Tags
J
Admissions requirements
Essentials of Journalism and a 200-level course in Journalism (Investigative Journalism or Literature of War Journalism).
Description
This course builds on the practical skills students gained in Essentials of Journalism, while employing the more refined investigative techniques learned in Investigative Journalism or the narrative sensibility they gained in Literature of War Journalism. This course puts a heavy emphasis on print journalism, in particular the importance of reliable sources, journalistic ethics and transparency. There is also a stress on writing in cliché-free, clear English. Aside from going out and doing their own reporting, students will also be analyze the narrative structure of news and features in order to master storytelling.
Course objectives
This course will train students to think like journalists and rigorously apply the critical methods that ensure high-quality, reliable reporting results. The course will sharpen these skills through a combination of writing, (group) feedback, demanding in-class exercises and group analysis/discussion of published journalism. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to select, pitch, plan and report on news and feature stories. They will be able to conduct interviews that produce in-depth information. And they will be able to confidently write and edit print journalism in both news and feature genres.
Timetable
Once available, timetables will be published here.
Mode of instruction
This course will require students to cooperate as if they were working in a newsroom. This will require them to pitch story ideas and to respond constructively to the ideas and writing of others. Aside from this simulated work environment, instruction will also consist of regular feedback in class on students’ writing and group evaluation of published journalism. Attendance of class meetings is compulsory for students.
Assessment
In-class participation: 10%
Reporting Assignment 1: 15%
Reporting Assignment 2: 15%
In-class Assignment 1: 10%
In-class Assignment 2: 10%
In-class Assignment 3: 10%
Final feature (first draft): 15%
Final feature (final draft): 15%
Students will be given several days to complete each of the Reporting Assignments and Final Features. In-class Assignments – essentially short news reports written during class sessions – are to be completed and handed in on the day they are assigned, at the end of class. Because of the intensive nature of this course, there will be no chance to re-sit missed assignments, in-class or otherwise. However, no single missed assignment weighs heavily enough to cause a student to fail the course.
Blackboard
There will be a Blackboard site available for this course. Students will be enrolled at least one week before the start of classes.
Reading list
The following books are compulsory:
The Art and Craft of Feature Writing, William E. Blundell
The Universal Journalist, David Randall
Command and Control, Eric Schlosser
Registration
This course is open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Registration is coordinated by the Curriculum Coordinator. Interested non-LUC students should contact course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Robert Chesal, r.chesal@gmail.com.