Magazine Editing & Writing 3360 September 2014 | Page 3

ATTENDANCE
Because our goal in this class is to prepare you to be professional writers and editors,
the class will be treated as a “regular day at the office” for us. We’ll consider our
classes as “meetings.” If you miss a meeting, you’re out of the loop and have to rely on
your friends who were there to catch you up. Don’t miss a meeting.
PLAGIARISM
You will fail the course immediately if you plagiarize.
CHEATING
You will fail the course immediately if (1) you turn in an assignment you wrote for
another course and/or (2) you continue to turn in the same assignment with just a
few edits.
PROCESS
Keep the drafts of your assignments in your portfolio. ALL DRAFTS OF YOUR
ASSIGNED WRITING MUST BE ORGANIZED IN YOUR PORTFOLIO FOR MY
REVIEW. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO NOT GRADE (I.E., FAIL) ANY ASSIGNMENT
THAT IS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND DRAFTS.

WRITING REQUIREMENTS
1. Target Magazine Market Analysis – Students will choose a magazine and
analyze its focus, form, and structure by demonstrating how the magazine’s
content, design, advertising, distribution alternatives, social media add-ons, etc.,
are designed to reach that magazine’s target demographics.
2. Proofreading / Copyediting / Developmental Editing – Students will learn the
differences among proofreading, copyediting, and editing, and they will edit one
project and proofread another project for quiz grades.
3. Query letter – Students will write a letter/e-mail pitching an article idea to their
target magazine.
4. Article for Publication – Students will write the article they queried for in the
above assignment.
5. Three Other Freelance Opportunities – Students will write a review, an
essay/opinion, and a wildcard assignment to satisfy online freelance markets.
6. E-Magazine – Students will be assigned an article or articles for an e-magazine
that we have conceived and designed as a class. We plan to e-publish this
magazine and this e-magazine will serve as a sample for your final magazine
assignment.

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