This course is designed on a 100-point scale. Brief descriptions of these assignments appear below; more detailed guidelines will be linked to each requirement as the semester unfolds. The assignments in this course collectively seek to give students a sense of pre- and post-event communications along with staffing experience during events.
Weekly engagement, 20 points
- Unannounced, in-class press releases: 5 @ 1 pt. each
- Issues QCQs: up to 3 pts. / week
- Gameday Staff (pending)
Additional sport options, 15 points
- Social Media: live tweet 2 events @ 5 points each
- Single-game recaps: 5 @ 1 point each
Feature Writing, 20 points
- 5 story pitches @ 2 points each
- 2 stories @ 5 points each
Pre-game notes, 15 points
Issues Paper, 10 points
Media Guide, 20 points
All grades will be posted on eLearning. Access the assignment checklist (coming soon) for your own records.
All grades will be posted on eLearning. Access the assignment checklist (coming soon) for your own records.
The descriptions below provide an overview of each assignment; additional details are linked.
Writing and conversation remain at the heart of this course, and the weekly engagement assignments are designed to keep you involved. Synchronous involvement will include attendance (expected, not graded) and five unannounced press-releases (1 pt. each = 5 pts.). Slack will facilitate asynchonous discussions; namely, the #issues channel will provide a space for structured QCQ – quotation, comment, question – conversations about current topics in sports (up to 3 pts./week). Game day staffing might be added as a viable option (5 pts.) as pandemic conditions improve.
Even if you’re unable to attend an event in person, additional options for sport coverage can be satisfied elsewhere (high school sports in the area, watching on tv, etc.). These assignments include live tweeting two events (5 points each = 10 points) and writing five single-event recaps (1 point each = 5 points).
Despite the growing presence of social media, press releases form a regular, day-to-day experience in sports communications. Five unannounced press releases (1 point each = 5 points) will be completed in class. Need help on how to write a press release? Loads of resources exist online; here's a reasonably good one.
Feature writing plays a large role in sports communications as well, so each student must pitch at least five story ideas (1 point each = 5 points, posted on Slack channel), and write two feature stories (5 points each = 10 points) based on those ideas. Feature stories should be 500-750 words. One of these stories should have an historical perspective.
The issues paper is a 5-6 page paper that explores a contemporary issue in the world of sports and the media. You must research what has been said about that topic and take a stand on that particular issue. Your position must be accompanied by supportive research and evidence to lend credence to your position. Some sample topics include: bullying, amateurism and compensation, representations of brain injury, depictions of masculinity/femininity, etc. All topics must be approved by the instructor. Include 5-7 sources, at least two of which are academic, peer-reviewed.
Along with writing, document design is an important consideration in the packaging of materials for media and sometimes fans at sporting events. Single-event game notes (10 points) and an end-of-semester championship media guide (20 points) will give students practice in these skills.
Any of the above 5-point assignments -- game day staffing, a pre-season outlook or hometown report, live tweeting an event -- can be repeated for extra credit (max 5 points).
**optional bias analysis: This assignment will take the place of one of the 5-point assignments above -- a feature story or live-tweeting event.
