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SPTM 4800: Multiplatform Storytelling for Sports, Fall 2022
SPTM 4800: Multiplatform Storytelling for Sports, Fall 2022
Course objectives
Grades and assignments
Required materials
Rules and policies
Overall schedule
Module 1: Introductions
Module 2: Writing and interviewing bootcamp
Module 3: Data and visualization
Module 4: Video reporting and editing
Module 5: Trend stories and visual elements
Module 6: Podcasting
Portfolio
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Module 5: Trend stories and visual elements

Remember how I’ve been bugging you about finding an innovation or challenge or issue facing your team? That was for this story. We will be thinking at and looking the way the world is changing for the athletes and teams you’re talking to. Maybe there is something changing in the sport. Maybe there are legal issues, like around Title IX, that could affect them. Maybe the pandemic and resulting mental-health issues have hurt (or helped) their prospects.
Along the way, we’ll also dive into capturing and using still images to tell our stories. You all know as well as I that the printed word is not enough to carry a story. We need some kind of visual referent for people to understand—and stick around to read—anything longer than a couple of paragraphs.
Your final story should be 750 words and also needs two pieces of multimedia. That could be photos, video interviews, or an infographic.
The key thing to remember for this assignment is to get lots of interviews, and set them up quickly. If you can’t line them up by the deadline, it will be very hard to finish your story.
Trend story schedule
7
Day
Date
Time
Type
Module
Description
1
Wednesday
10/31/2022
​11:59 PM
Homework
5
Homework 5_1
2
Tuesday
11/1/2022
​12:45 PM
Class
5
Introduction to trends
3
Wednesday
11/2/2022
​11:59 PM
Field Assignment
5
Field assignment 5_A (two ideas)
4
Wednesday
11/2/2022
​11:59 PM
Homework
5
Homework 5_2
5
Thursday
11/3/2022
​12:45 PM
Class
5
Visual elements
6
Monday
11/7/2022
​11:59 PM
Field Assignment
5
Field assignment 5_B (single story pitch + interview)
7
Tuesday
11/8/2022
​12:45 PM
Class
5
Camera practice
8
Wednesday
11/9/2022
​11:59 PM
Homework
5
Homework 5_3
9
Thursday
11/10/2022
​12:45 PM
Class
5
Story structure and interviewing for content
10
Friday
11/11/2022
​11:59 PM
Field Assignment
5
Field assignment 5_C (three interviews)
11
Monday
11/14/2022
​11:59 PM
Field Assignment
5
Field assignment 5_D (outline)
12
Tuesday
11/15/2022
​12:45 PM
Class
5
From outlines to stories; ledes, nut grafs
13
Wednesday
11/16/2022
​11:59 PM
Field Assignment
5
Field assignment 5_E (lede and nut graf)
14
Thursday
11/17/2022
​12:45 PM
Class
5
Workshop
15
Friday
11/18/2022
​11:59 PM
Field Assignment
5
Field assignment 5_F (final draft w/artwork)
16
Tuesday
11/22/2022
​12:45 PM
Class
5
"Workshop”
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Homework 5_1

Read the following stories and pick one. For that one, write up a short blog post in module5_1 explaining which story you picked, what you found compelling about it, where the reporter got information for the story (i.e. who did she interview, what other sources did she cite, and what did she just assert without showing where she got it) and what you think the reporter could have done better:
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Examining decades-long trends in high school sports
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Amid Concern Over Concussions, High Schools Struggle to Fill Football Rosters
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NIL deals impacting high schools
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Gymnasts Push for Lasting Change After a Coach Is Suspended for Abuse
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WNBA Players Rally Behind High School Hoopers Suspended for Wearing Black Lives Matter Shirts
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Austin FC academy set for MLS Next
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High school junior athletes could take recruiting hit
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Homework 5_2

Tompkins chapters 7 and 9
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Quiz
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Homework 5_3

Read “
The Things that Carried Him
⁠
” (warning: discussion of war deaths and solider funerals).
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Find another story (make sure it’s a reported story, not a blog post or opinion piece). Copy the text and paste into a Google doc. Turn it into a Roman numeral outline where each section has a Roman numeral and each paragraph has an A., B., C., etc. Post a link to module 5_2.

Field assignment 5_A

Identify two trends or issue and find a story about each online. Write a short post in module 5_a explaining the issues, the stories you found, and experts you could consult about what is compelling and timely about the issue. ALSO: DM me a link to your web portfolio.

Field assignment 5_B

Write a one paragraph memo describing the story you want to pursue, at least five people you want to interview for it (including at least two from your team*), what sorts of multimedia lend themselves best to this story, and what makes it important and timely for your beat. Also, conduct one interview for the story and include a brief summary of the interview with key quotes transcribed. Post to module 5_b.
* If your story doesn’t really involve your team, then explain that and identify other player/participants/people on the ground to identify.

Field assignment 5_C

Finish three more interviews (in addition to the one from the previous week). Post a summary of each with key quotes to module 5_c.

Field assignment 5_D

Complete an outline of your entire story. It doesn’t have to be a Roman-numeral outline; it can be a storyboard or set of points to cover. But it should include a paragraph-by-paragraph description of points you want to cover and quotes you have illustrating or illuminating those points. Post a link to a Google doc to module 5_d.

Field assignment 5_E

On top of your outline, add a lede and nut graf written out. Post a link (even if it’s to the same doc) to module 5_e.

Field assignment 5_F

Post your final story to module 5_f.

Rubric:
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Grades and assignments
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