Module Title:Data Journalism
Language of Instruction:English
Credits: 5
NFQ Level:7
Module Delivered In 1 programme(s)
Teaching & Learning Strategies: The learning outcomes will be achieved through the following teaching methodologies: Lectures – Communication of knowledge and ideas from the lecturer to the student. Tutorials - tutorial sessions will introduce students to the technical dimensions of data journalism and enable them to apply these techniques in class to develop news items. Class discussion and debates - students will be encouraged to actively participate in the class debates which will develop their analytical skills regarding the ethical dimensions of data journalism in the digital age. E-Learning – Use of VLE (Blackboard) will be used. Self-directed learning – Independent reading and research will be encouraged through the use of SETU's Learning Resource Centre, audio-visual material and reading. Independent learning will also be fostered through the student’s development of digital portfolio of written work.
Module Aim: Data journalism skills are vital in today’s media. Creators and journalists across multiple industries need to be able to understand and interpret data like analytics, and then be able to convey these insights to audiences while maintaining high professional standards. This module’s aim is to provide students with the skills necessary to work with various forms of data to produce compelling, well-sourced reports and stories. It brings together the technical, ethical and cultural dimensions of data journalism to enable students to gain a clear understanding of data journalism’s important role in the contemporary media landscape.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner should be able to:
LO1 Students will learn the fundamentals of good journalistic practice
LO2 Students will learn how to use the techniques and tools required for data news gathering, verification and writing
LO3 Students will develop the ability to pitch their work and to deliver briefs to a professional standard
LO4 Students will develop the technical and storytelling skills necessary to utilise social media, data sets and analytics as news sources
LO5 Students will gain insight into the professional, technical and ethical dimensions of data journalism in the modern media.
Pre-requisite learning
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.
No recommendations listed
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed.
No requirements listed
 

Module Content & Assessment

Indicative Content
Essential elements of data journalism
Accessing data sets - finding stories in data - interpreting statistics - using freedom of information requests (FOIs)
Fundamentals of writing for the web
SEO-informed writing practice - the inverted pyramid - visual languages - digital storytelling
Data visualisation
Info-graphs - charts - Canva - storytelling through digital images
Social Media as A Source
Finding stories - verification techniques - fact-checking - trend analysis - analytics - ethics and integrity
Assessment Breakdown%
Project100.00%
Continuous Assessment
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Portfolio Students develop a portfolio of work over the term utilizing case studies and generating assessment documentation such as briefs, articles, social media posts and blogs. 1,2,3,4,5 100.00 n/a
No Project
No Practical
No End of Module Formal Examination

SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture Every Week 3.00
Independent Learning Time Every Week 6.00
Total Hours 9.00
 

Module Delivered In

Programme Code Programme Semester Delivery
CW_DPCCS_B Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Content Creation and Social Media 5 Mandatory