MODULE OUTLINE
Spring Term
Monday 20th January – Friday 11th April 2014
Module code: JN800
Number of Credits: 45
Length of Module: 12 weeks (Spring Term). This includes a reading week
Weekly Contact Hours: 6 hours per week – combined lectures and seminars/workshops
Expected number of Student Study Hours: Students will spend at least 100 hours in private study and at least 200 hours working on portfolio pieces and preparing for timed exercises. They will spend a further 54 hours in revision for examinations.
Convenor: Lee Kenny
Email :
Telephone: 01634 888871
CONTENTS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
A. Contents Outline
This module is your core reporting module. It will help you develop a systematic understanding of different forms of journalism and a critical awareness of how they are practised professionally alongside the principles of accuracy and fairness. It will enable you to develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles of investigative reporting, including thorough research, following leads to a conclusion and assessing the value and veracity of sources. At the end of the module you will demonstrate the ability to generate original journalism for a range of media outlets. You will be aware of the ethical and practical constraints on the practice of journalism and opportunities and challenges facing journalists in the digital age. You will have obtained newsgathering and news writing skills. You will also be able to produce other forms of journalism including features and reviews.
All students are expected to attend lectures and seminars each week. Seminars are wide-ranging, offering students the opportunity to discuss the various practical, ethical, social issues affecting journalism.
As well as using recommended texts, students will also be provided with hand-outs which they should keep safe in a dedicated folder.
B. Synopsis
Each week follows roughly the same pattern: Monday is focussed on acquiring practical journalism skills; Wednesday is a more theoretical look at journalism practice in society; Friday is dedicated to perfecting the skill of news writing with specific exercises.
Monday 10am / Wednesday 10am / Friday 10amWeek 1 w/c 20/01 / Introduction to Spring Term. Outline of assessment/key dates. / Sourcing/writing News recap / Lee Kenny/Ron Green NCTJ Exam prep
Week 2 w/c 27/01 / Mock Timed News Writing Test / 11am-12pm – News Reporting Class
1pm - Talk by Sarah Kavanagh from the National Union of Journalists / Lee Kenny/Ron Green NCTJ Exam prep
Week 3 w/c 03/02 / A Rough Guide to British Politics / House of Commons write-up / Lee Kenny/Ron Green NCTJ Exam prep
Week 4 w/c 10/03 / Social Media for Research / Coursework (1)
Timed News Writing Test 1 / Lee Kenny/Ron Green NCTJ Exam prep
Week 5 w/c 17/03 / District Challenge / District Challenge Write-up / Lee Kenny/Ron Green NCTJ Exam prep
Week 6 w/c 24/02 / Feature Writing / Coursework (1)
Timed News Writing Test 2 / Lee Kenny/Ron Green NCTJ Exam prep
Week 7 w/c 03/03 / Reading Week / Reading Week / Reading Week
Week 8 w/c 10/03 / Travel Writing / Travel Writing / Ron Green NCTJ Exam prep
Week 9 w/c 17/03 / NCTJ Exam (2.5 hrs) / Portfolio Prep
Week 10 w/c 24/03 / Portfolio Prep / Coursework (1)
Timed News Writing Test 3 / Portfolio Prep
Week 11 w/c 31/03 / Reviews / Reviews / Portfolio Prep
Week 12 w/c 07/04 / Portfolio Prep / Portfolio Prep / Deadline for Print Portfolio
Assessment
Coursework 1: Timed News Writing Tests: These will take place in class time during the Spring term on:
- Wednesday 12th February at 10.15am
- Wednesday 26th February at 10.15am
- Wednesday 26th march at 10.15am
The test will include writing copy to different lengths under deadline; suggesting ideas for following up news stories and taking down an accurate shorthand note of statements, to include quotes in their work. An average mark for all three tests will be taken for the final mark. As in University exams failure to attend on these days will result in no mark being given for the test unless a concession form is filled in beforehand.
Coursework 2: Portfolio of work: Your JN800 Portfolio must be handed in on the last day of the Spring term (Friday 11th April by 12.30pm). Your portfolio should consist of:
•One review, One comment piece & One travel article (250-300)
•Two Features (600-800)
•Three News Articles (300-350)
Note: You cannot submit a piece of work which has previously been submitted and assessed for another module
Unlike your NCTJ portfolio, there is a 10 per cent mark for originality.
Coursework 2 assessments must be submitted electronically on the Moodle page.
A note on plagiarism – Please read the appropriate section in the student handbook. If you have any queries at all about referencing your written work please come to talk to me.
EXAMINATION
The Examination counts for 40% of the overall final mark. It will take the form of a 3 hour unseen paper and will contain a range of questions across the syllabus. Part One of the exam consists of three essay questions of which you must answer one. Part Two consists of several shorter answer questions.
The date for the exam has yet to be set by the University but it will be in the Summer Term (May/June)