COMM 362 Public Relations Writing
Spring 2002
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday
Room CP B-023
Course Objective:
This course will provide an introduction to public relations writing. We will discuss some of the different kinds of written materials used in the practice of public relations and explore various writing techniques needed to produce them. You will be given the opportunity to write a variety of public relations materials through a combination of in-class and out-of-class writing assignments. Some of the topics to be covered include: press releases, brochures, feature articles, public service announcements, and résumés.
Texts:
Required: A Handbook for Public Relations Writing, 4th ed., by Thomas Bivins (Crane Books/ NTC Business Books). There will also be occasional handouts provided by the instructor.
Recommended: A recent copy of The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.
Course Requirements:
The class meets twice a week for one hour and 15 minutes per class session. Class meetings will involve a combination of lecture and discussion about specific types of public relations writing, where you will be encouraged to contribute your own comments, ideas, and observations to this discussion. In addition, there will be time in class dedicated to hands-on practice in writing public relations materials. Please bring a formatted IBM computer disk to each class meeting.
There will be two types of assignments that make up your grade — weekly writing assignments and a final writing project. Assignments should be typed and double-spaced on white bond paper. All assignments should include your name, the due date, and an identifying slugline. There is no final examination for this course.
• Weekly Writing Assignments - Approximately one writing assignment will be required each week. Some of these assignments will be done in class, while others will be take-home projects. Take-home writing assignments are due at the beginning of class.
• Service Learning Project - Early in the course, you will be asked to select a local non-profit organization with which you will work closely for the bulk of the semester. You will be responsible for doing research on this organization and for gathering information about its existing written public relations materials and public relations needs. Under the direction of the public relations director, you will produce three different public relations pieces for this organization, based on what you and the director think would be useful to supplement existing written materials. You will write a press release, feature article, and promotional brochure for the organization you have selected. More specific information about the service learning project will be given out in class. The service learning project is due Thursday, May 23, at the beginning of class.
Attendance and Participation:
Attendance and class participation are required for this course. Since much of the course will be based on in-class discussion and writing assignments, it is important that you be there and contribute your own input. If everyone is willing to participate in class activities, the course will be much more interesting and informative for all of us. If you are ill or have an emergency, please let me know in advance of class.
Grades:
Your grade for this class will be based on several factors. These include:
weekly writing assignments, attendance and class participation, and the service learning project. The breakdown for grades is as follows:
• Weekly writing assignments 50%
• Attendance and participation 20%
• Service learning project 30%
Your grade will be determined by the quality of your work and your ability to turn the work in on time. Here is an overview of the guidelines I use when grading papers:
A – Assignment is error-free, well-written and organized, and reflects careful research.
B – Needs minor editing, contains a few spelling or grammar errors, and may need some rewriting or reorganization.
C – Hard to follow, contains a number of errors, and needs substantial rewriting and restructuring.
D – Needs to be completely rewritten, has numerous errors, and does not meet the requirements of the assignment.
F – Reflects little effort on the part of the writer, is filled with errors, and does not meet the requirements of the assignment.
One of the most important aspects of public relations writing is the ability to meet deadlines. I take deadlines very seriously, and I expect you to do the same. All work will be due at the beginning of class unless otherwise announced. Late assignments will be marked down one grade for each day they are late.
This is a communications class, and accuracy counts. If your writing is filled with mistakes, readers will question your credibility as a public relations writer. It is your responsibility to make sure that what you turn in reflects careful research, fact-checking, and proper spelling. In other words, I strongly encourage you to proofread your work carefully.
Honor Code:
I trust that the work you turn in to me will be your own and will reflect your own singular efforts in researching and writing the material contained in each assignment. Please refer to the University’s policy on Academic Dishonesty for information about plagiarism and cheating, which will be enforced in this class.
Office Hours:
I will hold regular office hours during the week, and I encourage you to stop in and see me to discuss any questions or observations about the course you may have. If my posted hours conflict with your schedule, you are welcome to schedule an appointment at a time that is more convenient. For the record, I really enjoy seeing students during office hours, and I encourage you to take advantage of that.
Email:
You are welcome to email me with any questions or comments you might have, and I will do my best to respond within 24 hours during the school week.
For the purposes of turning in assignments, you may use email only if you cannot be in class because of an emergency. An emailed assignment must reach me by the beginning of the class when it is due, or it will be counted as late.
Classroom Etiquette:
Out of respect for your fellow classmates and for the instructor, please do not talk with your neighbor, read the newspaper, play on the computer, or work on assignments for other courses during class. In addition, all cell phones and pagers should be turned off.
Course Outline and Assignments:
The following is a list of topics we will cover during the class in the approximate order we will cover them. Once in awhile, I may switch things around, but you will be given ample warning if I do. We may also have occasional guest speakers.
Week 1: (Feb. 5, 7) Introduction to PR writing (Chapter 1)
Week 2: (Feb. 12, 14) Research and planning (Chapter 2)
Week 3: (Feb. 19, 21) Press releases (Chapter 6)
Week 4: (Feb. 26, 28) Press releases
Week 5: (March 5, 7) Media relations (Chapter 5)
Week 6: (March 12, 14) Brochures (Chapter 9 167-88)
Week 7: (March 19, 20) Brochures
Week 8: (March 26, 28) Interviewing (Handouts)
Week 9: (April 2, 4) Spring break – no class
Week 10: (April 9, 11) Feature writing/leads (Chapter 8)
Week 11: (April 16, 18) Feature writing
Week 12: (April 23, 25) Communications week
Week 13: (April 30, May 2) Advertisements (Chapter 9 188-207)
Week 14: (May 7, 9) Public service announcements (Chapter 10)
Week 15: (May 14, 16) Résumés and cover letters (Handouts)
Week 16: (May 21, 23) Websites