MED7369 Specialist Journalism, Investigations and Coding

This repo contains material for the module which is studied as part of the MA in Data Journalism and is an optional module on the MA in Multiplatform and Mobile Journalism at Birmingham City University.

Module synopsis

Within the context of media integration and convergence, Specialist journalism, investigations and coding aims to facilitate a flexible and adaptable skillset that provides a basis for students to critically adapt to any chosen field of reporting. It also provides a basis for the successful completion of the master’s route project, and introduces potential avenues of practice-based inquiry for routes into PhD progression beyond.

Outcomes

Identify, articulate and critically assess information sources, systems, and issues within an identified field of reporting.
Research and report stories in a specialist field using contemporary technologies for an identified audience

Week by week outline

This module begins with formal classes and becomes more student-driven as it progresses. You will be expected to listen to class podcasts and screencasts ahead of most sessions, so you can make the most of the time in class.

You will also be expected to feed your own experiences into each class - and your own problems and questions - rather than coming to the sessions with nothing to contribute or build on. As independent learners the emphasis is on you to drive your learning forward through conversation rather than accept it passively.

1: Introductions

In this week you will be introduced to current affairs reporting and encouraged to consider the ingredients that journalists need to collect to tell longer stories effectively.

Listen: IRE Radio Podcast: Regulated by God
Read: Turner, B. and Orange, R. (2013) Specialist Journalism. Routledge
Directed study: Watch, listen to and read examples of in-depth reporting, preparing to report your findings to the class.

2: Mapping the territory: specialist sources and systems

In this week you will be introduced to exercises to help you identify potential stories to report when acting in a specialist or investigative role. We will look at the roles of systems in different fields and how those often play a central role as both a subject for the journalist, and a framework for their newsgathering. By the end of the week you should be able to identify a key issue in a chosen field, articulate some potential avenues of inquiry.

You will begin to narrow your focus to a specific story or 'hypothesis' to begin researching for an in-depth feature or investigation.

The week also looks at how you can use systems of accountability and measurement in your journalism, from the role of public meetings, documents and data, the role of regulators, and legal powers such as FOI. By the end of this week you should be able to describe specific systems in your area of interest that you can use in your reporting.

Workshop: Mapping your territory - and network analysis
Workshop: planning your investigation or feature - see network analysis folder
Read: Lee Hunter, Mark (2011) Story-based Inquiry
Directed study 1: Project research and initial hypothesis
Directed study 2: Scoping document, data and human sources

3: Following the money: accounts

Company accounts are an excellent source of news stories, and a key resource in many investigations and features. This week we explore techniques for getting stories from company accounts, and story ideas that can draw on accounts. By the end of the week you should be able to identify and report stories from company accounts.

Folder for this week
Workshop: reporting sport, technology, fashion and music using accounts
Read: Bairoliya, Raj (2012) The Investigative Journalist's Guide to Company Accounts, CIJ
Directed study: Accounts research/interview planning and research

4: Coding for journalists

This week introduces you to basic coding techniques and applies those to a useful technique: scraping. By the end of this week you should be able to identify opportunities for using coding in your field, and explain basic coding concepts such as variables, loops, functions and libraries.

Folder for this week
Workshop: Reporting crime, environment or food using APIs - see Python folder
Read: Bradshaw, P (2015) Scraping for Journalists, Leanpub
Directed study: Identifying potential targets for scrapers; working on coding

5: Telling stories with video

By the end of this week you should be able to script and do two-ways about a specialist story or investigation for broadcast. You should also be able to identify the elements of a good pitch - and write one.

Workshop: Scripting and delivering two-ways
Workshop: Narrowing story ideas to pitches
Watch: playlist of two-ways and BBC News at One - look for examples of two-ways in recent bulletins and think about: is it done off the back of a package? What is the cue? What illustration is used (in studio, clips, graphics etc)? Where do they refer to notes?
Directed study: Continued work on feature

6: Producing in-depth features for TV

Telling an in-depth story presents particular challenges in terms of selecting, organising and combining elements. This week is devoted to exploring those techniques with regard to your own stories. By the end of the week you should have a broad outline of your story and the elements needed to complete it, and tell it, for TV.

Workshop: story development
Read: Atton & Hamilton (2008) Alternative Journalism
Directed study: Storyboarding/drafting of project narrative(s)
Read: Bradshaw, P (2015) Scraping for Journalists, Leanpub - free copy for students

7: Information problems

This week we review the code produced after the previous coding class and look at more scraping techniques.

Workshop: Python, scraping and APIs - see Python folder
Read: Shaw, Zed A. (2013) Learn Python the Hard Way
Directed study: Compiling/analysing data

8: Statistics for journalists - and cognitive bias

Statistical literacy is important in being able to report stories accurately. In this week we focus on some common statistical issues as well as techniques for using statistical methods in your own reporting. By the end of the week you should be able to articulate basic statistical concepts and undertake basic statistical analysis.

Folder for this week
Workshop: regression analysis
Read - choose from:
- Huff, Darrell (1954) How to Lie With Statistics, Penguin
- Blastland and Dilnot (2007) The Tiger That Isn't: Seeing Through a World of Numbers
- Fung, Kaiser (2010) Numbers Rule Your World
- Cohen, Sarah (2014) Numbers in the Newsroom
Listen: More or Less: The Simpson’s Paradox: consider 2 things: firstly Simpson's Paradox, but secondly: how audio can be used creatively to demonstrate something (the choir).
Directed study: Data analysis/interview planning and research

9: Project surgery - longform and immersive storytelling

In this week we will focus on your projects, as you approach the deadline! Issues to consider include cleaning data, network analysis and narrative techniques in longform writing.

Workshop material: Immersive features: narrative techniques
Read: The Hidden Scenario by Luuk Sengers and Mark Lee Hunter
Directed study: Project research

10: Project surgery - cleaning