JOU5404 - Practical Journalism 2: Newswriting

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of news reporting and newswriting;
Demonstrate a critical understanding of the differences in style and content involved with news reporting compared to features/creative writing;
Demonstrate the ability to generate, develop and research ideas (including interpersonal communication and interview skills);
Apply practical journalism skills within an online context;
Demonstrate knowledge of a content management system and skills in the creation of multi-media online content, according to the established guidelines of best professional practice.

Content:

Students will examine key areas of news reporting through formative and summative practical exercises in class, with articles published online. Includes use of authoritative sources, research, interview and writing skills. Students have free rein over geographical area and subject matter covered. In Semester 1 students take part in informal peer assessment and feedback exercises. In Semester 2 students are introduced to content management system/s and are required to create and display multi-media content, e.g. headlines, text, images, captions, hyperlinks and video, and promote their work via social media.

Learning and Teaching Information:

This module is taught via a series of interactive workshops and assessment workshops which are run as professional newsroom sessions.

Workshops
Hours: 80
Intended Group size: 50

Guided independent study
Hours: 320

Further details relating to assessment

Multi-Choice Quizzes: There will be a multiple-choice quiz on Moodle, usually every fortnight, with approx. 10 questions per quiz.
Portfolio 1: would normally include 4 x 400-word news articles plus photo/s and caption/s submitted to deadline on 'newsroom days' throughout Semester 1. At the end of semester, students will be expected to submit all stories to Moodle and identify in a minimum of 100 words which is their best story and why. This story must have been produced to deadline, and will be awarded the numeric mark.
Portfolio 2: would normally include 1 x 2,000-word equivalent multi-media news web page, to include (for example): a main story, supplementary sidebars/fact-files, video/s (minimum of 1 minute duration of self-shot material), headlines, photos, captions, hyperlinks, social media postings, etc.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Jennifer Kean
Level - 5
Credit Value - 40
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -

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