Introduction to Journalism (5565.7)

Please note these are the 2017 details for this unit
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Introduction to Journalism
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Discipline Of Communication And Media Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905)
This unit introduces students to the essential elements of journalism practice and involves intensive practical sessions writing news for print and broadcast media. The unit examines newsroom practices and cultures, the planning, gathering, selection and presentation of news, along with research techniques and interview skills. It also examines ideas about objectivity, news sources, defamation and ethics.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Write a simple news story for the print media;
2. Complete basic research for a news story;
3. Be familiar with basic interviewing techniques; and
4.Have an understanding of the role and responsibilities of journalism in contemporary Australia and a working knowledge of basic ethical and defamation issues facing journalists.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development


Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None

Equivalent units

None

Assumed knowledge

None.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
Not available

Required texts

There is a prescribed text for this unit, which you shall also use in Reporting 5572 and second year units. There is a link to the e-book on the unit Moodle site.

Blaine, Mark. (2014) The Digital Reporter's Notebook, New York: Routledge.

The following text is also recommended and is available in the library:

Lamble, S. (2013) News As It Happens: An Introduction to Journalism, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press.

Other texts are available either in the university's library or available free online. 

Gillmor, D (2010) Mediactive  Downloadable free here: http://mediactive.com/book/

Simons, M. (2012) Journalism at the Crossroads: Crisis and opportunity for the press, Melbourne, Scribe.

Kovach & Rosenstiel (2010) Blur: How to know what's true in the age of information overload. New York, Bloomsbury.

Kovach & Rosenstiel (2007) The Element of Journalism: What newspeople should know and what the public should expect, 2nd ed. New York, Three Rivers Press.

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

Pearson & Polden (2011) The Journalist's Guide to Media Law, 4th ed. Crows Nest, Allen & Unwin.

Burns, L.S. (2013). Understanding Journalism. 2nd ed., Sage Publishing.

White, S. (1996) Reporting in Australia, 2nd ed. South Melbourne, Macmillan.

Dunlop, T. (2013) The New Front Page: New Media and the rise of the audience, Melbourne, Scribe.

NOTE: What follows is a list of relevant further materials and resources. The list may seem lengthy but it is essential to your success in this unit (and for your future career prospects) that you stay up-to-date with local, national, and international news and current affairs. It is also essential that you gain an understanding of the news media industry.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

Attendance at lectures and tutorials is not compulsory but students will find it difficult to master the concepts and skills required to pass this unit without attending each week.  The majority of assessment for this unit is tied to in-class activities.

Required IT skills

Word processing skills and basic internet literacies are assumed.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None.