Ethics in Writing

Assignment: You are reporting about the following person.  In a short paragraph, write an excerpt of the story as if you were writing it for a newspaper and choose to include or exclude whatever details you feel necessary. Then, explain why you chose to include or exclude those details underneath the written report. How could this decision relate to ethics in writing, communicating, reporting, etc?

Name: Lorena Bilbury

Age: 20

Education: Private High School, Now junior at Univeristy of Santa Barbara

Ethnicity: Latina

Occupation: Library Assistant at her school

Hobbies: golf, water polo, poetry

Criminal history: none

Parents: Mother, Lauren Bilbury and Father, Henry Bilbury

Personality Summary: Lorena was involved in many activities at her school and was a great team player.  Her water polo team described her as selfless and always doing everything for the better of the team.  She was a focused girl who valued family and friends.

Incident Report: Early Sunday morning on September 16, 2012 Lorena was accused of breaking into her school's student files and stealing pertinent information of another student.  According to Lorena's Professor Augland, "She hasn't been herself lately.  Not ever since team member April Seray took her place on the water polo team." A student said to have seen Lorena leaving the school's office unusually early with a manilla envelope in her hand. At this time a student file is currently untraceable without  confirmation it was stolen, but Lorena is being questioned by police and possibly facing theft charges from the University.

Current Events

Watch the following link :

http://www.hlntv.com/video/2012/08/30/did-identical-twin-sister-beat-stab-mom-death

With the given frame of the story, how is public opinion shaped upon viewing.  What are some good techniques and poor techniques Nancy Grace uses to report the story on her show? What would you do differently as a communicator, journalists, etc.?

FIG Goals

In at least 5 sentences, explain some of the goals you would like to attain as a part of this FIG. This includes but is not limited to, what you expect to learn, what you would like to learn, what resources you would like to have that are relevant to your academic success, and how can this FIG equip you for a future in your career field. Please be thorough as my co-fac and I would love to tailor this class to your general interests and needs.