Melanie Stone-JMC Overview

JMC 2033, otherwise known as Writing for the Mass Media, is a course that a student must pass, with a minimum grade of a C, in order to be admitted to the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. For the Spring 2010 semester, Professor Kathryn Jenson White teaches the lecture.

The purpose of this course is to teach students how to write like a journalist. Much of what a student learned in english courses won't be used in this course, and a completely new way of writing will be taught. Students must work hard and dedicate a great amount of their time to this course in order to really learn the material and do well.

When enrolled in Writing for the Mass Media, you can expect to attend a lecture twice a week, and a lab twice a week. The lecture has over 150 students, while the lab only consists of 15 students. When it comes to the final grade for the course, the lecture makes up 50% and the other 50% comes from the lab. Both the lecture and the lab are equally important.

It is also important to attend class. Lecture notes are always posted on Desire to Learn, or D2L, along with grades, assignments and other important information, but going to class is still required. Students who miss class 5 times in lecture or lab will fail JMC 2033. You are only allowed 4 absences, even if your absence is excused. Every day there will be a quiz or an in-class assignment, in order to take attendance. Being on time also benefits a student. The quiz is taken within the first 10 minutes of class, so if you are over 10 minutes late, you receive a zero on your quiz and are counted absent.