Introduction to Journalism
- Social Sciences
- 100 level
- 3 credit units
- 138 pages
- 16 units
This course introduces the fundamental principles of journalism, focusing on writing and reporting for mass media. It explores the history and development of journalism, both globally and within Nigeria, examining pre- and post-independence eras. The course covers news gathering, writing, and editing, including journalistic style, headline writing, and interviewing techniques. Students will also learn about media laws, including contempt of court, defamation, and copyright, essential for ethical and legal journalism practice.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 150 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, case study
- Practical work
- Yes
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of JLS111, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
JLS111 · UNIT 1 THE DEVELOPMENT OF JOURNALISM: A HISTORICAL APPROACH
Like Smith, Jeremy Tunstall in Newspaper History from the Seventeenth Century to the present Day, identifies four stages in the development of journalism. However, Tunstall argues that these stages are myths that have been constructed post facto in attempts to raise the status and value of journalists.
What you should be able to do
- Understand the history and development of journalism.
- Apply the principles of journalistic writing to create news stories.
- Edit news stories for clarity, accuracy, and style.
- Write effective headlines that capture the essence of a news story.
- Understand and apply media laws, including contempt of court, defamation, and copyright.
What it prepares you for
- Reporter
- Editor
- Sub-Editor
- Correspondent
- News Analyst
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Radio Stations
- Television Stations
- Online News Platforms
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3:
Unit 1: Essentials of Journalistic Style
Requires understanding of subtle nuances in language and cultural context to maintain objectivity and avoid bias.
- Module 4:
Unit 4: Defamation Law
Requires careful attention to detail and precise language to avoid misrepresentation and legal repercussions.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 28 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Journalism Development and Structure
Unit 1: The Development of Journalism: A Historical Approach · 2 hours
Read about the evolution of journalism.. Understand the role of technology in shaping journalism.. Discuss the impact of political and economic factors on press freedom..
- Week 2Module 1: Journalism Development and Structure
Unit 2: Journalism Development in Nigeria: Pre-Independence Period · 2 hours
Examine the influence of missionary journalism.. Analyze the role of alien-dominated press.. Discuss the rise of indigenous press and its impact on Nigerian nationalism..
- Week 3Module 1: Journalism Development and Structure
Unit 3: Journalism Development in Nigeria: Post Independence Era · 2 hours
Analyze the regionalistic nature of the press.. Discuss the press during the Civil War and military rule.. Examine the role of the press in the Second Republic and post-republic era..
- Week 4Module 1: Journalism Development and Structure
Unit 4: The Journalism Industry: Key Structural Make Up · 2 hours
Understand the structure of news industry.. Learn about the roles of editorial, production, and business departments.. Discuss the functions of key personnel in each department..
- Week 5Module 2:
Unit 1: The Nature of News · 2 hours
Define news and its determinants.. Understand the concepts of timeliness, proximity, prominence, consequence, and human interest.. Differentiate between straight, investigative, and interpretative news reports..
- Week 6Module 2:
Unit 2: Writing the News · 2 hours
Learn about news structures (pyramid, inverted pyramid, modified inverted pyramid).. Understand how to write news leads.. Identify different types of leads (cartridge, punch, crowded, astonisher, shirt-tail, summary, effect)..
Unit 3: Editing the Copy · 2 hours
Understand copy editing functions (creative, managerial, policing).. Learn about copy editor tools (equipment, reminders, symbols, references).. Practice using editing symbols..
- Week 7Module 2:
Unit 4: Headline Writing · 2 hours
Define headline writing and its functions.. Understand headline schedules and writing guides.. Learn about headline counts and headline copy..
- Week 8Module 3:
Unit 1: Essentials of Journalistic Style · 2 hours
Understand the meaning of style in writing.. Differentiate between formal, informal, and colloquial styles.. Learn about the essentials of good journalistic writing (clarity, conciseness, correctness, courteousness, candidness, concreteness, completeness, coherence, concord, simplicity)..
- Week 9Module 3:
Unit 2: Elements of Good News Reporting · 2 hours
Understand the elements of good news reporting (identification, attribution, capitalization, abbreviation, numbering, punctuation, word division).. Apply these elements in news writing..
- Week 10Module 3:
Unit 3: Interviewing and News Sources · 2 hours
Define interviewing and its purpose.. Identify different types of interviews (exclusive, panel, vox populi, personality, news, feature, sport).. Learn about interviewing techniques (preparation, questions, mechanical devices, appearance, punctuality, eye contact, note-taking, verification)..
- Week 11Module 4:
Unit 1: Contempt of Court · 2 hours
Understand what contempt of court entails.. Identify types of contempt (polluting the stream of justice, scandalizing the courts, contempt in the face of the court).. Learn about the checklist for reporting summary trials..
- Week 12Module 4:
Unit 2: Court Reporting · 2 hours
Understand the general background information on court reporting.. Learn about the rules of writing a good court report.. Apply these rules in practice..
- Week 13Module 4:
Unit 3: Knowing the Courts in Nigeria · 2 hours
Describe the system of courts in Nigeria.. List the types and hierarchy of courts.. Describe the types of cases handled by each court.. Describe the basic composition of each court..
Preparing for the exam
- Review all units, focusing on key concepts and definitions.
- Practice writing news stories and headlines based on different scenarios.
- Study media law cases and examples to understand legal principles.
- Create flashcards for key terms and concepts.
- Participate in group discussions to clarify doubts and exchange ideas.
Questions students ask about this course
What is JLS111 about?
This course introduces the fundamental principles of journalism, focusing on writing and reporting for mass media. It explores the history and development of journalism, both globally and within Nigeria, examining pre- and post-independence eras. The course covers news gathering, writing, and editing, including journalistic style, headline writing, and interviewing techniques. Students will also learn about media laws, including contempt of court, defamation, and copyright, essential for ethical and legal journalism practice.
How many units does JLS111 have?
JLS111, Introduction to Journalism, has 16 units across 4 modules, over 138 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is JLS111?
JLS111 carries 3 credit units, at 100 level in Social Sciences.
Is JLS111 hard?
JLS111 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.
How long does JLS111 take to study?
About 150 hours of study, spread across its 16 units.
How is JLS111 assessed?
JLS111 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with JLS111?
Reporter, Editor, Sub Editor, Correspondent and News Analyst.