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JLS711Social Sciences3 Unitsintermediate

Introduction To Journalism

This course introduces students and practitioners to the fundamental principles of journalism, focusing on writing and reporting for mass media. It explores the history and development of journalism, journalistic writing styles, and news gathering techniques. The course also covers media laws, ethics, and the structure of the journalism industry, with a particular emphasis on the Nigerian context. Students will learn to write news stories, edit content, and understand the legal and ethical considerations in journalism.

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208h
Study Time
13
Weeks
16h
Per Week
none
Math Level
Course Keywords
JournalismNews WritingMedia LawEthicsReporting

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level
Builds on foundational knowledge
65%
intermediate
📚
Math Level
No Math
🔬
Learning Type
Hands-on Practice

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

History of Journalism

2

Journalistic Writing

3

News Gathering

4

Media Law

5

Ethics

6

Industry Structure

Total Topics6 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

tutor-marked assessments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Reporter

Apply your skills in this growing field

Editor

Apply your skills in this growing field

Sub-Editor

Apply your skills in this growing field

Correspondent

Apply your skills in this growing field

News Analyst

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

NewspapersMagazinesRadioTelevisionOnline Media

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week
1

Module 1: Journalism Development and Structure

4h

Unit 1: The Development of Journalism: A World View

2 study hours
  • •Read Unit 1: Understanding the historical context of journalism's evolution.
  • •Identify key technological advancements and their impact on news dissemination.
  • •Discuss the role of political and economic factors in shaping journalistic practices.

Unit 2: Journalism Development in Nigeria: Pre-independence Period

2 study hours
  • •Read Unit 2: Examine the influence of missionary journalism in Nigeria.
  • •Identify key publications and their objectives during the pre-independence era.
  • •Analyze the roles and contributions of early press owners and participants.
Week
2

Module 1: Journalism Development and Structure

3h

Unit 3: Journalism Development in Nigeria: Post Independence Era

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 3: Analyze the shift in press focus after Nigeria's independence.
  • •Examine the impact of civil war and military rule on journalistic practices.
  • •Discuss the role of the press in promoting national cohesion and political stability.
Week
3

Module 1: Journalism Development and Structure

3h

Unit 4: The Journalism Industry: Key structural make up

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 4: Understand the structural makeup of the journalism industry.
  • •Identify key personnel in the editorial, production, and business departments.
  • •Discuss the functions and responsibilities of each department.
Week
4

Module 2:

2h

Unit 1: The Nature of News

2 study hours
  • •Read Unit 1: Define news and its determinants.
  • •Identify the criteria for selecting newsworthy events.
  • •Distinguish between different types of news reports.
Week
5

Module 2:

6h

Unit 2: Writing the News

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 2: Understand the structure of news writing.
  • •Identify the types of leads and their characteristics.
  • •Practice writing news stories with effective leads.

Unit 3: Editing the Copy

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 3: Understand the functions of copy editing.
  • •Identify copy editing symbols and their uses.
  • •Practice editing news copies for publication.
Week
6

Module 2:

3h

Unit 4: Headline Writing

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 4: Define headline writing and its functions.
  • •Understand headline schedules and their importance.
  • •Practice writing headlines for various news stories.
Week
7

Module 3:

3h

Unit 1: Essentials of Journalistic Style

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 1: Understand the meaning of journalistic style.
  • •Identify different types of writing styles and their characteristics.
  • •Analyze the essentials of good journalistic writing.
Week
8

Module 3:

3h

Unit 2: Elements of Good News Reporting

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 2: Identify the elements of good news reporting.
  • •Understand the importance of identification, attribution, and capitalization.
  • •Apply the rules of punctuation and word division in news writing.
Week
9

Module 3:

3h

Unit 3: Interviewing and News Sources

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 3: Understand the meaning and types of interviews.
  • •Identify effective interviewing techniques.
  • •Explore various news sources for gathering data.
Week
10

Module 4: JOURNALISM/MEDIA LAWS

3h

Unit 1: Contempt of Court

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 1: Understand the concept of contempt of court.
  • •Identify the types of contempt and their implications.
  • •Learn the checklist for reporting summary trials.
Week
11

Module 4: JOURNALISM/MEDIA LAWS

3h

Unit 2: Court Reporting

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 2: Understand the general background of court reporting.
  • •Apply the rules of writing good court reports.
  • •Explain the importance of accuracy and fairness in court reporting.
Week
12

Module 4: JOURNALISM/MEDIA LAWS

3h

Unit 3: Knowing the Courts in Nigeria

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 3: Identify the major types of courts in Nigeria.
  • •Understand the hierarchy of courts and their jurisdictions.
  • •Describe the composition of each court.
Week
13

Module 4: JOURNALISM/MEDIA LAWS

6h

Unit 4: Defamation Law

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 4: Understand the tort of defamation.
  • •Identify libel and slander and their differences.
  • •Explore the defenses to defamation.

Unit 5: Copyright Law

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 5: Understand the meaning of copyright law.
  • •Identify who is entitled to copyright and what is protected.
  • •Explore the conditions for entitlement and infringement of copyright.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

Read the complete course material as provided by NOUN.

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Create a timeline of key events in journalism history from Units 1-3.

2

Practice writing news leads and headlines based on different scenarios from Units 2-4.

3

Review case studies on defamation and copyright from Units 4-5.

4

Prepare a glossary of legal terms related to media law from Module 4.

5

Simulate exam conditions by answering past questions within the time limit.

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