Hi, my name is Cynthia McCune and I’ll be your server instructor this semester. Journalism 61 is a fully online class and this blog is its home page.

About a week before the start of classes, I’ll email everyone who is registered for this class with instructions on getting started.

Since most of your writing assignments will be delivered to me on a blog, the first thing you’ll need to do is set up your own blog for this class. Click here for directions on how to set up a blog. If you run into any problems, email me cynthia.mccune [at] sjsu.edu.

To confirm that you’ve completed the first assignment (setting up your blog), please email your blog’s URL (web address) to me at cynthia.mccune [at] sjsu.edu by 6 p.m. Saturday (that’s the first Saturday of the first full week of the semester). That will be my cue to subscribe to your blog and make sure you’re in my email list for the class. Some assignments will be emailed, so you’ll want to make sure you’re on my list.

Once you’ve created a blog, you’ll also need to know how to log in and create new “blog posts” to submit your assignments. Click here for directions on how to do that.

By the way, you can also find “how to” information related to this class by clicking on the “How To’s” link under the “Categories” heading at the top left column of this blog.

P.S. While you’re at it, please click on the links at the top of this page to review the Journalism 61 syllabus, grading, class schedule, assignments and the class resources page. You’ll need this information to successfully complete the class. Also check out the PDFs and Podcasts page for class materials you can download or listen to.

A word of advice: The best way to pass this class is to complete all of the assignments on time, and to revise them as needed to correct any errors I point out in my comments. Conversely, the easiest way to fail this class is to skip a bunch of the assignments.