This module is designed to work alongside Journalism in Practice to develop students’ writing skills, across all media platforms. Generally, students will learn about the practical and commercial restraints of producing content and the pressures placed on journalists in terms of accuracy, clarity and writing to deadline. By the end of the module, students should be able to write stories applicable to their award. They will be able to produce content under pressure in timed exercises, replicating industry practice.

Students curate portfolios of work which reflect industry activities.


Portfolio 1 40% end of semester 1

1.Women’s Football match report 400 words (LO 1, 3)

2.Live match report and quotes follow-up 400 words (LO 1, 2, 3)

Equally weighted


Portfolio 2 60% end of semester 2

3.Premiere Pro television sports bulletin 3-minute bulletin (LO 1, 3, 4)

4.Live Text Commentary in-class report One hour exercise in class (LO 2,3)

5.Field Trip 2 x 250 words (LO 1-3)

Equally weighted



Employability

Assessments 1, 2, 4, 5 are the sort of daily activity required in many roles in the sports journalism industry.

Assessment 3 is an introduction to editing and scripting in television/video bulletins, a basic skill required in that industry and, increasingly, across all multi-media platforms.

Assessment 1-5 are all authentic assessments.


Diversity

Assessment 1 will focus on a women’s football match report; Assessment 3 will feature footage of women’s sport eg RL World Cup.

There will be lectures/workshops for 26 weeks in which the focus will be on writing. Students will focus on the essentials of story structure, intros, using quotes effectively, use of language and story content. They will learn the differences and similarities in writing for online, print and broadcast developing their style for different audiences.
Students will produce assessed coursework to illustrate their ability to produce content from start to finish, as well as completing timed exercises to demonstrate their ability to write copy to a required standard and within a deadline.

1. Understand how to structure journalistic copy for online, print and broadcast

2. demonstrate knowledge of writing styles for the requirements of target publication

3. Produce accurate content to deadlines

4. Write, research and produce accurate and balanced TV style bulletin

Newsroom facilities, including video editing software

Blackboard

Adams, Sally and Lee-Potter, Emma (2017) Interviewing for Journalists, Routledge.

Andrews, P. (2013) Sports Journalism – A Practical Introduction, Sage.

Boyle, Raymond (2006) Sports Journalism – Context and Issues, Sage.

Boyle, Raymond (2020) Changing Sports Journalism Practice in the Age of Digital, Routledge

Bradshaw, Paul and Rohumaa, Liisa (2011) The Online Journalism Handbook, Pearson.

Bradshaw, Tom and Minogue, Daragh (2019) Sports Journalism – The State of Play, Routledge.

Bull A. (2016) Multimedia Journalism – A Practical Guide, Routledge.

Evans, H. (2000) Essential English for Journalists, Pimlico.

Frost, C. (2010) Reporting for Journalists, Routledge.

Harcup, T. (2021) Journalism Principles and Practice, Sage.

Hennessy, B. (2006) Writing Feature Articles (4th edition), Focal Press.

Hicks, W. (2013) English for Journalists, Routledge.

Marsh, David. (2013) For Who the Bell Tolls, Guardian Faber Publishing.

Pape, Susan, Featherstone, Sue (2006) Feature Writing: A Practical Introduction London, Sage.

Phillips, A. (2007) Good Writing for Journalists, Sage.

Rudin, R. and Ibbotson, T. (2002) An Introduction to Journalism, Focal Press.

Sissons, Helen, (2007) Practical Journalism: How to Write News, London, Sage.

Steen, R. (2013) Sports Journalism, A Multimedia Primer, Routledge.

Swaine, M; Gilbert, H. and Allen G. (2022) Writing for Journalists, Routledge

Toney, J. (2013) Sports Journalism – The Inside Track, Bloomsbury.

Truss, Lynne (2009) Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Fourth Estate

This module is an introduction to the basic skills of sports journalism. You will learn about the sports news cycle, how sport is covered by print, digital and broadcast organisations, how to operate as a professional sports journalist, delivering to deadline and to your target audience. You will learn with like-minded colleagues in weekly workshops but will also visit sporting events to gain real-world reporting experience, including how to edit a TV sports bulletin.