01. The ability to write and publish articles (500 words), that conform to Australian journalistic standards, on a variety of issues in sport that go beyond previews and results. Honours level students will be graded on the basis they should have acquired the necessary skills to write an article which requires little subbing before publication.

Activities:

Students will write in journalistic form their opinion of issues which they will confront when they are working as journalists or in related occupations. They will then participate in debates (in teams) which will discuss the issue. They will then resubmit their opinion piece after the debate. They will learn to "self sub" and look at an issue from all angles whilst acknowleging the influence on their work of their own preconceptions.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Teamwork(Teamwork)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Writing(Writing)

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

02. To build on prior learning of sport's relationship with business and be able to demonstrate how this knowledge may impact on the sport journalist and the outlet they work for. Honours level students will be required to demonstrate a deep understanding of the impact of the commercial world on journalism.

Activities:

Students working in their separate newsrooms will be told how crucial a particular event is to the survival of the company and by extension their jobs. They will also be given other events which might be as or more newsworthy but that do not have the same economic benefits to the (hypothetical) media outlet they are assigned to. They will be required to 'line up' the stories in order of the prominence they should receive in the newspaper or news bulletin.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Speaking(Speaking)

Teamwork(Teamwork)

03. To critically evaluate information presented to the journalist as 'news' and demonstrate an ability to classify that information as worthy of further investigation and publication.

Activities:

Students will be given various bits of information and be asked to work in small groups to classify whether the information is interesting to the public or in the public interest. This exercise will link in with prior learning about ethics in sport journalism. The groups will then be asked to argue for or against the inclusion of certain information in a debate (recreating the news meeting held by editors). Honours and Masters level students will not be allowed to team up against undergrads.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Speaking(Speaking)

Teamwork(Teamwork)

04. To demonstrate an understanding of and ability to make ethical judgments 'on the run' in sport journalism.

Activities:

The group will be split into competing newsrooms (to recreate commercial competition). The groups will be given material - without knowing if the other groups have the material or not - that will necessitate them making ethical decisions. These decisions will be made under time pressure and the desire to 'beat the competition' by getting a potentially exclusive story. Students will be asked to write a 500 word article (or broadcast equivilant) and they will have to decide whether to include the information provided.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Teamwork(Teamwork)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

05. To write a feature length article capable of being published by a capital city newspaper on one of the topics discussed throughout the semester in this subject.

Activities:

Honours students will write a 1,000 word feature story capable of being published by a mainstream media outlet. Elements such as the number of sources in the story, how many perspectives are covered, the depth of reseach and the standard of prose will form the grading criteria.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Writing(Writing)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

06. To write and publish a feature length article on a case that demonstrates sport's impact on society. This may be writing about an individual, a team, a town or a country. Although the article may not be published by a mainstream media outlet it should be written to the standard.

Activities:

Honours students will write a 1,000 word feature story capable of being published by a mainstream media outlet. Elements such as the number of sources in the story, how many perspectives are covered, the depth of reseach and the standard of prose will form the grading criteria.

Related graduate capabilities and elements:

Writing(Writing)

Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)