What you will submit:

• 600-700 word news article plus a suggested headline (Draft due in class week 6)
• 140 character shareline (i.e. a tweet that sells and summarizes your story)
• 500 word reflection on the reporting and writing process (Alternately, you may submit a 3 minute video/audio reflection)
• Research report backup detailing sources for all facts and quotes
• A transcript of one key interview with quotes used in bold. (You should conduct at least two interviews for your story.)

Assessment Criteria:

• The quality and accuracy of the reporting and attention to detail in each article
• Your approach to the story including its structure, content and style
• Choice of sources and appropriate attribution
• Selection and use of facts and statistics
• Selection and use of quotes
• The success of your interview for this story
• The story’s success as a news article
• Your ability to analyse reporting as a cultural form and social practice
• Your understanding of debates in journalism re: objectivity, impartiality and the fourth estate

What you will submit:

• 1000-1200 word feature plus headline (draft due in class in week 12)
• 140 character shareline (i.e. a tweet that sells and summarizes your story)
• 500-word reflection on the reporting and writing process (or a three-minute video/audio)
• Research report including backup detailing sources for all facts and quotes

Assessment Criteria:

• The success of your article as a piece of non-fiction writing, the relevance of your argument and the rigor of your reporting.
• The quality and accuracy of the reporting and attention to detail in each article
• Selection and use of facts, statistics and anecdotes
• Your approach to persuasive writing including the quality of the story's structure, content and style
• Choice of sources and appropriate attribution
• Your ability to analyse the reporting process and product as a cultural form and social practice

Students will present  research on a case study on a new (or future) form of journalistic practice (i.e. data journalism, social media, native advertising, personal brand journalism, podcasts, tumblr etc).

Each student will have 20 minutes.  (Times will be assigned before the study break.)

• Your case study should draw on the current scholarship and reporting on the media industry. 
• To facilitate discussion, you will post a written report outlining the content of your presentation (including any relevant images, video, audio or links) to your tutorial preparation blog plus a bibliography* prior to your presentation to facilitate a productive discussion.
• You may use a platform such as Storify, Medium or Prezi to compile and present your research. In this case, provide a link to the site in the class blog.
• You may include interviews you have conducted with relevant industry experts.
• To assist with the marking of your presentation, please submit a pdf of the blog post (including your bibliography)  to the turnitin box on Ilearn. Only your oral in-class presentation will be assessed. This document will be used as a reference and will generate feedback mechanisms for your lecturer.

Assessment criteria:

• The quality of the research and original reporting presented.
• Your understanding of key ideas in journalism studies and contemporary problems and opportunities faced by the media.
• Your ability to critically assess and contextualise the work in this field.
• The ability to develop a unique and original argument and to discuss this with your peers
• Originality of thinking and approach to the presentation of ideas.

What you will do

•  Complete preparation exercises and reports and post to your iLearn blog prior to seminar. (Exercises will set in class and posted to iLearn.) Some of your entries will be your reflections on group reporting and research tasks and others will involve collaborative tasks.
• Document your progress via the blog space
• Build an archive of resources and research to share with your peers via the blog space
• Write a weekly news round-up using Storify and post a link to your blog

Weekly deadline:  Posts should be completed before class.

Assessment criteria:

• Your engagement with the course material including key questions and concepts
• Your ability to produce high quality work under deadline
• Your contribution to the community of inquiry

Please note:  This assessment is about engagement. A willingness to experiment, to take risks and make mistakes is encouraged.