The columns and stories of Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz . The most recent edition of the American Journalism Review . The Web sites of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Freedom Forum . Students must write five ethics memos over the course of the semester, choosing from the 12 general weekly topic areas. If you write a memo on a particular ethical area, that memo must be handed in promptly at 11 a.m. of the Tuesday following the week when the topic was covered.
Students can choose either a scenario from the readings or another journalism ethics dilemma.
These should be typed, single spaced, one-page memos. These assignments will test not only your grasp of the material, but your ability to synthesize complex scenarios, provide alternatives and an analysis of each alternative and a recommendation in a single page. Failure to complete any of the five assignments will result in an automatic F for each. Each student will prepare a final research paper on a journalism ethics topic previously approved by the instructor. Late final papers will be reduced a full letter grade for each day late.