JOU7173 - News Skills

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

Demonstrate competency in researching and gathering information as well as critically evaluating news values, agendas and sources.
Demonstrate proficiency in the journalistic and technical skills required for producing and disseminating output on multiple platforms, including mobile journalism.
Demonstrate proficiency in accessing and processing information from social media and emerging platforms as well as in producing content for them.
Utilise a range of techniques to target specific audiences on different platforms and use analytical techniques to evaluate impact.
Demonstrate competency in accurate and comprehensive note-taking.

Content:

This module uses interactive workshops and formative exercises to introduce students to the full suite of reporting skills across a range of platforms including the following:

spotting a news story or angle; constructing the news agenda and sourcing original stories; researching; cultivating news sources; interviewing skills; analysing complex information including for datajournalism; utilising social media for publication and for newsgathering including verification; telling a story with words, pictures, video and audio to deadline; house styles; targeting audiences and evaluating impact (analytics); shorthand.

The module also prepares students for parts of the NCTJ Diploma (Essential Journalism, Shorthand.)

Learning and Teaching Information:

A series of practical workshops across Semester 1 offering instruction and formative exercises to develop skills and knowledge in producing journalism across a range of platforms. Students also undertake a number of newsday-style workshops for assessment where they produce original content to deadline at the end of Semester 1.

Shorthand classes take place across Semesters 1 & 2.

Workshops
Contact Hours: 70
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Shorthand Classes
Hours: 180
Intended Group Size: Cohort plus BA students

Guided independent study
Hours: 50

Further details relating to assessment
The portfolio will consist of a number of multimedia news stories (including text, images and video) and social media outputs which may be sourced at Journalism & Media Week and during Mojo week. Students will undertake formative exercises in class and receive feedback to help them improve. Tutor feedforward from Journalism & Media Week will also enable students to put points of improvement into practice during their Mojo week assessment.

The shorthand 60wpm test is assessed on a Pass / Fail basis.

Please see Module Handbook for full details.

Assessment:

001 Portfolio; artefacts & related activity; end of semester 1 100%
002 Shorthand; 60wpm min; pass/fail; by end of semester 2 0%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Andrew Glover
Level - 7
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 7PGYL

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