Introduction to Journalism

label Diverse autorenew 2025-09-29, 17:01 history_edu Ioana Dinescu
Introduction to Journalism will help students think like journalists: constantlycurious and questioning the world they live in, because good journalism isbased on solid research and critical analysis. It is a practical andinteractive course using hands-on assignments, in the belief that the only way to learn journalism is to practice it. We will explore the evolving paradigm of what it means to be a journalist and distinguish between "watchdog" versus "lapdog" journalism. Students will learn news judgment, how to pitch story ideas, to find and cultivate credible sources, research, interview techniques and writing news. We will also explore the theoretical debates around objectivity, often valued as a cornerstone of "good" journalism.The course is interactive and all assignments are practical exercises. It covers thefundamentals of news writing and reporting. Students will be given mock news scenarios and expected to provide story ideas of how to cover developments. They will also need to provide potential sources. There will be a mock press conference during which the class will be divided into smaller groups. Students will need to demonstrate that they have thoroughly researched and prepared relevant questions. The final assignmentinvolves writing a news story based on the news conference.

Period
28-07-2014 - 15-08-2014 (3 weeks)

Target group
Even if you dont end up being a professional journalist, learning to thinklike one will help you in anything you are studying because this coursefocuses on the ability to think critically and sharpen research skills. Thiswould benefit students with an interest in research, writing, production andsocial media. We will think outside the box in our efforts to track downinformation.

Course aim
It is hoped students will:-Acquire the fundamentals of journalism and journalismskills;-Hone their research skills, a tool that can be extended toany field;-Acquire the ability to critically judge key news values anddistinguish between between fact, opinion and propaganda.



Credits
0.0 ECTS credits

Course fee
GBP 1430[Convert to USD]tuition fee only

Course leader
Ms. Amal HamdanAmal was a Middle East-based journalist for 12 years before embarking on a careerchange. As a former senior producer for Aljazeera television, she covered key MiddleEast developments, including the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, Syri

King's College London
Address: Strand, London
Postal code: WC2R 2LS
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/summerschool
E-mail: summerschool@kcl.ac.uk
Phone: +44 20 7848 1533