SYLLABUS

Social Media for Journalists

Instructor: Damian Radcliffe
damianr@uoregon.edu

Language of Instruction: English

UO Credits: 4
Contact Hours: 40

London, UK, Summer 2021

Course Description

Background
Social Media has changed the way that both journalists - and audiences - find and share the
news. How are these changes affecting journalistic practice? And what are the social media skills
that journalists need today?

This class will explore the social media strategies of major news media outlets and journalists,
exploring different social platforms and how you can use them effectively as journalists.

It will also teach you how to use social media to verify and manage content from different
sources, as well as explore best practice in develop relationships with communities through
online channels.

Approach
Strong social media skills are highly sought after by employers. But usage of these platforms
in your personal life don’t necessarily translate into effective use in a professional, journalistic
setting.

This course will redress that by improving your knowledge of how major social networks are
being used by audiences, journalists and news publishers (primarily in the UK and US, but also
in emerging markets such as SE Asia). Questions that we will explore include:

 What is the role of social media in the way that audiences find, consume, and share
news?
 What are the implications of this for news organizations?
 How are they responding to these challenges?
 What are the characteristics of different social platforms?

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 o What does this mean for journalism and storytelling?
 How are different platforms used by news organizations to tell stories?
 What impact does social media have on the role of journalists?
 How is that role changing?

At the end of this course, you will have a firm grasp of these key issues, as well as the ability
to tell your own stories through social media.

To do this, the course will blend classroom lectures and discussion, guest speakers, practical
exercises and fieldwork with your own reading and research.

You will be expected to critically consume social news (news stories told on social media platforms)
throughout the course and to consistently share the findings with the class. Given how fast the social
media landscape changes - and the sheer breadth of this space – each student will play a key role in
helping their peers to develop their own knowledge of this rapidly evolving environment.

Learning Methods
These will include:

Discussing key market data and trends, developing your understanding of their implications.
• Class lectures, discussions and conversations with guest speakers

Researching and analysing emerging issues and players.

• Reading – and critically evaluating – a wide range of content
• In-‐class assignments and tasks (writing, reading, listening, pitching etc.)

Presenting your own research and social media output to your class peers and instructor.
• Writing + Producing high quality journalistic work, both in-class and in your own time.
• Reflecting on key lessons and learning from our classes.
• Publishing your work on a public facing class website/blog/other online spaces.

Working independently and collaboratively

• Out of class assignments (story development and creation, interviewing, writing
etc.)
• Online learning modules from industry leaders

8 knowledge areas you can expect to develop and hone:

By the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Understand and describe some of the major trends in social media usage.

2. Describe characteristics of major social platforms; including best practice for them.

3. Know where to look for relevant industry information/data/analysis about social media.

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 4. Use industry standard tools, such as Hootsuite, Google Drive and Medium, for collaborative
and individual work.

5. Have a knowledge of major – and emerging - social networks / types of channels, such as:

 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 Snapchat
 TikTok
 Pinterest
 Live Video services such as YouTube Live, Periscope and Facebook Live
 Messaging based apps like WeChat, WhatsApp and Line
 Platforms growing in influence and impact such as Reddit.

6. Be able to critique your own ideas/output – and those of your peers – on social media topics.

7. Understand the implications of your digital – and social – footprint.

8. Have experience of getting hands-on with a variety of new tools and digital apps.

8 Key Learning Outcomes

According to the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
(AEJMC), all accredited journalism schools in the USA should assess student mastery of 12 core
values and competencies. The full list of these values and competencies can be found later in this
syllabus.

In this class, you can expect to be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and

institutions in shaping communications;

2. Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and
information;

3. Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in

pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity; (All of your assignments will require
this.)

4. Think critically, creatively and independently; (All of your assignments will require this.)

5. Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the

communications professions in which they work;

6. Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications
professions, audiences and purposes they serve; (All of your assignments will require
this.)

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 7. Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness,
clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness; (All of your assignments
will require this.)
8. Apply tools and technologies (All of your assignments will require this,
especially the weekly reflections.)

Estimated student workload

The course features 3-4 classes a week + assignments. In addition to compulsory class
attendance, you will also be set a combination of individual and group assignments.

Tasks will include: reading, identification of case studies, preparation of presentation materials
and papers, fieldwork (interviewing, creation of content) and portfolio development.

Some assignments, and work for this class, will run concurrently. You will need to manage your
time accordingly, to balance competing workloads from this class and others. Time management
– which includes juggling competing priorities – is an ability you will always need at college and
beyond.

Undergraduate Courses
Under the UO quarter system, each undergraduate credit reflects c.30 hours of student engagement.
Therefore, this 4-credit course is akin to approximately 120 hours total of student time.

With 40 hours of class time (5 weeks at an average of 8 hours per week), readings and assignments
will account for another c. 80 hours of your time.

How this class works

COVID-19 and Teaching Online
I appreciate that the coronavirus continues to throw further curveballs into plans for this class (see
Week One quarantine) and life in general. I know you are all going through a lot, and that the shape
of your time at the SOJC / UO – as well as this program - is very different from what you had
expected. I know it's a deeply unsettling and confusing time.

Despite this, I know that we are all committed to making this class a success and that we will still
lots. We will have fun while doing it too. Promise!

Also remember that the challenges you face producing work remotely are being encountered by
industry professionals around the world. The skills you will demonstrate in this class – resilience,
creating high quality journalism often while on lockdown, interviewing and researching remotely and
(definitely while) social distancing – will stand you in good stead for when you graduate.

Against this backdrop, here’s some more information on how this class will work.

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Attendance
This class is designed to give you a foundation in some of the key social media skills needed in
today’s journalism market. These skills – and this knowledge – is highly transferable, whatever
your major and post-graduation plans.

I appreciate many of you are juggling competing demands this term – two very intense classes and a
desire to explore and make the most of your time studying abroad, so I will seek to be as flexible as
possible. Nonetheless, attendance of classes, and completion of assignments -‐ on time -‐ is
essential.

Office Hours
Unlike a normal term on campus (if there is still such a thing) there are no formal Office Hours for
this class. However, I will always make myself available for you if you want to talk to me about
assignments, ideas for improving the class, feedback on the things you like, or anything else you
want to discuss that I might be able to help with. Email me, so that we can arrange time to talk.

Participation
Classes will include a mixture of the occasional informal lectures, in-class creative assignments,
discussions with industry professionals, sharing lessons and learning from your own writing and
reading, collective feedback on assignments, reflections on previous talks etc.

Our classroom is an active learning space. It is an arena for the exchange of ideas and knowledge.

We are a small – but busy – class of seven students, which is a perfect size for meaningful, valuable,
discussion with your peers. You will all need to be very hands on, bringing ideas to the table and
actively engaging with me and each other.

There are no wrong answers and bad ideas, only answers and ideas which could be developed
better. It’s our job to work together to enable everyone to deliver the best possible outputs from
the course.

You should treat it like a newsroom and a production office. This means that you need to be
comfortable pitching ideas, receiving – and giving – feedback, and treating everyone in the room
with due respect.

It also means doing your prep. For example, researching guest speakers in advance of us talking to
them. These people are giving up their valuable time to talk to us, we want to make it worth their
while.

To help with this, each student will be assigned a guest speaker where you – and another student –
will take the lead in asking questions to ensure we get the best out of the session. (You may do this a
couple of times, depending on the number of guest speakers that we have.)

Your active participation is vital. And this is reflected in the grade structure for the term.

Assignments

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These will require original research, analysis, reporting and writing. This may involve additional
reading, conversations/interviews, and information-gathering that takes place off campus and a
different days and times.

Like all journalists, you’ll find some tasks easier – and more enjoyable – than others. This will ebb
and flow throughout the term. That’s normal! Sometimes, ideas and concepts might take some
getting used to. Other times, they won’t. Plan your time, energies and resources accordingly.

Feedback and Rewrites

A number of assignments will include opportunities to rewrite and edit materials, following
feedback from me and/or your peers.

This reflects the reality of many newsrooms and will almost always result in your revised work
being of a higher standard. These exercises will help you to improve your skills and news
sensibilities.

I believe that a 1-1 discussion about your work is more valuable than one-way written feedback, and
this is set-up for your portfolio review. This personal 1-1 teaching will take place during class time,
office hours and other times. These 1-1 sessions will typically last for 10-15 mins each.

You will be expected to take notes during these sessions; and to action – or at least consider – the
recommendations given.

Where class time is reassigned to allow for this 1-1 feedback, you are encouraged to use the class
time to work on other assignments for this class. I may also assign some reading during this period,
which will be discussed at the start of the next full class.

Your assignments, academic + journalistic integrity

See the Course Policies at the back of this syllabus for more information. Below is an
explanation for what these mean for your creative and journalistic work.
Thanks to my SOJC colleague Lori Shontz for this wording, she’s said it better than I could, so
I’ve reproduced this from her Reporting II syllabus. This is obviously a different class, but the
principles still apply.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The University Student Conduct Code (http://dos.uoregon.edu/conduct) defines academic

misconduct. Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to commit any act that
constitutes academic misconduct. You should read the Student Code of Conduct, if you have
not already: https://policies.uoregon.edu/vol-3-administration-student-affairs/ch-1-
conduct/student-conduct-code

Specifically, I want to highlight the following:

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 • Do not plagiarize: Do not copy someone else’s work and pass it off as your own.
That includes the work of professional reporters as well as the work of your
classmates, friends, family, fraternity brothers, sorority sisters, teammates,
roommates, fellow club officers, etc. You get the picture.

• Attribute your work properly: Use first and last names for everyone you quote or
paraphrase in a story. Quotations are direct quotes—don’t tweak what someone
said to make the sentence sound better. If you use information from another news
source, attribute it to that source.

• Don’t copy directly from websites or other background sources: This is plagiarism,
too. Don’t think you can fool me—or your readers—by changing a word or two
around. That doesn’t fly. Again: Attribute your work properly.

• Do not make things up: Don’t invent sources, facts, people, scenarios, scores,
quotes, etc. I truly hope this is self-evident.

• Do not interview family, friends and/or acquaintances: Credibility is everything. If

you use people you know well as sources, your readers have cause to doubt
whether you are being fully truthful or withholding information that would be
damaging to those close to you.

• IF YOU AREN’T SURE, ASK.

If you plagiarize or violate these principles of academic integrity, you will flunk this class.
Period.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS

The best journalism reflects the community it covers. That’s why I am passionate about
increasing and maintaining diversity in newsrooms. If everyone is the same gender, race,
ethnic group, sexual orientation, religion, etc., you’re going to produce a homogenous
publication that is at best boring, at worst riddled with errors of fact and/or omission.

In this class, I will encourage open inquiry, freedom of expression and respect for difference.

I expect you to respect the differences among you and your classmates and between the
class and me. I will respect yours. We can certainly disagree—in fact, I expect that we will at
times. But we can all respect each other, and we can all learn from each other. If anything in
this class makes you uncomfortable, let me know ASAP. Let’s talk about it.

How Grades Will Be Determined – story checklist

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Your work will be reviewed in the same way as any Editor would review the content submitted
to them. I will be looking for good writing, strong images, interesting stories, clarity of message,
breadth of sources used, fairness and balance, accuracy, good grammar, spelling and style.
That translates into: (h/t to the SOJC’s Lance Robertson for the excellent list below).

REPORTING

• NEWS JUDGMENT: The story identifies and focuses on the most compelling news values
(timeliness, proximity, importance, etc.) of the event, meeting or issue.

• THOROUGHNESS: The story demonstrates an intellectual command of the broader topic

or issue, and adequately addresses the story’s central question.

• CONTEXT: The story places the events and issues into a context that helps the reader
see how the specifics fit into a larger picture.

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 • RESEARCH: The story draws on reporting from an appropriate range of sources.

• INTERVIEWING: The story provides an appropriate range of voices that express

meaningful thoughts, observations and responses to important questions.

• DETAIL: The story uses detail to illustrate the central point or theme.

WRITING

• THE STORY’S OPENING: The story has a strong, engaging opening (lead), and promptly
frames its central question and context to create meaning for readers. The choice of

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 lead format (summary, descriptive, narrative, etc.) is reflective of the event or meeting
you are covering, and the time frame you have to cover it.

• CLARITY: The story uses clear language, favors the active voice, and avoids jargon and
unneeded complexity.

• STRUCTURE AND FLOW: The story has a logical, seamless organization, including
transitional elements that moves the reader from beginning to end.

• VOICES: The story demonstrates an excellent selection of voices and quotes that convey
meaningful ideas, opinion and emotion.

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 • DETAIL: The story effectively uses detail about people, places or situations that illustrate
the central theme or focus of the story.

• TECHNICAL: The story has trouble-free grammar, punctuation and usage.

Although this list is most applicable to the Social Media Storytelling feature, it’s applicable
throughout.

Pay particular attention to spelling platforms/brands and journalist’s names correctly, both for the
more substantial assignments and your weekly Twitter threads.

Notes on graded assignments

You’ll be given a detailed brief, on Canvas and in class, for each assignment. This will include clear
directions of what’s expected and by when. I will also post a discussion board for each assignment on
Canvas. So, if anything is unclear, please ask there, so that everyone can see my response(s).

- Writing (15%)

Social Media Storytelling feature (15%)

Working on your own, you will produce a social media driven story, on the topic – and format -
of your choice. 
 
This could be: live blogging from an event, a human interest story, a breaking news feature or a
myriad of other (hard and soft news) possibilities.

Your story is likely to include a combination of text, video, still photography, audio and curated
links/material produced elsewhere.

You will be expected to pitch two ideas to the class – outlining your idea and the platform(s) you
propose to use. The class will then commission you to produce this story. Once the assignment is
completed, you will share with the class the lessons you learned from this task.

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The assignment will be submitted via Medium, as this is the easiest platform to embed tweets,
YouTube videos, Instagram posts etc. Aim for 800-1,000 words.

- Research, Evaluation and Critical Thinking (30%)

Weekly reflection (10%)

Taking the time to pause and reflect about what you have learned helps with retention of
knowledge.
As a result, at the end of every week, I’ll ask you to produce a short reflection using a variety of
different social media tools and techniques, such as a Twitter thread, an audiogram, and a 2-
minute YouTube style influencer video.

If you don’t know how to do create a Twitter thread, have a look at:
https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/create-a-thread and https://slayingsocial.com/twitter-
thread-case-study/

You must include a minimum of 5 tweets in your thread to get the points.

Your thread should include:

 Takeaways from class discussions, assignments and conversations with guests.

 Thoughts on your industry reading. Don’t just share a link, add value by saying why the
development you are posting is noteworthy. (More on this below.)

 Your YouTube-style video should be 2-mins with your Top 3 takeaways from the week.

Twitter Tips
 Post the link for your first tweet each week to Canvas.

 In the first tweet of the thread, use the class #tag - #SM4J

 @me - @damianradcliffe - so I can RT you submission.

 @ others – people, orgs etc. that you mention – to drive engagement from/with them

 Do search for the #tag on Twitter to see what others in the group have shared, RT,
comment and engage with them – this is how communities on social media work, so it’s
good practice!

I will also useful this feedback and insights to shape the class as we go throughout the term.

YouTube influencer Tips

 You can shoot this on your phone.
 Make bullet points of what you want to say, but don’t read a script.
 Be natural. Don’t sweat it!

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 Work will be graded as Complete/Incomplete.

Note that you will need to sign a FERPA form if you are going to post material for class online.

You can create separate accounts for this class, or use your real accounts for either – or both – of
these weekly reflection exercises.

The key is to get you used to using social media in this professional manner.

Guest Speaker reflection (5%)

Separately, you’ll also be tasked with offering feedback and a short reflection on key takeaways
from the sessions we have with our guest speakers. This will typically be a Google Doc, where
you’ll be asked to share a paragraph outlining three key things you took away from the session.

The feedback will be shared with the speaker, as well as each other.

Emerging Platforms – presentation and write-up (In Groups, 15%)

Working in pairs/groups you will be allocated a social network that you will become the class
experts in. Together you and your group will produce a “User Guide” for this social channel,
designed to capture what journalists are doing well + not so well, on this platform.

To help develop your expertise in this space, you will use a mixture of desk analysis and field
research to determine best practice for this platform. Field research will include getting hands on
with this tool, as well as identifying how other major news organizations use this application.

Combining your own first-hand experience of using this platform, with the expertise of others,
will enable you to produce a handy “how to” guide for use by the rest of the class and other
journalists.

The guide should include hyperlinks, screenshots, embedded tweets/images/videos etc. to help
others to understand the best way to use this platform. You will present your initial findings (via
a presentation) to the class.

We will then give you and your group feedback on this, so you can revise your submission based
on any additional points from our class discussions that you wish to incorporate.

- Professional Hootsuite Certification (10%)

Hootsuite's Student Program provides educators and their classrooms free semester access to
professional social media tools and resources. This gives you a valuable opportunity to get hands on
– and accredited – with one of the most popular social media platforms used by media professionals.

This includes:

 Hootsuite Free Dashboard

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 Educators and students get hands-on learning with free access to Hootsuite's basic features.

 Free Online Courses

Access to Hootsuite Academy’s on-demand video courseware training for Hootsuite Platform
and Social Marketing.

 Free Certification

Showcase real-world social media credentials with the opportunity to earn the Hootsuite
Platform and Social Marketing certifications for free (they normally cost $$$).

You will complete both certifications for this class.

- Professional portfolio / Social Media Audit (20%)

Having a strong online presence is vital for prospective employers; and represents a great
opportunity for you to showcase your personal brand – and work – online.

At the same time, too few job hunters are aware that prospective employers will review your social
footprint, alongside your job application. Just as a good online presence can help you to secure that
interview or bag a precious internship, a bad social media presence can have the opposite effect.

Remember: what goes online, stays online.

Google’s Eric Schmidt has suggested1 that irresponsible online behaviors may mean that many future
job seekers will need to change their name in order to avoid potentially career threatening digital
embarrassments.

In class, we will explore best practice for young job-seekers in five areas:

 LinkedIn
 Facebook
 Instagram
 Twitter
 Portfolio pages

These principles – which shape “Brand You” - will be relevant to students, whatever their major, and
whatever field you wish to go into.

To encourage you to establish a professional online presence, students will undertake the
following tasks as part of this assignment. Specifically, this means creation of profiles / online
presence in the form of:

1. About.Me website (3%)

1
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/7951269/Young-will-have-to-change-names-to-
escape-cyber-past-warns-Googles-Eric-Schmidt.html

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 2. LinkedIn Profile (6%)
3. Professional online portfolio (11%)

This work will include both a peer review of your social presence (students will work together to
review each other’s digital/social footprint and make recommendations for improvement, prior to
submission for grading) and Instructor assessment and recommendations.

At the end of this assignment, you should have a strong, solid, online presence of which you can be
proud, and one which avoids the risk of “digital embarrassment” as you move forward into the world
of work.

- Participation and Engagement (25%)

As I’ve mentioned at several points in this syllabus; our classroom is a newsroom. This means
that you need to be comfortable pitching ideas, receiving – and giving – feedback, and treating
everyone in the room with due respect.
 
You'll ask questions of guest speakers, share - and produce - work in class throughout the term.
This work feeds into this grade.

This includes, for each guest speaker, two students who will be assigned (you will be selected at
random, with names taken out of a hat) to take the lead in asking questions of our guest.

Examples of work captured by this participation grade:

 In-class writing/production exercises

 Engagement with guest speakers
 Contribution to in-class discussions
 Pitching ideas
 Giving helpful, respectful feedback to your peers, on their work

Industry Reading
Because the social media landscape changes rapidly, there are currently no set readings for this
class (although that may change). You are, however, expected to keep up to date with the latest
developments in this space.

From Weeks 2 onwards, I’ll be asking each of you to share a development from the past week or
so that caught your eye and why. We’ll then discuss this. Come prepared!

There are a number of websites, and newsletters, which students will find it helpful to subscribe
to.
These sources regularly feature “how to guides,” discussions about new social storytelling
techniques and data/analysis of new research related to social news.

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Recommended resources include: Nieman Lab, CJR (Columbia Journalism Review), IJNET,
Reliable Sources (CNN), recode, Pew Research Center (Journalism and Media project), Poynter,
journalism.co.uk.

Recommendations:

 41 Must Read websites and newsletters for journalists interested in social media

 50 Must Read websites and newsletters for journalists and students interested in the
media, tech and communications

 Journalism, Media and Tech: 19 must read newsletters for journalists in 2019

NB: there is some overlap between these lists. I’m also going to produce updates in Week 1/2.

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Grading
Tasks/Weighting (subject to revision/changes)

Activity Tasks % of Grade Points

Writing 1. Social Media Storytelling 15% 150
15% 150

Research 2. Weekly reflection x 5 10% 100

and 3. Guest Speaker reflections 5% 50
Reflection 4. Emerging Platforms (group preso + paper) 15% 150
30% 300

Hootsuite 5. HootSuite Platform Certification 5% 50

6. HootSuite Analytics Certification 5% 50
10% 100

Digital 7. About.Me page 3% 30

Footprint 8. Professional LinkedIn site 6% 60
+ Portfolio 9. Portfolio website 11% 110
20% 200

Other 10. Engagement (Canvas + in-class work) 25% 250

25% 250
TOTAL 100% 1,000

Grade/Percentage/Point ratios

▪ A 93-100 percent ▪ C+ 77-79 percent

▪ A- 90-92 percent ▪ C 73-76 percent
▪ B+ 87-89 percent ▪ C- 70-72 percent
▪ B 83-86 percent ▪ D 60-69 percent
▪ B- 80-82 percent ▪ F 0-59 percent

Expectations and Standards:

▪ An A story is one that could be published with very minor – or no - editing.

▪ A B story is publishable, but it would need some fixes first.
▪ A C story would need major revisions to be published.
▪ A D story would not be published; it has significant flaws.
▪ An F story has one or more major fact errors, is plagiarized or is exceptionally
late. Or all three. Or it may simply have more significant flaws than a D story.

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Deadlines
Journalists have to delivery work on time. You’re a journalist, so that principle applies to this
class. If you submit work late, you will be docked one full grade for every 24 hours past
deadline.

If there’s a legitimate reason for this, we will – together – agree a revised date, provided you
discuss it with me first, and at the earliest possible point.

I’ll treat you the same way any Editor would. However, they will expect early communication
in the event of any problems. Treat me like you would your Editor/Commissioner.

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How Grades Will Be Determined – the mechanics

Category A B C D F

Strong lead: Vivid, telling Provides Essential Not a direct Factual

Informative detail. essential information lead and/or error(s).
hard information. but lacking important
(summary) clarity, information
news lead or conciseness missing.
compelling and/or detail.
anecdotal
opening.

Essential Who, what, 5 Ws covered Essential Essential Does not tell a

information where, when and but story not information information story.
covered. why organized provided but missing and/or
answered. clearly with disorganized. disorganized.
Story / most
Analysis important
logically information
organized. at the top.

Appropriate Strong use of Appropriate Quotes and Quotes or Quotes and

use of quotes quotes, with best use of quotes attribution attribution attribution
and quote high in and provided. missing missing
attribution. story. Attribution attribution.
provided when
needed.

Clear and Clear and concise Basically clear Thorough Writing style is Unintelligible.
concise writing. and concise. editing inappropriate
writing. Appropriate needed to for a news
news-‐writing style meet story.
Appropriate (i.e., short standards.
news-‐writing paragraphs,
or analytical descriptive detail,
style. active verbs, no
first-‐person).

Factually Mechanically 1-‐2 minor 1 major error 2 major errors Fatal flaws:
accurate. sound, no errors. errors. Style such as a and multiple Factual errors,
Correct inconsistent. fragment, minor issues. misspelling of
grammar, run-‐on, proper names,
spelling and comma splice, multiple
punctuation. or more than grammar,
two minor spelling errors.
errors.

Other things which come into the mix:

• Layout, formatting, for digital submissions, this matters.
• Are you telling a story I’ve not heard before.
• Does your story have the X-‐Factor (it can be solid, but does it zing?)

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Course Policies
Attendance
Attendance at class and program activities is mandatory. Attendance is taken and reported to the
GEO in London office.

If you are unable to attend class in person due to self-isolation requirements (see the COVID-19
policy) you must let Amanda and Mary know immediately. They will arrange for your class to take
place remotely.

If you unable to attend class either in person or remotely due to illness you must let Amanda and
Mary know immediately, explaining that you are ill and will miss a class. They will notify your tutor(s)
—telling your course tutor directly or passing a message via another student is not acceptable.

If you fail to follow this policy your absence will be recorded as unexcused. Unexcused absences may
affect your grades, as class attendance forms part of each course’s final mark.

Engagement
Your engagement with a class of this size is more important than ever. As a result, will be expected
to be actively engaged, on Canvas, throughout the term.

Engagement activities will include:

● Commenting and reflecting on lectures

● Providing feedback on each other’s creative work
● Asking questions, and reflecting on answers from guest speakers
● Offering thoughts on the reading, listening and viewing tasks assigned throughout the term
● End of the week takeaways

Always check the deadlines for submissions/commenting on discussions.

They will usually be at the end of the week, but I recommend you double-check. Just in case.

Note: Discussions will lock out at these times, thereafter you will be unable to contribute + secure
the engagement points associated with those tasks, so keep an eye on those dates/times and be
sure to participate.

General UO Guidelines for Remote Class Participation (Week One)

1. Participate and Contribute: Students are expected to participate by sharing ideas and
contributing to the collective learning environment. This entails preparing, following
instructions, and engaging respectfully and thoughtfully with others. More specific
participation guidelines and criteria for contributions will be provided for each specific
activity.

2. Use Proper Netiquette: Please use good “net etiquette”: identify yourself with your real
name, write or speak in the first person, and use a subject line that clearly relates to your
contribution. Good netiquette also means using humor or sarcasm carefully, remembering
that non-verbal cues (such as facial expressions) are not always possible or clear in a remote
context. In addition, your language should be free of profanity, appropriate for an academic

LONDON Social Media for Journalists (Radcliffe) – Summer 2021 20

 context, and exhibit interest in and courtesy for others’ contributions. Certain breaches of
netiquette can be considered disruptive behavior.

3. Interact Professionally: Our learning environment provides an opportunity to practice being

professional and rigorous in our contributions. Newsrooms are operating on Zoom now too,
so the way we work in this class will mimic the professional media world.

As much as possible, use correct spelling, grammar, and style for academic and professional
work. Use discussions and activities as opportunities to practice the kind and quality of work
expected for assignments. Moreover, seize the chance to learn from others and develop
your interpersonal skills, such as mindful listening and awareness of one’s own tendencies
(e.g. Do I contribute too much? Too little?).

4. Expect and Respect Diversity: All classes at the University of Oregon welcome and respect
diverse experiences, perspectives, and approaches. What is not welcome are behaviors or
contributions that undermine, demean, or marginalize others based on race, ethnicity,
gender, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion, ability, or socioeconomic status. We will value
differences and communicate disagreements with respect. We may establish more specific
guidelines and protocols to ensure inclusion and equity for all members of our learning
community.

5. Help Everyone Learn: Our goal is to learn together by learning from one another. As we
move forward learning during this challenging time, it is important that we work together
and build on our strengths.

Please do not hesitate to contact me to ask for assistance or to offer suggestions that might
help us learn better.

Specific guidelines for best practices using Canvas Discussion:

1. Use subject lines that clearly communicate the content of your post.

2. Write clearly and concisely and be aware that humor or sarcasm often doesn’t always
translate in an online environment.

3. Be supportive and considerate when replying to others’ posts. This means avoiding use of
jargon or inappropriate language, and it means disagreeing with respect and providing clear
rationale or evidence to support your different view.

4. Keep focused on the topic and reference readings and other class materials to support your
points (as applicable).

5. Try to use correct spelling and grammar and proofread your submissions. After submitting,
use the edit feature to make corrections and resubmit (don’t create a new or duplicate post
that corrects your error).

6. Contribute and interact often!

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Specific guidelines for best practices using Zoom:

1. Please test your video and audio prior to joining a live class session. You can learn more
about testing your audio and video by visiting the Zoom Help Center at
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us

2. Try to be on time when the meeting starts. It can be distracting to have participants join late.

3. Be mindful that others can see you and your surroundings if your video is on. Try to find a
quiet setting without lots of noise or busy activities in the background. Please minimize
distractions like eating or multitasking and speak and use gestures like you would in person.

4. Use a microphone or speak closely to your computer microphone so that others can hear
you. If you have video on, try to look at your camera, not the screen, when you are
contributing.

5. Mute your audio when you are not actively contributing. When contributing, avoid making
other noises such as typing or eating or having side conversations with others that might be
present with you.

6. Use chat to pose questions or offer insights “on the side” while others are contributing.

7. If you prefer to use a static image instead of video, you can keep your video off.

8. For help and troubleshooting with Zoom, visit the Zoom Help Center at
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us

Academic integrity
The University Student Conduct Code (available at conduct.uoregon.edu) defines academic
misconduct. Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to commit any act that
constitutes academic misconduct. By way of example, students should not give or receive (or
attempt to give or receive) unauthorized help on assignments or examinations without express
permission from the instructor.

Students should properly acknowledge and document all sources of information (e.g. quotations,
paraphrases, ideas) and use only the sources and resources authorized by the instructor. If there is
any question about whether an act constitutes academic misconduct, it is the students’ obligation to
clarify the question with the instructor before committing or attempting to commit the act.

The U of O policy on academic dishonesty will be observed throughout this course.

Plagiarizing and/or cheating will result in an automatic failure of the course.

To avoid this, you should read: http://researchguides.uoregon.edu/citing-plagiarism

We will also talk about the importance of proper attribution of your sources and providing credit
where it is due. In the digital arena, this is more important than ever, as the lifting of quotes or the
creation of false content, never mind that plagiarism can all be easily identified. Careers can – and

LONDON Social Media for Journalists (Radcliffe) – Summer 2021 22

have been – destroyed as a result of breaking these rules. Don’t be foolish and make the same
mistakes!

Basic needs
Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or
who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the
course, is urged to contact the Dean of Students Office (346-3216, 164 Oregon Hall) for support.

If you are comfortable doing so, please let me know about your situation so I can help point you in
the right direction for assistance.

This UO webpage includes resources for food, housing, healthcare, childcare, transportation,
technology, finances, and legal support: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/basicneeds/food/

COVID-19 Policy 
If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), get a test as soon as possible.
Self-isolate at home until you get the result. https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

ï A high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not
need to measure your temperature)
ï A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more
coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
ï A loss or change to your sense of smell of taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot
smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:

1. Get a test to check if you have coronavirus as soon as possible.

2. Let Amanda and Mary know that you need to self-isolate. They will inform the rest of the
programme participants to stay at home and arrange alternative housing and remote
teaching if necessary.
3. You and the rest of the programme participants should stay at home and not have visitors
until you get your test result. Only leave your home to have a test.

If your test result is negative you, and the rest of the programme participants, may leave self-
isolation. If your test result is positive you, and the rest of the programme participants, must self-
isolate at home for 10 full days from the onset of symptoms. Amanda and Mary will offer support if
you need to self-isolate.

COVID-19 SAFETY BASICS

Hands. Wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water, or sanitise using hand sanitiser if soap
and warm water is not available.

Face. It is essential that you wear a face covering at all times when travelling on public transport,
inside shops, and inside the GEO London centre. Face coverings must cover your nose and mouth.

LONDON Social Media for Journalists (Radcliffe) – Summer 2021 23

Space. Maintain a two-metre distance from others to prevent transmission. If two metres is not
possible you must stay more than one metre apart and adopt additional mitigating measures, such
as wearing a face covering.

Fresh Air. Open doors and windows where possible to increase ventilation.

Testing. You are required to take two lateral flow tests weekly and report the results to Amanda and
Mary.

Rule of Six/Two Households Indoors. You may legally socialise in groups of up to 6 people or 2
households indoors, and up to 30 people outdoors.

QUARANTINE PERIOD
When you arrive in-country you must proceed immediately to your apartment where you will
quarantine for the first ten days. You must remain in your apartment at all times except in an
emergency (medical, fire, etc.). All programme activities will take place remotely during the
quarantine period

On day 2 (Tuesday 29 June) and day 8 (Monday 5 July) a member of on-site staff will arrange for you
to take your travel test package COVID tests. They will drop off and pick up the tests. When you
receive the test results you must forward these to Amanda and Mary.

You may leave quarantine on Thursday 8 July 2021.

AFTER THE QUARANTINE PERIOD

Classes will take place at the GEO London Centre. You must follow the COVID-19 Safety Basics above
at all times.

The building is cleaned professionally for two hours every morning and high touch points will be
cleaned regularly throughout the day. We will issue you with arrival times for each class and you
must buzz for entry to the building. You are permitted access to your classroom, bathroom facilities,
and the kitchen for handwashing and to fill your own personal water bottle from home.

Mental Health and Wellness 

Life at college can be very complicated. All the more so right now. Students often feel overwhelmed
or stressed, experience anxiety or depression, struggle with relationships, or just need help
navigating challenges in their life. If you're facing such challenges, you don't need to handle them on
your own--there's help and support on campus. 

Studying overseas can also present new and additional challenges.

As your instructor if I believe you may need additional support, I will express my concerns, the
reasons for them, and refer you to resources that might be helpful. It is not my intention to know the
details of what might be impacting you, but simply to let you know I care and that help is available.

Getting help is a courageous thing to do—for yourself and those you care about. This is a subject I
have first-hand experience of, and it’s a subject I feel very passionately about.

LONDON Social Media for Journalists (Radcliffe) – Summer 2021 24

If you need general resources on coping with stress or want to talk with someone who can help, let
Amanda, Mary or me know.

Technology
Canvas and Zoom are the primary technology tools and platforms for this class.

Alongside this, you will also submit some assignments via Medium and on other social media
platforms. Medium is a a free platform which is used by major journalists and publications like the
New York Times, the Economist and others. It’s an excellent means to showcase your work and to
get familiar with.

If you’re using a desktop for Zoom sessions, please put your phone away and avoid looking at it. I
encourage you to take notes by hand, as retention – multiple studies have shown - is better this way.

Questions
If you want to know more about anything mentioned here, or anything which you think is missing,
then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Email: damianr@uoregon.edu
Telephone: SMS/Text 541-972-5531 or + 44 7763 431 265 from 9am-9pm.
You can also email or DM me on Twitter @damianradcliffe

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
Damian Radcliffe, Professor of Practice, Carolyn Chambers Professor of Journalism
http://journalism.uoregon.edu/member/radcliffe-damian/

Damian Radcliffe is the Carolyn S. Chambers Professor in Journalism, a Professor of Practice, and an
affiliate of the Department for Middle East and North Africa Studies (MENA), at the University of
Oregon.

Alongside holding the Chambers Chair at the School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), he is
also a Fellow of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, an Honorary Research
Fellow at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture Studies, and a fellow of the
Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).

An experienced digital analyst, consultant, journalist, and researcher, Damian has worked in
editorial, research, policy, and teaching positions for the past two decades in the UK, Middle East,
and USA. This includes roles in all media sectors (commercial, public, government, regulatory,
academic, and nonprofit/civil society) and all platforms (print, digital, TV and radio). 

Before joining the University of Oregon in 2015, Damian previously worked full-time for The Local
Radio Company, BBC, Volunteering Matters, Ofcom (the UK communications regulator), and Qatar’s
Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR). 

LONDON Social Media for Journalists (Radcliffe) – Summer 2021 25

He has also written, spoken to, or provided consulting services, for a wide range of additional
industry and academic organizations, such as:

Abramis Academic Publishing, ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, Association of Information and

Communication Media (AMIC, Spain), BBC Media Action, BBC Monitoring, BBC World
Service, Carnegie UK Trust, Cass Business School, Centre for Research on Communities and
Culture (Canterbury University), City University London, Cognizant,  European Journalism
Observatory (EJO), Eyewitness Media Hub, Facebook, FJUM (forum journalism and media,
Vienna), German-American Institutes, The Guardian, IBC Content Everywhere, Media
Development Investment Fund, Middle East Broadcast Network (MBN), NESTA,
Northwestern University in Qatar,  Online Journalism Blog, Qatar Today, Street Fight, TEDx
Reset (Turkey), Thomson Reuters Foundation, The Reuters Institute for the Study of
Journalism at Oxford University, the United Nations and Your Middle East.

Damian continues to be an active journalist, writing monthly columns for ZDNet (Red Ventures), the
International Journalists’ Network (IJNet) and What's New in Publishing, and frequently appearing
in journalism.co.uk and other publications. He writes about digital trends, social media, technology,
the business of media, and the evolution of journalism.

These themes are also at the heart of the Demystifying Media speaker series, which Damian curates.
He launched the series in January 2016, with the goal of bringing leading academics and industry
professionals to the SOJC. To date, more than 40 experts have participated in the program.

Outside of this series, Damian has chaired sessions, provided training, and spoken at events, around
the world including: USA (New York, Portland, Philadelphia, Colorado Springs, Albany; New York,
Chicago and Washington D.C.), UK (London, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cardiff, Belfast, Bristol), Europe
(Paris, Strasbourg, Vienna, Barcelona, Istanbul, Amsterdam, various cities in Germany) and the
Middle East (Doha and Dubai) and virtual efforts hosted in Asia (Chennai and Singapore)

Other outlets to feature Damian's work include: BBC College of Journalism and BBC Academy (36

bylines), The Conversation (9 bylines), Digital Content Next (6 bylines), Huffington Post (12 bylines),
and -  prior to their closure - MediaShift (14 bylines) and TheMediaBriefing (35 bylines). Additional
bylines can also be found in Columbia Journalism Review (CJR), Nieman Lab, Poynter and elsewhere.

Find out more about me via my website.

LONDON Social Media for Journalists (Radcliffe) – Summer 2021 26

 In case you forget, or don’t know, what I look like…

LONDON Social Media for Journalists (Radcliffe) – Summer 2021 27

Additional Course Information: Accreditation Guidelines and Goals
The national accrediting agency for journalism education has required that all accredited
journalism schools assess student mastery of 12 core values and competencies that every
graduate of a journalism and mass communication program should possess.

According to the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

(AEJMC), all graduates, irrespective of their particular specialization, should be able to:

1. Understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, for the
country in which the institution that invites ACEJMC is located, as well as receive
instruction in and understand the range of systems of freedom of expression around the
world, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and
petition for redress of grievances;

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and

institutions in shaping communications;

3. Demonstrate an understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as

appropriate, other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass
communications;

4. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the

significance and impact of mass communications in a global society;

5. Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and
information;

6. Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in

pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;

7. Think critically, creatively and independently;

8. Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the

communications professions in which they work;

9. Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications
professions, audiences and purposes they serve;
10. Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness,
clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness;

11. Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts;

12. Apply tools and technologies

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