jrn5dep digital editing and publishing
DIGITAL EDITING AND PUBLISHING
JRN5DEP
2015
Credit points: 30
Subject outline
This subject enables students to work in the editorial team of La Trobe University's journalism program's online publication, www.upstart.net.au Students undertaking editorial duties on upstart are given the opportunity to develop practical skills publishing and editing in a content management system. Students take responsibility for writing items for the site, selecting copy from contributors, managing contributors, podcasting, moderating comments, utilising social media to publicise the site's content and activities, writing search engine optimised (SEO) standfirsts and headlines and collaborating with other editors, writers and academic staff. Coordinator approval is required before students may enrol.
SchoolSchool of Humanities & Social Sciences
Credit points30
Subject Co-ordinatorHugh Martin
Available to Study Abroad StudentsYes
Subject year levelYear Level 5 - Masters
Exchange StudentsYes
Subject particulars
Subject rules
Prerequisites Requires co-ordinator's approval.
Co-requisitesN/A
Incompatible subjectsN/A
Equivalent subjectsN/A
Special conditions Elective subject to AMGC.
Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes
01. Demonstrate skills as working as part of a team
- Activities:
- Students must work together to an extent without parallel in other journalism subjects. Teamwork will be essential in everything from the assignment of roles to various class members, selection and development of stories within the team, rostering for editing and publishing material, working to agreed deadlines, engaging audiences via social media, and providing critical feedback within the group.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Teamwork(Teamwork)
02. Develop editorial skills in story selection and development.
- Activities:
- Students will be expected to come up with story ideas and develop them to publication. This includes stories that they write themselves, and those pitched by others, both within La Trobe and externally. They must also provide constructive feedback to pitches and completed stories submitted to the site. Additionally, students will be expected to take a leadership role in either section editing or in specialisation in a particular subject area or publishing skill.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Teamwork(Teamwork)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Writing(Writing)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
03. Developing a practical knowledge of audiences
- Activities:
- Students will develop an understanding of who reads upstart by following the Site Stats on the upstart "back end", and by engaging in the moderation of comments submitted in response to material published on the site.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Teamwork(Teamwork)
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Writing(Writing)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
04. Promoting the upstart mission to the student and broader communities
- Activities:
- Students studying JRN5DEP are expected to be able to speak about the site to students, and develop a talent pool of writers for the site the site.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Speaking(Speaking)
05. Promoting upstart material via social media.
- Activities:
- Students must become proficient at posting details of articles on Facebook and Twitter. The requires developing skills in grabbing the attention of audiences through short, succint phrases and sentences.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Writing(Writing)
- Teamwork(Teamwork)
06. Publishing in an online format
- Activities:
- As well as producing compelling articles and/or audiovisual materials, students must demonstrate competency the blogging platform WordPress and tailor stories accordingly. This involves not only producing the core written or a/v content for stories, but also editing, using style guides, categorising, tagging, writing summaries (excerpts) and using hyperlinks within each story item. An upstart manual, prepared by former editor Matt de Neef, is to be used as the core text.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Teamwork(Teamwork)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Writing(Writing)
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
Subject options
Select to view your study options…
Melbourne, 2015, Semester 2, Day
Overview
Online enrolmentYes
Maximum enrolment sizeN/A
Enrolment information
Subject Instance Co-ordinatorHugh Martin
Class requirements
Lecture/SeminarWeek: 31 - 43
One 2.0 days lecture/seminar per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via blended.
WorkShopWeek: 31 - 43
One 1.0 days workshop per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via blended.
Assessments
| Assessment element | Comments | % | ILO* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 feature articles (of up to 1000 words equivalent) for publication on Upstart. | 100 | 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06 |