Journalism Course

Lesson 1 • The Modern News Ecosystem

Maps today's media landscape including legacy outlets, digital natives, and social platforms. Prepares students to navigate a fragmented industry.

Lesson 2 • History and Evolution of the Press

Traces journalism from pamphlets to digital platforms, highlighting pivotal shifts. Provides historical context for current practices.

Lesson 3 • Core Journalistic Values

Examines accuracy, fairness, independence, and accountability as operational standards. Students apply these values to real editorial decisions.

Lesson 1 • Identifying and Evaluating Sources

Teaches how to assess source credibility, expertise, and potential bias. Directly supports accurate, trustworthy reporting.

Lesson 2 • Interviewing Techniques

Develops structured and conversational interview skills for diverse subjects. Produces richer quotes and deeper story understanding.

Lesson 3 • Building and Maintaining Source Networks

Covers long-term relationship-building with sources across beats. Enables reporters to access information quickly and reliably.

Lesson 4 • Verification and Fact-Checking

Establishes systematic methods for confirming facts before publication. Reduces errors and protects editorial credibility.

Lesson 1 • News Style and Language

Applies standard news style guides to grammar, numbers, titles, and abbreviations. Produces copy that meets professional editorial standards.

Lesson 2 • Crafting Effective Leads

Covers summary, anecdotal, and question leads with their appropriate contexts. Strong leads are the gateway to reader engagement.

Lesson 3 • The Inverted Pyramid Structure

Introduces the most-important-first writing model used in hard news. Trains students to prioritize information for reader and editor efficiency.

Lesson 4 • Writing for Different News Formats

Adapts writing techniques to briefs, full stories, and breaking news updates. Builds versatility across editorial contexts.

Lesson 1 • Conflicts of Interest and Independence

Identifies financial, personal, and institutional conflicts that compromise reporting. Establishes practices to protect editorial independence.

Lesson 2 • Defamation and Legal Liability

Explains defamation elements, defenses, and pre-publication risk reduction. Protects journalists and outlets from legal exposure.

Lesson 3 • Press Freedom and Censorship

Examines the legal and political foundations of press freedom globally. Prepares students to recognize and resist censorship pressures.

Lesson 4 • Ethical Frameworks for Journalists

Introduces consequentialist, deontological, and virtue-based ethics as applied to journalism. Provides a decision-making toolkit for ethical dilemmas.

Lesson 1 • Feature vs. News Writing

Contrasts the structural and tonal differences between features and hard news. Sets the creative and analytical framework for the chapter.

Lesson 2 • Writing Compelling Endings

Teaches kicker techniques that leave readers with resonance and meaning. Completes the narrative arc established in the lead.

Lesson 3 • Profile Writing

Covers research, observation, and interview strategies specific to subject profiles. Produces nuanced, three-dimensional character portraits.

Lesson 4 • Narrative Structure in Journalism

Applies literary storytelling techniques—scene, tension, arc—to factual reporting. Produces features that read with novelistic momentum.

Lesson 1 • Public Records and Document Research

Covers access to government documents, court records, and financial filings. Builds a documentary evidence base for investigations.

Lesson 2 • Writing and Publishing Investigations

Structures complex findings into clear, compelling narratives with supporting evidence. Covers pre-publication legal and editorial review processes.

Lesson 3 • Data Journalism for Investigations

Applies spreadsheet and database analysis to find patterns in large datasets. Transforms raw data into investigative leads and evidence.

Lesson 4 • Source Protection and Digital Security

Establishes protocols for protecting whistleblowers and sensitive communications. Reduces risk for sources and journalists in high-stakes investigations.

Lesson 1 • Video Journalism and Production

Teaches solo video reporting, shooting, and editing for digital platforms. Produces short-form video news packages independently.

Lesson 2 • Audio and Podcast Journalism

Develops skills for recording, editing, and scripting audio news content. Produces broadcast-quality audio stories and podcast episodes.

Lesson 3 • Interactive and Data Visualization

Creates charts, maps, and interactive graphics to enhance data-driven stories. Connects visual tools to investigative and analytical reporting.

Lesson 4 • Photojournalism and Visual Reporting

Covers composition, ethics, and captioning for news photography. Integrates visual evidence into written reporting.

Lesson 1 • Choosing and Developing a Beat

Guides selection of a beat based on public interest, access, and personal expertise. Establishes the foundation for sustained, authoritative coverage.

Lesson 2 • Covering Institutions and Power

Applies reporting skills to government, courts, business, and civic institutions. Develops accountability journalism within structured beat coverage.

Lesson 3 • Building a Journalism Portfolio

Curates and presents a professional portfolio of published and produced work. Prepares students for job applications and freelance pitching.

Lesson 4 • Editorial Planning and News Judgment

Introduces editorial calendars, news cycles, and resource allocation decisions. Develops the judgment needed for senior reporting and editing roles.