Module Code and Title:        JRN102 Writing for Media

Programme:                          BA in Communication Arts and Creative media

Credit:                                    12

Module Tutor:                       Pallavi Majumdar (Coordinator), Damber K Ghimiray

General objective: This module aims to introduce students to the fundamentals of journalism and builds up their skill set in journalistic writing. The module will discuss various journalistic formats such as hard news stories, features, reviews, and equip students to write clearly and accurately for multiple media platforms using appropriate format and proper writing conventions. Students will be able to learn newsgathering including ideation, beat reporting and interviewing. 

Learning outcomes – On completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Explain the principles of journalism
2. Compare various news formats and structures
3. Generate ideas for different news stories using appropriate news angles 
4. Use sources appropriately to extract relevant information
5. Write content for diverse forms of media using appropriate processes and tools
6. Edit and rewrite for various forms of media writing
7. Produce artifacts of media writing for different media platforms that purposely blend multimedia content. 

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Assessment Approach:

Students will individually write the lead of a news story in a maximum of 25 words based on a contemporary topic.

5    Appropriate headline, lead and news angle   

5    Effective organisation and writing style           

Students will be required to individually write an interview piece of 550-700 words. An interview permission form and photo of the subject(s) must be turned in with the interview piece.

2    Introduction

3    Focus/Angle

3    Quality of questions

5    Journalistic Writing

2    Photograph

Students will individually write a news story in 450-500 words on a contemporary topic which has news value. Once the topic is decided, the student will do the background research and identify the sources of information. They will conduct interviews of at least 4 sources before filing the copy. They will also click an original picture related to the story angle and construct a relevant caption. The first draft will be graded on 5% and the final piece on 20%.

5    Draft (News angle, sources)

3    Effective lead (how creative is the lead, conveys news angle)                      

2    Background research (How well does the context incorporates secondary research)         

4    Use of primary sources and quotes (at least 4 sources)

4    Structure and organisation                  

2    Journalistic styles (language, stylesheet used)                                  

3    Appropriate photographs with caption            

2    Improvement (in comparison to the draft, with particular emphasis on consideration and incorporation of feedback provided)

Each student individually will be required to write a feature article of 850-1000 words on contemporary topics approved by the instructor. 

4    Theme/Focus

6    Organisation of content (lead, quotes and attributions)

3    Research and sources incorporated

2    Writing Mechanics

Students will individually peer edit the real news reporting project stories based on principles of editing. The students will be required to check the angle and structure as per brief given, correct the language, grammar, spelling as per style suggested and check facts. The news stories will be allocated by the tutor and the editing will be done online in track changes mode.   

4    Lead and angle

4    Mechanics of writing

2    Fact-checking             

Students will take a written exam of 2.5 hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. The assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions from all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: None

Subject matter:

1. Unit I: Introduction to Journalism
   1. What is journalism: Overview; What distinguishes it from History
   2. Basic Journalism Terms
   3. Principles of Journalism (Objectivity, Fairness, Balance)
   4. News Values: Types and examples
   5. Different news formats (Hard and Soft)
      1. Structural differences
      2. Headlines and Introduction
   6. Mechanics of News Writing
      1. Determining the News Angle
      2. Inverted Pyramid Structure
      3. Types of Leads
2. Unit II: Tools and techniques of News Gathering
   1. Newsroom set-up
      1. Newspaper Newsroom set-up
      2. Broadcast Media set-up
      3. Online Media set-up 
   2. Convergence in news flows
   3. Beat Reporting (Local, National and International)
   4. Sources of News
      1. Responsibility towards sources
      2. Human sources
      3. Documents as sources
      4. Electronic sources
   5. Interview techniques and skills
      1. Organizing your questions
      2. Note taking tips
      3. Attribution guidelines
      4. Getting examples and quotes
      5. Choosing the outline and tone for the interview
      6. Getting information on record
   6. Attribution and quotes
      1. On the record
      2. Off the record
3. Unit III: Planning Stories and gathering materials: a brief overview
   1. Time sensitive vs. timeless work
   2. Audience consideration
   3. Answering key questions
   4. Gathering facts
   5. Noting information about atmosphere and ambience
   6. Gathering and noting ‘telling’ details
   7. Additional sources whose requirement emerges during the initial gathering process
4. Unit IV:  Researching and writing different formats
   1. Ideation: Steps and Techniques
   2. Researching for writing: Approach and Process
   3. Writing different formats contrasting with news story
   4. Structure and wordcraft of Features
      1. Types of Features
      2. Introduction to feature leads
      3. Staying relevant and maintaining interest
      4. Putting oneself in the story: narration as outsider or part of the story
      5. Tone: critical, idealistic or neutral stances
      6. Opinion: objective or subjective slant
      7. Attribution: quotes, sources and ideas
      8. Rhythm and pace of the piece
      9. Definition and characteristics of Long Form Features
   5. Opinion piece: Structure and characteristics
   6. Reviews - Film, Books, Art, Drama, Food, Travel
   7. Analysis
      1. Framing public discussion of issue
      2. Attributions
      3. What messages are being used
   8. Process, tools and techniques of writing
   9. Basics of verification and fact checking
5. Unit V: Editing a story: Importance, strategies and process
   1. Principles of editing and rewriting
      1. Purpose and context
      2. Identifying audience
      3. 5Cs of Editing 
   2. Editing using a style book
   3. Consistency of flow from beginning to end
   4. Filling in the logistical gaps for the audience
   5. Checking structure and rhythm
   6. Line by line edits: grammar, spelling and mechanics
   7. Working with others: having others review work
   8. Electronic Copy-Editing Tools
   9. Principles of Proofreading
   10. Principles of writing headlines and captions
   11. Fundamentals of layout design 

Reading List

Essential reading

Filak, V. F. (2020). Dynamics of news reporting and writing: Foundational skills for a digital age. SAGE Publications, Incorporated.

Holmes, T. (2015). Subediting and production for journalists: print, digital & social. Routledge.

Mencher, M. (2010). Melvin Mencher's news reporting and writing. McGraw-Hill Education.

Additional reading

David, R. (2011). The universal journalist. Pluto Press.

The AP Stylebook. (n.d.). https://www.apstylebook.com/. 

Date: March 2023