Module: Newswriting and Reporting 2

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Newswriting and Reporting 2
Module Code	JRR1002 (ITS: CM116)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Communications
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	10

Description

The purpose of this module is to provide students with the necessary know-how to develop their traditional and digital reporting skills. Students will build on what was covered in the semester one Introduction to Newswriting & Reporting module, by tackling more complex stories and interviews, and adding in some mobile reporting using smartphones to capture audio and video material. Students will also complete workshops to based on the topics covered in the lectures, and throughout the semester will be taught about the importance of research and preparation, dealing with various sources and conducting effective interviews, reporting via mobile devices, and how to best communicate their work to a diverse range of audiences.

Learning Outcomes

1. Develop reporting skills to produce accurate and informative journalism (Demonstrate awareness of one's communication abilities, including areas for development.).
2. Apply key concepts in journalism studies to day-to-day work situations
3. Interview news sources in an effective and professional manner.
4. Assemble interesting complete stories which inform and/or entertain audiences (Communicate effectively in written or other non-oral formats, adapting to the audience profile as required).
5. Use smartphones as a journalistic device to help record and edit material
6. Produce audio and video content on smartphone
7. Produce video content suitable for social media and messaging

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	A structured incremental approach is taken to subject matter.
Workshop	24	Critical discussions of key topics based on essential reading of books, e-books and interactive e-books.
Independent Study	150	The reading of essential books, e-books and interactive e-books, preparatory study for in-class-tests and workshops
Assignment Completion	52	No Description
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	20566	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Martin Molony	Module Teacher	David Robbins, Dawn Wheatley, Declan Fahy, John Walsh

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
In Class Test	n/a	15%	n/a
Assignment	Written report(s)	20%	n/a
Assignment	Mobile journalism exercise	15%	n/a
Digital Project	Produce final multimedia report that combines text and audio/video material	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

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

Material TBC

Introduction
Syllabus; reading list; assessment regime; news hounds and dogfights; war reporters.

Interviews
Interview technique; spot, informal and formal interviews; looking and listening; note-taking and recording; anonymous sources. Interview research; rapport; setting up interviews; wording of questions; sequence and timing; observation; hostile sources. Controlling the interview; off-the-record information; beat friendships; closing the interview; PR counter-strategies.

News Sources
Three takes on news – localising, follow-ups and round-ups; reporting statistics; story categories; briefs; capturing the spoken word – action and discussion meetings, symposia.

Reporting Methods
Press conferences: gang interviews, press packs and exclusives; speeches: advance scripts and embargoes; late additions and excisions; attendance and crowd size.

News Reporting
Road accidents, fire and weather stories; covering major disasters; allocating the workload; monitoring copy flow; responsible reporting. Reporting sport: screaming Syd goes to war; overkill; perspective. Reporting crime: violent v property crime; investigations; arrests. Covering courts and tribunals: criminal and civil jurisdiction; legal actors; reporting restrictions; what is allowed; what is not; contempt of court; defamation. Reporting local and national politics: learning the system; pre- and post-election coverage. Obituaries: celebrating the dead; self-censorship and euphemism; critical obits. Reporting business: straight coverage; analysis; following leads; comment; insider dealing.

News Specialisms
Investigative journalism. Foreign correspondence.

Reporting Next
The media ecology of Journalism 3.0

Journalism & PR
Spin, churnalism and blur.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Adams, Sally & Hicks, Wynford: 2009, Interviewing for Journalists, Routledge, London,
Allan, Stuart & Zelizer, Barbie: 2010, Keywords in News and Journalism Studies, McGraw-Hill, New York,
Anderson, Douglas & Itule, Bruce: 2008, News Writing and Reporting for Today's Media, McGraw-Hill, New York,
Andrews, Phil: 2005, Sports Journalism, Sage, London,
Bender, John R., Davenport, Lucinda D., Drager, Michael W., Fedler, Fred: 2009, Reporting for the Media, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
Boyle, Raymond: 2006, Sports Journalism, Sage, London,
Briggs, Mark: 2009, Journalism Next, Sage, London,
Craig, David A.: 2011, Excellence in Online Journalism, Sage, London,
Davies, Nick: 2008, Flat Earth News, Chatto & Windus, London,
de Burgh, Hugo: 2008, Investigative Journalism, Routledge, London,
Ettema, James S. & Glasser, Theodore L.: 1998, Custodians of Conscience: Investigative Journalism and Public Virtue, Columbia University Press, New York,
Franklin, Bob, Hamer, Martin, Hanna, Mark, Kinsey, Marie, Richardson, John E.: 2005, Key Concepts in Journalism Studies, Sage, London,
Gisondi, Joe: 2010, Field Guide to Covering Sports, Sage, London,
Gross, Peter & Kopper, Gerd G.: 2011, Understanding Foreign Correspondence, Peter Lang, New York,
Harrower, Tim: 2010, Inside Reporting, McGraw-Hill, New York,
Keeble, Richard & Mair, John: 2011, The Internet and Journalism Today, Arima, UK,
Kovach, Bill & Rosenstiel, Tom: 2001, The Elements of Journalism, Three Rivers Press, New York,
Kovach, Bill & Rosenstiel, Tom: 2010, Blur: How to Know What is True in the Age of Information Overload?, Bloomsbury, London,
Papper, Robert: 2010, Broadcast News & Writing Stylebook, Allyn & Bacon, Boston,
Paulos, John Allen: 1997, A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper, Anchor Books, New York,
Price, Lance: 2010, Where Power Lies, Simon & Schuster, London,
Randall, David: 2007, The Universal Journalist, Pluto Press, London,
Svegfors, Mats & Benko, Cilla: 2011, Journalism 3.0 Media Ecology and the Future, Interactive e-book: http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=4042, Sweden,
Waters, T.J.: 2011, Prior to the Snap, E-book: www.tjwaters.com/pdf/priortothesnap.pdf, USA,
Williams, Kevin: 2011, International Journalism, Sage, London,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None