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2010/1 Module Catalogue
 Module Code: SOC2026 Module Title: JOURNALISM: SPECIALISED NEWS AND FEATURES
Module Provider: Sociology Short Name: SOC2026
Level: HE2 Module Co-ordinator: DUNN C Ms (Sociology)
Number of credits: 20 Number of ECTS credits: 10
 
Module Availability

Year
Assessment Pattern

Compare and contrast the print version of two newspapers with their online counterpart (2,000-word report); two original articles suitable for publication in a specialised section of a newspaper (750 words each); two original articles suitable for publication online (750 words each).

 

 
Module Overview
Prerequisites/Co-requisites
Module Aims

 

• To examine the styles of different newspaper sections

 

• To examine the internet’s role in the development of news media

 

• To examine the social, cultural, political and economic contexts of contemporary journalism practices

 

• To assess and analyse styles of journalism produced for particular markets

 

• To evaluate current debates in journalism studies concerning the ethics of reporting, regulation, and the ideological role of the news media

 

• To consider the implications of satellite broadcasting and new technologies

 

 
Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

 

• Understand the styles appropriate for different newspaper sections and be able to write for varying audiences

 

• Understand the internet’s role in the development of news media

 

• Understand the applications and implications of new technology for journalism

 

• Apply critical perspectives to analyse examples of contemporary journalism from a range of media

 

• Write extended pieces of journalism for print and online, using appropriate software tools

 

 
Module Content

Analysing different sections and different style of writing, in two-week lecture/workshop blocks:

 

Weeks 1 and 2: travel

 

Weeks 3 and 4: entertainment

 

Weeks 5 and 6: sport

 

Weeks 7 and 8: introduction to online - blogging and writing for an interactive audience

 

Weeks 9 and 10: live online coverage of events (including multimedia provision)

 

 
Methods of Teaching/Learning

This course will be taught through:

 

 

 

 

Lectures addressing areas of theory

 

 

Practical workshop sessions

 

 

Seminar discussions

 

 

Video screenings

 

 
Selected Texts/Journals

Chippindale, Peter and Chris Horrie (1999) Stick It Up Your Punter (Pocket Books)

 

Cutts, Martin (2004) Oxford Guide to Plain English ( Oxford UP)

 

Davies, Kath and Julienne Dickey (1987) Out of Focus (Women’s Press)

 

Davies, Nick (2008) Flat Earth News (Chatto & Windus)

 

Engel, Matthew (1997) Tickle the Public ( Phoenix )

 

Fergusson, Rosalind and Manse (1998) The Macmillan Guide to English Grammar (Macmillan)

 

Goldacre, Ben (2008) Bad Science (Fourth Estate)

 

Hennessy, Brian (1993) Writing Feature Articles (Focal Press)

 

Keeble, R (2006) The Newspapers Handbook (Routledge)

 

McKay, J (2000) The Magazines Handbook (Routledge)

 

Niblock, S (1996) Inside Journalism (Blueprint)

 

Pape, S and Featherstone, S (2006), Feature Writing: A Practical Introduction (Sage)

 

Quinn, (2007) Law for Journalists (Longman)

 

Roget’s Thesaurus (Penguin)

 

Shiach, Don (1995) Basic Punctuation (John Murray)

 

Welsh, T et al (eds) (2007) McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists (Oxford UP)

 

 
Last Updated
September 2010