Spring '07, Sec. 1, Course #23830, M/W 3:00-4:15 p.m., DBH 222

Class schedule | Assignments & Grading Criteria | My Faculty Page

Cynthia A. McCune, Lecturer

Office: DBH 127 ~ 924-3245 ~ cynthia.mccune@sjsu.edu

Office Hours: M/W 2:00-3 p.m. & Wed. 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Course Objectives:

In PR 191, you will plan and write collateral public relations materials, such as newsletters, blogs, speeches, executive letters/memos, direct mail packages, annual reports, position papers and web pages. You'll gain experience in the kinds of writing and strategic thinking required for an entry-level public relations or corporate communications position. By the end of the class, you should be able to:

Conceptualize, plan, write and produce a variety of PR collateral materials
Write correctly and clearly in styles and formats appropriate to various audiences, mediums and settings
Understand and apply PR concepts and mass communications theories in the planning and development of PR collateral materials
Understand and apply basic principles of graphic design to the production of PR collateral materials
Use traditional software such as MS Word, PowerPoint, InDesign and Dreamweaver to produce PR collateral materials, and use new media tools such as blogs and wikis to communicate with key publics
Critically evaluate your own work and that of others for clarity, accuracy, fairness, appropriate style and grammatical correctness
Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work with accuracy, fairness and respect for diversity
Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications, and how changes in technology are changing the media and PR practices.

Required Texts

AP Stylebook & Libel Manual (any recent edition). The Associated Press.

Wilcox, Dennis (2005). Public Relations Writing And Media Techniques (5^th ed.).

Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer's Design Book (2^nd ed.), Berkeley, Calif.: Peachpit Press.

Enrollment

This is an advanced writing class and enrollment is limited. Prerequisite: Journalism 61A. Before taking this class, you should also have completed PR 99 - Contemporary Public Relations and one of the following: PR 190 - Media Writing or MCom 100W - Writing Workshop.

Rules & Policies

The following policies are designed to help you develop the skills needed for success in business and public relations careers, as well as to ensure fair treatment for all students.

Complete all reading assignments as scheduled and be prepared to discuss and apply them in class.
All writing assignments are due on the due date at the start of class. Late assignments will not be accepted. The only exception will be for serious illness or emergency reported to the instructor before the start of class.
All writing assignments submitted in this class must be original work, written by you for this class. (See academic dishonesty below.)
All writing assignments must be typed and presented in a professional manner; handwritten material will not be accepted. Please double-space your copy (unless otherwise directed) and use a 12-point typeface such as Times New Roman. Include a word count for each assignment.
Errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and AP style will lower your grade, no matter how inspired your approach. Please use spell-check and proofread your papers carefully.
There will be no make-ups for missed in-class exercises or quizzes. The only exception to this policy will be for an excused absence (e.g., serious illness, accident, family emergency) that is reported to me before the start of class.

Attendance

Regular class attendance is important to your success in this class. Repeated absences and/or lateness and missed in-class exercises and quizzes will hurt your grade.

If you must miss a class, please arrange to get notes and any assignments from a classmate. Whenever possible, please let me know before class (by e-mail or office voicemail) if you must miss a class meeting. If you must miss two or more classes due to illness, accident or other emergency, please let me know ASAP so I can help you keep current and make up any missed assignments.

Academic Integrity

Public relations is all about building trust with your publics and stakeholders. Anything that betrays that trust damages not only your reputation, but also the reputation of your organization and the PR profession. That is why I take the issue of academic integrity so seriously, and why I flunk students who cheat and/or plagiarize. If you fear you may be unintentionally "crossing the line" into plagiarism, please check with me before submitting in your assignment.

Plagiarism can be defined as turning in someone else's work as your own, or using someone else's words or ideas without giving them appropriate credit. FYI, plagiarism includes "cutting and pasting" paragraphs, sentences, phrases and/or images from the web without full attribution. For a complete definition of what constitutes plagiarism and cheating, please review the King Library's web page on plagiarism, or take SJSU's online plagiarism tutorial. You should also review SJSU's policy on academic integrity.

Campus policy in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities register with the DRC to establish a record of their disability.

University Policies and Procedures

You are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, withdrawals, incompletes, classroom behavior, and other policies (see http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct).

JMC Classroom Policies

To avoid disruptions in the classroom and to foster an atmosphere for learning, the School has established the following classroom policies:

All cell phones must be turned off (or set to vibrate) in the classroom.
Latecomers may be denied entrance to the classroom. Similarly, do not disrupt the class by leaving early.
Do not schedule work, personal appointments (doctor’s visits), etc., to conflict with class meetings.
When in the classroom, please use laptops for classroom-related activities only.
Please remove your personal belongings and trash from the classroom after each class.
No food is allowed in JMC classrooms or computer labs.

PR 191 class schedule | PR 191 Assignments & Grading Criteria | My Faculty Page