Skip to main content
NounStudy
Back to Course Catalog
MAC118Social Sciences2 Unitsintermediate

Writing for Mass Media II

This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and skills required for effective writing in mass media contexts. It explores various writing styles, paragraph organization, and the importance of word choice. Students will learn to write legally and responsibly, develop creative writing skills, and conduct journalistic interviews. The course also covers online journalism, media law and ethics, correspondent reporting, and news presentation, preparing students for diverse roles in the media industry.

Generate AI Study Notes

Transform this course into personalized study materials with AI

208h
Study Time
13
Weeks
16h
Per Week
none
Math Level
Course Keywords
Media WritingJournalismMass CommunicationCreative WritingEthics

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

Media Writing Styles

2

Paragraph Organization

3

Word Choice

4

Online Journalism

5

Media Law and Ethics

6

Correspondent Reporting

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 Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Final Examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Computer Based Test

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Journalist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Content Writer

Apply your skills in this growing field

Public Relations Specialist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Editor

Apply your skills in this growing field

Correspondent

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

NewspapersMagazinesTelevisionRadioOnline Media

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week
1

Module 1: Rudiments of Media Writing

2h

Unit 1: Understanding the Writing Process

2 study hours
  • •Read Unit 1: Understanding the Writing Process. Understand the writing process, writing tools, and instruments.
  • •Identify the stages involved in writing and their importance.
Week
2

Module 1: Rudiments of Media Writing

3h

Unit 2: Feature Writing

3 study hours
  • •Read Unit 2: Feature Writing. Understand the definition of a feature and its common denominators.
  • •Identify different types of features and how to write them effectively.
Week
3

Module 1: Rudiments of Media Writing

4h

Unit 3: Editorial Writing

4 study hours
  • •Read Unit 3: Editorial Writing. Understand how to frame an editorial opinion and the purposes of editorials.
  • •Identify different types of editorials and how to write them for print and broadcast.
Week
4

Module 1: Rudiments of Media Writing

5h

Unit 4: Simple Story Structures Rewrite, Advance, Follow up

5 study hours
  • •Read Unit 4: Simple Story Structures Rewrite, Advance, Follow up. Understand print story structure, manuscript mechanics, and organization.
  • •Learn how to hold reader interest and write radio and TV news.
Week
5

Module 1: Rudiments of Media Writing

6h

Unit 5: Media Writing: Skills And Practices

6 study hours
  • •Read Unit 5: Media Writing: Skills And Practices. Understand the skills and practices needed for effective media writing.
  • •Learn how to organize material to appeal to the reading public and avoid writing errors.
Week
6

Module 2: Perspectives in Media Writing

7h

Unit 1: Writing For the On-Line Journalism

7 study hours
  • •Read Unit 1: Writing For the On-Line Journalism. Understand the development of computer-assisted reporting (CAR).
  • •Learn about computers and journalism and the forces driving CAR.
Week
7

Module 2: Perspectives in Media Writing

8h

Unit 2: Law and Ethics of Media Writing

8 study hours
  • •Read Unit 2: Law and Ethics of Media Writing. Understand libel and slander and contempt of court.
  • •Learn about invasion of privacy and other reportorial dangers.
Week
8

Module 2: Perspectives in Media Writing

9h

Unit 3: Correspondent Reporting

9 study hours
  • •Read Unit 3: Correspondent Reporting. Understand the definition and qualification of a correspondent.
  • •Learn about staff correspondents, foreign correspondents, and gallery/lobby correspondents.
Week
9

Module 2: Perspectives in Media Writing

10h

Unit 4: Presenting the News

10 study hours
  • •Read Unit 4: Presenting the News. Understand learning presentation and methods of presentation.
  • •Learn about the place of description, suspense, preparing copy, and putting the newscast together.
Week
10

Module 2: Perspectives in Media Writing

11h

Unit 5: Leads and Captions

11 study hours
  • •Read Unit 5: Leads and Captions. Understand the definition of leads and captions.
  • •Learn about leads as story patterns, types of print news leads, and guidelines for print and broadcast news leads.
Week
11

Module 3: Creative Media Writing

12h

Unit 1: Comedy Writing

12 study hours
  • •Read Unit 1: Comedy Writing. Understand basic concepts of comedy and the art of being funny.
  • •Learn about the anatomy of a joke, comedy style, and the dos and don'ts of comedy writing.
Week
12

Module 3: Creative Media Writing

13h

Unit 2: Book Reviewing

13 study hours
  • •Read Unit 2: Book Reviewing. Understand the functions of the reviewer.
  • •Learn about preparation and training, methods of reviewing, and technical reviewing.
Week
13

Module 3: Creative Media Writing

28h

Unit 3: Specialization

14 study hours
  • •Read Unit 3: Specialization. Understand the need for specialization and how to become a specialist.
  • •Learn about some specialist fields.

Unit 4: Interviewing

14 study hours
  • •Read Unit 4: Interviewing. Understand how to plan and conduct an interview.
  • •Learn how to tackle note-taking, handle unwilling interviewees, and present interview material.

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.

Access PDF Material

Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Review all units, focusing on key concepts and examples.

2

Practice writing different types of media content, such as news articles, features, and editorials.

3

Study media law and ethics to understand legal and ethical considerations.

4

Analyze successful media writing examples to identify effective techniques.

5

Create outlines and summaries of each unit to aid in recall.

6

Practice writing under timed conditions to improve speed and efficiency.

Related Courses

Other courses in Social Sciences that complement your learning

INR162

International Migration I

2 Units
POL111

Elements Of Political Science

3 Units
FMC113

History Of Film And Cinema

2 Units
View All Social Sciences Courses