Students

MMCC8040 – Media Writing and Research

2020 – Session 1, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Bridget Griffen-Foley
b.foley@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MMediaComm or MCrInd or MIC
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit focuses on the core skills that underpin journalism as a media practice including, reporting and research techniques and approaches to storytelling and representation across media. It also covers critical material on journalism and the contemporary media landscape, including ideals of objectivity, advocacy, and the use and function of news media.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: apply advanced reporting, research and writing techniques to produce articles for print and online media.
  • ULO2: analyse and discriminate between the various writing styles and reporting techniques for various journalistic mediums.
  • ULO3: evaluate and analyse the research material on journalism and media.
  • ULO4: identify and evaluate the key concepts underpinning the role of the fourth estate.
  • ULO5: evaluate the history of journalism and identify opportunities and challenges for the future of journalism.

Assessment Tasks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Assessment Information

All assessments must be submitted as single Word documents via the turnitin link on iLearn.  Email and print submissions will not be accepted as per the assessment policy.

Dept Policy:  "Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments –e.g. quizzes, online tests"

Delivery and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.

Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Seminars commence in week 2  

Required Reading

Please check the iLearn site for details about assigned readings and resources.  All required readings are accessible via the university library or Internet. 

Seminar Preparation

Each week students will be required to complete "practice tasks"  before attending class. These are short assignments and exercises that will help you build your portfolios and skills. Instructions will be announced in class and posted to iLearn.  If you miss a class please check the iLearn site BEFORE attending the seminar to ensure you are prepared. 

Unit Schedule

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Seminars commence in week 2.

There is no class in week 7 due to the public holiday.

Consultations will replace class in week 13. 

For content schedule please see ilearn

 

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
03/02/2020 Corrected to state that classes commence in week 2.