MODULE DESCRIPTOR

TITLE Digital Journalism

SI MODULE CODE 55-6704
CREDITS 20
LEVEL 6
JACS CODE P500
SUBJECT GROUP Communications
DEPARTMENT Media, Arts and Communications
MODULE LEADER Philo Holland

MODULE STUDY HOURS (based on 10 hours per credit)*

Scheduled Learning Placement (if Independent Total Number of Study
and Teaching applicable) Guided Study Hours
Activities
48 x 152 200
*to be used for Key Information Sets - see Module Descriptor guidance notes

MODULE AIM

Students will work in teams to devise and run a specialist, newsworthy website. They will brand the website,
find original stories and illustrate them with multimedia content. Students will also build an audience for their
site using social media and will interact with their audience to deliver the highest quality product.

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES (up to 4 LOs max)

By engaging successfully with this module a student will be able to:

• Learn and apply the rules of writing for online, and understand the differences between online
content and traditional print content
• Identify appropriate sound, video, pictures and social media tools for use in supporting and
promoting their sites
• Research, source and write stories using appropriate interview techniques and professional
skills
• Operate with others as part of a newsroom team to produce a consistent and professional
product

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Teamworking
Creativity and imagination in digital journalism and design
Organisation skills: in managing a sustained output for the site
Technical skills: site design, HTML, formatting, banner design, audio/visual recording and editing and
uploading, photography, Photoshop and artwork

LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT - STRATEGY AND METHODS

Students will be supported in their learning, to achieve the above outcomes, in the following ways:

Workshops and seminars will look at the practices of digital journalism. These will be supplemented
by visiting speakers from relevant professions sharing their own practice, Blackboard/Shuspace,
social media resources.
ASSESSMENT TASK INFORMATION

Task Short Description of Task SI Code Task Word Count In-module

No.* EX/CW/ Weighting % or Exam retrieval
PR Duration** available
1 Website (group and individual CW 80% N
work)
2 Production Notes/Reflective CW 20% 2000 appx N
Critique

*Assessment task limit of a max of two tasks per 20 credits, and a max of three tasks for a module larger
than 20 credits
** Timetabled examinations - duration must be whole numbers of one, two or three hours and ten minutes of
reading time will be added on to this as standard.

FEEDBACK
Students will receive feedback on their performance in the following ways

• Oral feedback in seminars throughout the module

• Written feedback at the conclusion of assessed tasks

LEARNING RESOURCES FOR THIS MODULE (INCLUDING READING LISTS)

Essential

Bowman, S and C. Willis (2003) We Media: How audiences are shaping the future of news
and information. Hypergene [online]. Available
from: http://www.hypergene.net/wemedia/weblog.php

Bradshaw, Paul (2011) The online journalism handbook: skills to survive and thrive in
the digital age

Luckie, M. (2010) The Digital Journalist’s Handbook. Seattle, CreateSpace.

Randall, D. (2007) The Universal Journalist. London, Pluto Press.

Thornburg, Ryan (2009) Producing Online News, Sage

Ward M (2003) Journalism Online, Focal Press

Recommended

Jenkins, H. (2008) Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York, New
York University Press.

Newman, N. (2009) The rise of social media and its impact on mainstream journalism.
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism [online]. Available
from: http://thomsonreuters.com/content/media/white_papers/487784

O’Reilly, T and S. Milstein (2009) The Twitter Book. Sebastopol, O’Reilly Media.

Quinn, S. and V. Filak (2005) Convergent Journalism: An Introduction. London, Focal Print.

Shirky, C. (2009) Here Comes Everybody: How Changes Happens when People Come
Together. London, Penguin.
Sreberny, A. and G. Khiabany (2010) Blogistan: The Internet and Politics in Iran. London,
I.B. Tauris.

Truss, L. (2008) Eats, Shoots and Leaves. London, Profile Books.

Suggested websites:

The BBC College of Journalism is a valuable training

resource: http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/

In particular - the section on Writing for the

Web: http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/skills/writing-styles/writing-for-the-web/

Video for the web:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/skills/writing-styles/writing-for-the-web/web-video.shtml

Pictures for the Web:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/skills/writing-styles/writing-for-the-web/web-pictures-the-
guide.shtml

And best use of social media in journalism:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/skills/citizen-journalism/citizen-journalism-guide/social-
media-tools.shtml

Another very useful article is:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/blog/2011/09/how-has-social-media-changed-t.shtml

And the impact of Audioboo:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/blog/2010/07/a-big-noise-in-future-media.shtml

Other areas of online journalism expertise:

http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/ - Teaching Online Journalism by Mindy MacAdams.

The how-to guides on journalism.co.uk:

http://www.journalism.co.uk/skills/s7/

And this glossary of online journalism terminology:

http://www.journalism.co.uk/sub-editors/s105/

Poynter.org is a very useful resource for journalists with loads of online courses (including
Online Media Law). Here's an example of their very useful guides:
http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/digital-strategies/146345/10-ways-journalists-can-use-twitter-
before-during-and-after-reporting-a-story/

Paul Bradshaw is one of the leading experts in online journalism in the UK.. Here's a link to
his blog: http://onlinejournalismblog.com/

REVISIONS
Date Reason
May 2014 Confirmed in UG Communications Re/approval
SECTION 2 MODULE INFORMATION FOR STAFF ONLY
MODULE DELIVERY AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

MODULE STATUS - INDICATE IF ANY CHANGES BEING MADE

NEW MODULE Y
EXISTING MODULE - NO CHANGE
Title Change
Level Change
Credit Change
Assessment Pattern Change
Change to Delivery Pattern
Date the changes (or new module) will be implemented 09/2016

MODULE DELIVERY PATTERN - Give details of the start and end dates for each module. If the
course has more than one intake, for example, September and January, please give details of the
module start and end dates for each intake.
Module Begins Module Ends
Course Intake 1 01/09/2016 01/01/2017
Course Intake 2 01/09/2017 01/01/2018
Course Intake 3 01/09/2018 01/01/2019

Is timetabled contact time required for this module? Y

Are any staff teaching on this module non-SHU employees? N

If yes, please give details of the employer institution(s) below

What proportion of the module is taught by these non-SHU staff,

expressed as a percentage?

MODULE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Indicate how the module will be marked
*Overall PERCENTAGE Mark of 40% Y
*Overall PASS / FAIL Grade N
*Choose one only – module cannot include both percentage mark and pass/fail graded tasks

SUB-TASKS
Will any sub-tasks (activities) be used as part of the assessment strategy N
for this module?
If sub-tasks / activities are to be used this must be approved within the Faculty prior to approval. Sub-
task / activity marks will be recorded locally and extenuating circumstances, extensions, referrals and
deferrals will not apply to sub-tasks / activities.

FINAL TASK
According to the Assessment Information shown in the Module Descriptor, Task No.
which task will be the LAST TASK to be taken or handed-in? (Give task
number as shown in the Assessment Information Grid in Section 1 of the 2
Descriptor)

NON-STANDARD ASSESSMENT PATTERNS

MARK 'X' IN BOX IF MODULE ASSESSMENT PATTERN IS NON STANDARD,
eg MODEL B, ALL TASKS MUST BE PASSED AT 40%.

NB: Non-standard assessment patterns are subject to faculty agreement and

approval by Registry Services - see guidance. notes.