JOU4924 - Practical Journalism 1: News Writing

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Identify local news sources, and possible news angles and stories, for print, online and digital media.
Demonstrate an ability to identify relevant sources and interview effectively, also identifying relevant information and direct quotes
Write basic news stories in an appropriate style for print, online and other platforms
Work effectively in a team
Demonstrate a proficiency in accurate and comprehensive note-taking
Assess their level of preparedness for employability and the working world

Content:

Students will learn how to find, research and write news stories in an appropriate style for different platforms. They will learn and practise interviewing skills. The sessions will be partly classroom-based in workshops but will include a lot of live reporting, and students will build a portfolio covering key skills. This module culminates in a challenging news production project in semester 3. There will be an ethos of preparing for the real-life world of work.
As part of this module, students will also embark on intensive training in fast note taking using the journalism industry standard shorthand, Teeline, and be required to work towards speeds of 80-100 wpm.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Formative feedback will be a high priority throughout semesters 1 and 2. News workshops / supervision
Contact hours: 100
Intended Group size: 25

Shorthand
Contact hours: 112
Intended group size: 35

Guided independent study,br> Hours: 188

Further details relating to assessment
Portfolio 1 will typically cover 6 key competencies and will be compiled during semesters 1 and 2.
Portfolio 2 would normally include some group working as news production teams, and some individual work, including evidence of generating and writing news stories for print, broadcast, online and social media, plus an employability task, such as applying for and being interviewed for a mock job relevant to the student’s area of interest within journalism.
Students are required to submit for all forms of assessment to pass this module.
The teaching of Teeline Shorthand is informed by professional expectations in industry that all trainee journalists learn shorthand. Students must show serious engagement with this element of the module. This will be measured by attendance at sessions, the requirement to submit four transcribed practice passages via Moodle during the course of Semester 1 and the need to make a serious attempt at examination at a speed of at least 50wpm. Students do not make a serious attempt at assessment will not pass the module and, therefore, will not progress to the next level.
Students will be assessed via NCTJ shorthand examinations.
Shorthand is one of the core examinations in the NCTJ Diploma and students MUST obtain shorthand at a speed of at least 80wpm in order to be eligible for the NCTJ Diploma.

Other relevant matters
The highest attained level of Shorthand is to be recorded on the student’s transcript and each stage is progressional from the last.

Assessment:

001 Portfolio 1 Equivalent to 1,500 words Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
002 Shorthand – attended but no wpm attained Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
003 Shorthand Speed Test – 50 wpm attained Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
004 Shorthand Speed Test – 60 wpm attained Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
005 Shorthand Speed Test – 70 wpm attained Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
006 Shorthand Speed Test – 80 wpm attained Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
007 Shorthand Speed Test – 90 wpm attained Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
008 Shorthand Speed Test – 100 wpm attained Pass/fail During/end semester 2 0%
009 Reflective report 500 words During/end semester 2 10%
010 Portfolio 2 Equivalent to 3,500 words During/end semester 3 90%


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