Module Code - Title:
JM5021
-
JOURNALISTIC WRITING FOR FEATURES
Year Last Offered:
2008/9
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
The module aims to develop studentsÆ writing skills in producing features of every sort from short profiles and reviews to longer researched pieces for a variety of publications.
Syllabus:
Students will learn how to generate ideas for features, pitch feature ideas at mock feature conferences, research using printed and web sources and face to face and telephone interviews, develop their ideas for specific target publications, and write lively material. They will work on feature structure and writing standfirsts. They will produce publishable features of different kinds, including short reviews, an interview/profile, and an analytical researched feature. They will be encouraged and helped to get work published either in a student or professional publication, or on their own websites.
Assessment will be by coursework: production of a portfolio of work completed during the course, and contributions to class discussions.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
* generate ideas for a wide variety of features at mock feature conferences.
* pitch these ideas at mock feature conferences.
* demonstrate an understanding of how to develop their ideas for a specific target audience.
* demonstrate an understanding of the structures of good features/profiles, short reviews and analytical researched features.
* develop and improve their standfirst writing skills.
* use a variety of media and people as research sources.
* apply all this knowledge to writing good features for a variety of publications.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
* Display an aptitude for generating a variety of feature ideas and matching these with relevant target publications.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
On successful completion of this module, students must be able to:
* write publishable short reviews.
* write publishable interviews/profiles
* write publishable analytical features.
* produce a porfolio of work.
* place this work in professional pu
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
This module consists of a two hour laboratory and a one hour tutorial where students will be shown the different structures and approaches to writing a variety of features and standfirsts.
In the laboratory, students will be engaged in active learning of specific tasks - writing profiles, general features, short reviews and analytical researched features. They will have to rewrite these features until they are up to a publishable standard.
In tutorials, students will be helped with any difficulties they are experiencing and encouraged and helped to get their work published in a professional publication.
The students will be given specific tasks of writing interviewing each other; writing profiles; reveiws of music, clubs or bars; and an analytical researched feature.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
1. McKay, Jenny (2004)
The Magazines Handbook
, Routledge
Pape, Susan, and Featherstone, Susan (2006)
Feature Writing: A Practical Introduction
, Sage
Other Relevant Texts:
Evans, Harold (2000)
Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers
, Pimlico
Plotnik, Arthur (2007)
Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Bold, Contemporary Style
, Random House
Barber, Lynn (1999)
Demon Barber
, Penguin
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Module Leader:
Mary.I.Dundon@ul.ie