Course coordinator
Dr Lujain Shafeeq
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Communication & Arts School
Students undertake an individual project. This is a Level 3 course. Therefore, it is assumed that students will have either successfully completed the Level 1 and Level 2 courses in the Bachelor of Arts Journalism and Mass Communication Major or the Bachelor of Journalism, or be able to demonstrate equivalent background.
This course is based on supervised self-directed learning. It provides an opportunity to undertake a project in an area of special interest, and to explore issues related to journalism and communication, drawing on the theoretical and practical experiences gained while studying these fields. Through this course students will have the opportunity to think, discuss, analyse and undertake a project on issues relating to journalism.
This capstone journalism course encourages students to apply the practical and theoretical knowledge developed throughout their program to an extended journalism project. Throughout the semester, students will pitch, research and produce an in-depth piece of journalism in a form of their choice. They will then position and discuss their workﾠin the context of contemporary practice. The course is based onﾠsupervised,ﾠself-directedﾠlearning. Students are expected to work independently and consistently on their project throughout the semester and seek ongoing and regular guidance from staff.
When you enrol into this course, you should also be able to access the Blackboard site for this course, so please see the Blackboard site for additional information.
Course requirements
Assumed background
It is assumed students enrolled in this course are nearing the end of their journalism study at The University of Queensland. Therefore, they possess the skills and imagination to create a piece of journalism that displays thought and innovation. They must also be able to reflect on the process of creating such a piece in academic terms.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
JOUR1112, COMU2160
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Lujain Shafeeq
Timetable
Additional timetable information
When you enrol into this course, you should also be able to access the Blackboard site for this course, so please see the Blackboard site for additional information.
Lectures: These are in person on campus and will be available via Blackboard along with readings.
Tutorials: These are timetabled and will run weekly in-person. Classes will not be recorded, however, a summary of activities will be posted to Blackboard along with any resources. If you miss class, please work through the activities and seek support at the next class.ﾠ
Whilst every effort is made to place students in their preferred activity, it is not always possible for a student to be enrolled in their tutorial of choice. If you require assistance, please ensure that you email timetabling.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au from your UQ student email with:
- Your name
- Your student ID
- The course code
- A list of three tutorial preferences (in order of preference)
- Reason for the change – e.g. timetable clash, elite athlete status, SAP
Teaching staff do not have access to change tutorials or help with timetables; all timetabling changes must be processed through the Timetabling Team.
Aims and outcomes
This course is designed to enable students to explore contemporary issues that inform the debate about journalism and communication practice in Australia and overseas and conduct research.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Conceptualise, research, and produce an in-depth piece of journalism.
LO2.
Make professional and creative judgements.
LO3.
Critically explain and evaluate journalistic practice using relevant theory.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | News story | 40% |
Week 9, Mon 4:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique, Project | Journalism project | 60% |
Exam week 1, Mon 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
News story
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
Week 9, Mon 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
Prepare a written document that includes:
- A news story [300—400 words]
- Plans for the next part of your project [400 words]
News story
Write the news story you discussed previously in classes. Any changes must be discussed with the tutor in class and approved.
The story should be newsworthy and based on facts. It should reveal something we don’t know or offer a fresh perspective on a situation. It should not simply tell us what is already in the public domain.
The story should be fully sourced and should demonstrate original reporting including: interviews, observations and/or original analysis of secondary data.
The story should be written in an inverted pyramid style and read like a news report for a print or online publication. It should have a headline that is no longer than eight words and that contains a verb.
The story must be original. Do not rework a story that has been submitted in another course or in any other forum, e.g: internship, ABC Pitch.
The story should be written as a piece of publishable journalism. It should use journalistic attribution, style and form.
Attribution
Follow the ABC Style Guide regarding sourcing. Do not use academic referencing. Instead, include a list of primary and secondary sources. Please refer to the Assignment Brief for guidance.
Risk
Your project must fall within the scope of the School’s generic risk assessment guidelines. Any activities outside of these parameters must be approved via the University’s Risk Assessment process. Students must not pursue projects that carry political, social, or health risks.
This will be discussed in class.
Students should use a mix of desk-based and field reporting methods, except in the following situations:
- Queensland Government restrictions restrict movement;
- Students are based outside Australia.
In these cases, reporting should be restricted to desk-based methods.
Plans
Outline plans for the next stage of your project. For the major project you can choose to produce either:
- In-depth journalistic story (1,800 words or equivalent) plus exegesis (1,200 words); OR
- Critical essay (3,000 words)
Story & exegesis
Outline how you plan to develop the story, or another story, for the feature project. Include:
- Pitch a fresh story angle: include key facts;
- Outstanding reporting: identify people to interview, documents to access, observations to complete, etc …
- Treatment: how will you tell this story? Identify medium and examples of published journalism that demonstrates practices you will try to emulate.
- Statement on risk: Include a statement on safety and ethical risks associated with your project, ie: that your plans fall within the scope of the School’s generic risk assessment guidelines; that the project adheres to the MEAA Code of Ethics; and identify any other potential risks.
Take advantage of class time to seek advice and develop your ideas.
Critical Essay
Identify the topic you plan to discuss in your critical essay. Include:
- Definition of topic and what makes it relevant/interesting to contemporary journalistic practice;
- Key scholarly resources relevant to the topic;
- Three examples of journalism that you plan to analyse (these may change).
Take advantage of classroom activities to seek advice and develop your ideas.
Submission
Upload Word or PDF file to Blackboard.
See the Assignment Brief for further guidance, tips, and grading criteria.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Upload Word or PDF file to Blackboard.
See the Assignment Brief for further guidance, tips, and grading criteria.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Journalism project
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique, Project
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
Exam week 1, Mon 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
For the major project you can choose to produce either:
- In-depth journalistic story (1,800 words or equivalent) plus exegesis (1,200 words); OR
- Critical essay (3,000 words)
Story & exegesis
This option involves writing an original story plus a reflective critical essay.
Story
Produce an original, in-depth piece of journalism in a medium and style of your choice. The story should be the one you proposed in the previous assessment. Any changes must be discussed with the tutor in class and approved.
We are looking for a strong story in terms of research, narrative, and treatment. We want to see that you can produce work of a professional standard and defend your decisions.
Options include, but are not limited to:
- Written feature story or series of linked, shorter stories with images;
- Photographic essay with extended captions and introduction [15 images];
- Mini audio or video documentary [10 minutes].
The story should have a headline that is no longer than eight words and that contains a verb.
Originality
Students are expected to produce original material, based on original research. Stories should be properly sourced. Using the work of others may be considered a form of plagiarism.
Include an appendix that lists all sources, primary and secondary, used in the story. Please see the Assignment Brief for guidance on what should be included.
* Your story should adhere to the ABC Style Guide.
Risk
Your project should fall within the scope of the School’s generic risk assessment guidelines. Any activities outside of these parameters must be approved via the University’s Risk Assessment process. Students must not pursue projects that carry political, social, or health risks.
Students should use a mix of desk-based and field reporting methods, except in the following situations:
- Queensland Government restrictions restrict movement;
- Students are based outside Australia.
In these cases, reporting should be restricted to desk-based methods.
Exegesis
An exegesis is an essay that critically discusses a creative work in light of contemporary or emerging practice. It should draw on both theory and practice, both your own and that of others. We suggest you maintain a journal throughout the course. We suggest the following structure:
- Introduction: a brief outline of the work you are writing about, why it is important, and what aspects you will concentrate on.
- Context: outline the relevant journalistic context: practical, methodological, or theoretical. What are the established and emerging ways of approaching this type of narrative or medium? This section should draw on theory and examples of practice.
- Form, content & function: how have you approached the task? Explain what you hoped to achieve how and why.
- Discussion: Critique your work in light of the methods, theory, and practices outlined earlier. Focus on specific aspects of your work to illustrate how you worked through issues through practice.
- Conclude: briefly round off the discussion by highlighting what you have learned about journalism.
* Your exegesis should be referenced using APA style.
Submission & grading
Exegesis should be in Word or PDF format. The journalism component should be in an appropriate format, eg: PDF, MP3 or MP4.
A URL may be provided for files that are too large for Blackboard submission, or where the story has been produced using an online platform such as Adobe Spark. The URL and any password should be provided in the Notes section of the submission.
Refer to the Assignment Brief for further guidance, tips, and grading criteria.
Critical essay
This option involves writing a critical essay only.
Essay
Critically discuss an aspect of journalism practice in light of theory and contemporary practice. The essay should focus on a specific topic and critically engage with at least three cases of professional practice. We suggest the following structure (no need to use these headings):
- Introduction: Introduce the topic and provide context. Clearly identify the key argument.
- Context: Discuss the relevant theoretical arguments and documented practices.
- Analysis: Identify, critique, and discuss at least three examples of contemporary journalistic practice in light of the theory and practices outlined earlier. Provide examples to support claims.
- Conclude: Summarise the key points return to the original argument.
* Your essay should be referenced using APA style.
Submission & grading
Essay should be in Word or PDF format and uploaded via Blackboard.
Refer to the Assignment Brief for further guidance, tips, and grading criteria.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission & grading
Exegesis should be in Word or PDF format. The journalism component should be in an appropriate format, eg: PDF, MP3 or MP4.
A URL may be provided for files that are too large for Blackboard submission, or where the story has been produced using an online platform such as Adobe Spark. The URL and any password should be provided in the Notes section of the submission.
Critical Essay should be in Word or PDF format and uploaded via Blackboard.
Refer to the Assignment Brief for further guidance, tips, and grading criteria.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
- Where fractional marks occur in the calculation of the final grade, a mark of x.5% or greater will be rounded up to (x+1)%. A percentage mark of less than x.5% will be rounded down to x%.
- Where no assessable work is received, a Grade of X will apply.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
- Further information regarding the assessment, including marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
- Marks Cannot Be Changed After Being Released: Marks are not open to negotiation with course staff. If you wish to discuss the feedback you have received, you should make an appointment to speak with the Course Coordinator.
- Assessment Re-mark: If you are considering an Assessment Re-mark, please follow the link to important information you should consider before submitting a request.
- Integrity Pledge: Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin. Before submitting any assignments for this course, you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Modules.ﾠIn uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
- Withholding marks prior to finalisation of grades: Per UQ Assessment Procedures – Release of Assessment Item Marks and Grades: The final assessment item and the marks for the assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Scanned chapters
To access scanned chapters from the Libraryﾠyou need to go the long way: the direct link only takes you to the full item. So, do this:
- Click the Library Links in the left-hand menu
- Click the JOUR3401 link on the right-hand side of the page, under Course Resource Lists;
- Click on the relevant Online Resource.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Week 1: Practicing Journalism (L) Introduction to course and nature of journalistic storytelling. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week One: No Tutorials No tutorials. |
|
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week Two: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Two: Journalistic Stories (T) News story categories and characteristics. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week Three: Finding and telling stories (L) Finding stories and approaches to journalistic storytelling. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Week Three: Finding stories (T) News briefs and identifying story angles. Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week Four: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Four: No Tutorials No Tutorials |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week Five: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Five: Story pitch (T) News story pitch in class for assessment 1. Additional information on Blackboard. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week Six: Sourcing and interviews (L) Sourcing stories from interviews, observing and working with documents and data. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Week Six: Risk and planning (T) Risk assessment and planning a story. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week Seven: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Seven: Interviews (T) Interview tactics and attribution. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week Eight: Story structure (L) Telling your story and putting it together. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Week Eight: Consultation on news stories (T) Consultation session on news story assessment. Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week Nine: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Nine: Analysing structure (T) Analysing structure of long form journalism in different mediums. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid Semester Break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week Ten: Exegesis and essay (L) Writing the exegesis and critical essay. Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Week Ten: No Lecture No Lecture. |
|
Tutorial |
Week Ten: Narrative Flow (T) Understanding narrative flow in various forms of journalism. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week Eleven: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Eleven: Reflecting on practice and essay guidance (T) Interrogating practice and cases. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week Twelve: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Twelve: Project consultations (T) Consultation session on final assessment (project or critical essay). Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week Thirteen: No Lecture No Lecture. |
Tutorial |
Week Thirteen: No Tutorials No Tutorials. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.