Scholastic Journalism 1997 Abstracts
Scholastic Journalism Division
Disability Legislation as Hands-On News Writing Tool • Beth Haller, Towson University • Using material related to the Americans with Disabilities Act in news writing assignments teaches journalism students a number of crucial points: how and why federal legislation is implemented, how institutions do or do not comply, what attitudes about disability are and how they affect the law, and how to localize a national story to their own campus. This paper is a case study to illustrate the use the ADA as a writing assignment in the journalism classroom and how it provides a multi-level learning experience for students. Disability-related legislation provides a unique opportunity for understanding the implementation of a new form of civil rights in the United States, and students can assess whether changes are taking place in society.
Today’s Youth Sections: Crossing the Boundary of Language and Taste? • Mary Arnold Hemlinger, Newspaper Association of America Foundation • As newspapers rush to cope with declining readership, some appeal to the youth market and create teen sections. Many are partially written by teenagers. Critics say these sections are dumbed down in language and content. Journalism educators can take a leadership role in establishing guidelines in both areas. A January 1997 mail survey provides a profile of sections with teenage staffers. This is a first step for developing teaching materials for youth editors and teenaged staffers.
The Great Divide: High School Newspapers and Advisers in Chicago and the Metropolitan Area • Linda Jones, Roosevelt University • This paper draws on a telephone survey of Chicago high school newspaper advisers and a mail survey of high school newspapers in Chicago suburbs to compare adviser experience, newspaper and Journalism program profiles, media support for papers, limits to student expression and paper’s relative viability Distinct differences emerge between the city and suburbs
Captive Voices and Death by Cheeseburger on the Bayou: Assessing First Amendment Knowledge of Leading High School Journalism Students in Southern Louisiana • Joseph A. Mirando, Southeastern Louisiana University • Over the past quarter century, a series of commissions has consistently recommended that the nation’s secondary schools must devote more attention to First Amendment issues and to the overall improvement of scholastic journalism. The purpose of this paper was to investigate this recommendation by observing a knowledge assessment test given to a group of outstanding high school journalism students from Southern Louisiana. The students’ scores revealed a clear need for better First Amendment education.
Implementation and Effects of the Arkansas Student Publications Act • Bruce L. Plopper, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William D. Downs, Jr., Ouachita Baptist University • A survey of Arkansas journalism advisers indicated some adviser ignorance about the Arkansas Student Publications Act and its requirements, as well as violations of the law by school officials. Results also showed the law had increased the number of existing written student publications policies; that 40% of the policies analyzed gave control of student publications to students, advisers, or a mix of students, advisers, and principals; and that most policies didn’t specify reasonable distribution guidelines.
Choosing a Media Career: Factors Influencing the College Student’s Decision-Making Process • Carolyn H. Ringer, Julie E. Dodd, University of Florida • The major motivations for career selection varied among the majors, based on a survey of students in a university introductory media writing course. Journalism majors selected opportunity to write as the top reason for their major. Advertising and public relations majors selected excitement of job as the top reason for the selection of major and rated opportunity to write as the least desirable aspect of media work. Factors affecting students’ perceptions of majors and careers included high school journalism experience and parents’ influence.
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