Model curricula for journalism education for developing countries ...

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Students will turn in speech and meeting stories and professor will debrief.
In-class exercise: Students will be given a lead to a news story and asked to identify
the interrogatives. They will share responses and consider: What makes a good
lead
Assignment for Week 5: During the class, professor will set up a role play of a
press conference on a relevant topic, walking students through the preparation and
reporting process. Students will be assigned to a meeting or speech on campus or in
community.
Reading for Week 5: Mencher, Chapter 6 and 15.
Week 5
Lecture: Getting it right: A passion for accuracy
Discussion will follow an exercise on the process of analysis, supported by a handout
on this technique: Students will be given a news story and asked to analyze the lead,
summation graphs, transitions, and use of quotes.
Two-part assignment for week 6:
(1) Cut out six leads from newspapers. Using the process of analysis, identify which
questions are answered, such as who, what or why. (2) Clip out a feature story in a
local newspaper or magazine. Work through the process of analysis to address the
question: What are strengths/weaknesses in this story
Another assignment for week six: Find a news story on campus to cover during the
next five days. The story should fit the basic criterion for news and be of general
interest to students.
Reading for Week 6: Mencher, Chapter 7.
Week 6
Lecture: The importance of writing strategies and storytelling
Discussion will focus on the assignment for Week 6 and illustrate the points made in
the lecture.
Lecture/discussion: Writing the personality profile. Students will pair off and
interview each other, following the guidelines for writing a good personality profile.
They will be instructed to keep a record of the questions they ask, practice taking
notes and searching out theme.
Assignment for Week 7: Students will write a story to be shared during the next
class meeting on the person they interviewed. These stories should concentrate on
show, don’t tell.
Second assignment for Week 7: Write stories based on information obtained from
police and other community sources. Identify major sources for crime stories.
Reading for Week 7: Mencher, Chapter 8, Features, Long Stories and Features