Course Title: Produce Writings - Journalism
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2011
Course Code: COMM5400
Course Title: Produce Writings - Journalism
School: 345T Media and Communication
Campus: City Campus
Program: C4171 - Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing
Course Contact : Program Administration Brendan Lee
Course Contact Phone: Brendan Lee 9925 4368
Course Contact Email:Brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Teacher: Ms Sian Prior
Phone: 9925 4951
Email: sian.prior@rmit.edu.au
Teacher: Mr Peter Barrett
Phone: 9925 4951
Email: peter.barrett@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 105
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
At RMIT, the competency Produce Writings –Journalism is delivered and assessed alongside the following competencies:
CUVCOR03A: Develop, refine and communicate concept for own work
CUVCOR11A: Source information on history and theory and apply to own work
CUSRAD01A: collect and organise information
Course Description
This course looks at the skills and knowledge required for working as a freelance print journalist as you plan, draft, edit and pitch your written articles.
The course helps you to cultivate a critical awareness of appropriate language, style, and word length for a range of media publications. You discuss contemporary issues in the media and analyse a broad range of material from various publications
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VBP552 Produce Writings - Journalism |
Element: |
1. Analyse the purpose of the writing task |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 The purpose of the work is confirmed with relevant parties |
Element: |
2. Investigate the scope of the writing task |
Performance Criteria: |
|
Element: |
3. Plan the writing task |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 The writing task is planned to reflect the media, scope, structure and content of the work |
Element: |
4. Create the writing task |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Components of the information required and the form in which the writing will be developed, constructed and presented is resolved |
Element: |
5. Realise the writing task |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 The writing task is appropriate for the media, the context of the brief and the style of the subject matter |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to plan, draft, edit and pitch articles for a range of publications.
Details of Learning Activities
In this course you learn through -
In-class activities:
• lectures
• industry speakers
• teacher directed group activities/projects
• peer teaching and class presentations
• group discussion
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures
• reading of excerpts of writings and set texts to provide examples of writing elements
• workshopping of students’ own projects
• analysis/critique of writings of students’ choice
Out-of-class activities:
• independent project based work
• writing and reading assignments
• online and other research
• independent study
Teaching Schedule
Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.
Week Beginning | Class Content | Assignments due | Competency & Elements |
Week 1 7 Feb |
Introductions, course outline, writing task | VBP552 - Analyse purpose of writing task CUSRAD01A- Collect relevant information CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory |
|
Week 2 14 Feb |
Basics of Freelance Journalism Writing Precedes. Examples and exercises. |
VBP552 - Investigate scope of writing task CUSRAD01A- Collect relevant information CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory CUVCOR03A – Develop concept |
|
Week 3 21 Feb |
Autobiographical writing/personal columns/memoirs (GUEST TEACHER) |
VBP552 –Investigate scope of writing task CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory CUVCOR03A – Develop & communicate concept |
|
Week 4 28 Feb |
Themed personal columns/autobiographical writing Basics of good journalism |
VBP552 – Plan and create writing task CUSRAD01A- Collect information CUVCOR11A - Apply information on history and theory |
|
Week 5 7 Mar |
Autobiographical writing/personal columns/memoirs | VBP552 -Realise writing task CUSRAD01A – Organise information CUVCOR011A – Apply information on history and theory |
|
Week 6 14 Mar |
First workshop – draft autobiographical writing/personal columns (GUEST TEACHER) | VBP552 –Investigate the scope of writing task CUVCOR01A – Communicate and refine concept CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory |
|
Week 7 21 Mar |
Workshopping and offering written feedback. | ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE - In class assessment – autobiographical writing/personal columns |
CUVCOR01A – Develop & communicate concept |
Week 8 28 Mar |
Writing Precedes. Examples and exercises. |
VBP552 –Investigate the scope & plan writing task CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory CUVCOR03A – Develop concept |
|
Week 9 4 Apr |
Writing Headlines, Writing Precedes Pitching your work – Part 1 |
VBP552 Create writing task CUVCOR03A – Communicate concept |
|
Week 10 11 Apr |
Workshopping and offering written feedback. Writing Profiles – choosing a subject – using interviews for articles |
ASSIGNMENT 2 DUE – Write a precede – to be completed in class under test conditions |
VBP552 - Create and realise writing task CUSRAD01A – Collect & organise information |
Week 11 18 Apr |
Writing profiles – interviewing techniques Discuss Publications Research Task assignment |
CUSRAD01A – Access and organise the information CUVCOR03A – Develop concept CUVCOR03A – Refine concept |
|
Mid-semester break | |||
Week 12 2 May |
Writing profiles | VBP552 – Plan and create writing task CUVCOR11A – Source and collect information on history and theory |
|
Week 13 9 May |
Workshopping draft profiles |
CUVCOR03A – Communicate and refine concept |
|
Week 14 16 May |
Workshopping and offering written feedback. | ASSIGNMENT 3 DUE – Profile – to be completed in class | VBP552 - Create & realise writing task CUSRAD03A – Communicate & refine concept |
Week 15 23 May |
Persuasive writing - Opinion pieces |
VBP552 – nvestigate scope of writing task CUVCOR01A – Develop concept CUVCOR11A – Source and collect information on history and theory |
|
Week 16 30 May |
Persuasive writing - Opinion pieces | VBP552 – Plan writing task CUVCOR03A – Develop concept |
|
Week 17 6 June |
Assessment Week - No Class |
ASSIGNMENT 4 DUE – Publications Research Task – submit BY EMAIL by 9:00 am on day of class |
|
Semester 2 | |||
Week 1 4 July |
Workshopping opinion pieces | |
VBP552 – nvestigate scope of writing task CUVCOR03A – Develop and communicate concept |
Week 2 11 July |
Researching and Writing Reviews | VBP552 - Plan, create and realise writing task CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory CUSRAD01A - Collect, assess and organise information |
|
Week 3 18 July |
Researching and Writing Reviews | VBP552 - Plan & create writing task CUVCOR03A – Communicate and refine concept |
|
Week 4 25 July |
Workshop draft reviews/op pieces | CUVCOR11A – Source & collect information on history and theory CUSRAD01A - Communicate information |
|
Week 5 1 Aug |
Workshopping and offering written feedback. | ASSIGNMENT 5 DUE – Op piece OR Review – in class assessment | VBP552 –Plan writing task CUVCOR03A – Refine and communicate concept |
Week 6 8 Aug |
Media Ethics | CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory |
|
Week 7 15 Aug |
Writing Informative Feature articles Research – where do you find out…? |
CUSRAD01A - Collect & assess information VBP552 - Investigate scope of writing task |
|
Week 8 22 Aug |
Writing Seasonal/How-To/Formula informative articles | VBP552 - Analyse purpose of writing task VBP552 – Plan & create writing task |
|
Week 9 29 Aug |
Travel Writing | VBP552 - Analyse purpose of writing task VBP552 – Plan & create writing task |
|
Week 10 5 Sep |
Online journalism | CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory | |
Week 11 12 Sep |
Online journalism | CUVCOR11A - Apply information on history and theory | |
Week 12 19 Sep |
One-on-one meetings with teacher | CUVCOR03A – Communicate &refine concept |
|
Mid-semester Break 26 Sep - 7 Oct (inclusive) |
|||
Week 13 10 Oct |
Pitching your work – part 2 Angles - revision |
CUSRAD01A - Organise & communicate information CUVCOR03A – Communicate concept |
|
Week 14 17 Oct |
Workshopping informative articles | CUVCOR03A – Communicate and refine concept |
|
Week 15 24 Oct |
Workshopping and offering written feedback |
ASSIGNMENT 6 DUE – Informative article – in class assessment | VBP552 – Create and realise the writing task CUVCOR03A – Communicate and refine concept |
Week 16 31 Oct |
Guest speaker (final class) Course feedback |
CUVCOR11A - Collect information on history and theory |
|
Week 17 | Assessment Week - no class |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Prescribed material will be provided by the teacher. |
References
Power Prose: Writing Skills for the Media Age. Melbourne: Hardie Grant Books, 2004. |
|
You are advised to look at the course blackboard site for ongoing updated information. |
Other Resources
You require access to a computer and to the internet for this course
Overview of Assessment
Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises, oral presentations and through the application of learned skills and insights to your writing tasks.
Assessment Tasks
To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment.
Semester 1
1. A personal/autobiographical column, targeted at specific publication (800 words) (20%)
2. A precede (20 - 25 words: to be completed in class) (20%)
3. A profile of an interesting person, targeted at specific publication (1200 words) (20%)
4. A publications research task (shared resource - ungraded)
Semester 1
5. A review (650 words) OR opinion piece (800 words), targeted at specific publication (20%)
6. A feature informative article, targeted at specific publication (1200 words) (20%)
Detailed briefs for each assignment will be provided to you in class and on blackboard, including industry-specific criteria such as: clarity and appropriateness of angle, clear audience targeting, etc. Your participation in the drafting and class workshopping process will be considered in assessment of assignments.
Assessment tasks in this unit are graded.
To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment.
80 – 100% HD High Distinction
70 – 79% DI Distinction
60 – 69% CR Credit
50 – 59% PA Pass
Under 50% NN Fail
For further information on the criteria used for grading, please refer to the course blackboard site.
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant
Unit of Competency. These are available through the course contact in Program
administration
Other Information
Feedback:
You will receive spoken and/or written feedback from your teacher on your work. Whre appropriate, this feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.
Late Submissions
Please refer to the course blackboard site for policy information on late submissions and plagiarism
Plagiarism
RMIT has a strict policy on plagiarism. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.
Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are
unable to complete any piece of assessment on or by the due date, you will need to
apply for an extension.
Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qkssnx1c5r0y;STATUS=A;PAGE_AUTHOR=Andrea%
20Syers;SECTION=1;
Course Overview: Access Course Overview