Modules

Module title: News Writing
SCQF level: 11:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10
Module code: JAC11119
Module leader: Allan Boughey
School School of Arts and Creative Industries
Subject area group: Media and Screen
Prerequisites

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2018/9, Trimester 1, Face-to-Face, Edinburgh Napier University
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: Face-to-Face
Location of delivery: MERCHISTON
Partner: Edinburgh Napier University
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Allan Boughey
Module Organiser:


Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Approach:
Learning & teaching methods including their alignment to LOs
The weekly three-hour session is designed to be a multi-purpose workshop, which may involve different aspects each week, including lecture and tutorial elements that cover the key skills in news writing and core journalistic skills (covering LO 1-5), discussions, field trips (to see news in action, such as at the Scottish Parliament for example) and off-campus work (to conduct voxpops, for instance), and news days that will aim to replicate industry practice. You will learn the fundamentals of news writing and aim to achieve a professional standard with your own work. Each news day will run for six hours, necessitating an earlier start and later finish to the usual class times. Specific timings will be communicated to students in advance of each news day (there will be two non-assessed news days around weeks 11, 12 and 13 – depending on room and student availability - plus an assessed news day in week 14 that all students MUST attend).

Embedding of employability/ PDP/ scholarship skills
This module is vocational as well as reflective in nature and will be delivered by an experienced practitioner. Activities on this module will develop essential employability skills. Assessments are designed to provide you with employability skills relevant for working in today’s news and information media. The multimedia newsroom creates an authentic working environment, allowing you to participate in work-simulated exercises. You will develop critical oral and written communication skills, by working individually and as part of a news team, through collaborative learning, peer review, tutor feedback, and assessed work.

Formative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Summative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)
Face To Face Tutorial 1
Other Guided independent study 3
Face To Face Practical classes and workshops 46
Independent Learning Groupwork (Independent Study) 150
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words
Portfolio 50 1-5 10 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 2500
Class Test 20 1-5 14 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 1000
Class Test 30 1-5 15 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 1500
Component 1 subtotal: 50
Component 2 subtotal: 50
Module subtotal: 100

Description of module content:

This module will introduce you to the art of finding original news and feature stories, developing good angles, and being aware of your audience for print and online outlets. Core values of accuracy, attribution, impartiality and balance will be covered alongside ethical and legal awareness. Besides sourcing up to date stories and conducting interviews, you will refine your writing skills and submit tight copy to deadlines with crisp leads and engaging headlines. You will develop an awareness and understanding of all aspects of news reporting.

Learning Outcomes for module:

LO1: Source and properly research original news stories for print and online.
LO2: Demonstrate professional standard writing skills appropriate for print news media
LO3: Demonstrate professional standard multimedia content creation skills appropriate for online news media
LO4: Demonstrate sound application of core journalistic values including balanced and impartial reporting, accuracy, attribution of information to the source and legally and ethically sound news content creation
LO5: Demonstrate an ability to self-edit.
Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
JAC11119 News Writing
 

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