JRN2JOR
JOURNALISM RESEARCH
JRN2JOR
2017
Credit points: 15
Subject outline
Journalism Research will explore the main modes of research relevant to the practice of contemporary journalism, including: strategies for staying abreast of news-media discourse; on-the-ground and investigative techniques; interpersonal communication with contacts; and techniques for finding and interrogating non-news-media texts, such as government reports, ABS statistics and academic research. It delivers specific skills in data journalism and Freedom of Information. It draws on a set of practices that have long been part of the journalist's skill-set, but which are being expanded and taking on a more central role as huge amounts of previously unavailable information and data are released by a range of institutions.
SchoolSchool of Humanities & Social Sciences
Credit points15
Subject Co-ordinatorMerryn Sherwood
Available to Study Abroad StudentsYes
Subject year levelYear Level 2 - UG
Exchange StudentsYes
Subject particulars
Subject rules
Prerequisites Two of JRN1TEJ, JRN1TIN and MAC1WFM, or subject co-ordinators approval.
Co-requisitesN/A
Incompatible subjects JRN3CAJ
Equivalent subjectsN/A
Special conditions Core subject at second year level for ABJ & ABJS.
Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes
01. Apply advanced research skills to find a range of relevant sources for a particular story, and critically analyse those sources for legitimacy.
- Activities:
- All lectures, tutorial activities and assessments.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Discipline -Specific Knowledge and Skills(Discipline-Specific Knowledge and Skills)
02. Recognise the role of the Freedom of Information Act in journalism, through creating an accurate and appropriate Freedom of Information request.
- Activities:
- Students learn about the freedom of information act in lectures and tutorials, and apply this knowledge to an assessment. They must identify a story that would be well served by information available through an FOI application, write a story pitch and write an FOI application.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Discipline -Specific Knowledge and Skills(Discipline-Specific Knowledge and Skills)
03. Apply basic data journalism skills to analyse a dataset, and write a story to a publishable standard based on the critical analysis of the data.
- Activities:
- In lectures and tutorial activities. In class source evaluation strategies and techniques to investigate large amounts of data. In class assessment.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Discipline -Specific Knowledge and Skills(Discipline-Specific Knowledge and Skills)
04. Pitch, develop and create a major feature story that explores a particular brief and uses a variety of relevant and credible sources, to a publishable standard.
- Activities:
- Students will apply the skills they have learnt throughout the semester to complete a major assignment. They must apply critical analysis to sources, use datasets and other sources like academic research, and also complete an interview.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Literacies and Communication Skills(Writing,Speaking,Quantitative Literacy,Cultural Literacy)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Inquiry and Analytical Skills(Critical Thinking,Creative Problem-solving,Inquiry/Research)
- Discipline -Specific Knowledge and Skills(Discipline-Specific Knowledge and Skills)
Subject options
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Melbourne, 2017, Semester 1, Day
Overview
Online enrolmentYes
Maximum enrolment sizeN/A
Enrolment information
Subject Instance Co-ordinatorMerryn Sherwood
Class requirements
TutorialWeek: 10 - 22
One 2.0 hours tutorial per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.
LectureWeek: 10 - 22
One 1.0 hours lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.
Assessments
| Assessment element | Comments | % | ILO* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feature Story (2000 words) | One major feature story based on a particular brief, an associated research dossier to be submitted in Week 8. | 50 | 01, 03, 04 |
| Quizzes (1000 word equivalent) | These quizzes will test skill-specific knowledge, such as basic maths and statistics for journalism, using library sources, evaluating academic research, and digital source verification. | 20 | 01 |
| Writing Exercises (1500 word equivalent) | These writing assignments include drafting a freedom of information request and a basic data journalism assignment, where students use excel to manipulate data and report a story using that data. | 30 | 01, 02, 03 |