Overview
This unit will introduce you to historical, social and political contexts of journalistic practice. Topics covered include the history of ‘journalism’ in western and eastern cultures, a number of different genres of journalism, journalism as an institution, and media ethics. You will also consider the future of journalism and reflect on examples of best (and worst) practice as part of the unit.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Term 1 2018 Student Evaluation comments.
Students commented that the modules were laid out in a very organised manner which assisted during assessment.
It is recommended to maintain Moodle unit design for future terms.
Feedback from Term 1 2018 Student Evaluation comments.
Students commented on the strong links between the unit content and assessment pieces and how much they enjoyed the tasks.
It is recommended to maintain relevant unit content with strong links to the assessment.
Feedback from Term 1 2018 Student Evaluation comments.
Students questioned the validity of the group element of the assessments, given they could work individually just as effectively.
It is recommended to provide further support around the requirements of group assessments.
Feedback from Term 1 2018 Student Evaluation comments.
One student commented on whether the lecture material would be made available in PDF.
It is recommended to maintain current layout for future units to allow student access on all mobile devices.
- Discuss the social and historical development of journalism from a range of cultural perspectives
- Explain differences between journalism genres and the way in which genre influences journalistic practice
- Critique and discuss issues relevant to journalistic practice in a contemporary media environment
n/a
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||
| 2 - Group Discussion - 50% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Group Discussion - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Media and Journalism - New Approaches to Theory and Practice
Edition: 3rd (2015)
Authors: Jason Bainbridge, Nicola Goc & Liz Tynan
Oxford University Press
South Melbourne South Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
ISBN: 978-0-19-558801-9
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Please note: The prescribed text is the third edition. The second edition (2011) may still be used, although some information may be dated, and page numbers referred to in the lesson guides on Moodle will be incorrect for the second edition.
Both the paperback and eBook versions of the 3rd edition are available at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.bertoli@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Journalism
In this lesson the key concepts of journalism will be introduced. Students will explore journalism as a profession and examine what it means to be a journalist in today’s media environment.
Chapter
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan pp. xvii - xxix
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 2 pp. 24 - 44
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Fourth Estate
This lesson will explore the term ' Fourth Estate' including how and when the term appeared, the meanings ascribed to it by journalists, editors, politicians and other public figures as well as its role in contemporary media.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 3 pp.45 - 64
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Journalism Law
In this lesson students will be introduced to Commonwealth and Queensland laws that impact on journalists. You will explore defamation law, the legalities of court reporting, and examine the defences journalists use to support their editorial decisions.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 17 pp. 382 - 404
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Journalism Ethics
Lesson Four will examine in greater depth the organisations and ethical codes that regulate the media. Students will learn about the implications for journalists and organisations who breach these codes.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 17 pp. 382 - 404
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Writing and Genre
This lesson will examine the elements that underpin all journalistic writing and introduce different genres.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 12 pp.280 - 293
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 14 pp.308 - 329
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Vacation Week
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Genre as it Relates to Journalism
Lesson Six will unpack the definition of ‘genre’ as it relates to journalism, building on introductory concepts and conventions of different journalistic genres.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapters 8 - 16
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
New Media Traditions
In this lesson students will be introduced to the concepts of 'new and old' or 'traditional and non-traditional' media. You will explore the differences between analogue and digital technology and discuss some widely used digital media tools.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 4 pp. 65 - 92
Events and Submissions/Topic
News Analysis Due: Week 7 Monday (29 Apr 2019) 5:00 pm AEST
News Analysis Due: Week 7 Monday (29 Apr 2019) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Convergence
This lesson you will explore the impact new media is having on journalism. Students will be introduced to the concept of 'convergence' and discuss the future of journalism.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 19 pp. 439 - 457
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Freedom of the Press
Lesson Nine will look at the history and development of the free press in the West, including government resistance, key players and processes in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia.
Chapter
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Case Study 1 pp. 93 - 98
Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Case Study 5 pp. 485 - 491
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ownership and Regulation
This lesson will explore the issues that arise from concentrated media ownership, as experienced here in Australia, including a lack of diversity and increased political influence.
Chapter
Refer to study guide readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Influence on Practice
Lesson 11 will explore the differences in journalistic practice - including the art of storytelling - in developing and non-democratic countries.
Chapter
Revisit Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 12 pp. 280 - 293
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Perspective and Practice
To complete the unit, students will review examples of journalistic practice in non-Western countries as examples of the different ways of storytelling.
Chapter
Revisit Bainbridge, Goc and Tynan Chapter 12 pp. 280 - 293
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Discovery Project Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (10 Jun 2019) 9:00 am AEST
Discovery Project Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (10 June 2019) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This task requires you to analyse news in order to compare genres and approaches to journalistic practice. You should select and analyse three (3) contemporary news stories (published in the last month), including:
One (1) Sports news story; AND
One (1) Police or Court news story; AND
One (1) Political news story.
At least one (1) of these three stories should be of extended length (more than 1000 words), either a feature item, investigative piece, media interview or current affairs segment.
You will need to submit copies of the three (3) news stories you have chosen as appendices to your essay. These appendices can be scanned copies of print articles, transcripts (if the story was broadcast), or a 'cut and paste' of an online article. The appendices of the news stories need to be in such a form that teaching staff can refer to the original material. You will also need to include the details of the news stories as references in your assessment's Reference List.
Analyse EACH of the three stories using the following criteria.
1. List the who, what, where, when, why and how of each story.
2. List and justify the dominant news values in each of the news stories.
3. List the sources used in each article.
4. Identify the target audience based on the placement / presentation of each article. Which section? Was the story front page? Was it the top link? Was it the most prominent sports story?
Compare and contrast the three stories incorporating the following information.
Compare the differences in sources used in the three articles such as quoted facts and figures, personalities and/or identities.
What are the differences in the way the stories are written and presented? Account for differences in style, format and presentation. Consider the angle or the way the story is framed.
Discuss the significance of the three (3) stories in terms of their prominence and placement in the media outlet you have chosen.
What do the prominence and presentation of the three (3) stories tell you about the readership or audience of the local or state outlets in which they appear?
You are expected to reference your discussion. The word count is 1,500 words.
NOTE: WORD COUNT for written assignments
The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 7 Monday (29 Apr 2019) 5:00 pm AEST
Online
Week 9 Monday (13 May 2019)
Assessments will generally be returned to students within two weeks of submnission.
A detailed marking criteria is available on the Moodle website.
Elements assessed include:
- Quality of news stories chosen
- Accuracy of referencing
- Standard of presentation including expression
- Relevance to unit concepts and textbook
- Depth of analysis (rather than description)
- Argumentation and appropriate use of examples
- Appropriate introduction and conclusion
- Discuss the social and historical development of journalism from a range of cultural perspectives
- Explain differences between journalism genres and the way in which genre influences journalistic practice
- Critique and discuss issues relevant to journalistic practice in a contemporary media environment
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Group Discussion
There are two parts to this assessment: 1) Presentation and discussion (Team) AND 2) Written submission (Individual).
1) Presentation and discussion (25%) (Team):
This assessment requires students to review the work of TWO journalists and present findings on those journalists.
As a group assignment, students will generally work in pairs with exceptions where necessary.
Each team must support your analysis with a slide presentation. Your final slide will include references. All photographs used within the presentation must also be referenced. On-campus students can present this in class or preferably submit via the Moodle site; distance students will submit their presentation via Moodle. All presentations submitted online will need to include an embedded voice-over (maximum of 10 minutes). Guidance about creating effective presentations will be provided on the course website.
Ideally you will work in pairs for this task, but if you have extenuating circumstances, you may discuss the possibility of individual work with the Unit Coordinator. You will also be required to contribute to discussions about each journalist, and this discussion will be guided by teaching staff during class/on the forum.
You will need to choose one pair of journalists from the two options below and nominate your preference via the relevant Moodle forum. The unit coordinator will assign groups no later than Week 5, with the group presentation due in Week 10.
-
Option 1
Kate McClymont (Australia)
Jamal Khashoggi (Saudi Arabia/USA)
or
- Option 2
Anderson Cooper (USA)
Emma Alberici (Australia)
The following criteria will help guide your research/structure for your presentations:
- Provide a summary of this person's work.
- Justify whether this person is a 'real' journalist using the definition of journalism in your textbook.
- Explain whether the journalist's work reflects the ideals of The Fourth Estate.
- Explain the genre for which the journalist is renowned.
- Describe the journalist's most significant contribution to public knowledge or interest.
- Describe the journalist's practice in terms of law and ethics.
- List and explain the journalist's limitations/shortcomings.
- Describe what you personally like the most about this journalist's work, and why.
- Describe what you personally dislike about this journalist's work, and why.
- Explain how the journalist might influence your approach to journalism as a profession, and why.
This is an introductory level task, and aims to: encourage you to meet and work with fellow students even if you're working by distance; introduce you to key concepts in journalism through practice; introduce you to research and presentation. It is supposed to be enjoyable. You are allowed to have fun.
All students working in a team will conduct a self and peer assessment, whereby each team member will evaluate the performance of themselves and their peers. Details about how to conduct a self and peer assessment will be provided. This process does not influence your grade unless it is clear that there is an issue, in which case teaching staff will talk to you. We know many students don't like to work in teams for a range of reasons, but our experience is also that learning to work effectively in teams comes from experience, a bit of training and support.
All members of a team will receive the same mark for the presentation component of this assessment.
2) Written submission (Individual) (25%):
All students will submit an individual written report that ranks (in their opinion) six (6) journalists in order, using the ranking criteria provided on Moodle with number 1 being 'the best'. This should be 2000 - 2500 words. You must discuss each of the four journalists from Part 1, plus an additional two (2) journalists of your choice. A list of suggested journalists will be provided, but you can choose anyone who fulfils the definition of "journalist". Choose wisely. They need not be practicing as a journalist now (and they need not be alive). You will draw upon the concepts you have learned during the term in your presentation and discussions, and each journalist should have a paragraph summary, followed by a sentence as to why you ranked them in the order you have. An example will be posted on Moodle. Referencing is required, and does not count towards the word count. You will need at least two sources per journalist.
NOTE: WORD COUNT for written assignments:
The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Review/Exam Week Monday (10 June 2019) 5:00 pm AEST
Online
Exam Week Friday (21 June 2019)
Assessments will generally be returned to students within two weeks of submission.
A detailed marking criteria is available on the Moodle website.
Elements assessed for the team component include:
- Quality of research
- Quality of presentation
- Team participation
- Level of engagement
Elements assessed for the individual component include:
- Quality of ranking
- Quality of analysis
- Standard of writing
- Quality of link to unit concepts
- Referencing
- Discuss the social and historical development of journalism from a range of cultural perspectives
- Explain differences between journalism genres and the way in which genre influences journalistic practice
- Critique and discuss issues relevant to journalistic practice in a contemporary media environment
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
