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Mass Communication Programme: B.Sc COURSE COMPACT Faculty: Faculty of Arts, Management and Social Sciences Department: Mass Communication Programme: B.Sc. Mass Communication Course Code: MAC 314 Course Title: Investigative and Interpretative Reporting Units: 2 Course Lecturer: Dr. Kunle Ogedengbe Semester/Session: First Session: 2020/2021 Location: Class Room A. Brief Overview of Course This course trains students to the scientific approach to news gathering and reporting. This course involves the use of and protection of links and sources, analytical presentation of news, news facts and backgrounds for journalism’s broad minded and enlightened audience and readership. B. Course Objectives/Goals At the end of this course, students are expected to: have a good understanding of investigative and interpretative reporting; appreciate the basic technique of conducting investigation in journalism; know the basic technique of interpretative news writing; understand the scientific approach to news gathering and reporting; understand how to use and protect news sources and links; develop skills in analytical presentation of news and broad mindedness of journalism. C. Methods of Lecture Delivery/Teaching Aids Lecture Delivery Methods o Interactive classroom session o Individual assignments o Lecture notes Teaching Aids o Multimedia projection o Practical lessons D. Course Outlines Week 1: Definition of investigative and interpretive journalism. Situations that provides grounds for investigative journalism such as government activities, tax evasion, disaster, COVID-19 pandemic funding, among others. Week 2: Steps involved in investigative reporting including research, interviews, independent probes, spy, detectives, undercover agent, tips. Use of language in investigative reporting. Also, find a story, hunt down documents, find sources and interview them, write and critique the story before publishing Week 3: How to gain and maintain confidence of reliable sources of information for investigative reporting Week 4: Use of language in investigative reporting and legal minefields in investigative journalism practice. Continuous Assessment One (CA1) Week 5: Significance of interpretative reporting and issues that present opportunities for interpretative journalism including government policies, political situations, sharing of political dividends, economic issues, recession, sports and international development among others. Weeks 6 & 7: Interpretative reporting models such as process, understand, analyse, compare, synthesis, evaluate, apply and justify. Another model is that of identification, references, analysis and presentation. Mid-Semester Test Week 8: Ethical and legal considerations in interpretative reporting. Week 9: Interrogating news, events and situations. Week 10: Practical classes in investigative journalism. Continuous Assessment Two (CA2) Week 11: Practical classes in interpretative. Week 12: Revision E. Structure of the Programme/Method of Grading Continuous Assessment o Class test/Assignments 20% Marks o Mid Semester test 10% Marks o Examination 70% Marks TOTAL 100% F. Ground Rules & Regulations o 75% attendance is required to sit for the examination. o Assignments must be submitted as at when due. o Contributions to group discussion and class work are noted. G. Topics of Term Papers/Assignment/Student Activities Do a write up on the investigative reports of Fisayo Soyombo (of Cable Online Newspaper) and Musikilu Mojeed (of Premium Times Online Newspaper). Interpret the appointment of security chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari with respect to the dictates of a federal republic. H. Contemporary Issues/Industry Relevance Investigative and interpretative journalists will continue to be in a very high demand in democracies including Nigeria. The relevance of this course is that it provides the basic knowledge of investigative and interpretative reporting which becomes handy for the deserving journalist. I. Recommended Reading/Texts a. Duyile, D. (2015). Writing for the mass media: A manual for African journalists. Nigeria: Gong Communications Limited and Dayo Duyile Centre for Journalism. b. Ganiyu, M. (2004). The reporters’ companion: A complete guide to news reporting and writing. Ibadan: Emgee Books. .
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