Module: Newswriting and Reporting 1

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Newswriting and Reporting 1
Module Code	CM114 (ITS) / JRR1001 (Banner)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Communications
Module Co-ordinator	Dawn Wheatley
Module Teachers	David Robbins
NFQ level	6	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None
Array

Description

The purpose of this module is to teach students the concepts and skills involved in basic news writing and reporting. The module develops basic competencies of professional journalism. Specifically, students will develop, through hands-on practice and feedback, the skills to craft a simple story, and source story ideas. Students will learn several journalistic writing styles and develop an understanding of which is appropriate when. They will hone skills of clear, concise writing, and basic reporting practices such as attending events and conducting interviews. The approach taken addresses the needs of students as: 1] consumers and producers of news who are informed by basic news theory; 2] novice news workers expected to be familiar with elementary reporting methods.

Learning Outcomes

1. Outline a coherent approach to news story construction.
2. Identify characteristics of news from journalistic and sociological perspectives.
3. Demonstrate basic competencies in writing technique.
4. Paraphrase the written and spoken words of sources in an efficient, accurate and ethical way.
5. Complete basic reporting assignments such as covering an event and conducting an interview
6. Discuss current events as a knowledgeable professional.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	44	Students receive substantial assistance in writing weekly basic news stories to deadline in workshops.
Directed learning	2	An in-class-test of basic news writing for news media and the theory which informs it.
Independent Study	132	The reading of essential books, newspapers, websites, e-books and interactive e-books, preparatory study for in-class-tests, seminars, workshops.
Directed learning	50	News consumption for current events quizzes
Directed learning	22	learning of style, including punctuation and grammar to a high level
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Introduction
Module descriptor; reading list; assessment regime. Space and time constraints; deadlines; news v features; media consumption; news production; style.

Defining News
Defining news; journalists v sociologists; muck-raking v gatekeeping; determinants; social responsibility.

Language
Language; print v broadcast; tabloid v broadsheet; common error patterns; vocabulary; abstraction obstructs. • Redundant phrases; needless repetition; variation; agreement; syntax; clarity. • Sentence structure; incorporating the spoken word; third person summary; direct quotes; fair play.

Basics of Reporting
Basics of reporting; accuracy; attribution and positioning; identification; spot v statement/opinion stories.

Balance and Fairness
Balance and fairness; objectivity; opinions in news; verification; common problems; hoax

Approaching a Story
Approaching a story; pre-writing phase; understanding before writing; planning phase; uses and limits of the inverted pyramid; story-telling and delayed intro approaches.

Intros
Intros; five Ws and H; telegram and key word techniques; problem intros.

Building the Body
Building the body; action v statement/opinion story structures; positioning denials; quotes in context; transitions; lists; background – essential, non-essential and for interest.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Assignment	Writing assignments and exercises	65%	n/a
In Class Test	Weekly current affairs quiz	15%	n/a
In Class Test	In-class reporting test	20%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Adams, Sally, Gilbert, Harriett, Hicks, Wynford: 2008, Writing for Journalists, Routledge, London,
Harcup, Tony: 2009, Journalism Principles and Practice, Sage, London,
Hicks, Wynford: 2003, English for Journalists, Routledge, London,
Mencher, Melvin: 2010, News Reporting and Writing, McGraw-Hill, New York,
Schwartz, Jerry: 2002, Associated Press Reporting Handbook, McGraw-Hill, New York,
Smith, Jon: 2007, Essential Reporting, Sage, London,
Truss, Lynne: 2003, Eats, Shoots & Leaves, Profile Books, London,

Other Resources

None