an internship nor will every intern be a reporter.

their 4900 portfolio.

 

 

Content Standard 2

General statement of knowledge and/or ability

Performance Standards

Guidelines for evaluating performance

Assessment Methods

Activities used to assess student

performance

Students will be able to write articles of public interest in the tradition of community journalism.

Expert Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the expert level of writing meet the following criteria:

  • the ability to write a well-researched, well-developed, multi-sourced hard news story on a matter of local concern or a localized angle on a matter of national or international concern;
  • the ability to write a well-researched, well-developed, multi-sourced feature that appeals to the publication’s audience;
  • the ability to write a well-researched, well-developed opinion piece (column, review and/or editorial) that appeals to the publication’s audience;
  • the ability to use a variety of story structures, including first-person, chronology, focus and narrative;
  • an outstanding ability to recognize elements of newsworthiness in a set of facts and to organize them into a cogent, readable article.

Minimally Acceptable Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the minimally acceptable level of writing meet the following criteria:

  • the ability to write a  reasonably well-researched, developed, minimally sourced hard news story on a matter of local concern or a localized angle on a matter of national or international concern;
  • the ability to write a reasonably well-researched, developed, minimally sourced feature that appeals to the publication’s audience;
  • the ability to write a developed opinion piece (column, review and/or editorial) that appeals to the publication’s audience;
  • the ability to use at least one story structure beyond the inverted pyramid, including first-person, chronology, focus and narrative;
  • a reasonable ability to recognize elements of newsworthiness in a set of facts and to organize them into a cogent, readable article.

Non-proficiency—

Students demonstrating the non-proficient level of writing have one of the following problems to an extraordinary degree or several of these to a lesser degree:

  • an inability to write a  reasonably well-researched, developed, minimally sourced hard news story on a matter of local concern or a localized angle on a matter of national or international concern;
  • an inability to write a reasonably well-researched, developed, minimally sourced feature that appeals to the publication’s audience;
  • an inability to write a developed opinion piece (column, review and/or editorial) that appeals to the publication’s audience;
  • an inability to use at least one story structure beyond the inverted pyramid, including first-person, chronology, focus and narrative;
  • an inability to recognize elements of newsworthiness in a set of facts and to organize them into a cogent, readable article

.

Students may be assessed according to:

 published work in the Spectator or other media.

their internship performance evaluations. (Note that not every student will complete an internship nor will every intern be a reporter.)

their 4900 portfolio.

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Content Standard 3

General statement of knowledge and/or ability

Performance Standards

Guidelines for evaluating performance

Assessment Methods

Activities used to assess student

performance

Students will be able to edit articles effectively for traditional journalistic content and form as well as for grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage and AP style.

Expert Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the expert level of editing meet the following criteria:

  • the ability to clearly articulate the rhetorical and journalistic principles that justify editing changes;
  • the ability to edit effectively a variety of stories, including news stories, features, literary journalism and opinion pieces, according to the journalistic principles that govern them, specifically addressing content, news style, taste and libel;
  • a superior ability to edit for conciseness and clarity on the sentence level;
  • a superior ability to edit for surface errors, including those of spelling, grammar, usage and punctuation;
  • a superior knowledge of AP style.

Minimally Acceptable Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the minimally acceptable level of editing meet the following criteria:

  • the ability to minimally articulate the rhetorical and journalistic principles that justify editing changes;
  • the ability to edit news stories and features effectively, according to the journalistic principles that govern them, specifically addressing content, news style, taste and libel;
  • a reasonable ability to edit for conciseness and clarity on the sentence level;
  • a reasonable ability to edit for surface errors, including those of spelling, grammar, usage and punctuation;
  • a working knowledge of AP style.

Non-proficiency—

Students demonstrating the non-proficient level of editing have one of the following problems to an extraordinary degree or several of these to a lesser degree:

  • an inability to articulate the rhetorical and journalistic principles that justify editing changes;
  • an inability to edit news stories and features effectively;
  • an inability to edit for conciseness and clarity on the sentence level;
  • an inability to edit for surface errors effectively, including those of spelling, grammar, usage and punctuation;
  • a poor knowledge of AP style.

Students may be assessed by:

published work in the Spectator or other media.

their internship performance evaluations. (Note that not every student will complete an internship nor will every intern be a reporter.)

their 4900 portfolio.

 

 

Content Standard 4

General statement of knowledge and/or ability

Performance Standards

Guidelines for evaluating performance

Assessment Methods

Activities used to assess student

performance

Students will be able to design standard broadsheet and tabloid newspaper pages using industry acceptable software.

Expert Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the expert level of newspaper design meet the following criteria:

  • a superior ability to articulate basic design principles that justify layout decisions;
  • a superior ability to design basic broadsheet pages effectively, specifically those including text, graphics and photographs;
  • a superior ability to design basic tabloid broadsheet pages effectively, specifically those including text, graphics and photographs;
  • a superior ability to design and use typographical devices appropriately and effectively;
  • a superior knowledge of at least one industry specific pagination program (Quark or PageMaker).

Minimally Acceptable Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the minimally acceptable level of newspaper design meet the following criteria:

  • a reasonable ability to articulate basic design principles that justify layout decisions;
  • a reasonable ability to design basic broadsheet pages effectively, specifically those including text, graphics and photographs;
  • a reasonable ability to design basic tabloid broadsheet pages effectively, specifically those including text, graphics and photographs;
  • a reasonable ability to design and use typographical devices appropriately and effectively;
  • good knowledge of at least one industry specific pagination program (Quark or PageMaker).

Non-proficiency—

Students demonstrating the non-proficient level of newspaper design have one of the following problems to an extraordinary degree or several of these to a lesser degree:

  • an inability to articulate basic design principles that justify layout decisions;
  • an inability to design basic broadsheet pages effectively, specifically those including text, graphics and photographs;
  • an inability to design basic tabloid broadsheet pages effectively, specifically those including text, graphics and photographs;
  • an inability to design and use typographical devices appropriately and effectively;
  • poor knowledge of industry specific pagination programs.

Students may be assessed according to:

published work in the Spectator or other media.

their internship performance evaluations. (Note that not every student will complete an internship nor will every intern be a reporter.)

their 4900 portfolio.

 

Content Standard 5

General statement of knowledge and/or ability

Performance Standards

Guidelines for evaluating performance

Assessment Methods

Activities used to assess student

performance

Students will be able to employ the basic principles of photojournalism to produce professionally acceptable work.

Expert Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the expert level of photojournalism meet the following criteria:

  • a superior ability to articulate basic principles of photojournalism to justify decisions regarding content, technique and play in the publication;
  • a superior technical knowledge of camera operation (lighting, film speed, etc.);
  • a superior ability to determine effective composition and content of photographs;
  • a superior ability to gather information for and write effective captions;
  • a working knowledge of graphics programs (PhotoShop, for example);
  • a working knowledge of darkroom techniques.

Minimally Acceptable Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the minimally acceptable level of photojournalism meet the following criteria:

  • a reasonable ability to articulate basic principles of photojournalism to justify decisions regarding content, technique and play in the publication;
  • a reasonable technical knowledge of camera operation (lighting, film speed, etc.);
  • a reasonable ability to determine effective composition and content of photographs;
  • a reasonable ability to gather information for and write effective captions;
  • a basic knowledge of graphics programs (PhotoShop, for example);
  • a basic knowledge of darkroom techniques.

Non-proficiency—

Students demonstrating the non-proficient level of photojournalism have one of the following problems to an extraordinary degree or several of these to a lesser degree:

  • an inability to articulate basic principles of photojournalism to justify decisions regarding content, technique and play in the publication;
  • a poor technical knowledge of camera operation (lighting, film speed, etc.);
  • an inability to determine effective composition and content of photographs;
  • an inability to gather information for and write effective captions;
  • poor knowledge of graphics programs (PhotoShop, for example);
  • poor knowledge of darkroom techniques.

Students could be assessed according to:

published work in the Spectator or other media.

their internship performance evaluations. (Note that not every student will complete an internship nor will every intern be a reporter.)

their 4900 portfolio.

 

Content Standard 6

General statement of knowledge and/or ability

Performance Standards

Guidelines for evaluating performance

Assessment Methods

Activities used to assess student

performance

Students will be able to articulate basic principles of mass media law and recognize their applicability to entry-level work.

Expert Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the expert level of knowledge of mass media law meet the following criteria:

  • a superior knowledge of basic First Amendment law
  • a superior knowledge of basic libel law
  • a superior knowledge of basic privacy law
  • a superior knowledge of basic access law (sunshine laws, court access)
  • a good knowledge of secondary law affecting journalists (obscenity, copy right, for example)
  • a reasonable ability to recognize basic legal liabilities in reporting and publishing

Minimally Acceptable Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the minimally acceptable knowledge of mass media meet the following criteria:

  • a reasonable knowledge of basic First Amendment law
  • a reasonable knowledge of basic libel law
  • a reasonable knowledge of basic privacy law
  • a reasonable knowledge of basic access law (sunshine laws, court access)
  • a basic knowledge of secondary law affecting journalists (obscenity, copy right, for example)

a reasonable ability to recognize basic legal liabilities in reporting and publishing

Non-proficiency—

Students demonstrating the non-proficient level of knowledge of media law have one of the following problems to an extraordinary degree or several of these to a lesser degree:

  • a poor knowledge of basic First Amendment law
  • a poor knowledge of basic libel law
  • a poor knowledge of basic privacy law
  • a poor knowledge of basic access law (sunshine laws, court access)
  • a poor knowledge of secondary law affecting journalists (obscenity, copy right, for example)
  • an inability to recognize basic legal liabilities in reporting and publishing

Students may be assessed by:

published work in the Spectator or other media.

their internship performance evaluations. (Note that not every student will complete an internship nor will every intern be a reporter.)

their 4900 portfolio.

 

 

Content Standard 7

General statement of knowledge and/or ability

Performance Standards

Guidelines for evaluating performance

Assessment Methods

Activities used to assess student

performance

Students will be able to articulate the basic ethical standards governing the profession and recognize their applicability to entry-level work.

Expert Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the expert level of knowledge of ethical standards meet the following criteria:

  • a superior ability to articulate basic ethical principles governing the profession;
  • a superior ability to recognize and address common ethical dilemmas in reporting and publishing;
  • a superior ability to reason through ethical dilemmas (such as when to withhold information) in order to make justifiable and consistent decisions.

Minimally Acceptable Proficiency—

Students demonstrating the minimally acceptable knowledge of ethical standards meet the following criteria:

  • a reasonable ability to articulate basic ethical principles governing the profession;
  • a reasonable ability to recognize and address common ethical dilemmas in reporting and publishing;
  • a reasonable ability to reason through ethical dilemmas (such as when to withhold information) in order to make justifiable and consistent decisions.

Non-proficiency—

Students demonstrating the non-proficient level of knowledge of media law have one of the following problems to an extraordinary degree or several of these to a lesser degree:

  • an inability to articulate basic ethical principles governing the profession;
  • an inability to recognize and address common ethical dilemmas in reporting and publishing;
  • an inability to reason through ethical dilemmas (such as when to withhold information) in order to make justifiable and consistent decisions.

Students may be assessed by:

published work in the Spectator or other media.

their internship performance evaluations. (Note that not every student will complete an internship nor will every intern be a reporter.)

their 4900 portfolio.