This module provides knowledge, understanding and experience of the key elements of sports columns. feature writing and creating consumer-addictive content components, such as specific columns, styles, topics and formats, about or based on sport. The changing nature of sport will be analysed to demonstrate that creative content is not merely possible in today's business-focused sport and sports-media environment but actually necessary to exploit the massively expanding market for innovative sports-related material, e.g. advertising, TV and film. Work by exemplary practitioners will be used to demonstrate the variety of techniques and practices used to develop distinctive work. You will be required to submit all assessed work as freelances to specific publishers or other industry users.

2 PORTFOLIOS of work including the following:

Portfolio 1 (50%):
Four x sports columns (c. 600-800 words each, each worth 25% of portfolio 1 assessment) - students must produce four columns in a different style (from broadsheet, tabloid, mid-market, blog, humorous, local commentator, social commentary, historical reflection) Total word count is 3000 words.

Portfolio 2 (50%):
A portfolio of sports features and/or innovative sports content for at least two different named commercial users, e.g. newspapers, advertising agencies etc. 2500 words

Both elements of assessment must be passed

Blackboard VLE
Library resources
OHP / PowerPoint
Audio / video playback facilities
Current newspapers, magazines and radio, web and TV output

Anderson, Douglas A., (1994) Contemporary Sports Reporting, Nelson-Hall
Evans, H., (2000) Essential English : for journalists, editors and writers, Pimlico
Herold, D., (1963) Humour in Advertising : and how to make it pay, McGraw-Hill
Rowe, D., (2004) Sport, Culture and the Media, Open UP
Rudin, R., and Ibbotson, T., (2002) An Introduction to Journalism - essential techniques and background, Focal Press
Williamson, J., (1978) Decoding Advertisements : ideology and meaning in advertising, Marion Boyars
Wilstein, S., (2002) Sportswriting handbook, McGraw-Hill

4x2 hour attended lectures = 8 hours
To introduce key concepts and information illustrated by exemplary journalistic texts.
To facilitate group discussion of journalism content and awareness of professional issues.
7x2 hour online discussion groups via Blackboard VLE and other specified online forums.
To set tasks and generate group discussions, to monitor and assess the individual contributions of students in group discussions, to assess individual students' progress and capability, to offer students the opportunity of practising skills discussed in lectures and outlined in VLE and gaining, where necessary, feedback.

Independent learning = 128 hours
Developing content production skills in negotiation with independent learning using theoretical texts and exemplary material.

11 Workshops comprising 2 x 2 hours attended sessions: 9 x 2 hours online discussion sessions via Blackboard and/or Ning - 22 hours. Skills developed will include self and peer assessment and communicating ideas.

Guided independent reading - 40 hours - developing research skills and independent learning

Assessment preparation - 88 hours - involving the preparation of sporting columns for discussion in online workshops, research and writing up of columns

Total student commitment - 300 hours