MDIA 3333 - Long-form Journalism

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2020

This course provides students with an opportunity to explore ideas of journalism as storytelling, and to develop and apply skills in researching, writing and producing long-form journalism across a range of media platforms. Students will critically engage with feature writing, documentary, podcasting and web journalism to inform and develop their own practice in these areas.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code MDIA 3333
    Course Long-form Journalism
    Coordinating Unit Media
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites MDIA 2334 or MDIA 2333
    Incompatible MDIA 3329
    Restrictions Priority is given to BMedia students enrolled in the Journalism major but available to other students who meet the prerequisites
    Course Description This course provides students with an opportunity to explore ideas of journalism as storytelling, and to develop and apply skills in researching, writing and producing long-form journalism across a range of media platforms. Students will critically engage with feature writing, documentary, podcasting and web journalism to inform and develop their own practice in these areas.
    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.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1.  Examine and critically analyse the role of long-form journalism in the media landscape

    2.  Research and plan long-form journalism outputs

    3.  Write and produce long-form journalism outputs

    4.   Demonstrate research and interviewing skills focused on journalism outputs

    5.  Critically engage with long-form journalism across a range of platforms

    6.  Exercise critical thinking skills to analyse information and make judgements on news and information value








    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, 3, 5
    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
    2, 3, 4, 6
    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
    2, 3, 4
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    2, 3, 4
    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
    2, 5, 6
    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
    2, 6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    More information about required resources will be provided through MyUni.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course is taught in a weekly three-hour seminar
    Workload

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

    1 x 3-hour seminar per week

    2 hours assignment preparation per week

    3 hours research and news engagement per week

    5 hours reading per week








    Learning Activities Summary
    Week-by-week course content is available on the MyUni site.
    Specific Course Requirements
    No specific course requirements.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    Students will work in small groups to explore genres of long-form journalism and to present conclusions about the future of these genres





  • Assessment

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

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

    Assessment Summary
    Presentation and debate - 20%
    Individual presentation on a topic related to long-form journalism plus facilitation of in-class debate

    Minor long-form piece - 20%
    1500-word (or equivalent) piece of original long-form journalism for print/text or radio

    Research and planning report - 20%
    Report on development of research and planning for major long-form piece

    Major long-form piece - 30%
    1800-word (or equivalent) piece of original long-form journalism for any medium

    Due to the current COVID-19 situation modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching. Assessment details provided here reflect recent updates.

    Assignment 1 (presentation and discussion) has been modified to recorded presentation only, on either a group or individual basis and according to the original presentation schedule.

    Assignment 2 (minor long-form piece) has been modified to remove the requirement for interviews to be conducted face-to-face.

    Assignment 3 (research and planning) has been modified to reduce the number of required interviews from three to two.

    Assignment 4 (major long-form piece) has been modified to remove the requirement for the reduced number of interviews to be conducted face-to-face.



    Assessment Related Requirements
    Students must submit all assessment items in order to pass the course







    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission
    All assignments must be submitted via 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
  • Fraud Awareness

    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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