Chabot College
January, 1994
Removed Fall 2006
Course Outline for Mass Communications 2
JOURNALISM: INVESTIGATIVE NEWS WRITING
Catalog Description:
2 - Journalism: Investigative News Writing
3 units
News and feature writing, emphasizing investigative reporting, research techniques and story
presentation. 3 hours.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. develop appropriate investigative topics and research strategies;
2. analyze investigative news stories for content and execution;
3. demonstrate standard journalistic style, including lead writing, story organization, effective use of
quotes, transitional devices;
4. interview for pertinent information with professional note-taking standards and effective
questioning techniques;
5. write an in-depth investigative news feature of 1,200 words;
6. identify and avoid libelous writing, invasion of privacy and unethical writing.
Course Content:
1. Analysis of investigative articles, news features, and standard topics of investigative journalism,
such as government coverage, consumer affairs and American capitalism
2. Practice at writing\rewriting leads, interviewing live sources, eliminating wordiness, rewriting for
clarity
3. Completing at least eight major writing assignments, totalling 6,000 words
4. Critiquing examples of student writing, the daily press and preparing revisions of the student's own
work
5. Completion of three special investigative projects, organized for final presentation, individually and
in groups
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Lecture and discussion
"Live" interviewing and note-taking situations
Individual\group evaluation of student and professional journalistic prose
Challenging students with deadline writing situations in the Macintosh lab
Instructor conferences
Movies, tapes, guest speakers, reporting simulations
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Regularly scheduled writing assignments
Surprise deadline writing assignments
Verbal reports on research progress and interviews
Participatory discussion in both large and small groups
Quizzes and exams, including final exam
Textbook(s) (Typical):
Newswriting, Gerald Stone, Harper Collins
The Search, Lauren Kessler, Duncan McDonald, Wadsworth Pub.
Intrerviews That Work, Shirley Biagi, Wadsworth Pub.
Chabot College
Course Outline for Mass Communications 2, Page 2
January 1994
Special Student Materials:
None
gmc a:\wpfiles\coursoutMC2
Rev. 1/10/94