LT990-7-AU-CO:
Journalism Practice 1 (Words and Sounds)

The details
2024/25
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 13 December 2024
20
13 July 2023

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

MA P50012 International Journalism

Module description

This is the core practice module. It will focus mainly on reporting, writing, and digital skills. The aim is to give students the ability to research newsworthy stories and write with accuracy, brevity, and clarity. The first four sessions will focus on news writing. The next three will focus on feature writing. The last three sessions will be devoted to podcasting, with an emphasis on storytelling.

Module aims

Research has shown that employers in the news media prize writing and digital skills above all else. The aim of this module is to help you hone your writing and acquire the digital skills to produce and publish high quality podcasts.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Write with accuracy, brevity and clarity on deadline for print, radio and digital media.

  2. Research and produce rigorous factual reporting.

  3. Conceive, record and edit high quality podcasts on current affairs.

Module information

The MA International Journalism is for students interested in developing skills for a career in journalism and the media. This is the first of two intensive practice modules that take a multimedia approach to journalism. In the first module we focus on writing and podcasting (the second focuses on video). Because of the range of skills it covers, it will be useful to students regardless of their experience - or lack thereof - in journalism.


The module will be organized along the following lines:



  1. Writing Fundamentals: Sentences

  2. News Writing: Leads and Briefs

  3. News Writing: Body

  4. News Writing: Accuracy and Brevity

  5. Feature Writing

  6. Storytelling

  7. Finding Stories

  8. Podcasting: Planning & Writing

  9. Podcasting: Recording

  10. Podcasting: Editing

Learning and teaching methods

The module will be delivered in 10 weekly sessions that will include a one hour lecture followed by a two hour workshop. Drop in sessions will provide students with extra support.

Bibliography*

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Feature article (1,500 words)     50% 
Coursework   Podcast (5 minutes)    50% 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Idrees Ahmad, email: m.i.ahmad@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Idrees Ahmad
LiFTS General Office, email liftstt@essex.ac.uk Tel. 01206 872626

 

Availability
Yes
Yes
Yes

External examiner

Prof William Scott Lucas
University College Dublin
Professor, Clinton Institute
Resources
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.

 

Further information

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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