Course Title: Develop public relations documents

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2013

Course Code: MKTG5845C

Course Title: Develop public relations documents

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5281 - Diploma of Business (Public Relations)

Course Contact : Sally Parrott

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5175

Course Contact Email:sally.parrott@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Alain Grossbard

Building 80, RMIT, 445 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

alain.grossbard@rmit.edu.au

99255522

Nominal Hours: 80

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit applies to individuals working in public relations roles who are required to develop various marketing communication documents. Typically they would do this as part of a team working on a public relations campaign.
 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBPUB403A Develop public relations documents

Element:

1. Research appropriate public relations documents

Performance Criteria:

1.1. Research previous communication documents for tone, content and style
1.2. Research previous communication media and media distribution channels using appropriate methods
1.3. Research and analyse existing evaluation data
1.4. Conduct research about target public, clients or relevant organisations

Element:

2. Plan production of communication document

Performance Criteria:

2.1. Identify and segment the target public
2.2. Identify and agree upon communication objectives, messages and processes with other team members or supervisors in accordance with organisational procedures
2.3. Ensure communication message is related to organisational strategic objectives and operational plans
2.4. Identify and gain agreement on appropriate communication media and media channels to send communication message
2.5. Identify and agree upon processes to test the success of planned public relations communications
2.6. Determine outsourcing resources, and provide input into developing timelines and costs
2.7. Identify legal and ethical constraints impacting on communication message

Element:

3. Create and edit public relations documents

Performance Criteria:

3.1. Design and write communication documents in accordance with organisational objectives which effectively communicate issues, policies and practices of the organisation to target audiences
3.2. Scan documents to ensure compliance with legal and ethical requirements and proofread to identify and correct errors
3.3. Assess appropriateness of the style and tone of text for the target public and carry out structural editing to ensure the document flows logically
3.4. Edit the document to ensure its scope and format is in accordance with the organisation's strategic communications plan and complies with house style
3.5. Seek feedback from appropriate personnel on content of public relations documents following proofreading
3.6. Test document and amend it in response to feedback

Element:

4. Implement and evaluate public relations documents

Performance Criteria:

4.1. Forward any required document to outsourced resources within scheduled timelines
4.2. Distribute document in accordance with scheduled timelines using appropriate public relations publications to communicate and promote the goals of the organisation
4.3. Gather feedback and regularly monitor the effectiveness of distributed documents using appropriate evaluation methods
4.4. Evaluate results of public relations documents against communication, organisational or client objectives
4.5. Record and file evaluation results and any improvement recommendations for future reference


Learning Outcomes


This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to design, produce and edit public relations documents for various target audiences, and to evaluate their effectiveness in the marketplace.


Details of Learning Activities

This course is co-delivered and co-assessed with MKTG 6045C Write Persuasive Copy.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to design, produce and edit public relations documents for various target audiences, and to evaluate their effectiveness in the marketplace.

Practical activities, case studies and class discussion as well as work relevant assessments.


Teaching Schedule

Week 1 - 8 July 2013 Course Induction
• Course delivery and assessment details
• Course support documents
• Online learning environment
• Grading
• Plagiarism
• Appeals
• Extensions
• Feedback
• Privacy
• Submission requirements
• Resubmission policy
• Where to get support
• Student responsibilities
(2) Pre-Training Review
• Includes skills analysis and Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
(3) Course Overview
Week 2 Understanding the creative brief
Basic principles of persuasive writing
Plain English – rhythm, grammar, sentence structure, flow etc
Week 3 Audiences and stakeholders
Objectives and key messages

Week 4 Public relations documents and channels – overview of media releases, direct mail, newsletters, brochures etc

Week 5 Media releases (cont.)
Week 6 Blog introduction
Online copywriting
Week 7 Online copywriting (cont)

Week 8 Tools for persuasive writing – techniques and strategies, beyond logic
 

 2 September - 8 September  Mid-Semester Break

Week 9 Social media integration – twitter, facebook etc
Week 10 Brochures/annual reports
Week 11 Newsletters/fliers

Week 12 Events/sponsorship proposals
Week 13 Research & Evaluation Legal/Ethical

Week 14 Final assessments due in class

Week 15 Assessment Feedback

Week 16 Resubmissions only


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Nil


Overview of Assessment

Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.

Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including assignments, journals, presentation and written or test. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
 


Assessment Tasks

Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.

Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including assignments, journals, presentation and written or test. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Assessment Tasks
This course is delivered and assessed in conjunction with RMIT course code MKTG6045C Write Persuasive Copy.

Task 1 Written Portfolio – Group - (Due in class Week 6)
In groups of 3-4, students are to select a real world client for whom they will fulfil a copywriting brief. You will need to choose a client who is happy to be interviewed by you and who has a communications objective they need fulfilled. For example you might choose:

- A local café/bar that has just opened and needs to increase awareness
- A CBD food outlet that is launching a new menu and needs to inform its public
- A fashion brand that is launching a new range and needs to inform its public
- A sole operator such as a personal trainer who is trying to gain interest from a new market
- A retail store that needs to increase sales


Task 2 – Blog – Individual - (Due in class Week 11)
Working individually, students are to establish and write a blog around a topic of interest using the theory you have gained around persuasive copy writing and best practice blog writing. Ultimately, your task is to persuade people to read and interact with your blog which will demand a combination of persuasive writing style, compelling content (copy and visual) and social media engagement. You are free to use the blogging platform of your choice.

Comprising a minimum of six blog entries (no max) and a minimum of 2000 words of your own copy (3000 max), your blog must:

• Be written in an engaging writing style that encourages readership
• Include graphics/images/moving footage and hyperlinks to other relevant content
• Integration of social media (twitter etc) in an effort to increase blog readership
• Achieve reader engagement through RSS feed subscriptions, comments, twitter follows
• You should also consider strategies that drive traffic to your blog including integration of social media, seeding of your blog on relevant sites and commenting on other blogs with links back to your own blog
• Be consistent in layout, writing style and posting regularity
Your work must be completely free of spelling and grammatical errors and must ensure the principles of ‘plain english’ are upheld and the tools of persuasive writing are employed. The copy must ensure appropriate format, language, writing style and tone for the given medium and audience.


Task 3 – Written Portfolio 2 – Group - (Due in class Week 14)
This is a group assignment. Working in groups of 3-4, the first part of this assessment will focus on the student’s ability to research, analyse and plan public relations documents. The second part will focus on the student’s ability to create and edit specific public relations documents, including analysis of audiences, channels, objectives, evaluation criteria and the ability to identify potential ethical issues and relevant legislation that would need to be considered when producing said documents.

NB: Students are required to complete 3 tasks. All tasks must successfully be completed to be deemed competent in this unit. More detailed assessment sheets for each assessment task will be disseminated throughout course delivery.
Submission Requirements: All assessment tasks need to be submitted via Blackboard.
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms is available at http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ls0ydfokry9rz website.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available from the Student forms website.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.

Students are to:
• Work with the chosen client to complete the supplied Copywriting Brief in suitable depth paying particular attention to the client’s core objective, target market and key message
• Develop two potential Single Minded Proposition’s (SMP) for the client and a short description of suggested corresponding creative directions
• Choose ONE SMP/creative approach and work up the following communication pieces:

1 x Press Release (no longer than one page)
1 x Online Copy of 600 words to appear on the client’s website
1 x Print Ad (any size)
1 x DM Piece of 500 words (letter to customers, email copy, DM flier)
1 x A3 Poster

PLEASE NOTE that all communications pieces must carry the same key message, single minded proposition and creative angle and should include a call to action. Your work must follow the basic principles of persuasive writing, be free of spelling and grammar errors.


Assessment Matrix

Full details on how this course is assessed against the Unit elements and performance criteria plus critical aspects of evidence can be found in the Learning and Assessment Tool available from your course teacher.

Other Information

Nil

Course Overview: Access Course Overview