The University of Melbourne
Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens
The University of Melbourne

Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens

Taught in English

Some content may not be translated

Course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals

Dr.  Denis Muller
Dr. Margaret Simons

Instructors: Dr. Denis Muller

4.5

(11 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
22 hours to complete
3 weeks at 7 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Details to know

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Assessments

7 quizzes

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There are 6 modules in this course

This week we will discuss what journalism is, what journalists do, and how this has been affected over time by technology. We'll think about the exciting changes of our own time – the first in human history when the means of publication are in everyone's hands. We will then talk about the principles of news writing, and the nature of news. Finally, we will introduce Newstown, a fictitious place in Victoria, Australia. We also attend a news conference held in the Newstown Council Chambers. We will be using Newstown as the basis of our skills based exercises in this MOOC, so please take the time to become familiar with the town and its issues by following the link to Newstown in the course resources.

What's included

7 videos3 readings2 quizzes1 peer review3 discussion prompts

This week we discuss some more core skills of journalism, particularly the very important concepts of attribution of information, and verification. We explore the structure of news writing in some more detail. Finally, make sure you take a close look at the Newstown site, and keep looking at it from now on as the course develops. Some new information has been posted that you will need to use in this week's first assessable news writing exercise.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 quiz1 peer review

This week we discuss some more core skills of journalism, particularly the very important concepts of attribution of information, and verification. We explore the structure of news writing in some more detail. Finally, make sure you take a close look at the Newstown site, and keep looking at it from now on as the course develops. Some new information has been posted that you will need to use in this week's first assessable news writing exercise.

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 quiz

This week we delve further into the art of interviewing, and watch and discuss some good and bad examples involving the key characters in Newstown.

What's included

12 videos1 reading1 quiz1 peer review

This week we explore the complications of dealing with off the record sources and long term contacts. We watch an encounter with a Newstown 'Deep Throat' and discuss how to handle the encounter and the information offered. Remember to check out the Newstown website for more information becoming available. We begin to pull all the threads of the Newstown story together, and apply the skills we have learned in the earlier modules of this course. We talk about how to read and analyse the public documents on the Newstown site, how to organise material, what questions to ask based on this material, and how to pull it all together into a story for The Alternative. We also provide you with an exemplar news report to give you some guidance for the final news writing assessment and how it might be done.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 quiz1 peer review

This week we concentrate on two aspects of media law – defamation and contempt, and we consider the meaning of journalistic impartiality. We wrap up the course by revisiting the key principles of journalism and what we have learned. We also have a few things to say about the public nature of journalism, and how bruising that can be.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 quiz1 discussion prompt

Instructors

Dr.  Denis Muller
The University of Melbourne
1 Course1,428 learners
Dr. Margaret Simons
The University of Melbourne
1 Course1,428 learners

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Reviewed on Sep 14, 2017

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Reviewed on Oct 25, 2016

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Reviewed on Sep 16, 2016

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