With the unbundling of Mass Communication programme in Nigeria, the face of communication education in the country has changed. The programme has transited into a full college/faculty while individual courses have adapted to the change. While several new courses now exist in the seven new departments, some of the courses you used to know before have also taken a new shape. We have done a thorough research on what these courses offer in universities across the world; and we have provided prototype syllabus for students to study ahead. This is also to assist lecturers who might be facing new challenges with several new courses to have an idea of what the syllabus of each course offers.
COURSE COMPACT
Faculty: Communication and Media Studies Department: Journalism & Media Studies
Course Code: MAC 203 Unit(s): 2 Semester: First
Course Title: Editing & Graphics of Communication
Lecturer: Programme: B.Sc.
(A). BRIEF OVERVIEW OF COURSE
This course is teaches students how to write and edit copy in a style appropriate to the news media. It provides practical and informative knowledge on the preparation of articles and photographs in photo editing for newspaper publications, online and multimedia. Students are also exposed to common editing symbols and news proofreader’s symbols, including how to effectively use them.
(B). COURSE OBJECTIVES/GOALS
By the end of this course, students will have learned:
- Fundamental theories, concepts and technologies of news editing and graphics of communication
- Basic news editing skills
- Principles of editing and graphics
- Page makeup, layout and design principles
- Copy editing symbols and how to use them
- Basic skills in use of Corel draw and photoshop
- Copy editing team, news process and editing process
- Nature and need for editing
(C). METHOD OF LECTURE DELIVERY
- Lectures
- Quizzes
- Assignments
- Practical Classroom Sessions
(D). COURSE OUTLINE
1. Editing: Concepts and Basic Principles
What is editing?
Basic principles of editing
Forms, kinds, elements of editing
Nature and need for editing
2. Graphic design: Concepts and Basic Principles
What is graphic design?
Basic principles of graphic design
Graphic design forms, kinds, elements
3. Editing Symbols
Common Editing symbols
How to use editing symbols
Planning on a dummy sheet
ICT-based page planning
Editing symbols, proof reading symbols and their significance.
4. Editorial desk and the News Process
The editing team (editor, news editor, sub-editor, line editors, proof readers, etc.)
Functions of editorial desk/ Functions of the Editing team members
Functions and qualifications of an editor
Functions and qualifications of a sub-editor and chief–sub editor, copy selection and copy testing.
The News Process
Editing and concept of gate-keeping
Guidelines for rewriting
Detecting & Correcting Errors
5. Editing news pages
Editing newspaper pages
Editing magazine pages
Editing online news platforms
Editing photos
Typography
Use of Corel draw, photoshop
Audio-visual editing
6. Photographs
Understanding the Visual Media
Types of Photos
Photo Treatment
Photo-Scaling or Sizing
Cutlines
Credit lines Captions
Cropping Instructions
7. Page Planning/ Make Up and Design
Defining the basic concepts (page planning, page makeup, page layout, design)
Page planning devices
Kinds of page makeup
Principles of page makeup/design
8. Planning specific pages
(Front Page, Back Page, Sports Page, editorial page, features page, business and other pages)
Writing The Headline In page Layout
Headline Typography
The Masthead
Placement of Photo graphs and cartoons
Caption writing
Overall Page design
9. Class activities and Assignments
Practical classroom exercises on editing and proof reading
(E). RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Ukonu, M. (2013). News Editing and Design. Nsukka: Grand Heritage Global Communication. See http://www.unn.edu.ng/publications/files/12042_NEWS_EDITING_AND_DESIGN.pdf
(F). IMPORTANT LINKS
Reporting and Editing
News Editing: Concepts and Processes
Importance of Editing and Proofreading before Manuscript Submission
How to Copyedit: A Guide to Editing Everything
READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Intro to Communication I (CMS 101)
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READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: History of Nigerian Media (CMS 103)
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