Internship for students hired to fulfill the responsibilities of the Layout Editor for The Mirror News. The Layout Editor is primarily responsible for the design and organization of content in the production of the Mirror Newspaper. Internship is under the direction of an instructor in the respective discipline. The Internship provides students journalism and design experience beyond that generally available in the classroom. Students will develop comprehension and practice of design skills not only toward pursuing careers in journalism but also other design-related fields. Class may be repeated for credit.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Students will demonstrate the ability to do the following:
- Organize content, photos and advertising into a practical, appropriate layout following the conventions of newspaper design for the Mirror News, such as news columns, feature pages, headings, photos, captions, advertisements, etc.
- Initiate new design ideas with the Mirror News editorial staff.
- Create advertisements when necessary.
- Set and meet strict deadlines.
- Work directly with the printing company to ensure a high-quality product delivered on time.
- Work with Editor-in-Chief in making design decisions for the Mirror News.
- Perform other duties as requested by the Editor-in-Chief and Advisor.
- The student and instructor will meet to create a set of objectives for the semester to produce each issue of the college’s student newspaper.
- The student and instructor will meet for the equivalent of one hour each week per credit hour to work on the upcoming issue of the Mirror News.
- The student will complete work as needed to publish the college’s bi-weekly newspaper, the Mirror News.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will demonstrate the following:
- Set and meet deadlines
- Follow Associated Press guidelines for copyright and ethical standards in journalism.
- Insure all article submissions and advertisements meet the design, production, and quality guidelines of the Mirror News.
- Analyze design elements specific to news production and delivery.
- Use Adobe InDesign and other relevant software to produce the Mirror News.
- Recognize and evaluate accuracy in news production.
- Integrate necessary information from a variety of sources into a logical, organized, and clearly presented news and feature story.
- Evaluate the relevance of news stories.
- Use design elements specific to newspaper production.
Note that a grade of C- is not transferrable and is not accepted by some programs at HFC
Assessment and Requirements
- Student will complete oral and written assignments to evaluate comprehension and effective use of design elements in the production of the Mirror News.
- Weekly consultations with the faculty advisor to the Mirror News.
- Bi-weekly publications of The Mirror News.
- The organization and layout of each issue of the Mirror News.
- Advertisements designed for the Mirror News.
- Students are recommended to have prior working knowledge of: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and Microsoft Word.
- Recommended to have completed a graphic design and/or web design course, or demonstrate proficiency in graphic design and/or web design.
- Recommended to have completed a college-level English course, preferably creative writing and/or a literature course with a grade of "B" or better.
- Recommended to have prior newspaper experience, preferably being a staff member of a high school or college newspaper.
- Recommended to have completed a college-level journalism class, such as JOUR 131.
- Must have cumulative 2.5 GPA and successfully complete at least six credit hours at the end of each semester.
The committee that oversees this course maintains a list of approved texts.