Take a good look at how Bob Woodward gathers information in Chapter 1 of All the President's Men.  What does it reveal about the work of an investigative journalist? Refer to specific examples of his techniques in the reading.

Read the blog entry entitled "Photographing Conflict for the First Time" (see link). React to this story. What impression does this blog give of photojournalism as a profession? Discuss the conflict between "green" photographers and veteran photographers as voiced in this piece. Do you see evidence of this kind of conflict in other industries?

Read 'Parents fear Hunger Games too violent for young fans' and react to the points made in the article. Weigh in with your own opinion. Explain your perspective persuasively.

Read "Do's and Don'ts of Storify" by Dave Copeland.
Respond to the medium:
In your blog response, explain your understanding of what "Storify" is. Do you agree with this writer's analysis of these two Storify pieces, is one more effective than the other? How might this form of journalism be effective in crafting a story? How might this form of journalism lead to shoddy reporting?

Respond to the story:
While the student rally focused on gay rights and maintaining a tolerant and safe campus, one commenter notes that the real message of the rally should be about protecting freedom of speech. What kind of implications does the incident at Bridgewater have for journalists regarding their ability to express ideas freely? Did the rally organizers miss the point, in your opinion? Explain. (Don't forget to comment on 2 peer blogs as part of your blog activity for today).

Reading and writing a feature

Read "Teaching Girls How to Rock" feature article. First, respond to the story. Who do you think the target audience is? What is the intended purpose of the piece? How does the article begin? How would you characterize the writer's voice in this piece? How many sources does the article include? What kind of background information does the story provide and how do you think the writer found this information?

Now think about your own feature story. Begin by listing your hobbies and interests. Then think about which of these may have an interesting story to craft within it. Write a proposal for a feature story based on something from your list. Remember that a proposal is a pitch--you need to convince your editor that this story is worth the time and money it will take to develop it. Obviously make it a reasonable project, something you can complete in a 2 week time span.

Feb. 16, 2012:  Your local media
Check out the Andover Townsman today. Select a news story or sports story to respond to. Provide a summary of the who, what, when, where, why/how of the story. Provide a personal reaction, if you choose, to the issue being reported, then provide analysis of the story itself. Comment on the headline choice, the sources used or the lack of sources if there are none, whether or not the piece is factual or primarily opinion, whose opinions are expressed, if any, the quality of the writing, etc.