Course Description
For aspiring journalists and writers, the first step is to understand the basic principles and techniques of news writing and reporting. This is an introductory level journalism course designed primarily for the print media. Material covered applies to print. Students will learn fundamental principles and techniques of journalistic reporting and writing, including story components, structure, origination and forms. Skill acquired would also include accurately detecting problems in style, attribution, grammar, spelling, news judgment, fairness, storytelling, and writing effectively under time constraints.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students should be able to
Demonstrate basic reporting skills
Write good news stories worthy of publication
Exhibit mastery of the art of interviewing
Demonstrate considerable knowledge of the techniques for writing good features
Demonstrate an understanding of role of research news writing
Explain the workings of the newsroom
Course content
Introduction to journalism
What is news and types of news
News sources and news gathering
Writing the copy
The Interview
Basic story research techniques on the Internet; journalism and social media
Newsroom organisation; roles of major players
Editing and its techniques
Required Reading Materials
Harrower, Tim. (2010). Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism. New Delhi: McGraw Hill Education.
Hough, G. A. (1994). News Writing. (5th ed.). USA: Houghton Mifflin College.
Optional Reading Materials
Kamath, M. V. (2009). The Journalist’s Handbook. India: Vikas Publishing House Ltd.