LT990-7-AU-CO:
Journalism Practice 1 (Words and Sounds)
2024/25
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 13 December 2024
20
03 December 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MA P50012 International Journalism
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.
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.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Write with accuracy, brevity and clarity on deadline for print, radio and digital media.
- Research and produce rigorous factual reporting.
- Conceive, record and edit high quality podcasts on current affairs.
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:
- Writing Fundamentals: Sentences
- News Writing: Leads and Briefs
- News Writing: Body
- News Writing: Accuracy and Brevity
- Feature Writing
- Storytelling
- Finding Stories
- Podcasting: Planning & Writing
- Podcasting: Recording
- Podcasting: Editing
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.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Feature article (1,500 words) |
22/11/2024 |
50% |
| Coursework |
Podcast (5 minutes) |
13/12/2024 |
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
Reassessment
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
Yes
Yes
Yes
Prof William Scott Lucas
University College Dublin
Professor, Clinton Institute
Available via Moodle
Of 27 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
27 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.