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Unit outline_

MECO1003: Principles of Media Writing

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

This unit will give students foundational skills in information gathering and writing for media, with a focus on news and journalistic styles. Students will be introduced to the principles of interviewing and journalistic research.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Media and Communications
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
MECO2002
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator William Wyman, william.wyman@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Kathy Marks, katharine.marks@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation News analysis
n/a
20% Ongoing 2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4
Assignment First news story
n/a
40% Week 08
Due date: 21 Sep 2022 at 23:59
1200 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Second news story
n/a
40% Week 13
Due date: 04 Nov 2022 at 23:59
1400 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Assessment summary

All assessment items must be submitted to pass this unit. Detailed information for each assessment item can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

5% per calendar day.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to the class. What is a news story—and why is a news story what it is? Intro to freedom of the press and the media's responsibilities. Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 02 Elements of a news story I: Writing conventions and elements of presentation. Lead-writing exercise Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 03 Elements of a news story II : Beyond the lead. Basics of reporting and editing. Introduction of news analysis assignment. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 04 Media law and ethics Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 05 Mechanics of reporting Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 06 Inside the newsroom: How news organizations work. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 07 Trauma & self care; guest lecture. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 08 Metrics and the business of news. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 09 High-impact journalism: How to make a splash in a highly competitive environment. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 10 Navigating the real world. How the freedoms, and responsibilities, of journalists play out. The journalist and social media. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 11 Guest lecture. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 12 News and journalism in the 21st Century. The opportunities and battles ahead: New business models, the challenges of fake news, and the wisdom of Hunter S. Thompson. ("When the going gets tough, the tough get weird.") Lecture (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 13 Class review. Elements of the news story, redux. The strictures and power of the free press. And: Beyond the news story. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

See Canvas site.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. write news stories that are clear, concise and accurate
  • LO2. demonstrate ability to find and research stories for publication
  • LO3. understand the processes of news
  • LO4. demonstrate awareness of key ethical issues involving the production of news.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Timetable Changes

Changes to delivery dates of some lectures may occur due to the availability of guest lecturers. Any changes will be notified via Canvas.

Sensitive issues

Journalism is published writing. Your interactions with your editor are public, and your work is often seen by many people in a news operation before being published. The principles of journalism include a welcoming attitude toward any source that can make our work better, more accurate, more useful and more understandable. All of this is to say that your work in this class may be discussed and edited publicly (i.e., in front of the class), just as it would in a newsroom. Your instructors are veteran published journalists—and they will cheerfully tell you they have had their work subject to the same treatment!

Also: Due to the nature of journalism, some stories we read may make you feel uncomfortable or uneasy (e.g., descriptions of crimes including sexual assault, murder, child abuse, domestic violence, discussions of illnesses, death and dying). If you feel uncomfortable, it is important that you contact the unit coordinator or another member of the team as soon as possible to discuss this with them. You are not required to share confidential information with us if you do not wish to. If you attend the class but at any point you feel uncomfortable, you are free to leave. 

Publishing work in Salience & The Junction

Salience website showcases a selection of our best student assignments, such as audio­visual news stories, interviews, feature writing, creative nonfiction, commentary and other media­-related work. The Junction showcases university journalism from Australia, NZ and the Pacific. If you receive a D or HD for an assignment and it’s considered suitable for publishing, your unit coordinator may arrange for you to be contacted by the Salience Editor and The Junction campus editor, Pam Walker, who will guide you through the process for inclusion.

No rights are reserved, so you can still seek publication of your brilliance elsewhere. To ensure eligibility, please make sure that you secure consent from interviewees during the production process, using the templates provided by your unit coordinator. Also, you can only use music and samples from other media that you have the rights to ­ or that is Creative Commons licensed for modified use. We look forward to seeing your work made available to the public!

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.