Phase I: The Journalist

Phase I: The Journalist

Duration: Weeks 1 to 15 (all 14 teaching weeks) | Points: 150 Develop your voice through weekly reading reflections

Reading this page for MC 501? Use the Graduate edition control in the lower corner of the page. It reveals the graduate requirements for every assignment, and your choice is remembered across the hub and the textbook. MC 451 students should leave it off.

Learning Objectives

By the end of Phase I, you will:

  • Read and comprehend foundational research methods concepts
  • Reflect critically on assigned readings using structured approaches
  • Build a personal knowledge archive in your course workspace
  • Practice translating academic concepts into your own words
  • Establish a weekly writing routine that runs the length of the term

Phase I Overview

The Journalist is a throughline, not a stage. While the other four roles hand you the materials for the next one in sequence, this phase runs alongside all of them from week 1 to week 14.

In this phase you develop the habits of a research journalist: reading critically, reflecting thoughtfully, and documenting consistently. Each week you engage with a chapter of From Vibes to Variables and write a reflection that builds your understanding over time.

The Journalist Mindset

  • Read actively: engage with the text, ask questions, make connections
  • Reflect deeply: consider how concepts apply to your interests
  • Document consistently: build your personal knowledge archive
  • Share openly: contribute to collaborative learning through GitHub

Which chapter, which week

The reading for each week is set by your course schedule, which is the authority on dates:

Assignment: Weekly Reading Journal (150 pts total)

Due: every Friday by 11:59 PM | Scoring: 10 pts per week across 14 teaching weeks, plus 10 pts for consistency across the semester

Each week, write a reflection on the assigned reading. Choose one of three thinking paths:

  1. The Connector: link the reading to your project, other concepts, or real-world examples
  2. The Troubleshooter: document a challenge you encountered and how you worked through it
  3. The Critic: ask critical questions, challenge assumptions, or explore implications

MC 451 requirements

Length: 250 to 300 words per entry.

Write on the assigned chapter. You are not required to read outside the textbook for the journal.

MC 501 requirements

Length: 450 to 500 words per entry.

You read the textbook with the Graduate edition toggle on, which reveals a required graduate extension in every chapter. Each week also carries an assigned peer-reviewed article, listed in the MC 501 schedule.

Your entry must explicitly engage that week’s assigned graduate reading, not only the chapter. An entry that addresses chapter content alone receives a maximum of 7 of 10 points.

Submission

Write your journal entry in your course workspace (01_Journal/) by copying the journal template (_templates/journal-entry.md) into that folder, then submit via Blackboard.

What Makes a Strong Entry

  • Depth over breadth: focus on one or two ideas rather than summarizing everything
  • Specificity: reference specific concepts, examples, or passages
  • Connection: link to your own project or to prior readings
  • Honesty: it is fine to be confused or skeptical, so document your thinking