Main Content
Syllabus
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
COMM 160: Basic News Writing Skills (1 credit) Writing is the lynchpin of the journalism curriculum and it is essential that students possess the basic writing skills necessary to be successful in journalism classes. For that reason, COMM 160 will be a prerequisite to all writing courses in the journalism curriculum. Students will be advised to take the course in their freshman year.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
COMM 160 is a one-credit course that will provide instruction in the basic writing skills required of all journalists.
The course will cover three main topics:
- spelling and word usage
- grammar
- punctuation
Students will be assessed by exams on each of the three course parts and a comprehensive final exam.
Course Objectives
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
- Understand the essentials of grammar, spelling, punctuation and usage required by journalists and mass media professionals.
- Understand why proper writing essentials are required by all working media professionals.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
Students need regular access to the Internet, to Canvas and to computer programs such as Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
IMPORTANT: Each week there will be three separate "to-do's":
- Textbook readings
- Weekly Lessons
- Practice & Graded Assignments
Assignments
COMM 160 is designed to provide students with the concepts and experience needed to meet the course objectives. Various assignments and exams will be used to measure successful mastery of the course objectives and material.
Weekly Assignments:
- Multiple Choice Quizzes: Each of the 13 lessons contains a multiple choice assessment worth 20 points that will be automatically graded. You are required to complete all 13 lesson quizzes. Each quiz contains up to 40 questions, and you will be given 40 minutes to complete it. All assignments will be completed online and will be open book. Each weekly assignment is due on Monday. Grades for each assignment will be available Monday morning after the deadline. You will not be able to see which answers were correct or incorrect until the assignment is disabled. Students are required to complete every assignment, however, the lowest score of the 13 assignments will be dropped at the end of the semester.
- Sentences Discussion Board Post: Each week you will be required to write 1-3 original sentences per lesson demonstrating your ability to apply the week's concepts (worth up to 20 points). You are highly encouraged to give your best effort each week.
Exams: You are required to complete a midterm exam and a final exam. The midterm exam covers Lessons 1 through 7 and the final exam covers Lessons 8 through 13. The midterm and final each contain 100 multiple choice questions, and you will be given 100 minutes to complete them. Both exams will be completed online through Canvas and will be open book.
Final Editing Assignment: At the end of the semester, students will be evaluated on skills learned throughout the semester by editing a paragraph to correct spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. This assignment will be worth up to 20 points.
Quiz/Exam tips:
- Timer: Once you open a graded assignment or exam, the clock starts ticking. Remember that the clock continues running even if you take a break. As such, make sure you have time to finish an assignment once you start. The clock does not take breaks with you!
- Internet: Assignment times are limited, so make sure you do the graded assignments and exams in a place where you will have reliable Internet access. You do not want to waste time moving to another room should your Internet connections suddenly fail.
- Weekly assignments should be done individually. Attempting to do work in groups won’t help you as Canvas is programmed to deliver different question sets to each student.
- Open book: Although the graded assignments are open book, remember that your time is limited. Therefore, it is a good idea to study and learn the basic rules of grammar and punctuation. This will save you precious time looking things up.
- Textbook: If a discrepancy arises about the answer to a question, then the textbook trumps other sources. In other words, if your textbook says “A” is the correct plural form for a certain word, but the dictionary says either “A” or “B” can be used as the plural form, your answer will only be marked correct if you choose “A.”
- Deadlines: The deadline for graded assignments each week is 7 a.m. EST on Monday. You will have one week to complete each graded assignment, meaning graded assignments will not be available after noted deadlines. Again: LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. There are no exceptions, so it’s advisable not to leave assignments to the last minute.
Grading Summary
Grades are weighted as follows, and no extra credit will be offered:
| Assignments | Point value |
|---|---|
| Weekly Quizzes | 240 |
| Sentences/Peer Review | 240 |
| Final Editing Assignment | 20 |
| Midterm Exam | 100 |
| Final Exam | 100 |
| Total | 700 |
| Grade | Percentage Min For This Grade | Percentage Max For This Grade | Total Points In The Course | Min Points For This Grade | Max Points For This Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 93.00% | 100.00% | 700.00 | 651 | 700 |
| A- | 90.00% | 92.90% | 700.00 | 630 | 650 |
| B+ | 87.00% | 89.90% | 700.00 | 609 | 629 |
| B | 83.00% | 86.90% | 700.00 | 581 | 608 |
| B- | 80.00% | 82.90% | 700.00 | 560 | 580 |
| C+ | 77.00% | 79.90% | 700.00 | 539 | 559 |
| C | 70.00% | 76.90% | 700.00 | 490 | 538 |
| D | 60.00% | 69.90% | 700.00 | 420 | 489 |
| F | 0.00% | 60.00% | 700.00 | 0 | 420 |
Grading Policy
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Student Rating of Teacher Effectiveness (SRTE)
About two weeks before the end of the semester, please take the SRTE and evaluate the course and instructor. The SRTE system will generate an email to announce their availability. This message will include instructions on where to complete the SRTE and how long they will be available. Email reminder messages are sent to people who have not yet completed them.
Course Schedule
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.