Course Summary
Learn the fundamentals of journalism including reporting, writing, and editing. This course covers the essential skills needed to become a successful journalist.Key Learning Points
- Learn how to find and pitch stories
- Develop interviewing and research skills
- Master the art of storytelling
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Develop fundamental skills in journalism
- Learn how to write compelling stories
- Improve your interviewing and research skills
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- No prior experience required
- Strong proficiency in English
Course Difficulty Level
BeginnerCourse Format
- Online self-paced
- Video lectures
- Assignments and quizzes
Similar Courses
- Digital Media and Social Engagement
- Investigative Journalism
Related Education Paths
Notable People in This Field
- Journalist and author
- Chief International Anchor at CNN
Related Books
Description
Welcome to English for Journalism, a course created by the University of Pennsylvania, and funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs.
Outline
- Unit 1: Introduction and Principles of Journalism
- Welcome to English for Journalism
- Course Overview: Topics, Assessments & Activities
- Course Overview: Games and Levels
- Why Journalism? What Makes This Field Interesting?
- Introduction to the History of Journalism – pre-1690
- History of Journalism – 1690 – present day
- Language Focus – Simple Past and Past Progressive
- Unlockable Achievement
- Principles of Journalism 1: Gathering Sources
- Principles of Journalism 2: Telling the Story
- Language Focus – Word Families
- Principles of Journalism 3: Impacting People
- Language Focus – Phrases for Agreeing and Disagreeing
- Online Learning Opportunities to Extend Your Skills
- Supplemental Listening: "Young Journalists Report on Worldwide Landmine Problems"
- Supplemental Listening: 'Berlin Airlift' Airport Becomes Emergency Refugee Shelter
- Overview of the Unit
- Political Cartoons: Exploring Serious Subjects in Fun Way
- Hearst and the Growth of US Journalism
- BASIC: "Media freedom is important. Here's what you can do."
- ADVANCED: Media Freedom is important. Here’s what you can do.”
- How freedom of information works
- Game: Unit 1 Vocabulary Flashcards
- Irregular Verb List
- Supplemental Reading: How Can Journalists Be Protected?
- Supplemental Reading: "'Berlin Airlift' Airport Becomes Emergency Refugee Shelter"
- Supplemental Reading: "Newspapers in America"
- Unit 1 Assessment 1: What do we expect from the media? (Survey)
- Game 1: Timeline Game
- Check Your Understanding: "Political Cartoons: Exploring Serious Subjects in Fun Way"
- Game 2: Selecting tense – Simple Past versus Past Progressive
- Check Your Understanding: Hearst and the Growth of US Journalism
- Value Affirmation Activity
- Check Your Understanding: “Media Freedom is Important. Here’s what you can do.”
- Game 3: Matching word forms in context
- Game 4: Vocabulary Practice - Principles of Journalism
- Check Your Understanding: “Young Journalists Report on Worldwide Landmine Problem”
- Crossword with Irregular Past Tense
- Check Your Understanding: "How Can Journalists Be Protected?"
- Check Your Understanding: 'Berlin Airlift' Airport Becomes Emergency Refugee Shelter”
- Check Your Understanding: "Newspapers in America"
- Unit 2: How to Research, Pitch, and Interview
- Choosing a Topic
- Researching an Idea
- Unlockable Achievement
- Pitching a Story – Newspapers/Magazines
- Pitching a Story - Radio
- Sample News Story Pitch
- Unlockable Achievement
- Video Listening: Times are Changing in Havana, Cuba
- Unlockable Achievement
- Language Focus – Interviewing Sources – Wh- Questions
- Interviewing Sources – Reliability, Facts & Opinion
- Language Focus – Quoting Sources & Reporting Verbs
- Video interview with a student journalist from The Daily Pennsylvanian
- Unlockable Achievement
- Interviewing Sources - Notetaking
- Language Focus – Quoting Sources Directly or Using Reported Speech
- Supplemental Listening: "Story of Dr. Omalu Enlightens on Risks of High-impact Sports"
- Overview of the Unit
- BASIC: "Want to be a good reporter? Follow these tips."
- ADVANCED: Want to be a good reporter? Follow these tips.
- Sample News Story Pitch and Written Pitch Template
- BASIC: Times Are Changing in Havana, Cuba
- ADVANCED: Times are Changing in Havana, Cuba
- Game: Unit 2 Vocabulary Flashcards
- Supplemental Reading: Student newspapers shake things up
- Supplemental Reading and Listening: "Story of Dr. Omalu Enlightens on Risks of High-impact Sports"
- Game 1: Right-sizing Your Topic
- Check Your Understanding: "Want to be a good reporter? Follow these tips."
- Game 2: Vocabulary Practice
- Check Your Understanding: Times are Changing in Havana, Cuba
- Game 3: Reliable Sources
- Game 4: Choose the reporting verb
- Check Your Understanding: Video interview with a student journalist from The Daily Pennsylvanian
- Game 5: Changing Direct Speech to Reported Speech
- Check Your Understanding: Student newspapers shake things up
- Game: WH- question formation
- Check Your Understanding: Story of Dr. Omalu Enlightens on Risks of High-impact Sports
- Unit 3: Words in Print
- Print Media: From Topic to Article
- Types of Leads
- Creating a Lead
- Unlockable Achievement
- Language Focus – SV Agreement with Different Subjects
- Writing Using Associated Press Style
- Language Focus – Structure of Active and Passive Voices
- Language Focus – Use of Active and Passive Voices
- Reporting Accurately
- Proofreading an Article
- Unlockable Achievement
- Listening: Egyptian Journalists Call for Press Freedom
- Overview of the Unit
- Student Newspapers Face Real World Challenges
- BASIC: Thai Health Policy as Model for Emerging Economies
- ADVANCED: Thai Health Policy as Model for Emerging Economies
- BASIC: With billions to feed, sustainable agriculture is not a luxury
- ADVANCED: With billions to feed, sustainable agriculture is not a luxury
- Game: Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcards
- Egyptian Journalists Call for Press Freedom
- Old Age, Debt Threaten Vietnam Economy
- Game 1: Labeling - the Process and the Front Page
- Game 2: Match Lead to Lead Type
- Check Your Understanding 2: "Thai Health Policy Seen as Model for Emerging Economies"
- Game 3: Applying AP Style
- Game 4: When to Use Passive Voice
- Check Your Understanding: "With billions to feed, sustainable agriculture is not a luxury"
- Check Your Understanding: "Egyptian Journalists Call for Press Freedom"
- Check Your Understanding: "Old Age, Debt Threaten Vietnam Economy"
- Game: Active/Passive Game
- Game: Subject/Verb Agreement Game
- Unit 4: Broadcasting the News
- The Language of Broadcast Journalism
- Listening: "VOA Fast Five"
- Unlockable Achievement
- The People of Broadcast Journalism
- Types of Stories for Broadcast Journalism
- Using Conversational Style
- Listening: "So you want to be a TV reporter..."
- Language Focus – Present Tense & Active Voice
- Sample Broadcast News Story
- Ratings in TV News: How Journalists Compete
- Unlockable Achievement
- Sensationalism in TV News
- The 24-hour News Cycle
- Language Focus - Stress & Pausing
- Unlockable Achievement
- Listening: "Telepresence - The Next Best thing to Being There"
- Overview of the Unit
- Listening: So you want to be a TV reporter ...
- Podcasting on the rise
- Unit 4 Assessment 2: Instructions and Model
- Game: Unit 4 Vocabulary Flashcards
- Radio Hoax Causes Panic
- Forget a seat at the table. This reporter wants a seat in the briefing room.
- Check your Understanding 1: Listening: "VOA Fast Five"
- Game 1: Matching Language to Definitions
- Game 2: Print vs. Broadcast Journalism
- Unit 4 Assessment 1: Rewrite your article as a copy for a broadcast
- Game 3: Stress
- Check Your Understanding: "Radio Hoax Causes Panic?
- Check Your Understanding: "Forget a seat at the table. This reporter wants a seat in the briefing room"
- Check Your Understanding: "Telepresence - The Next Best Thing to Being There"
- Game: Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle
- Unit 5: Journalism in the Digital Age
- Origins and Current State of the Digital Age
- The Impact on the Journalistic Process
- The Impact on Traditional Media
- Language Focus – Present Perfect Form
- Challenges 1: The Digital Divide
- Language Focus – Data Commentary
- Unlockable Achievement
- Citizen Journalism
- Challenges 2: Ethics in the Digital Age
- Challenges 3: Intellectual Property and Censorship
- Unlockable Achievement
- Course Conclusion
- Overview of the Unit
- BASIC: Mapping the Digital Divide
- ADVANCED: Mapping the Digital Divide
- Want to be a citizen journalist? You might be one already.
- BASIC: Egypt Clamps Down on Media Ahead of 'Arab Spring' Anniversary
- ADVANCED: Egypt Clamps Down on Media Ahead of 'Arab Spring' Anniversary
- Game: Unit 5 Vocabulary Flashcards
- Sharing the benefits of the Internet across the digital divide
- Africa's Infotech Revolution
- Twitter Suspends Over 125,000 Accounts for 'Promoting Terrorist Acts'
- Game 1: Create a Timeline of Digital Media
- Game 2: Present Perfect Form
- Check your Understanding: Mapping the Digital Divide
- Game 3: Choose the Appropriate Data Commentary Language
- Unit 5 Assessment 1: Choose the Factually Accurate Data Commentary
- Check Your Understanding: Egypt Clamps Down on Media Ahead of 'Arab Spring' Anniversary
- Check Your Understanding: "Sharing the benefits of the Internet across the digital divide"
- Check Your Understanding: "Africa's Infotech Revolution"
- Check Your Understanding: "Twitter Suspends Over 125,000 Accounts for 'Promoting Terrorist Acts'"
Summary of User Reviews
Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
Many users thought the practical exercises are the best aspect of the coursePros from User Reviews
- The course offers practical exercises to help learners gain hands-on experience
- The instructors are knowledgeable and experienced in the field of journalism
- The course provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of journalism
- The course offers great insights into the latest trends and techniques in journalism
Cons from User Reviews
- Some users find the course materials to be too basic and not challenging enough
- The course may not be suitable for people who are looking for advanced level journalism training
- The course requires a significant time commitment and effort to complete
- Some users have reported technical issues with the course platform
John Cotton
4.8 Raiting
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