MDIA 2333 - Reporting: Principles and Practice

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2017

This course covers essential knowledge and skills required for journalists to function in the contemporary media environment. It explores how news stories are researched, effective use of sources and source material, interview techniques and elements of professionalism that impact on how journalists conduct their work. It examines news production in the context of news rooms and in the public domain and the influences of factors such as changing technology and the requirements of ethical practice.

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Course Details

Course Code	MDIA 2333
Course	Reporting: Principles and Practice
Coordinating Unit	Media
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	At least 12 units of level 1 undergraduate study
Assumed Knowledge	Completion of at least 6 units of Level I MDIA courses
Quota	A quota of 100 applies
Assessment	Online quizzes 15%, News research and interview planning 35%, News inquiry & presentation 40%, Participation and engagement (including news quizzes) 10%

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Kathryn Bowd

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

1	Understand the requirements of research for news stories
2	Gather material for news stories using a range of primary and secondary sources
3	Understand the relationship between source material and news reporting
4	Understand the role of journalism in society and the impact of change on this role
5	Understand the need for professional ethics in journalism and apply these in practice
6	Understand the different kinds of sources commonly used in sourcing news and the contexts of this sourcing
7	Be familiar with current issues in the news and the professional contexts surrounding these

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	5,6,7,4
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Sheridan Burns, L. (2013). Understanding Journalism (2nd ed.). London: Sage.

Recommended Resources

A number of texts focusing on key journalism concepts and skills can be found in the Barr Smith Library. These texts are recommended additional reading rather than essential resources. They include:

Bainbridge, J., Goc, N., & Tynan, L. (2011) Media and Journalism (2nd ed.). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Tanner, S., & Richardson, N. (2013) Journalism Research and Investigation in a Digital World. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Ricketson, M. (2012) Australian Journalism Today. South Yarra: Palgrave Macmillan.

King, E., & Chapman, J.L. (2012) Key Readings in Journalism. New York; Routledge.

Allan, S. (2010) The Routledge Companion to News and Journalism. Abingdon: Routledge.

Online Learning

This course makes extensive use of MyUni and external websites. All assignments are to be submitted through MyUni.

Learning & Teaching Modes

Most lectures for this course will be delivered face-to-face, and will also be recorded using the MyMedia system. Lecture recordings will be automatically loaded to MyMedia following delivery.

Some lecture material will be provided online through MyUni. These topics will be noted in the course timetable. In these weeks, students will be required to access the material through MyUni, and must complete an online quiz or quizzes that will count towards the grade for participation.

Workshops are held in a Media Lab to ensure students have access to appropriate technology including Word and online resources.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Lecture attendance: 1 hour per week
Workshop attendance: 2 hours per week
Workshop preparation: 3 hours per week (including engagement with news)
Assignment preparation: 3 hours per week

This is an approximation of the likely time required in an average week to complete all elements of the course. Actual workload is likely to vary depending on assignment deadlines.

Students are expected to attend workshops having completed the set reading for that week and any preparatory exercises.

As this is a journalism-focused course, students are also expected to engage in watching, reading and listening to news on a regular basis throughout the semester. This engagement with news will form part of the basis for discussions and activities in workshops.

Learning Activities Summary

A detailed schedule of course learning activities will be posted on MyUni.

Each week's class preparation will include a combination of readings from the textbook (Sheridan Burns), engagement with news, online reading, workshop preparation exercises and online exercises/quizzes.

Students are expected to complete the class preparation work before either the workshop or the lecture (see MyUni for details of each week's required preparation).

Schedule
Week 1	Introduction The role of the news media
Week 2	News definitions and values Gatekeeping and agenda setting
Week 3	Models of the press Globalisation and localisation
Week 4	News sources
Week 5	News research and networks
Week 6	Interviewing skills and strategies (SGDE)
Week 7	Interviewing across news media
Week 8	Communicating with audiences
Week 9	Producing news to deadline (SGDE)
Week 10	The changing newsroom
Week 11	Fair and ethical reporting
Week 12	Ethical challenges in news

Small Group Discovery Experience

Small Group Discovery Experience activities will take place in Weeks 6 and 9 where students will work closely with the Course Coordinator.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

This course has four assessment items: two completed primarily out of class, one completed partly to deadline during class time and partly out of class, and a participation mark recorded through continuous assessment of class work and engagement (including completion of online quizzes and workshop preparation exercises).

Assessment Related Requirements

Students MUST make themselves available to complete the first part of Assignment 4 (in-class writing to deadline) during the Week 11 workshops. Any student who - for documented reasons such as illness - is unable to attend their regular workshop may be able to negotiate to attend another workshop during that week.

Assessment Detail

More information about assignments will be provided through MyUni and in lectures and workshops.

Assignment 1: Online quizzes

Assignment 2: News research and interview planning

Assignment 3: News inquiry and presentation

Participation and engagement (including news quizzes)

Submission

All assignments must be submitted electronically through MyUni.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator