Digital Magazine
SYLLABUS: FALL 2015
This course was created by Professor Mary W. Quigley, and the syllabus was developed by Josh Davis and Todd Olmstead.
Course Description
While the rows of glossy magazines on a newsstand grab our attention, magazine reporting and writing exists on a variety of platforms: Tweets, online posts, blogs and features, listicles, and multimedia, from slideshows to videos. Magazine publishing is a two-way street where the “book” needs to reach out to readers by marketing the piece on social media, encouraging feedback and sharing, and keeping track of feedback.
Taught in conjunction with “Writing Reporting Workshop I,” the “Digital Magazine” will teach students how practice magazine journalism on various platforms. Half the semester will be devoted to multimedia: conceptualizing, shooting and producing photos, slideshows and video. The other half of the semester will focus on digital skills such as using social media for research and reporting as well as branding, data visualization and analytics.
Hashtag: #DigiMagNYU
We’re on Instagram!
Instructors
Josh Davis | jmd18@nyu.edu
Bio/portfolio, CV, Twitter
Group 1: Sept. 8 — Oct. 20, 2015, 6:30 p.m. — 10 p.m.
Group 2: Oct. 27 — Dec. 15.; Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. — 10 p.m.
Room 654, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, 20 Cooper Square.
Office Hours: By Appointment, Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. — 6:30 p.m.
Todd Olmstead | todd.olmstead@nyu.edu
Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram
Group 1: Sept. 8 — Oct. 20, 2015, 6:30 p.m. — 10 p.m.
Group 2: Oct. 27 — Dec. 15.; Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. — 10 p.m.
Room 652, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, 20 Cooper Square.
Office Hours: By Appointment, Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. — 6:30 p.m.
Student Responsibilities
- Attendance is mandatory. Unacceptable excuses include job interviews, routine medical appointments, transportation issues, work schedules…you get the idea. Unexcused absences will seriously affect your grade. In the event of an emergency and you cannot attend class, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the professor ASAP. Medical and family emergencies will require written documentation.
- Prompt attendance is required. Do NOT be late to this course. Missing class time will lower your grade and seriously affect the quality of your work.
- Deadlines are precious, and you must meet them. Assignments turned in even one minute late will be deducted a full letter grade. You will lose one letter grade every 24 hours until the assignment is turned in. This is journalism, and you will be held to the same professional standards that your instructors are held to.
- A core component of this course includes group discussions and workshop-style critiques. So speak up! We want to hear what you have to say. Please be respectful of others and do not talk over your classmates or dominate the conversation.
- Attentiveness while class is in session. All personal chats, messaging, phone conversations, web browsing, and side discussions will not be tolerated inside the classroom. If you are frequently distracted or distracting others, it will be the first thing I remember when asked for a recommendation. Please put your phone on silent when you enter the classroom.
- Laptops must be closed during critiques of student work.
- Your classmates are a resource. So is the web. Before you contact me with a problem or question, does someone else already have the answer?Please do not contact me with a problem without proposing a potential solution.
- We’ll be using Slack for class communication. You will need to sign up for an account and join our group within 24-hours of our first class.
Additional Responsibilities: Multimedia Section
- Students taking this course must devote a significant amount of time outside of class for photo and video shooting and editing.
- Group Work: Students will work in groups for the final multimedia project. All group members must pull their weight equally and to act respectfully and professionally at all times. Do not email me to complain your group is bickering, you are adults and it’s your responsiblity to resolve small issues. You should contact me ASAP if there is a major issue such as if a group member feels threatened or is acting in some way contrary to NYU’s Ethics and Student Conduct policies.
- Multimedia Ethics: “You have to be careful that you’re capturing reality and not creating reality.” This class is firmly rooted in journalism and we will not stage shots with the exception of portraits and interviews. Read more about Multimedia Ethics from NPPA.
- You will need access to the equipment room, “the cage,” for this class. Students are required to purchase a $150 rental insurance policy to borrow equipment. Be sure to register and complete all necessary paperwork, including the Field Equipment Policy document, within 24-hours of our first class.
- You will need personal Vimeo, Medium and Instagram accounts for uploading and posting class assignments.
- Students are required to have a 500 GB, 7200 rpm, firewire 800/400 or USB 3 hard drive. (*Your professor recommends the drive be 1TB if working with video).
- Students are required to have a 16GB or 32GB Class 10 SDHC Card for audio and video recording (*Your professor recommends 32GB).
- In addition to demonstrations in class, you are responsible for reviewing online resources to assist you in learning how to use NYU cameras, audio recorders, and Adobe Premiere. A terrific guide for all NYU Journalism gear and software is available here. More great resources such as Lynda Trainings, Archival Footage and Stock Music are available here. If you need individual support outside of class, Mike Shade and Adrian Mihai are available weekdays.
Ethics
As a New York University journalism student, you are part of a community of scholars at a university recognized for its research. A scholar’s mission is to push forward the boundaries of knowledge; a journalist’s mission is to serve the public by seeking out and reporting the facts as accurately as possible. Good journalists and scholars share a commitment to the same principle: integrity in their work. Be sure to read and sign the ethics pledge.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities will be accommodated according to her or his needs. Please discuss any disabilities with the professor during the first week of classes. A letter explaining any disability can be obtained at the Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities (CDS), located at 240 Greene Street, 4th floor (212–998–4980).
MULTIMEDIA SECTION
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will learn the tools and techniques necessary to produce photojournalism and video for the web. To accomplish this, students will master the fundamentals of:
• Video and photojournalism shooting and reporting methods.
• Photo and video production workflow.
• Writing photo captions, video lower thirds and text slides, and project summaries.
• Shareable publication tools including Medium and Instagram.
This course represents a meaningful opportunity for professional growth. The work you will produce in this class will be part of the portfolio you will use to apply for jobs.
Grading Components
- Class Participation (250 points)
- Assignment: Daily Instagram (100 points)
- Assignment: Photojournalism Shooting (50 points)
- Assignment: Video Shooting (50 points)
- Assignment: Final Project Pitch (50 points)
- Assignment: Final Project Outline (125 points)
- Assignment: Final Project Rough Cut (125 points)
- Assignment: Final Project (250 points)
Grading Policy
A (1,000–940 points) A- (939–900 points)
Student work is exceptional, and meets deadline and publication criteria. Class participation is outstanding during discussions and critiques. Student not only understands the material at a high level but also assists fellow classmates in need.
B+ (899–870 points) B (869–840 points) B- (839–800 points)
Student has successfully completed all class projects. Student work is near to industry standards for publication, though requires more edits. Student did not contribute to all discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences.
C+ (799–770 points) C (769–740 points) C- (739–700 points)
Student has only a satisfactory completion of all class projects. Student work does not meet industry standards, and requires significant edits. Student missed multiple in-class discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences.
D (699–680 points)
Student did not complete all class projects. Student missed multiple in-class discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences. Student did not adequately respond to the instructor’s feedback to make their work publishable.
F (679 points and below)
Student did not complete all class projects. Student missed multiple in-class discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences. Student did not adequately respond to the instructor’s feedback to make their work publishable. Student may have also been found guilty of an ethical breach such as libel or plagiarism.
Class Schedule
(Note: The schedule is subject to change. Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are due at THE START OF CLASS. All video assignments must be turned in using our NYU Digital Magazine Vimeo account, and it MUST include an updated word-for-word script. All other assignments will be posted on the appropriate Medium publication before the start of class).
CLASS 1 (Nov. 3): What is “multimedia?” Knowing when to use text v. photo v. video. Introduction to photojournalism.
- Assignment: Create Instagram and Medium accounts, share your handles, and follow our class publication, Digital Magazine.
- Assignment: Daily Instagram #DigiMagNYU
- Assignment: Complete all readings listed in the #multimedia_readings channel on Slack.
CLASS 2 (Nov. 10): Composition and shooting techniques using DSLR cameras. Photo Editing with Adobe Lightroom.
- Due: Instagram and Medium accounts created and shared.
- Due (ongoing): Daily Instagram
- Assignment: Photojournalism Shooting Exercise
CLASS 3 (Nov. 17): What makes good video? Deconstructing web video narratives and video shooting techniques.
- Due: Photojournalism Shooting Exercise
- Due (ongoing): Daily Instagram
- Assignment: Photojournalism Editing Exercise
- Assignment: Video Shooting Exercise
- Assignment: Final Project Pitch
CLASS 4 (Nov. 24): Video Workflow and Editing with Adobe Premiere.
- Due: Photojournalism Editing Exercise
- Due: Video Shooting Exercise
- Due: Final Project Pitch
- Due (ongoing): Daily Instagram
- Assignment: Video Editing Exercise
- Assignment: Final Project Outline
CLASS 5 (Dec. 1): Advanced editing techniques. Production practices for multimedia projects. Writing text for use in visual stories.
- Due: Video Editing Exercise
- Due: Final Project Outline
- Due (ongoing): Daily Instagram
- Assignment: Final Project Roughcut
CLASS 6 (Dec. 8): Rough Cut of Final Project. In-class critiques and lab time to work on your final projects.
- Due: Final Project Roughcut
- Due (ongoing): Instagram
- Assignment: Finish your Final Project.
CLASS 7 (Dec. 15): Final Project Critiques.
- DUE: FINAL PROJECTS
- Due (ongoing): Daily Instagram
- Assignment: You will have until 6 p.m. Dec. 18 to submit a revised version of your Final Project. I will grade each individually, and you will receive an average of the two grades.
SOCIAL MEDIA SECTION
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will learn how to use social media as a reporting tool, a distribution tool, and a brand-building exercise. To accomplish this, students will master the fundamentals of:
- Using social media to cover, discover, and distribute content.
- Using SEO to write better stories for the web.
- Basic data skills for visual storytelling.
- Snapchat as a storytelling tool.
Grading Components
- Class Participation (250 points)
- Assignment: Social Media Review (50 points)
- Assignment: Social Media Interview (100 points)
- Assignment: Storify (100 points)
- Assignment: SEO Critique (50 points)
- Assignment: Social Story (100 points)
- Assignment: Data Visualization (50 points)
- Assignment: Snapchat Story (100 points)
- Assignment: Final Project (200 points)
Grading Policy
A (1,000–940 points) A- (939–900 points)
Student work is exceptional, and meets deadline and publication criteria. Class participation is outstanding during discussions and critiques. Student not only understands the material at a high level but also assists fellow classmates in need.
B+ (899–870 points) B (869–840 points) B- (839–800 points)
Student has successfully completed all class projects. Student work is near to industry standards for publication, though requires more edits. Student did not contribute to all discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences.
C+ (799–770 points) C (769–740 points) C- (739–700 points)
Student has only a satisfactory completion of all class projects. Student work does not meet industry standards, and requires significant edits. Student missed multiple in-class discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences.
D (699–680 points)
Student did not complete all class projects. Student missed multiple in-class discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences. Student did not adequately respond to the instructor’s feedback to make their work publishable.
F (679 points and below)
Student did not complete all class projects. Student missed multiple in-class discussions and critiques either because of lack of participation in-class or unexcused absences. Student did not adequately respond to the instructor’s feedback to make their work publishable. Student may have also been found guilty of an ethical breach such as libel or plagiarism.
Class Schedule
(Note: The schedule is subject to change. Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are due at THE START OF CLASS. I expect you to learn skills in this class that will help you in your careers. Communications with me can be informal but should be professional. Email and Slack will be the best ways to contact me during the semester. Please understand that on the weekend it may take me 24 hours to respond.)
11/3/15 — CLASS 1: What is “social media?” Why do we use social media as journalists? Introduction to Twitter.
- Assignment: Create a Medium account and follow our class publication, Digital Magazine.
- Assignment: Join our Slack chat.
- Assignment: Sign up for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat. Fill out this Google Form with your information.
- Assignment: Social media review of a classmate.
- Assignment: Interview with a person who works in social media.
- Assignment: Start sending daily tweets (2–5) about news you find interesting. I consider this to be part of your class participation.
- Recommended reading: Nieman Lab’s Week in Review is published every Friday and is a good resource. We will not always go over this in class but I recommend you read it each week.
11/10/15 — CLASS 2: Covering Live Events on Social Media
- Due: Social media review of a classmate.
- Due (ongoing): Interview with a person who works in social media.
- Assignment: Cover an event, breaking news situation, or feature topic using Storify.
- Assignment: Implement feedback from your social media review.
11/17/15 — CLASS 3: Finding and verifying sources.
- Due: Storify of a live event.
- Due: Implement feedback from your social media review.
- Due: (ongoing): Interview with a person who works in social media.
- Required reading: Verification Handbook, Chapters 1–4
- Assignment: Cover a story or event using social media. You must use content from multiple social media platforms
11/24/15 — CLASS 4: SEO and Analytics. This class will feature a guest speaker, Natalie Osterling, Video Audience Development Director, WSJ
- Due: Cover a story or event using social media.
- Due (ongoing): Interview with a person who works in social media.
- Assignment: SEO critique of a news website.
12/1/15 — CLASS 5: Snapchat for storytelling. This class will feature a guest speaker: Sam Sheffer, Creative Producer at Mashable. We will also check in with your final projects.
- Due: SEO critique of a news website.
- Due (ongoing): Interview with a person who works in social media.
- Assignment: Cover a live event or commit an act of journalism using Snapchat stories.
- Assignment: Final projects.
12/8/15 — CLASS 6: Interactive tools and data visualization. This class will feature a guest speaker: Emma Carew Grovum, the New York Times. We will also check in with your final projects.
- Due: Snapchat story.
- Due (ongoing): Interview with a person who works in social media.
- Assignment: Create at least one chart and one map using data sets from the Labor Department, Census Bureau, or other reports you find interesting.
12/15/15 — CLASS 7: Using social media to boost your career prospects.
- Due: Final projects.
- Due: Data Visualization.
- Due (ongoing): Interview with a person who works in social media.
