Model curricula for journalism education for developing countries ...

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• Required readings:
1. Chapters 1 and 3 of Good Reasoning Matters
2. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of The Power of Critical Thinking
3. Chapters 2 and 3 in News and Numbers
• Section One: Bogus or misleading information
Class 4: Techniques of public relations, special interests groups, political
communication
Class 5: Analysis of key press conferences, press releases and crisis events that
employ “media management” techniques.
• Required Readings:
1. Chapters 4 and 5 in The Power of Critical Thinking
2. Chapter 5 in Good Reasoning Matters
3. Chapters 2 and 3 in Persuasion in Society
• Section Two: Evaluating and communicating numerical information
Class 6: Analyzing basic forms of statistical information, and common errors, e.g.
use of graphics, employment rates, background rates of diseases.
Class 7: Reporting on polls and pollsters: Workshop with major pollster.
Class 8: Methods for assessing the credibility of studies, experts, web sites.
• Required readings:
1. Chapters 7, 9 and 10 in News and Numbers
2. Chapter 9 and 10 in The Power of Critical Thinking
3. Chapters 3 and 4 in A Mathematician Reads the Newspapers
• Section Three: Health and environment
Class 9: Problems in the public communication of science in general. Reporting
on health products and “healthy” lifestyles.
Class 10: Announcements of new drugs: Mock news conference “announcing”
new drug study with major health scientists; how drugs are tested and publicized.
Class 11: Reporting on risks and hazards in environment: case studies and
discussion.
Class 12: Reporting climate change: assessing coverage past and present; issues
of “balance’ and expertise in climate change debate.
• Required readings:
1. Part One and Part Two of Communicating Science
2. Chapter 6 in News and Numbers
3. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Communicating Uncertainty