Wednesday , March 27 2024

Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Editing & Graphics of Communication (CMS 203)

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:

  1. Fundamental theories, concepts and technologies of news editing and graphics of communication
  2. Basic news editing skills
  3. Principles of editing and graphics
  4. Page makeup, layout and design principles
  5. Copy editing symbols and how to use them
  6. Basic skills in use of Corel draw and photoshop
  7. Copy editing team, news process and editing process
  8. Nature and need for editing

(C). METHOD OF LECTURE DELIVERY

  1. Lectures
  2. Quizzes
  3. Assignments
  4. 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)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Introduction To Communication II (CMS 102)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: History of Nigerian Media (CMS 103)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Traditional African Communication Systems (CMS 105)

 

 

 

About Chinenye Nwabueze

Nwabueze is a writer with passion for cutting-edge news

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