2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

COMM1345 Journalism News Skills

20 creditsClass Size: 45

Module manager: John Sinclair
Email: j.sinclair@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Pre-requisite qualifications

Incoming Study Abroad Students must have taken COMM1305 to take this module.

Pre-requisites

COMM1305

Introduction to Journalism

Module replaces

COMM1340 Journalism Research Tecniques

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module builds on Introduction to Journalism to develop key skills in news reporting such as finding and evaluating relevant information, conducting interviews and understanding data. It also introduces students to the ethical and legal requirements for news reporting. It will also provide students with further practice in news production – finding and selecting stories, news writing and multimedia news gathering.

Objectives

This module builds on COMM 1305 to build students skills in researching and producing news content. Students will be introduced to key skills in news researching – gathering and evaluating information, using data, and source types. It will extend students interviewing skills (introduced in COMM 1305) including different question forms and interview techniques. The module introduces students to media law and ethics.

Learning outcomes
At the end of the module students should be able to:
1 Demonstrate and understanding of organisational and social structures that are important for journalists
2 Demonstrate the ability to understand and evaluate a range of different kinds of information relevant to journalism
3 Apply media research skills effectively in producing factual material for multimedia news output
4 Demonstrate an understanding of ethics, law and regulation relevant to the practice of journalism and apply this in the production of journalistic work

Skills outcomes
Interviewing, desk research, understanding official documents, media law

Syllabus

Teaching in lectures will cover ethics and law as well as provide students with an introduction to key institutions relevant to journalism – such as local councils, local government and the courts.
Practical classes will provide an opportunity for hands on learning of research skills. Students will be encouraged to find and critique information and will have the opportunity to develop specific skills in understanding data. It will also provide an opportunity for further engaging with news media content in order to deepen students understanding of news conventions.
Seminars will provide the opportunity for students to discuss concepts in ethics and law and receive formative feedback.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Workshop	2	6.00	12.00
Lecture	7	1.00	7.00
Practical	10	2.00	20.00
Seminar	7	1.00	7.00
Private study hours			154.00
Total Contact hours			46.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Private study should be dedicated to research and preparation of the essay (approx 40 hours) and
research and preparation of the news research project, webpage and ‘newsdays’ (approx 107 hours).

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

The hands on approach to teaching on the module provides students with frequent opportunities for formative feedback in terms of their research skills. Students will have the opportunity to sit a ‘mock’ law exam in their seminar classes and will be provided with feedback on this in time to support their preparation for the exam.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Practical	Multimedia news product including image/sound and short project report (1,000 – 1,500 words)	65.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		65.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	1 hr 00 mins	35.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		35.00

The exam is a requirement of the accrediting organisation for the BA Journalism/ BA Broadcast Journalism the BJTC.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 26/04/2017

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