FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND ARTS

COURSE OUTLINE

Program: Dip – Journalism and Digital Media

Academic Y/Sem: JAN -APRIL 2022
Course Code: BJM 002
Title: Newswriting and Editing

Instructor : Philip Njore

Day : Tuesday
Time : 1400hrs – 1700hrs
Telephone : +254 723 325580
Email :edwardnjore17@gmail.com

Purpose of the Course Provides an introduction to copy editing and includes the roles and responsibilities of a copy
editor, which go beyond being able to spot grammatical and spelling errors in copy. Students learn how a copy
editor approaches a piece, and how to edit that piece for clarity, sense, and organization, as well as for spelling,
grammar, style, legal concerns, and fairness. Students will edit copy and write headlines and captions while learning
the basics of layout and design.

1) Expected Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, the learner should be able to:

(a)Exhibit proficiency in editing for story organization, logic, fairness, accuracy, style, grammar, and spelling.

(b)Formulate strategies for questioning reporters and editors in the process of fact-checking, copy editing, and
improving stories.

(C)Correct spelling and grammar in the editing process.

(d)Ensure consistency and the use of correct style within a publication.

(e)Define libel law and describe the role copy editors play as the news organization’s last line of defense against
libel suits

2) Course Delivery:
Lectures, news editing and presentations, group discussions,

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3) Course Assessment

TASK SCORE (%) DATES

Assignment 1 Class attendance and participation 5
Assignment 2 Writing on University news assignments(news or 10
feature)
Assignment 3 Outside university news writing assignments(news or 10
feature)
CAT 1 Definition of news 15
Sources of news
Types of news
Element of news
CAT 2 Definition of editorial productions 15
Duties of a copy taster
Creating news
Measuring the news
Reasons for rewriting
Exam A final exam to be based on the all materials covered 50
in the course outline
TOTAL 100

4) Course Content Schedule

TOPIC SUB-TOPICS
Week 1 Introduction to news writing  Defination of news
 Sources of news
 Types of news
 Element of news
Week 2 Types of news  Hard news
 Soft news
 Feature
 Editorial
Week 3 Structure and component of news  Inverted pyramid
 Advantages of inverted pyramid format
 Intro checklist
-5ws and H (pillars of a new story)
Week 4 Lead ,functions and types of a Lead in news  Types of leads
story  Functions of the leads
 Steps to note on writing a lead

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  Others news writing techniques
Week 5 News writing for newspaper and broadcast News writing for newspaper
 News writing for broadcast
 Why a journalist may use dircect qoutation a
news story
 Captions writing
Week 6 Ethics in news writing  Defination of ethics
 Professionals standards and ethics in news
writing
 Factors affecting the selection and coverage
of news
Week 7 Editorial production  Defination of editorial productions
 Duties of a copy taster
 Creating news
 Measuring the news
 Reasons for rewriting

Week 8 Editing functions  The edting functions

 Newsromm structure
 Getting it right
 Check sources
 Making it fit
 Editing for the page
 Order and shape
 basic punctuation rules
Week 9 Types of intro  delayed drop
 basic rules
Week 10 Emerging issues in news writing and editing  Digital news writing
Week 1 Class presentations/in class oral critiques Class presentations/in class oral critiques
Week 11 Newsletter Project execution Newsletter Project execution
Week 12 EXAMS EXAMS

REFERENCES
1. DUYILE, Dayo (2015), Writing for the Mass Media: A Manual for African Journalists, Lagos, Gong
Communications Ltd.
2. Alfred Lawrence Lorenz & John Vivian (1996), News Reporting and Writing, India, Dorling Kindersley.

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3. K.M. Shrivastava, (2007), News Reporting and Editing, New Delhi, Sterling Publishers Private Ltd

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