Argues that one way to learn the art of concise, tightly-structured, focused prose is through the composing of 55-word short stories. Outlines stylistic characteristics of 55-word stories and discusses how its practice can improve journalistic writing. (SR)

Offers an overview of key concepts within hypertext research, discussing its relevance to the theories and practices of journalism. Surveys recent books and articles on new technologies in journalism. Describes a university reporting and writing course that responds to the fundamental challenges of hypertext to contemporary journalism. Examines…

Describes how, over five years, students and faculty at Brigham Young University created a converged newsroom that brought together student broadcast, print, and online journalism into one organization. Discusses the industry- and technology-driven rationale for converging newsrooms in educational institutions; describes generic changes and the…

Examines the effectiveness of an ethics education component in a media law and ethics course. Suggests that a short-term mass media ethics study could not develop values considered essential for ethical behavior. Argues that students developed more complexity in their reasoning not measurable by the scale. Suggests a course or module on ethics…

Describes a journalism course that used an integrative approach to teaching about the principles, practice, and effects of civic journalism, combining theory, news writing, and evaluation. Describes the class project on the controversial issue of panhandling. Discusses goals of civic journalism and of the project, journalistic methods used,…

Surveys high school newspaper advisors, finding remarkably similar attitudes, in states with scholastic freedom of press laws and states without such laws, regarding scholastic press freedom, the way they exercise their duty in overseeing the newspaper, censorship and self-censorship, and controversy over newspaper content. Finds differences in…

Demonstrates the usefulness of ability grouping in a "media, writing, and information gathering" course to improve students' writing skills. Notes students improved to the point where the gap in skills between ability groups was eliminated. Finds objective tests of mechanical skills did not predict students' writing ability. Suggests writing…

Relates how the documentary entitled "What's News?" (used to introduce visitors to "The Freedom Forum's Newseum") inspired both the author and his journalism students to consider the contingency and personal nature of news selection. Argues that introductory reporting textbooks and classes should do more to emphasize the role these factors play in…

Raises questions about the validity and reliability of doing research online via the proliferation of academic databases. Finds different versions of the Lexis-Nexis database have differing search capabilities. Argues that dependence on database research findings means dependence on decisions made by a few people who design search engines and…

Discusses the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in journalism education. Describes such a course, called "Critical Incidents Analysis." Discusses what critical-incident analysis is, the origin of the course, course objectives, its interdisciplinary faculty and approach, class format, and cases covered. Presents results from a student…

Reports results of a national survey finding that communications law educators largely agree that the body of law they teach has grown so much that they have had to change how they teach the subject, fitting new material into the course. Notes that communications-law educators continue to emphasize a legal topics agenda oriented toward the…

Reports on a national survey of journalists and program administrators regarding whether they see religion as an important individual topic in American society. Finds the administrators believe religion is a difficult and involved topic; there is not enough coverage of it; all reports need a basic understanding of it; and that most reporters cover…

Describes the Diversity News Program, which trains University of Washington journalism students to produce stories on higher education from a diversity perspective. Finds most diversity journalism was centered on race and ethnicity, thus overlooking other issues; background information about diversity themes was provided in the majority of…

Reports results from a national survey regarding courses on public-relations campaigns. Examines predominant pedagogical strategies and course-management text techniques used; intentions for the course; theory/research elements; the role of management skill and/or interpersonal dynamics in the student campaign both internally and externally, and…

Reports results from a national survey, investigating the following: who evaluates journalism and mass communication teaching and how often it is evaluated, what is evaluated, definitions of effective teaching, why teaching is evaluated, and the benefits and shortcomings of evaluation. Concludes assessment of journalism and mass communication…