COMM 260 Public Relations Writing Instructor: Susan Magee, MFA My email is magees@chc.

.edu Cell: 215-370-2767 Office: #2 De Sales Office Hours: Mon: 9:30-10:45 and 12:30-2; Tues: 9:30-10:30; Thurs 2-3, Fri by appt. Texting: You may text me to inform me of illness or lateness only. Keep it short! Please identify yourself in the text. If you're contacting me about missed work or make up work, please e-mail me instead. Required Readings: We do not have a textbook for this class, but we will have many assigned readings, which I will make available on Blackboard or give to you as handouts. Required Material: Please purchase a three-ring binder with protective sheets for your portfolio. (It must be a 3-ring binder.) Course description: Public Relations Writing is a dynamic introduction to the real world of public relations with a special focus on how public relations materials are created and used to communicate effectively to various audiences. Using journalistic and copywriting techniques, we will write press releases (online and print), newspaper articles, blogs, a brochure and other materials, designed to generate media attention or interest for an organization, event, or product. The ultimate goal of our written work will be to produce a desired outcome on the part of the receiver: to attend an event, discover a new idea, or to take action. Portfolio: By the end of the course, students will have created a diverse portfolio of their public relations writing, which will include an article written for CHCs newspaper. Learning Outcome Emphasized: Communication skills. The goal of the course is to prepare students to write in a real world public relations--or related communications or marketing-setting, and to produce writing samples they can use when pursuing a job in any writing/communications field. Attendance: You may miss a total of four classes without penalty as long as any assignments are completed. After four missed classes, I will reduce your final grade by 5% for each subsequent absence regardless of the reason you're missing class and even if you have a doctors note. (This means if your final grade is 94% and you have missed six classes, your final grade is dropped by 10% to an 84%.) You are expected to be on time. Three lates = one absence. (lates = 5+ minutes) In-Class Writing and Attendance: Starting in week two, we write in every class and you are required to post what youve written (no matter how rough and in need of revision) before you leave the class. (If you dont post on BB, you are considered absent that day.) You are responsible for revising your DB posts based on my comments. You will not be graded you repost and until I have BAMMED you and you acknowledge my comments. (All posts will close after one week.)

If you are absent, you must still post your assignment/email me your work. You must still do your in-class writing assignment and complete any coursework you missed by the next class period. I will deduct 2 points for each day your work is late. In the event of inclement weather or instructor illness, your course work and assignment will be posted on Blackboard. You will be expected to work independently to complete coursework and submit assignments. ICW requires the extensive use of BB. You are not permitted to visit other Web sites during class or check e-mail. You are also not permitted to text. Any student violating these policies will be considered absent for that day. Independent Instruction: In order to comply with the PDE's 42-hour instruction requirement, you will have 5 hours of independent work outside of the classroom and regular assignments. You will complete this work by doing the following: * Completing two 1-hour online instructional modules, How to Interview and 50 Tools Every Writer Needs to Know through NewsU.org which can be completed at your own pace. At the end of the module, you can request an e-mail be sent to me at magees@chc.edu. You must also complete the DB posting: What I learned from the News U course. * Researching, interviewing, writing, and editing an article for the college's newspaper. 2-hours. (This is in addition to the one you will be assigned for the first edition.) * Taking the A/P style self-assessment and self-instruction exercises at News101.com. 1 hour. Academic Integrity: As the CHC catalog clearly states: Cheating and plagiarism destroy the trust and mutual respect that are essential to a community of learning. These behaviors violate the deepest convictions of the College community and are infractions of Academic Integrity. Anyone caught cheating and/or plagiarizing will fail the assignment/test and be reported to the Deans office. Students will also be subject to the one of the corrective actions as outlined on page 43 of the college catalog.Grades will be calculated as follows: All work must be posted/handed in ON TIME. You will be deducted 2 points for each day late. Creative Contribution to the Class and Participation: 10% Assignments/ICW/Independent Instruction: 50% Three QUIZAMS: AP Style; Event PR; Pitch Letter 25% Final Portfolio 15%

Course Outline: Subject to Change Updates and all assignments are posted to BB Week One: M 1/16, W 1/18 Introduction to PR Writing Thinking and Writing like a Journalist Assignment: Watch PR Writing Video from Annenberg Media Memo #1: Summarize what you learned about PR Writing and why you really do need to think and write like a journalist. Week Two: M 1/23, W 1/26 Journalism Basics and News Value. The News Lead and Inverted Pyramid In-class writing: Lead exercises. Memo #2: Please summarize how journalists determine what is news and why, as a PR professional, you need to know. Week Three: M, 1/30, W 2/1 AP Style Quoting and Attribution Event Press Releases Boilerplates Week Four: M 2/6, W 2/8 New Hire PRs Writing Headlines AP Style Quizam M 2/13, W 2/15 Media Advisories Fact Sheets Week Six: M 2/20, W 2/22 PSAs and Crawls Week Seven: M 2/27, W 2/29 Twitter and Facebook Week Eight: Spring Break 3/5, 3/7 Week Nine: M 3/12, W 3/14 Feature PR Week Ten: M 3/19, W 3/21 Feature PRs Social Media Press Releases

Week Eleven: M 3/26, W3/28 Brochures Week Twelve: M 4/2, 4/4 In Class Writing: Brochure Theme and Graphics Week Thirteen: M 4/9 - Off, W 4/11 Brochures Week Fourteen: M 4/16, W 4/18 Blogging/Writing for Web Week Fifteen: M 4/23, W 4/25 - Web Copy Week Sixteen M 4/30, W 5/2 Final Blogs and Portfolio Due