Introduction to Media Writing

This subject is not offered in 2014.

Total expected time commitment is 102-hours across the semester, including class time.

Completion of at least 12.5 points of a first year subject offered by the Faculty of Arts.

100-101 Professional Writing

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject aims to enhance students' writing in general by introducing them to the fundamental skills used by professional writers within the Media and Communications industries. Through a workshop format, students will work on their own news stories in order to enhance their mastery of written communication. Students will be made familiar with strategies for planning, editing and revising their work, as well as that of others. Students will also become familiar with various styles and contexts of media writing and develop an understanding of the various writing skills required to communicate effectively to mass audiences. In addition, through the lecture format, students will learn how to view media prose critically by way of theoretical considerations such as rhetoric, the relationship between print media and democracy and between journalism and public relations, editorial constraints, and audience analysis. Introduction to Media Writing functions as preparation for those students wishing to take MECM30010 Writing Journalism in third year.

On completion of the subject students should have:

• the ability to evaluate the rhetorical effectiveness of a range of different examples of media writing.
• the ability to demonstrate in their own work a mastery of the general prose style appropriate for media communication across a range of prose genres.
• an understanding, at a basic level, theoretical considerations such as rhetoric, the relationship between print media and democracy, the ethics and practice of public relations, and audience analysis.
• the ability to incorporate in the execution of their writing some evidence of a basic awareness of audience, and of theoretical considerations of print media (as above).

Assessment equivalent to 4000 words consisting of a class presentation project, completed in small groups throughout the semester, 10% (equivalent to 500 words), three short pieces which will be a range of mass-media genres targeted at current media forms such as newspapers, student publications and magazines due in weeks 3, 4 and 8, 50% (equivalent to 2000 words), a final submission of three pieces, 30% (equivalent to 1500 words) in the examination period. Participation in tutorial workshops and online reading forums 10% assessed throughout the semester. This subject has a minimum hurdle requirement of 75% attendance and regular participation in tutorials. Assessment submitted late without an aproved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

A subject reader will be available.

• Word Bytes: Writing in the Information Society C Lee MUP

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• be familiar with planning, editing and revising their own and others' writing in order to enhance and develop written communication skills.
• be able to prepare, present and discuss their own ideas in both oral and written mode, and in conformity with the conventions of academic oral presentation.
• be able to participate constructively in discussion and group activities.

This subject is not available as Breadth or to students enrolled in the BA (Media and Communications) 105-MC.