module specification

This module provides students with the basic skills required write clear, grammatically correct and concise journalistic copy across a range of media platforms. Practical skills will be taught by examining good journalistic practice across all platforms, including social media. Interview skills will be taught through reporting tasks. These will be set within the context of current affairs and ongoing media debates. This module aims to:
● Equip students with the ability to write copy to a publishable standard with no factual or grammatical errors;
● Aid students in writing headlines for print as well as crafting web headlines and tweets suitable for online and social media;
● Develop research skills across printed, electronic and primary sources.
● Develop social skills needed for interviews and vox pops.

The first 15 weeks of this module will focus on training students to write stories to a publishable standard. Topics include:

● Grammar course, focusing on sentence construction, tenses, use of capital letters, how to punctuate direct and grab quotes, simplifying language, cutting jargon and avoiding comment in news pieces;
● House style – comparing house styles of different newspapers and magazines, basic house style rules for all media in the UK;
● - Intro writing and news story structure – the inverted triangle, the five Ws;
● Headline writing – considerations of SEO for online and filling a given space for print
● Writing for social media – crafting tweets, Instagram messages, Facebook posts etc;
● Writing news articles– nibs, short reports.

The second half will focus on generating news stories. Topics include:
● Following up a press release;
● Identifying what is news-worthy in relation to specified readership;
● Chasing down a news agenda;
● Identifying  appropriate and trusted sources of information, with regard to regulation;
● Creating and using contacts to gain information and quotes, honing contacts and Twitter/Instagram messaging;
● Using vox pops;
● Building case studies and interview techniques to obtain information and facts;
● News vs features and when to use each style.

Learning Outcomes LO 1 - 4

One two hour session per week, followed by one hour story writing/ coaching tutorial to ensure students with varying abilities and experience are stretched and challenged appropriately.  There will be a combination of lectures, practical writing and design exercises and student presentations.  Students will work individually to complete tasks with the support of a tutor as well as work in groups/pairs to feedback on each other’s work and to research presentations. Students will complete a learning journal at the end of each session, which will be graded.

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. Recognise and select important, relevant and newsworthy facts from written and verbal sources, using appropriate skills or techniques;

2. Report these to a publishable standard free from grammar and factual errors;

3. Create accurate, clear, vigorous and balanced news stories, headlines and tweets in a form that will attract and interest the reader, viewer or listener for print, online and social media;

4. Demonstrate how to interview subjects and gain newsworthy information.

A combination of coursework, in-class tests, presentations and journal entries.

All assessments meet all learning outcomes.

Summative assessments:
Writing coursework – writing portfolio 1,000 words
In-class test on headlines, tweets and nibs: 1 hour
Final news story with two case studies: 400 +200 + 200 words.

https://londonmet.rl.talis.com/modules/sj3002.html

The most important reading will be online and of current journalism

Core:

Evans, H. (Revised edition, 2000) Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers. London. Random House Ltd

Additional:

Davies, N. (2008) Flat Earth News. London. Random House Ltd
Harcup, T. (2015) Journalism Principles and Practice: London.  Sage
Hutton, R. (2013). Romps, Tots and Boffins. London. Elliot Thompson Ltd
Truss, L. (2003). Eats, Shoots and Leaves. London. Profile Books

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism 
https://en.support.wordpress.com
http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/
https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk
http://impress.press
https://www.ipso.co.uk/IPSO/index.html
https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk
https://www.journalism.co.uk