Editing and News Pre ...

Course Breakdown: COM 202 - Editing and News Presentation (3 Credits)

Course Description:
This course is designed to equip students with essential techniques in journalistic writing, particularly for editing, newspaper production, and broadcast media writing. The course offers both theoretical and practical learning, focusing on editing and news presentation. Students will gain hands-on experience in a newsroom and studio setting, enhancing their journalistic writing skills through continuous practice.

Topics Breakdown:

1. Introduction to Editing and News Presentation

• Objective: Understand the importance of editing and news presentation in journalism.
• Learning Outcome: Students will define editing and news presentation in the context of media, and identify their key components.

2. Grammar for Journalists

• Objective: Learn correct sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar rules essential for writing and editing news.
• Learning Outcome: Students will be able to identify and correct common grammatical errors, ensuring clarity in news writing.

3. Sentence Construction and Writing Techniques

• Objective: Master sentence structure, use of idioms, phrasal verbs, and avoid clichés.
• Learning Outcome: Students will write well-constructed sentences, using appropriate language for journalistic purposes.

4. Errors in Writing and How to Avoid Them

• Objective: Learn to identify common spelling and punctuation errors and improve writing accuracy.
• Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate error-free writing in both print and broadcast formats.

5. Editing: Meaning, Purpose, and Role

• Objective: Explore the significance of editing in journalism, and understand the roles and responsibilities of editors and sub-editors.
• Learning Outcome: Students will analyze the functions and qualities of editors, and apply editorial techniques to enhance news stories.

6. Writing and Editing Headlines

• Objective: Understand the importance of headlines and learn the techniques for creating engaging, concise headlines.
• Learning Outcome: Students will write effective headlines for print and broadcast media, considering style, tone, and relevance.

7. Working with Photographs: Techniques and Styles

• Objective: Learn how to select and place photographs, write captions, and edit photos for publication.
• Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate skills in selecting photos, cropping, and writing captions for various media formats.

8. Writing for Broadcast Media

• Objective: Understand the differences in writing for print, television, and radio.
• Learning Outcome: Students will produce scripts for broadcast media, adhering to the style and timing requirements of television and radio.

9. Layout and Design for Print and Online Media

• Objective: Explore the principles of layout design, including balance, color, and harmony.
• Learning Outcome: Students will create basic layouts for print and online news, using tools like InDesign and Corel Draw.

10. Editing Process: Proofreading and Style Sheets

• Objective: Develop skills in proofreading, following style sheets, and managing the editorial process.
• Learning Outcome: Students will edit and proofread news articles effectively, ensuring they meet the required style and standards.

11. Editorials: Writing and Cartoon Creation

• Objective: Learn the structure and style of editorial writing, including the creation of editorial cartoons.
• Learning Outcome: Students will write editorial pieces and design simple editorial cartoons for publication.

12. Practical Editing and Writing Exercises

• Objective: Engage in hands-on editing and writing practice, including story rewrites and reflection papers.
• Learning Outcome: Students will apply their knowledge of grammar, structure, and editing techniques through regular exercises, refining their skills for news presentation.

Mode of Delivery:

The course combines lectures with practical exercises. Students will engage in weekly editing tasks, rewriting stories, and correcting grammatical errors, while also producing reflection papers. These activities will help reinforce the course's theoretical components.

Reading Materials:

1. Kovach, B., & Rosenstiel, T. (2021). *The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect* (4th ed.). New York: Three Rivers Press.

2. Bissell, K. L. (2020). *Journalism Ethics at the Crossroads: Democracy, Fake News, and the News Crisis*. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

3. McNair, B. (2018). *An Introduction to Political Communication* (7th ed.). New York: Routledge.

4. Turse, N. (2021). *The Journalism of the Future: How Technology, Culture, and Society Are Shaping Media Coverage*. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

5. Harcup, T., & O'Neill, D. (2020). *Journalism Ethics at the Crossroads: Fake News, Democracy and the News Crisis*. New York: Oxford University Press.

6. Craft, S. & Davis, C. (2021). *Digital Journalism: Emerging Media and the Changing World of News* (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

7. Lynch, L. (2022). *Broadcast Journalism: Techniques of Radio and Television News Writing* (6th ed.). New York: Routledge.

8. Harris, M. (2020). *The New Media Frontier: Emerging Trends and Technologies in Journalism*. London: Bloomsbury Academic.