Readings and Resources

• “Information Graphics”, by Wikipedia

Examples

• Flickr Infographics Collection, compiled by Flickr
• “40 Useful and Creative Infographics” by Jacob Gube, Six Revisions
• Infographics Depot of Information Graphics, by Infographics Collector
• “Space Shuttle Columbia Infographics Collection,” compiled by Paul Nixon, Nixlog

Instructions

For this project, you will —– . The following guidelines apply:

• Select a topic of interest to the campus community. The topic should lend itself to presentation as an infographic.
• Gather all necessary information relevant to the presentation of your topic.
• Make at least three rough sketches
• Sans serif type must be used (Arial);
• A final copy of the infographic should be saved in JPEG format;
• The project must be submitted to the campus newspaper for publication consideration.

Evaluation

Rating Criteria

• 4 = Excellent
• 3 = Above Average
• 2 = Average
• 1 = Below Average
• 0 = Unacceptable (not submitted or plagiarized)

Visual Reporting Skills and Implementation

Design Strategy and Implementation

Graphics Quality and Selection

Typography

Overall Work Quality and Effort

Readings and Resources

• Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. 43 ed. New York: Basic Books, Inc. 2009.

Instructions

This quiz provides practice in copy editing and identifying common mistakes in the use of grammar, spelling, and style. Consider the following guidelines and procedures:

1. Read each sentence below.
2. Select the sentence that reflects the correct use of grammar, spelling, and style.
3. Accuracy and precision is of critical importance in media writing. Be sure to check each sentence carefully before submitting your answer.

Exercise

Readings and Resources

• Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. 43 ed. New York: Basic Books, Inc. 2009.

Instructions

This quiz provides practice in copy editing and identifying common mistakes in the use of grammar, spelling, and style. Consider the following guidelines and procedures:

1. Read each sentence below.
2. Select the sentence that reflects the correct use of grammar, spelling, and style.
3. Accuracy and precision is of critical importance in media writing. Be sure to check each sentence carefully before submitting your answer.

Exercise

Readings and Resources

• Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. 43 ed. New York: Basic Books, Inc. 2009.

Instructions

This quiz provides practice in copy editing and identifying common mistakes in the use of grammar, spelling, and style. Consider the following guidelines and procedures:

1. Read each sentence below.
2. Select the sentence that reflects the correct use of grammar, spelling, and style.
3. Accuracy and precision is of critical importance in media writing. Be sure to check each sentence carefully before submitting your answer.

Exercise

Readings and Resources

TBA

Instructions

Grammar, style, and spelling diagnostic quizzes will be conducted throughout the semester. These quizzes are based on the 20 most common errors made by writers as identified by composition experts. Information regarding these quizzes and subsequent exercises is as follows:

• Each diagnostic quiz has 10 questions and is worth five points.
  • To pass the quiz and get the maximum amount of points, you must score at least eight out of 10 correct answers.
• If you miss more than two questions on the quiz, you are required to do the following:
  • You must go to the LWC Writing Center and do the prescribed online exercises that correspond to the quiz you were unable to pass (see Exercise section below).
  • Once you’ve completed the exercises, you are required to meet with a writing consultant to discuss and review your exercises. Following your meeting, you will be given a slip that verifies your visit to the Writing Center. It is your responsibility to show your slip to the professor so proper credit may be awarded.
  • If you do not pass a diagnostic quiz and follow the above guidelines, you will be awarded five points for the assignment. Failure to follow the above guidelines after failing a diagnostic quiz will result in  getting no points for the assignment.
• Makeup quizzes are scheduled each Friday, 2:30 p.m.,  in the Slider 201 Computer Lab. This will be the only time makeup quizzes can be administered. Makeup quizzes are only administered in the case of an excused absence. Makeup quizzes will not be administered for unexcused absences.

It is important for you to follow these instructions carefully. You should identify the grammar and style areas where you need help. This is necessary to become a better writer and communication professional.

Exercises

For each of the categories listed below

• Diagnostic Quiz 1: Missing comma after an introductory element
  • Exercise 176: Commas with introductory elements
  • Exercise 257: Commas with introductory elements
  • Exercise 389: Commas with introductory elements
• Diagnostic Quiz 2: Vague Pronoun reference
  • Exercise 1000: Using clear pronoun reference
  • Exercise 164: Vague pronouns
  • Exercise 507: Pronoun reference
• Diagnostic Quiz 3: Missing comma in a compound sentence
  • Exercise 311: Using commas with connecting words
  • Exercise 256: Commas with coordinating conjunctions
  • Exercise 390: Commas with compound sentences
• Diagnostic Quiz 4: Appropriate word references
  • Exercise 539: Avoiding word-choice problems
  • Exercise 812: Word choice
  • Exercise 121: Verb/noun combinations
• Diagnostic Quiz 5: Missing comma(s) with a nonrestrictive element
  • Exercise 549: Commas with appositives and interrupters
  • Exercise 391: Commas with restrictive and nonrestrictive elements
• Diagnostic Quiz 6: Wrong or missing verb ending
  • Exercise 492: Using irregular past-tense verb forms
  • Exercise 493: Using irregular past-tense verb forms
  • Exercise 648: Using the past tense of be
• Diagnostic Quiz 7: Wrong or missing preposition
  • Exercise 937: Identifying prepositions and conjunctions
  • Exercise 76: Conjunctions and prepositions
• Diagnostic Quiz 8: Comma splice
  • Exercise 963: Correcting run-ons and comma splices
  • Exercise 964: Correcting run-ons and comma splices 2
  • Exercise 563: Correcting comma splices and run-on sentences
• Diagnostic Quiz 9: Missing or misplaced possessive apostrophe
  • Exercise 63: Apostrophes in contractions and possessives
  • Exercise 204: Apostrophes showing possession
  • Exercise 100: Apostrophes
• Diagnostic Quiz 10: Unnecessary shift in tense
  • Exercise 305: Correcting shifts in person
  • Exercise 511: Making pronouns consistent in person
  • Exercise 641: Avoiding illogical shifts in voice
• Diagnostic Quiz 11: Unnecessary shift in pronoun
• Diagnostic Quiz 12: Sentence fragment
• Diagnostic Quiz 13: Wrong tense or verb form
• Diagnostic Quiz 14: Lack of subject-verb agreement
• Diagnostic Quiz 15: Missing comma in a series
• Diagnostic Quiz 16: Lack of agreement between pronoun and antecedent
• Diagnostic Quiz 17: Unnecessary comma(s) with a restrictive element
• Diagnostic Quiz 18: Fused sentence
• Diagnostic Quiz 19: Misplaced or dangling modifier
• Diagnostic Quiz 20: Its/It’s confusion

Readings and Resources

• Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. 43 ed. New York: Basic Books, Inc. 2009.

Instructions

This exercise provides practice in copy editing and identifying common mistakes in the use of abbreviations and acronyms in Associated Press (AP) Style. Consider the following guidelines and procedures:

1. Consult the Associated Press Stylebook as a reference for proper journalistic style.
2. Read each sentence below.
3. Select the sentence that best follows Associated Press style
4. Accuracy and precision is of critical importance in media writing. Be sure to check each sentence carefully before submitting your answer.

Exercise

Readings and Resources

• Strunk, W. (1959). The Elements of Style. New York: Macmillan.  Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=13752988.

Instructions

Read the following sentences and make corrections (sentences may have several errors or no errors at all). Rewrite the sentence if necessary. Use William Strunk’s Elements of Style or an English handbook as a reference for this exercise. The following problems may be found in this exercise:

• The possessive singular of nouns
• Using commas in a series
• Parenthetic expressions and commas
• Independent and dependent clauses and rules regarding commas
• Use of colons, semicolons, and dashes
• Relationship of the subject and verb number
• Proper cases of pronouns
• Dangling modifiers
• Active vs. passive voice
• Specific language
• Wordiness
• Varying sentence structure
• Verb tense shifts
• Varying sentence length
• Avoiding a succession of loose sentences
• Expressing coordinate ideas in similar form
• Maintaining verb tense

Assignment

1. The attendance for Dr. Mary Morgans lecture was not encouraging but school officials continued with the program which pleased the speaker and those who did attend.
2. Both countries show their goodwill when the U.S. Secretary of State and the Chinese diplomat met with olive branches.
3. The hamster crawls through the plastic tubes. Almost every night, the rodent has been annoying Amy with the noise.
4. Scientists have acknowledged that the ability to clone is a major breakthrough while now they seek to ban it.
5. Success is measured by perseverance because of it’s importance.
6. The engine was rendered completely inoperable and the parts faulty.
7. In Mrs. Reedy’s class one does not chew gum because they will suffer the inevitable consequences.
8. It was a memorable day when someone released a rooster in the halls of College Hall.
9. Persons of the Methodist faith are meeting tomorrow at their house of worship.
10. The clothes always shrink when my brothers do the laundry because they stay in the dryer too long.

Readings and Resources

• “Information Graphics”, by Wikipedia

Examples

• Flickr Infographics Collection, compiled by Flickr
• “40 Useful and Creative Infographics” by Jacob Gube, Six Revisions
• Infographics Depot of Information Graphics, by Infographics Collector
• “Space Shuttle Columbia Infographics Collection,” compiled by Paul Nixon, Nixlog

Instructions

For this project, you will —– . The following guidelines apply:

• Select a topic of interest to the campus community. The topic should lend itself to presentation as an infographic.
• Gather all necessary information relevant to the presentation of your topic.
• Make at least three rough sketches
• Sans serif type must be used (Arial);
• A final copy of the infographic should be saved in JPEG format;
• The project must be submitted to the campus newspaper for publication consideration.

Evaluation

Rating Criteria

• 4 = Excellent
• 3 = Above Average
• 2 = Average
• 1 = Below Average
• 0 = Unacceptable (not submitted or plagiarized)

Visual Reporting Skills and Implementation

Design Strategy and Implementation

Graphics Quality and Selection

Typography

Overall Work Quality and Effort

Readings and Resources

• “Information Graphics”, by Wikipedia

Examples

• Flickr Infographics Collection, compiled by Flickr
• “40 Useful and Creative Infographics” by Jacob Gube, Six Revisions
• Infographics Depot of Information Graphics, by Infographics Collector
• “Space Shuttle Columbia Infographics Collection,” compiled by Paul Nixon, Nixlog

Instructions

This is an exercise in visual communication. Read the information distributed by the Musitec Sound Company. Based on the data presented, provide a visual solution to simplify the instructions for a general media audience.

• This is a group exercise, but you will first attempt to solve the challenge on your own.
• Once you have sketched out at least three unique ideas, discuss your solutions and develop what your group feels is the most effective visual strategy.
• Implement your visual strategy.
• Be prepared to discuss your solution.

Evaluation

TBA

Instructions

Read the following story and make corrections. Sentences may have several errors or no errors at all. Rewrite sentences and/or phrases if necessary.

Exercise

Phone Costs Place Toll on Lower Ranks: Bell’s deposit fee greater for lower income people

FORT KNOX, KY—Post administrators are concerned that the telphone may become an unaffordable luxury for some Knox Fort residents, following reports of people paying as much as $230 for telephone service

But post officials aren’t the only ones who have expressedconcern over the matter.  Eaarly last year, a Congressional subcommittee launched a stuudy on the break-up of the Amarican Telegraph and Telephone Company (AT&T) and it’s projected impact on low-income families.  In his spe  ech to Congress, Rep. Timothy Wirth, chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications the of House Energy and CommerceCommittee, said that allowing high phone costs to restrict usage could create an “information aristo cracy” and an “information underclass” by the end of the century

Currently at issue for Fort Knox is a deposit charge im  posed by South Central Bell phone services is connnected.  Company officials admitted that officers and higher enlisted personnel are exempted from charge this, providing their credit check is positive.  however, people of lower rank and income, with no previous credit record, are required to pay a minimum deposit fee of $110.  South central bell officials base this fee, which has remained the same since 1981, on the aver   age of long distance phone costs in the louisville/fort knox area.

But according to Ellen downs, manager of collections for South Central Bell, decisions on deposit fees are made in accordance with an individuals ability to pay his or her bill   Downs said that South Central Bell originally did not charge the deposit fee to fort knox residents until “problems” arose with people not paying their bills.  she added that the civilian community is treated the same way.

George Hesson, U.S. army communications command operations officer at Fort Knox, said that rank dis  crimination for charging the deposit fees is “unacceptable.”  He said if Problems arose in collecting the money, the bill could be payed by going through the soldier’s chain of command for action.

“As long as thatperson is in the Army,” said Hesson, “that money is collectible”

Downs said that current efforts to use the Chain of Command have not been totally successful.

“In some cases we’re collecting the money,” Downs said  “But we’re still coming up with lossses.”

Most of South Central Bells collection problems are linked to people in pay grades E-3 through E-5, said Down.  In looking at the losses, she noted that “half are still here (at Fort Knox), and half have moved away.

One problem noted by Fort Knox Public Affairs Officer, Lt. Col. phillip Yacovelli, is the time period South Central Bell allows to collect it’s money before declaring a loss.  Currently the company allows sixty days.

Yacovelli said that a soldier is who assigned overseas sometimes leaves before the last bill arrives.  By the time the soldier receives the bill and it it sent back through the mail, chances are it has already been de  clared a loss.  With this in mind, he feels south central bell should allow at least 90 days.

“Its done in this amount of time throughout the South Central Bell System, ” said Downs  “The cost factor to develop a computer program just for Fort Knox would be too great.”

Currently, negatiations are underway to set up a liaison system between Fort Knox and South Central Bell.  However, at this time no dicision has been made to drop the deposit charges

Aside from Deposit Charges and hook-up fees, residents will find that monthly telephone bills are now higher since the breakup of at&t went into effect Jan. 1.  The dissolution was the result of an agreement between the Federal government and AT&T that ended an eight-year-old antitrust lawsuit against AT&T

When the breakup occ  urred, local companies like South Central Bell became separate firms from AT&T.  Now, AT&T only provides long distance and computer information services.  however, companies local no longer receive the long distance profits formerly used to keep rates local down.

As a result, Residents will be required to pay an “access fee” to cover the costs for connections to long-distance networks.  According to the Federal communications commission (FCC), the access charge will compensate for the loss of subsidies to local phone service from long-distance Revenues.

In december of 1982, the FCC also ruled that long-distance companies must pay into a special fund to help local com   panies pay for service in their areas, rather than making a substantial increase in the Customer’s bill.

Early last year, South Central Bell offered a plan to help curb cost hardships for phone customers.  The plaan was called “measured service,” which allowed a certain calling alllowance and a 25 percent discount in price.  However, Downs said the plan was discoontinued by the Kentucky Public Service Commission until it could be studied more closely

According to an article in the march 20, edition of Chicago Tribune, telephone use in america has catapulted from 31 percent in the 1930s, to 62 percent in 1950, 79 percent in 1960 and finally to 96 percent today.

Fort knox residents and their families requesting phone service from South central bell can now expect to pay a hook-up charge of at least $39, and possibly the $110 deposit fee.  Otherexpe enses will be for the buying of leasing of a telephone from the company of the soldier’s choice