Units
Journalistic Inquiry
Unit code: KJB121
Contact hours: 3 per week
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
This unit develops the basic skills learnt in Newswriting: generating story ideas; researching; conducting interviews; finding news values and news angles and applying them in a practical context. You also learn about how practical newswriting skills fit into an online environment. You are introduced to the rigours of deadlines and have opportunities to write stories related to different news rounds throughout the semester.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 1 | Yes |
| 2013 Semester 2 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
It is essential to your development in journalistic thinking and practical ability to build on the knowledge and skills acquired in the prerequisite unit, Newswriting. This unit will develop journalism skills and knowledge acquired in Newswriting - generating story ideas and finding angles, researching, conducting interviews, and exercising news values. It will concentrate on newsgathering aspects and introduce students to basic elements of a regular journalist's life such as news rounds and rigorous deadlines.
Aims
This unit aims to:
- develop media professionals who can generate accurate, interesting and insightful stories.
- build your creativity in exploring issues and events from independently generated new angles rather than uncritically complying with outside agendas, e.g. from PR agencies, government or business.
- advance generic newswriting skills and enhance writing competency.
Objectives
On completion of this unit you should be able to:
1. Generate story ideas and news angles through your own initiative.
2. Apply information-gathering skills including interviewing and the use of social media with journalistic intent through regular practice.
3. Produce news stories to deadlines, to a publishable standard.
4. Write in a succinct and dynamic style.
5. Apply the principles of visual journalism
6. Understand the journalist's role in society including the need to promote work through social media.
Content
This unit addresses content such as:
- Systems and processes; writing for online; and the use of archives and the internet, including Freedom of Information and public records.
- Fields of operation and the roles of journalists in society, including police rounds; court reporting; contacts with Parliament and government; health, education and social issues; economic reporting; sport; environment and science and social media.
- Specialisms in rounds reporting.
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
The usual mode is lectures and tutorials (interviewing, researching, writing exercises or workshopping of stories that have been prepared in advance) or individual one-one consultations in lieu of tutorials in weeks where assessment is due. Current affairs tests in class. Supported by teaching staff you should progress towards being an independent learner. You will be encouraged to retrieve, evaluate and use information from interviews, databases, WWW, social media and other resources.
Assessment
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
An assignment submitted after the due date without an approved extension will not be marked. If you are unable to complete your assignment on time, you should submit on time whatever work you have done.
Faculty Assessment Information
To access complete Creative Industries Faculty Assessment Information please refer to the Blackboard site for this unit.FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Through the semester you will have the opportunity to receive oral and/or written feedback on drafts of feature articles. Weight 0%
Assessment name:
Portfolio of Stories
Description:
You will be required to write three news stories to strict deadlines from a prescribed set of rounds applying the principles of visual communication and dissemintion using social media.
Relates to objectives:
1-6
Weight:
50%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Throughout Semester
Assessment name:
In Class Exercises
Description:
You will be required to complete a series of in -class assessment including current affairs tests; an interviewing exercise and a running story.
Approximate due date: Throughout semester
Relates to objectives:
All
Weight:
50%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Throughout Semester
Academic Honesty
QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.
A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.
Resource materials
There are no required texts for this unit.
Recommended References:
Conley, David (1997), The Daily Miracle, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
De Wolk, Roland (2001),Introduction to Online Journalism, Allyn and Bacon, Needham Heights.
Harris, Geoffrey & Spark, David (1997), Practical Newspaper Reporting, Focal Press, Oxford, Boston.
Keeble, Richard (1998), The Newspapers Handbook, Routledge, London.
Pearson, Mark (1997), The Journalist's Guide to Media Law, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, Sydney.
Ward, Mike (2002), Online Journalism, Focal Press, Oxford.
White, Sally (1996), Reporting in Australia , Macmillan, South Melbourne.
Risk assessment statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.
Last modified: 25-Mar-2013
