Journalism noob

mud

Hi all,

I have a place on the Journalism and New Media course starting this Sept. I'm currently bored off my tree waiting for September to come. (Broke to the ropes so can't go off on mad adventures/spend any money)

Thought I might try and get a head start on some of the subjects I'm taking so if anyone can point me in the right direction as regards what shorthand style I'll be learning or anything else at all that might be helpful to me I'd be very grateful.

Cheers!

Mossin

Have a look at this thread for some help:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055496320&highlight=journalism

mud

Mossin wrote: »

Have a look at this thread for some help:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055496320&highlight=journalism

Was that a joke or for serious?

Maybe I haven't been clear about what I'm looking for.

I was hoping that someone who's done the Journalism course could point me in the right direction as to which style of shorthand I'll be learning, when I did a search a load of different types of shorthand were returned and I wanted to narrow it down.

Frankly, sending me back to a thread that I started on a different subject ie the merits of two different courses is baffling but thanks for the reply I suppose.

Mossin

mud wrote: »

Was that a joke or for serious?

Maybe I haven't been clear about what I'm looking for.

I was hoping that someone who's done the Journalism course could point me in the right direction as to which style of shorthand I'll be learning, when I did a search a load of different types of shorthand were returned and I wanted to narrow it down.

Frankly, sending me back to a thread that I started on a different subject ie the merits of two different courses is baffling but thanks for the reply I suppose.

Well considering that you started the other thread, and got a response from somebody doing the course you seek info on, and the response says send a PM to them, maybe you could do that! See:

jkeire said:
Well I'm doing Journalism and New Media and I think it's grand. We do Journalistic Writing and Professional Skills for journalism as modules, which are really interesting.
We also have our own working newsroom, talks from industry experts every Thursday evening and lecturers that are really good and totally approachable.
If the OP wants to know more about the course, give me a PM.

You could also just bump the other thread, and not keep starting new threads on a very similar topic.

mud

If anyone else out there can give me some accurate information I'd be grateful,

Thanks!

billy the squid

Mossin wrote: »

Well considering that you started the other thread, and got a response from somebody doing the course you seek info on, and the response says send a PM to them, maybe you could do that! See:



You could also just bump the other thread, and not keep starting new threads on a very similar topic.

Firstly, on alot of the fora on boards.ie it is considered inpropper behaviour to dig up old threads, secondly, that thread was trying to decide on which course, as opposed to finding out details of a particular course

Getting back to the matter at hand, I too would be interested in the type of shorthand being used for the course LM039 as I'm starting it in September also.

Sophsxxx

Hi!!

Jst wondering how ya know u got a place on the course?? I've got it as my 1st choice and am hopin and praying I get it!!

billy the squid

Applied as a mature student, and was offered a place around 7/8 july.

CAO offers go out mid august.

good luck with your application.

sceptre

billy the squid wrote: »

Firstly, on alot of the fora on boards.ie it is considered inpropper behaviour to dig up old threads

Well sometimes on the UL forum we cope with that. If the thread's relevant, especially where old info on courses can be relevant. That's been our usual practice, B:)

Not necessarily true in this case (though as well as the shorthand question there's the "anything else at all" part which leaves it nice and open so it's a reasonable response) but you all know where the report button (it's the little warning triangle at the corner of each post) is so if you could all avoid the contest of who can wet the highest on the wall that'd be nice and fair and polite to everyone else. Please not to continue with the pissing contest everyone, thanks. Let's assume that everyone is doing their best to help out the person who asked the question as everyone probably is.

Anyone still want to help out with the original question? Shorthand type or anything else at all that might be helpful?

jkeire

I'm going into second year of Journalism and New Media now. Gregg shorthand is the one you will learn to hate! http://gregg.angelfishy.net/ Pretty useful website that we were told about.

For shorthand, you will have two exams at Christmas and two in Summer. One will be a speed test and the other will be theory (e.g. joining straight lines to circles). You will have to get 95% in the speed test to pass the module. This involves getting a speed of 40 words per minute at Christmas and 90 words per minute at Summer.

It's actually not that hard and although the first time you look at it, you will get a shock, it's pretty easy to pick up. It was one of the most fun modules, because we got to do it with the MAs, who were gas!

The course is great craic, but, sadly, we have had quite a lot of drop-outs, because the course just wasn't for them. I absolutely love it though. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say this on Boards but the Course Director is really, really nice and very approachable. Do your work for her though.

If any of the soon to be Journos want to know anything else, drop me a line. I'll probably see ye in September anyway.

billy the squid

jesus, 130 different characters. will be like learning to read and write again.

ah well, I am sure in every course there is at least one subject every one dreads.

cson

I think Tom Felle is a lecturer in some 1st yr modules and I know he does/did write for the Star and freelanced a bit so you might want to google him and familiarise yourself with his work.

Also it hasn't been mentioned here but for a practical side to things start penning a few pieces for the college newspaper An Focal, the ed Aoife (no.2) posts here a bit so try that out if you can.

jkeire

Yup, Tom used to teach us, but will no longer be as he is finishing his PhD, I think.

And Shorthand really isn't that hard. once ya get the hang of it, it's simple.

And I agree 100% with Cson. The lecturers read 'An Focal' and it would be a big plus to do a few articles to show that you have a bit of initiative and interest.

bluedolphin

Gotta add a plus one on the writing for the college newspaper, An Focal, or for the magazine if you prefer features writing. There's plenty of scope for testing your interest areas and it's the one chance you'll have at being guaranteed to get published (pretty much) so you can actually build your portfolio, which every budding journalist should know is a prerequisite to break into the profession.

While you're not exactly going to be breaking earth-shattering stories (it is the 'local rag' for the campus, essentially), you might get your hands on a juicy piece. Besides, from a learning point of view, it's not the subject matter but how you present it in the written form.

Also, getting involved is a good way to start putting the skills you learn from the classroom into practice, to build your contacts, and with the Smedia Awards, a way to get your work read by the top pros in the industry.

The editor for 09/10 is Aoife Ní Raghallaigh; I'm sure she'd be willing to hear your ideas and have you writing. Her email is sucommunications@ul.ie.

Best of luck with it all anyway.

cson

I was waiting for you to pop up missus :P

Eire-Dearg

I'm only going into 6th year, but I'm very interested in this course as something to go after the LC.

I love writing about stuff - sports mainly - so I'd love to go on and become a sports journalist for a magazine or newspaper.

Is this the right course for me?

jkeire

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

I'm only going into 6th year, but I'm very interested in this course as something to go after the LC.

I love writing about stuff - sports mainly - so I'd love to go on and become a sports journalist for a magazine or newspaper.

Is this the right course for me?

While the course is more aimed at Current Affairs and politics, a lot of the students are mainly interested in sports, and the course even offers Sports Science as an elective. Some of the students have written sports pieces for An Focal and one of them spend three weeks up in Dublin doing sports with the Evening Herald and Irish Independent. So I'd say the course caters for whatever kind of Journalism students want to do.

Eire-Dearg

jkeire wrote: »

While the course is more aimed at Current Affairs and politics, a lot of the students are mainly interested in sports, and the course even offers Sports Science as an elective. Some of the students have written sports pieces for An Focal and one of them spend three weeks up in Dublin doing sports with the Evening Herald and Irish Independent. So I'd say the course caters for whatever kind of Journalism students want to do.

When your picking two electives, are they the two subjects you'd like to specialize in afterwards? Sports is one of the electives, I think.

jkeire

Yup. You pick the two of them by the end of Week One, if I remember right. Sports Science is one of them, yeah. I'd advise anyone doing J&NM to go to the elective lectures before you make your final pick, as I regretted picking one of my electives and struggled though it for the year. Thankfully I'm out of it now.

Full list of electives and what's involved are on the journalism faculty page. http://www.ul.ie/~lcs/lm039/

Eire-Dearg

jkeire wrote: »

Yup. You pick the two of them by the end of Week One, if I remember right. Sports Science is one of them, yeah. I'd advise anyone doing J&NM to go to the elective lectures before you make your final pick, as I regretted picking one of my electives and struggled though it for the year. Thankfully I'm out of it now.

Full list of electives and what's involved are on the journalism faculty page. http://www.ul.ie/~lcs/lm039/

Sports science? What's the difference compared to general sports?

jkeire

I don't have a clue! I do politics and Sociology. The overview of Sports Science is on that website.

Eire-Dearg

jkeire wrote: »

I don't have a clue! I do politics and Sociology. The overview of Sports Science is on that website.

Ah, sorry, I missed that.

It all looks very complicated - psychology and stuff. I was hoping it'd be just writing about sport.

jkeire

you can cover sport and sport writing in the Journalistic writing module in Semester One and Two.

mud

jkeire wrote: »

I'm going into second year of Journalism and New Media now. Gregg shorthand is the one you will learn to hate! http://gregg.angelfishy.net/ Pretty useful website that we were told about.

For shorthand, you will have two exams at Christmas and two in Summer. One will be a speed test and the other will be theory (e.g. joining straight lines to circles). You will have to get 95% in the speed test to pass the module. This involves getting a speed of 40 words per minute at Christmas and 90 words per minute at Summer.

It's actually not that hard and although the first time you look at it, you will get a shock, it's pretty easy to pick up. It was one of the most fun modules, because we got to do it with the MAs, who were gas!

The course is great craic, but, sadly, we have had quite a lot of drop-outs, because the course just wasn't for them. I absolutely love it though. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say this on Boards but the Course Director is really, really nice and very approachable. Do your work for her though.

If any of the soon to be Journos want to know anything else, drop me a line. I'll probably see ye in September anyway.

Wah, WAH, that shorthand looks mad . . . I is scared.
so scared!

jkeire

It's really not that bad. It's more aimed at just passing the module than having shorthand for life, In my opinion. And if as student does fail the exam, I'm told that the repeat exam is only theory and not speed, which eliminates the hardest part of the exam. I've done sign language and shorthand, and shorthand is by far the easier!

not bakunin

I'm hoping for this course next month too...looks quite interesting i must say.
Thanks for the heads-up on the shorthand thing...to say I was not familiar with it would be a bit of an understatement!
Does anyone know what are the hours per week for this course and how many people will be taken on?

Thanks, and I may be seeing some of you around i suppose, if the leeches don't get me.

jkeire

It depends on the electives you take one, because, as far as I know, some electives are four hours, advanced languages are five hours and beginners languages are six hours.

I was on around 22-23 hours a week, If I remember right. You see, last year we had Journalism Seminars where well established Irish Journalists come in to talk to MA and BA journalism students. While these were not on our timetables, we were strongly advised to go to them, because we had to write reviews on them afterwards. One of the Tutors did put podcasts of them online, but he will not be tutoring next year.

Also, we were the guinea pig year, so all the kinks and bumps from last year will be sorted out for you lot, so this may also affect your hours!

and what leeches?

billy the squid

Having had a look at the Shorthand site for a while yesterday, finally got around to having a decent look at it, it doesn't look as intimidating as it initially did.

Has anyone tried any of the software packages availible for learning shorthand?

jkeire

Don't bother downloading any shorthand software. That'd be crazy! We work of notes. You have nothing to worry about shorthand as long as you remain constant in going to the classes.

mud

Anyone in group 3g for Cultural studies tut (cu4121)

Only got my timetable on Fri so don't know if there's anything to be prepared for today?

Tried mailing the module director but no joy.

billy the squid

Reading - Your textbook Section 1:3 as well as Chapter 2

Prepare yourself also for a discussion about the differences between the yes and no to Lisbon posters.

looks like your in the same group as moi.