Module: Advanced Reporting

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Advanced Reporting
Module Code	JRR1014 (ITS: CM283)
Faculty	Communications	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	10

Description

This module aims to develop understanding of news and news processes, to develop news judgement, and through practice to equip students with news-gathering and news-writing skills across a range of digital technologies.

Learning Outcomes

1. Assess information for its news value to different audiences
2. Identify and accurately report the main points of news interest in a range of routine assignment
3. Confidently approach and interview a wide range of people, using inititative to establish the facts of rapidly developing news stories
4. Locate and use public records and other documents
5. Pitch, investigate and write original news stories
6. Routinely apply the principles of verification of facts and attribution of statements and opinion
7. Write clearly and economically in a variety of styles across a range of platforms
8. Consider and apply legal and ethical standards, keep notes, and explain any decisions made
9. Use digital online media to research and verify news stories
10. Publish multimedia content across a range of platforms

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	11	Lectures
Lecture	11	Reporting exercises
Laboratory	11	Practical Workshop
Independent Study	92	Daily, critical reading of news media across all platforms
Independent Study	125	No Description
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	20572	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Declan Fahy	Module Teacher	Dawn Wheatley, John Walsh

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Portfolio	Reporting portfolio: selection of news stories originated and produced over the course of the module	70%	Every Week
Assignment	Specialist news topic site showcasing digital production skills, with individual contributions	20%	Once per semester
Laboratory Portfolio	Continuous participation in live, deadlined class activities	10%	Once per semester

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

1. Defining news. Identifying the news point.

2. News writing. Press releases and verification.

3. Style-book. Freedom of Information.

4. Notebooks, contacts, interviews.

5. Speeches and press conferences.

7. Courts and crime reporting.

8. FoI stories.

10. Libel and privacy traps

11. Colour stories.

13. Reporting local government.

14. Numbers, polls, and analysis.

15. Digital media skills
Digital reporting skills, social media practice, interactivity, video and audio reporting, imaging, CMS, SEO, web writing, data journalism, digital/multimedia production. These skills are integrated through the module.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Steve Hill Paul Lashmar: 2014, Online Journlaism The Essential Guide, 1st, Sage, London, 978-1-4462-0734-5
Anna McKane: 2014, News Writing, 2nd, 1-13, Sage, London, 180, 978-1-4462-5629-9
Kovach , Bill & Rosenstiel, Tom: 0, Elements of Journalism,
Randall, David: 0, The Universal Journalist,
Bradshaw P.; Rohumaa L.: 0, The Online Journalism Handbook,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

Online: Additional resources via Moodle,