JOUR 7040 - International News Lab

This is the course blog for JOUR 7040. I will post the syllabus, exercises and your assignments here. So make a note of the URL and check back regularly! Your final articles will appear on ijs-global.com.

In our last session of the semester each participant will present his or her final project to the class. You will be graded on your presentation which should take no more than five minutes. So you would be wise to prepare in advance.

We want to know what you have learned from the project. We are NOT looking for a presentation of the content - instead it should focus on the journalism involved. What you would do differently, what you would do the same? What was the most difficult aspect? Was there an angle you wished you had covered? And so on.

I also want to hear constructive feedback from the rest of the class.

Those who are absent should post a brief two to three paragraphs on their blog itemising what they would have said in the presentation.

You are asked to fill in the feedback form.

Course notes

See the tutorial here. There is one addional step not mentioned - when you are setting up - click on the ADVANCED tab and ensure that PASSIVE TRANSFER is NOT activated.

Tutorials

Here you will find instructions to upload files onto the hkstories.net server using Filezilla. Filezilla is a free open source FTP program you can download online at www.filezilla-project.org. If you are using Microsoft Windows, download the Filezilla Win-32.exe file. Read more…

Tutorials

Some notes:

You need to produce your final project with Dreamweaver and upload the webpages you create to your ftp account (ie http://www.ijs-global.com/class09/yourname)

Software

Dreamweaver - you can download this for a free one-month trial here from adobe.com

FTP - in class we used Fetch - this is for Macs only. You can download this for a free trial here . Other free FTP software programs are:

WS-FTP Le (windows only) - download it here

Filezilla (Mac and Windows) - download filezilla client here

To log on to your site using your ftp program

hostname: ijs-global.com OR ftp.ijs-global.com (this depends on the software)

user name: class09@ijs-global.com

password: hint - this year!

Audio Software:

Audacity is free and can be downloaded from here (both Macs and PCs)

You can convert audio files to MP3 via this website: http://media-convert.com/

Photo editing

Photoshop is expensive. There is a free online version with many of the program’s most useful tools here

Assignments, Course notes

PLEASE BRING HEADPHONES TO CLASS.

This is the penultimate class. There are no classes next week or the week after due to Easter holidays. The last classes will be on April 22 and 24.

Your soundslides are due BY THE END OF THIS CLASS - ie by 5.30 pm. I will allocate the final portion of class for those who have not finished them to complete them. This means you MUST have ALL your photos and audio ready to go before the class starts.

Don’t forget: the project should be about two minutes long. That requires about 24 photos (allow approximately 12 photos per minute).

Don’t forget to fill in the credits section and the headline. Please also pay attention to captions.

Once complete:

1. Please FTP it (using Fetch) to the web site of one member of your group (eg http://ijs-global.com/class09/yourname)

2. You will need to upload the whole “publish_to_web” folder.

3. Then post the link on each of your blogs accompanied by a standfirst (or introductory paragraph) and using a photo taken from your project for the link - see Tiara and Emily’s example here.

We will spend the first section of the class on audio editing using garageband. Some of you are already accomplished audio editors but some are not. So those with experience, please share your expertise with your class mates.

There is an excellent Garageband tutorial here.

Assignments, Course notes