Undergraduate - UnitATS3809 - Political reporting

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2012 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Offered	Caulfield Second semester 2012 (Day) Caulfield Second semester 2012 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Bill Birnbauer

Notes

Previously coded JRN3304

Synopsis

This unit provides a detailed exploration of the research and reporting practices for parliamentary and political reporting. It canvasses the major documentary and database sources, contemporary case studies, key federal and state personalities and institutions, and legal framework in this field. It places contemporary practices in their larger historical and geographical contexts, and critically considers the professional and social implications and accountabilities of reporting in this specialized field. Contact the unit coordinator for details.

Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

demonstrate an ability to identify and research a political story, conduct interviews and gather appropriate evidentiary material in the appropriate medium
demonstrate an ability to report on political events in a clear, concise, factual and meaningful way using a variety of elements in a coherent package.
identify, observe key ethical and legal obligations associated with political journalism, and reflect critically on their own and others' performance in this regard
work independently and collaboratively in learning and production processes, including online forums, to produce political reports
demonstrate an ability to set and meet deadlines, and report under pressure
demonstrate an awareness of local, national and international people and events relevant to current issues and media issues
demonstrate a critical awareness of the capacities, limitations and socio-professional implications of reporting practices in political journalism.

Assessment

Minor project (news/current affairs reports totalling 1500 words or 6-minutes): 30%
Major Project (news/current affairs reports totalling 2000 words or 10-minutes): 45%
Online critical reflection and in-class invigilation: 25%

Chief examiner(s)

Associate Professor Philip Chubb

Contact hours

One 2-hour seminar per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Journalism

Prerequisites

ATS1329 plus 12 points of Journalism units at the 2nd year level