About this course: This is it! It is time for YOU to be the journalist, and practice and display the skills you have learned through this Specialization journey. You will create your own professional journalistic portfolio, culminating in the creation of your own news report from start to finish. You will go through all the steps and skills used by professional journalists: conceptualizing a news report idea, reporting, interviewing, researching, and then compiling the information for an audience. Your learner community, along with the Michigan State Journalism team, will be with you every step of the way. Having a professional portfolio will help you market yourself as a journalist, showing off your work product, as well as practice and hone your journalistic skill set. You will receive an exclusive premium "Journalism" badge for social media, to display your Capstone completion.
Created by: Michigan State University
Taught by: Joanne Gerstner, Sports Journalist in Residence
Michigan State University School of JournalismTaught by: Jeremy Steele, Specialist
Michigan State University School of JournalismTaught by: David Poulson, Instructor
School of JournalismTaught by: Eric Freedman, Instructor
School of JournalismTaught by: Joe Grimm, Instructor
School of JournalismTaught by: Lucinda D. Davenport, Director & Professor
School of Journalism
| Basic Info | Course 5 of 5 in the Become a Journalist: Report the News! Specialization |
| Commitment | 5 weeks of study, 3-4 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Capstone news report portfolio: the start!
You are now embarking on the important steps to create your own journalistic news report portfolio, which is be your Capstone final assignment. This journey will take you through the process journalists use to deliver the news to their audiences, providing a strong opportunity to display your skills honed during the Specialization Courses. You will start your portfolio here, through making your first choices: determining the topic and style for your news report.
2 videos, 3 readings
- Discussion Prompt: What will be your Capstone news report topic?
- Reading: Setting up your Capstone portfolio
- Video: Formats for news reports
- Reading: The Capstone news report structure
- Reading: News report refresher and concepts
Graded: Selecting your Capstone news report topic and format
WEEK 2
Capstone news report portfolio: News gathering
Gathering of information for your Capstone news report is a critical step, as strong development and work at this stage will help produce a professional quality final product. You will gain experience and practice using news sources such as government documents, statistics, planning for interviews with people. You will plan your sources for your news report, and further your understanding of the newsgathering process.
3 videos
- Video: What are sources?
- Discussion Prompt: Choosing your sources - let's discuss!
- Video: Rules for dealing with sources
Graded: Choosing sources
WEEK 3
Capstone news report portfolio: Interviewing sources
This may be the most challenging step of the process for some Learners! But we know you can do it. Journalists need to be strong interviewers - and listeners - in order to get the information, quotes and understanding needed to compile professional news reports. You will master the interviewing process, by developing your questions, ethically and effectively conducting the interviews, and then reviewing your content for your news report development.
3 videos
- Video: Interview preparation
- Discussion Prompt: Interview questions...
- Video: Executing interviews
Graded: The interview game plan
WEEK 4
Capstone news report portfolio: Assembling your news
This is the stage where you take all the research, interviews and facts and transform it into a news report for a public audience. You will execute, based on your own journalistic process, developing critical thinking skills, news judgment and the art of delivering ethical and effective news reports for your audience. It's sometimes easy, sometimes very challenging. Each news report is unique. Follow where your facts, news gathering and interviews take you.
4 videos, 2 readings
- Reading: Tips for sorting newsgathering
- Reading: News report structure checklist
- Video: Using quotes effectively
- Peer Review: So what do your quotes look like?
- Video: Multimedia and you
- Discussion Prompt: Thoughtfully using multimedia in your news report
- Video: Developing leads
Graded: Your best news report lead
WEEK 5
Capstone news report portfolio: The final product!
Congratulations! You are almost to the finish line of this Specialization Capstone. We know you have come a long way in learning about journalism and how journalists work. Now it is your turn to present your work to our Coursera community. But first, you need to make sure your news report is ready for the world! You will present a draft to the learner community, receive the Learner peer feedback, and use it make the news report final! It is time for YOU to be the journalist, using your skills, ethics and standards honed during this Specialization. Your social media "Journalism" badge will also be unlocked for you within this course.
2 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Examples of strong news reports
- Discussion Prompt: Thinking about the writing process..
- Peer Review: The final practice draft
- Video: The takeaway
Graded: Show off your finished Capstone news reports
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Creators
Michigan State University
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 150 years.
One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
Pricing
| Purchase Course | |
|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
Great course! Not too hard, not too easy. The guided writing of a news report is very well done, and provides good support.
an excellent course in order to start a career as a professional Journalist. Thank you all
Excellent opportunity to show off the skill sets learned . As a returning journalist, I knocked off the rust and picked up a few new skills. Deadlines, which you live on in the industry help you get acquainted with performing work on a tight schedule. This class along with the other offered MSU Journalism Specialization courses will give you what you'll need to get a foot in the door.
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This is it!