Dec. 11: Final paper & portfolio due

Dec. 11: Final paper & completed portfolio site due during our final period, which is noon-1:50 p.m. Email me your reflection paper & make sure it has a link to your site.

• See the notes posted on Blackboard for details on what must be included in your reflection paper
• Paper is worth 100 points
• Portfolio is worth 100 points

I will be in our classroom at noon in case anyone would like to get feedback or finish up their paper/site during the final exam period.

• Don’t forget: You can earn up to 10 points extra credit if you see the film “Spotlight” and write a review, based on the guidelines outlined in a previous blog post. It’s due by 5 p.m. Monday.

If I don’t see you, I had a great semester with you and hope you’ll keep in touch! You should be really proud of your work!

Links to portfolio sites

I’ll add to this list as I receive your links. If I don’t see you after today, I had a great semester and hope you’ll keep in touch! You should be really proud of your work!

Laura Berry

Madison Bowlds

Blake Carelli

Gemma Groch

Alex Hanel

Emily Higginbotham

Plamena Koseva

Carly Sarnowski

Ania Sullivan

Jacob Wierson

Brendan Williams

Brad Woods

 

Dec. 7: Last premiere party!

Dec. 7 class: Our last premiere party! We’ll take a look at your portfolio site and offer feedback. Everyone will have five minutes to present his/her site.

Due Dec. 7: Your portfolio site can still be under construction but it needs to be about 85% done so we have a good sense of your purpose & the contents of your pages.

• Email me the link to your site before the start of class (which means you need to activate the site so we can look at it in class)

Due Dec. 11: Final paper & completed portfolio site due during our final period, which is noon-1:50 p.m. Email me your reflection paper & make sure it has a link to your site.

• See the notes posted on Blackboard for details on what must be included in your reflection paper.
• I will be in our classroom at noon in case anyone would like to get feedback or finish up their paper/site during the final exam period.

It’s been a great semester—thank you!

And here’s a tired puppy. Just for you. He/she knows how you feel.

Extra credit: Film screening Monday

Last chance for extra credit this semester!

SLU is hosting a free screening of the film “Spotlight,” which details the Boston Globe’s investigation into alleged sexual abuses by priests that were subsequently covered up by the Catholic Church. It stars Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo.

• Ticket pickup starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Moolah Theatre, 3821 Lindell Blvd.
• Film starts at 7 p.m.
• Tickets are free for the first 200 people with SLU IDs

You can attend the screening and earn up to 10 points extra credit by writing a review of the film. (Alternately, you can buy a ticket to see the film at another time if you can’t go on Monday. It’s playing at theaters across STL.)

Your review can be first-person but it must follow these guidelines:

• Review should present a thoughtful reflection of the film. If you summarize the film, the summary should be no more than 75 words (about two sentences.)
• Clearly integrate a discussion of journalism elements that we have covered in this class, as well as your other journalism/media classes.
• Include link to the film’s website.
• Review should be at least 350 words and posted to your blog by 5 p.m. Dec. 14.
• Email me when the review is posted to your blog.

Not sure how to go about writing a film review? Here are some helpful tips/sources:

• 28 tips for writing theater/movie reviews
• 7 tips for writing a film review

Dec. 2: Last work day for portfolio sites

Dec. 2 class: Last in-class work day for your portfolio sites. I’ll come around to check out your pages, content & design.

• Attendance is mandatory

Due Dec. 2: Two more completed pages: Resume and Contact

Dec. 7 class: Our last premiere party! We’ll take a look at your portfolio site and offer feedback. Everyone will have five minutes to present his/her site.

Due Dec. 7: Your portfolio site can still be under construction but it needs to be about 85% done so we have a good sense of your purpose & the contents of your pages.

• Email me the link to your site before the start of class (which means you need to activate the site so we can look at it in class)

Due Dec. 11: Final paper & completed portfolio site due during our final period, which is noon-1:50 p.m. Email me your reflection paper & make sure it has a link to your site.

• See the notes posted on Blackboard for details on what must be included in your reflection paper.
• I will be in our classroom at noon in case anyone would like to get feedback or finish up their paper/site during the final exam period.

Online course evaluations

If you haven’t already done so, please fill out the online course evaluation for our class (and your other communication classes.) Evaluations are included in faculty annual reports and are a significant part of the consideration process when we apply for tenure–so please complete one for all of your classes. They are taken seriously.

• Tuesday is the last day to complete your online course evaluations

To access the Online Course Evaluation Form for a course:

1. Log into mySLU and open Banner Self-Service
2. Click on the Student link
3. Click on the Registrations link
4. Click on the Student Schedule: Detail link
5. Open the evaluation form for a course by clicking on the “Click here to Evaluate” link

Nov. 30: Mandatory portfolio work day

Nov. 30 class: In-class workshop for your portfolio sites. I will come around to take a look at your progress and offer feedback.

• Attendance is mandatory

Due Nov. 30: Two completed pages for your site: Home and About

• Completed=content only. You don’t have to add color til you’re done designing all of your pages

Dec. 2 class: Last in-class work day for your portfolio sites. I’ll come around to check out your pages, content & design.

• Attendance is mandatory

Due Dec. 2: Two more completed pages: Resume and Contact

Nov. 23: Starting your digital portfolio

Nov. 23 class: You’ll begin creating your personal portfolio sites. Read the folders Examples of digital portfolios and Examples of previous MPJ student portfolios, and decide which portfolio platform you want to use. (I prefer Wix or Weebly.)

Due Nov. 23: Bring the raw materials you’ll need to begin designing your site. These materials include:

• An updated PDF resume (contact info should include only a non-SLU email address and maybe your cell number — no address)
• Internship & class projects that show your best work
• At least one professional-looking photo of you

Check out this Storify from a conference session titled “Creating a Killer Portfolio” for additional tips!

Nov. 25: Thanksgiving break – No class! Safe travels!

Nov. 30 class: In-class workshop for your portfolio sites. I will come around to take a look at your progress and offer feedback.

• Attendance is mandatory

Due Nov. 30: Two completed pages for your site: Home and About

• Completed=content only. You don’t have to add color til you’re done designing all of your pages

 

Free dinner & thoughtful conversation

MPJ’s own Alex Hanel invites you to join the SLU Political Round Table for dinner and discussion Thursday night as some of St. Louis’ experts in media, law, education, economics, and government come together to reflect on how the events of Ferguson have changed the city.

• The State of St. Louis is 5-7 p.m. Thursday in the Sinquefield Stateroom in DuBourg Hall.
• The event will include two journalists from the Post-Dispatch.

Nov. 18: Web design basics

Nov. 18 class: More website material. This time, we’re focusing more on design. Read the materials in the Web design basics folder before the start of class.

Due Nov. 18: Blog post 8, which is a content analysis of three websites you like (based on their design & content). For your content analysis, choose:

• 1 digital portfolio of someone working in your field (not one already used in class as an example; must be a person, not an organization)
• 1 nontraditional news site
• 1 site with content you like (examples for me include Understanding Race, Nieman Journalism Lab, and Products of Slavery)

Include in your analysis:

• Description of each website
• Description of info on each page (keywords, topics) on the websites
• Notes on the content of each page on the websites
• Description of the overall design of each website (what makes it appealing, effective, etc.?)
• Notes on the font(s) and color(s) used on each page (readability, fit with design)
• Description of video/photo/visuals/music on each page (how do they enhance the design & content?)

Your blog post should:

• Be at least 300 words
• Be organized well (bulletpoints, headings, etc.)
• Include links to each website
• Use a headline that entices people to read your analysis

 

Nov. 23 class: You’ll begin creating your personal portfolio sites. Read the folder Examples of previous MPJ student portfolios, and decide which portfolio platform you want to use. (I prefer Wix or Weebly.)

Due Nov. 23: Bring the raw materials you’ll need to begin designing your site. These materials include:

• An updated PDF resume (contact info should include only a non-SLU email address and maybe your cell number — no address)
• Internship & class projects that show your best work
• At least one professional-looking photo of you