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Practical Journalism 1

  • Module code: JO4001
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 4
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Co-requisites: None

Summary

Writing is a key communication tool of journalism. This module introduces students to the language, practical conventions, contexts and functions of written journalism in the multimedia environment. Through studying and critically analysing the structure, style and content of articles published on websites, in newspapers and magazines students will begin to develop an understanding of how copy is gathered, put together and directed at specific readerships.

Through lectures and through practice in workshops students will learn to identify a story from raw, diffuse or incomplete information by the application of news values, to write it in appropriate style, to add headlines and online "furniture" and to upload it to a content management system.

Writing clear, accurate and engaging text relies on understanding and applying the rules of grammar, using the right words and constructing coherent prose. This module also helps students to boost their grammar and punctuation skills, choose and use appropriate words and craft effective sentences and paragraphs. Students will discover the underlying rules and principles, consider the impact of their writing decisions and develop their own writing and editing skills.

Also, by examining and practising skills needed to develop and write pieces such as: originating ideas, researching, assessing the reliability of sources, interviewing, organising material and adhering to house style, students will aim to produce journalistic news pieces and feature articles that are suitable for publication.

Aims

  • To introduce students to the principles, demands and disciplines of journalism as a written craft and enable them to apply their understanding to the production of news and features across different platforms.
  • To develop critical awareness of the processes involved in producing copy and of the demands on journalists of editing and production imperatives in a multimedia environment.
  • To instigate knowledge of how and why journalism is directed at specified readers.
  • To foster core journalism skills including identification of the characteristics of a news story, originating feature ideas, interviewing, researching, organising material, and adhering to house style.
  • To develop students' writing and editing skills and improve their English spelling, punctuation, grammar and syntax.

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of how contemporary journalism is produced and received including the demands and discipline of news journalism.
  • Write, sub-edit and upload news reports in a basic news agency style, complete with headlines, keywords and hyperlinks and make editorial judgements under pressure of time.
  • Produce accurately written and clearly expressed pieces of journalism for a specified readership.
  • Originate and develop feature ideas and research pieces from a standing start selecting and using an appropriate range of primary and secondary sources.
  • Identify stories in raw, diffuse or incomplete information, or information presented in specialist or unfamiliar formats.
  • Generate effective writing, with an acknowledgement of common writing errors and the principles of correct grammar and punctuation.

Curriculum content

  • What makes a story a story? Understanding and applying news values
  • Who will read your journalism? How is a story communicated clearly and efficienctly to the reader?
  • How can a feature be defined? Is a feature the same as or different from news? In what ways? What are the various feature genres? How are features approached?
  • What's the difference between a topic and an angle? What makes a good feature idea and where will it come from?
  • Why does a journalist have to do research? What are sources? Where's the best place to go for information? What are the most effective techniques?
  • What are direct quotes used for and how are they obtained? Why are the conventions of interviewing important in journalism?
  • Asking the right questions, note-taking, identifying quotes, finding information
  • How to structure, plan, organise and select material
  • Writing well: how does writing succeed? Using correct English, grammar, spelling and punctuation and writing to a specified house style.
  • Using relevant technologies and formats to produce journalistic pieces
  • The importance of accuracy and attention to detail in producing journalism.
  • Analysing examples from current news reports and feature articles.

Teaching and learning strategy

This module will be delivered through weekly lectures and related lab-based workshops. The workshops will be practical supported by short talks and learning materials. These will also involve group work, presentations, discussions and written exercises. Students will be supported to produce pieces of journalism and will be expected to undertake journalistic activities in their independent study time. Students' grammar and effective writing will be enhanced by completion of an online course on grammar, punctuation, word use and syntax. 

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching 2 x 1hr lecture 2 x 2hr workshops 44 88
Guided independent study Finding, developing, researching and writing news and features journalism. Online grammar and writing course. 168
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

The assessment for this module is designed to test students' knowledge of the key conventions of written journalism, their ability to apply core journalistic skills and to identify stories and write, produce and present them to meet the demands of modern journalism. Students will be assessed formatively in class during presentations and written exercises and summatively by the production of a portfolio of news and feature articles and a group publication.

Element of Assessment

Portfolio of news stories, features, timed tests and quizzes (1500 words equivalent) 70%
Group production of a publication (1000 words equivalent) 30%

Students must pass the online grammar and effective writing course to complete the module.

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
1) Demonstrate an understanding of how contemporary journalism is produced and received including the demands and disciplines of news journalism Formative assessment of news writing and other written class exercises; summative assessment in the portfolio of written journalism and group publication
2) Write, sub-edit and upload news reports in a basic news agency style, complete with headlines, keywords and hyperlinks and make editorial judgements under pressure of time Formative assessment of news writing in workshops; summative assessment in written portfolio and timed class test
3) Produce accurately written and clearly expressed pieces of journalism for a specified readership Formative assessment in class presentation and written exercises; summative assessment in written portfolio
4) Originate and develop feature ideas and research pieces from a standing start selecting and using an appropriate range of primary and secondary sources Formative assessment in class presentation and written exercises; summative assessment in written portfolio
5) Identify stories in raw, diffuse or incomplete information, or information presented in specialist or unfamiliar formats Formative assessment of news writing in workshops; summative assessment in written portfolio and timed class test
6) Generate effective writing, with an acknowledgement of common writing errors and the principles of correct grammar and punctuation. Formative assessment on completion of online grammar and effective writing course; summative assessment in written portfolio and group publication

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
Coursework Portfolio 70
Coursework Group publication 30
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

Hicks, W. et al. 2008 Writing for Journalists London:Routledge

Bibliography recommended reading

  • Adams, S. & Hicks, W. 2009 Interviewing for Journalists London: Routledge 
  • Bradshaw, P. & Rohumaa, L. 2011 The Online Journalism Handbook: Skills to Survive and Thrive in the Digital Age Longman Practical Journalism Series 
  • Wheeler, S. 2009 Feature Writing for Journalists London: Routledge 
  • Harcup, T. 2009 Journalism Principles and Practice (Sage, London) 
  • Hennessy, Brendan, (2006) Writing Feature Articles (Focal Press) 
  • Hicks, Wynford (2011) English for Journalists (Routledge, London) 
  • Keeble, R (ed) (2005) Print Journalism: A Critical Introduction (London: Routledge) 
  • Keeble, Richard (2012). The Newspapers Handbook (London: Routledge) 
  • McKay, Jenny (2005) The Magazines Handbook (London: Routledge)
  • Truss, Lynne (2002) Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (Profile)
  • Strunk, William, and White, E.B., (2000) The Elements of Style (Longman)

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