Download BWFCF L4 closed 2015/16. UNIT TITLE: The Fashion Writer

BWFCF L4 closed 2015/16.
UNIT TITLE: The Fashion Writer
CREDIT POINTS: 20
UNIT CODE: CJO409
FHEQ LEVEL: Level 4
ACADEMIC SCHOOL: Communications and
Marketing
UNIT DESIGNATION: Traditional
Delivering School (if differs): n/a
Date validated: 2010
Date last modified:
Unit delivery model: CD
Max & Min Student No: N/A
TOTAL STUDENT WORKLOAD
Students are required to attend and participate in all the formal timetabled sessions for
the unit. Typically the commitment to the unit will include 36 hours of formal delivery.
Students are also expected to manage their directed learning and independent study in
support of the unit. Where normal timetabled sessions do not take place, additional
directed learning may be provided, and/or students are expected to undertake additional
independent learning.
PREREQUISITES AND CO-REQUISITES: None
UNIT DESCRIPTION
The ability to begin to analyse, research and write feature articles for different
audiences, using different technologies is one of the key skills of a magazine writer
working in the industry today.
Within the Magazine Writer unit, students will study the clear links between news and
features in newspapers, magazines and the internet. The unit begins with news writing.
Here students will be introduced to news values, news worthiness, and the structure used
in writing a news story.
Interviewing techniques, how to select and use quotes within news and feature pieces,
will be practised in real life activities and in seminars. Feature writing is very different
from news reporting. It requires individual style and an ability to address readers and
capture their interest in a variety of ways, which inform, describe, comment and
entertain.
Although these writing styles differ, they can be closely linked in content. Feature ideas
come from many different sources, but its content will probably already have been
covered as a news story, in the days or months before publication. Feature articles give us
a fresh insight into a story, providing readers with background, greater detail and “colour”
not always possible in shorter news articles.
In this unit students will learn the links between news stories and feature articles, where
to find feature ideas and what makes a good news story. They will understand news values
and news sources. You will learn the different structures used to create news stories and
longer feature pieces, and how to produce clear copy to deadline.
Students will study newspapers, magazines and the internet as they begin to develop their
own writing style. There will be a clear emphasis on the importance of producing “clean”
copy, with special attention to spelling and grammar. This will be facilitated in weekly
BWFCF L4 closed 2015/16.
writing workshops, where students will research and begin to write articles to deadline.
These articles will go on to form a portfolio of pieces, which will be submitted for
assessment.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of the unit, students should be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
K1 Identify the structures used to compile a news story and explain the news values
behind the publication of a news article within the context of a printed publication, and
discuss possible feature ideas from this subject.
K2 Compare and contract the role of both news stories and feature articles across all
media.
Cognitive Skills
C1 Analyse the key elements used in different news stories and feature compositions.
C2 Examine audience and readership with regard to news and feature content of different
publications.
Practical and Professional Skills
P1 Construct a variety of news and feature articles following established formats and using
writing styles and structures relevant to a given brief detailing audience and readership.
Transferable and Key Skills
T1 To communicate ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.
AREAS OF STUDY
Students will study the structure of news and feature articles, writing styles and the
language used in a variety of features. These will include profiles, columns, comment
articles, reviews, Blogs, reviews and “colour” pieces.
Students will be given an introduction to interviewing techniques, and how to select and
use quotes in news and feature articles. Students will examine audience and readership,
and will be encouraged to examine this relationship outside formal taught sessions.
Seminars will allow students to practise writing and the prioritising of facts and quotes
within news and feature articles. They will be shown how to identify key sources of
information and then use them according to the rules governing news and feature shapes
and structures.
LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY
This unit is structured in such a way to facilitate learning through the practice of writing.
The main focus will be on features, but begins with news. There will be close examination
of professional examples from a wide range of magazines, the news and feature pages of
national newspapers and the internet.
The seminars/workshops will allow students to analyse these examples before writing
their own news and feature pieces. These sessions will allow students to receive support
and advice on their work, both from peers and the tutor.
Students will be encouraged to widen their reading of newspapers, magazines and internet
articles, during this unit, and discuss material in seminars and workshops.
BWFCF L4 closed 2015/16.
Two hour lectures will be delivered to the whole year group of Level one BA (Hons) Writing
Fashion and Culture. These will be as interactive as possible, and will use a variety of
teaching techniques to facilitate learning.
One hour seminars will be held in seminar groups of around 20. These will be organised as
writing workshops, where students are expected to bring draft work for editing. Students
will be encouraged to make a verbal contribution within seminars, and should be prepared
to discuss and share their work or their ideas or concerns. Each student will be allocated a
writing partner for the course of the unit. They will each provide peer assessment and
support.
Additional weekly “copy clinics” will be held to support students with spelling and
grammar. Tutorials are also held for students to receive individual support from the unit
tutor.
Assessment Strategy
Individual work will be presented in draft form as it progresses and will receive both peer
assessment from the student’s writing partner, other colleagues and the tutor.
Draft material will also be used for group discussion.
Students will receive regular formative feedback and regular peer evaluation in group
appraisals.
A portfolio of written pieces will demonstrate the student’s ability to construct a range of
news stories and feature articles.
ASSESSMENT
AE1
Weighting:
Assessment Type:
Duration:
Anonymous Marking:
AE2
Weighting:
Assessment Type:
Duration:
Anonymous Marking:
30 %
Two News Articles
700 words
Yes
70 %
Three Feature Articles
A minimum of 2,500 words overall
Yes
Aggregation & Re-assessment Rules
All assessments are aggregated to produce a total unit mark. In the case of re/deferral,
students will be required to rewrite the failed elements and resubmit. The course team
will keep a copy of the original for comparison purposes.
Unit Author: Suzanne Dixon