Extra credit assignments will be available from now until April 21, the last day of class. They're optional! But if your grade is on the line, you might want to do a couple of extra-credit assignments to give yourself a boost. Here are some of the topics you can do:
- After reading/watching Week Six's assigned materials, write 2,000-2,500 words about the Walter McMillian case and the relationship between reporters (ie, David Gelber, who produced the "Johnny D" piece) and attorneys (ie, Bryan Stevenson, the attorney who secured Walter McMillian's release from prison) (10 points possible)
- After reading Week Seven's assigned materials, write 2,000-2,500 words about how Sy Hersh got the My Lai story, whether or not, in your opinion, his reporting methods were ethical, and why you think so (10 points possible)
- 2,000-2,500 words about three of the journalists whose photos are featured on this website (10 points possible)
- Research and pitch a story on any of the following topics that the ISP is currently working on (using a minimum of seven separate research sources, three points possible for each pitch):
- A 1970s-era unsolved murder case involving police brutality
- A look at Louisiana's petrochemical corridor and the historical Black communities that are being pushed off their land there
- A look at how Louisiana became the only state to require hair stylists to know how to style Black hair on their accreditation exam
If you want to get some extra points—or if you're just interested in these stories—then Slack me to let me know which project you'd like to work on and I'll tailor the assignment for you.