Summary of content

This module introduces students to the writing and newsgathering skills required by working journalists. Students learn the foundation journalist skills for writing news and feature reports for newspapers and websites, including story structure, and there will be a weekly in-class desk-based news writing assessment in both newspaper and/or online British/NCTJ or international equivalent style. To learn Newsgathering, students have to file stories from an area such as an agreed local 'patch' in Glasgow or their home ward in Central Scotland if commuting, building local contacts and starting a contacts book, attending community council and/or other public meetings and events, in the same way as they would on a newspaper, writing up the stories for assessment in a workshop class, which will require a brief reflective statement covering sources, ethical issues, diversity and any relevant newsgathering challenges. In this way, students are introduced to key reporting skills, such as use of sources, research & newsgathering techniques, interviewing skills, press conferences, accuracy in use of quotes and data, the practical effects of Independent Press Standards Organisation and NUJ codes of practice and ethical considerations in journalistic research practice. Students will also learn how to produce online content using the Wordpress platform or equivalent content management system, uploading material produced during this and other practical journalism modules. Following an initial five-week period in which students will receive diagnostic feedback only, assessment will be via continuously assessed regular coursework.

Module structure

Assessment methods