Critical Reflection Journalism Portfolio

Critical Reflection Journalism Portfolio The portfolio is designed to showcase my work and abilities as a potential journalist. In putting together my portfolio, I was guided by my interests; principles of journalism as taught in class and the requirements of the module. In the portfolio, I wrote about a train driver who blamed a non-existent bad weather for jumping the platform; the ‘dishonest’ and double standard manner the Cameron led coalition has handled the issue of tax avoidance involving Starbucks and the cases of looted funds from developing countries coming into the West, including Britain. I also wrote about the possibility that British universities may be turning out Islamic ‘terrorists’. There was also an interview with a Social Worker, who chose to remain anonymous, on the difficulties of effectively discharging social care work. The first thing I noticed with the module was the fast pace of activities required to meet my portfolio requirements. Ordinarily my class work tends to move fairly slowly. The truth is I was not prepared for the speed and discipline portfolio production demands. More importantly I had problems picking a news event to cover out of all the options suggested. There is a reason. In my first year at the university, for one of my journalism modules the class was asked to cover a particular lecture at the University’s Stratford campus. The whole exercise ended in agony. I ended up trying to make sense of a highly technical Science lecture and to make it relevant and interesting to an audience that was not scientific or particularly interested in how scientists go about their research. It was a nightmare. I must have done something however because I did very well with the copy. It was a difficult exercise and I believe I made a mental note to stay away from such assignments in the future. This explains therefore, my decision to write on economic and business topics. In one or two of my copies I veered to political issues but at the heart of all this was my passion for issues affecting my native African roots, the perceived injustices, inequalities, inefficient and corrupt regimes in African countries and Nigeria in particular. The general view is that such regimes are largely sustained by the patronising Western powers. I have conducted interviews before but was unprepared for an interviewee who wanted to remain anonymous. I was therefore unsure of how to retain credibility for my copy on social work without betraying the confidentiality I promised my interviewee. I decided therefore to tie the piece to the Baby P scandal. The core of the story was the burden of expectations society placed on the professionals who work in the social care work without , as they see it, â€Å"adequate resources and remuneration†, and also without making allowance for the fact that care service is not an exact science. Getting someone to speak on record for this piece was not easy and so, rather than ask around I decided to take the advice by Formichelli, Linda Diana Burrell (2003), and â€Å" found my own source†. Another advice I took to heart was to â€Å"give my interviewee a verbal ‘thanks’†after the interview. The module instilled in me a number of significant transferable skills. The first is the need to be organised. Nothing significant is achieved without detailed and thorough planning. I have also taken an ‘entrepreneurial’ attitude to work and learnt to be focused on the ‘consumer’ – the audience. Most importantly, I was learnt to have an eye for newsworthy stories, with my target audience at the back of my mind. For example I was in that Southeastern train that jumped the platform but was still able to write the story in the third party. I have learnt how to write news and features for publication. I learnt to generate ideas, to research those ideas and to produce copies based on those ideas, to a high standard. I have also been able to detail proposals to a high degree and therefore in my view in a position to pitch for commission with editors. But I am still learning The module also helped me to take advantage of new social media tools with which journalists can communicate with their audiences.I am now able to confidently upload copies to websites, where allowed. I am also able to write directly online and given the fact that the internet and social media tools can now be monitored, I am able to apply journalism principles responsibly. These principles include my obligation to truth; discipline of verification and to recognise the platform as a forum for public criticism and compromise. I am aware also that I am allowed to exercise my personal conscience and take full advantage of my blog and twitter accounts. I have come away from the module recognising the primacy of traditional journalism values, particularly that of fact verification. I recall a situation concerning the copy I submitted for publication on the risingeast.co.uk website on the looting and transfer of funds from developing countries, particularly Nigeria to the West. Dr. Andrew Calcutt, my module tutor was unwilling to publish certain parts of that copy until he had evidence that is already in the public domain on the individuals named in the piece. I went back and sourced more than thirty one pages of newspaper articles for him. I appreciated his position especially when he said he was acting on advice from the legal department. This informed my approach to all the pieces that I submitted. Additional values I picked on include: truth, clear and clean writing. These are core skills and knowledge that I believe will make me a competitive player in the contemporary media and journalism industries. I have learnt to think clearly and to make sense of the world around me; I also learnt to communicate clearly and directly; and to work co-operatively with colleagues. To be organized in my work is to be able to meet deadlines and to present my stories and their ideas to other people. The module helped me to eliminate the boundaries between print, multimedia and broadcast, and to be strong on good writing and critical thinking. It was uplifting seeing my module leader present a fresh approach to my first copy in minutes. I told myself, with time and practice, I’ll be like that. I learnt in practical terms how to identify workable and unique angles to news stories and features and how to remain focused on the message that I wish to convey. Another outcome was the how and why I should forget I have an opinion when putting a copy together. I am allowed to have an opinion but that opinion must not get in the way of the story I am telling my audience. I believed I managed that in the copies in my portfolio. I have always had an interest in following news, both serious and the mundane. This module reinforced this trait, which I consider one of my strengths. I am at home reading news online, in print and on mobile devices. One other strength I believe I have and which is essential to my programme is that of curiosity. I tend to observe and explore, asking questions, even in my everyday life. I read newspapers and magazines, watch news on television and listen to news on radio and still query them, trying to see them from different angles to see if they will come out the same way. I tend to stretch myself and to do things I wouldnt normally do, if only for the experience. This is essential to journalism. Lastly, I believe that any journalistic story must remain significant, interesting and relevant. I know I am good at this, but also mindful of the need to keep the news comprehensive and proportional. I appreciate that though I did not produce as many copies as I proposed to deliver, I am encouraged by the fact that I have picked up the necessary knowledge and skill to do so should I be able to work up the necessary discipline to effectively manage my time. I also note that I need to improve on my research efforts, particularly into the academic overview of journalism as a discipline. Nonetheless I have learnt a lot from this module. I know in practical terms what News is; I know how to recognise my audience and what it wants; how to write a story and how to pitch it to an Editor. I have picked up skills, I have met challenges which my training has helped me to get round. I have knowledge of how institutions work, and have highly developed communication skills which will work to my benefit. I am on my way. Bibliography Formichelli, Linda Diana Burrell (2003), The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success, New York: Marion Street Press Inc. Harrower, T (2007) Inside Reporting: A practical Guide to the Craft of Reporting, McGraw Hill, New York Sova, Dawn B. (2002), How to Write Articles for Newspapers and Magazines, London: Petersons,

Scared straight

Critique of the â€Å"Scared Straight Program† The program established in the 1970s, called Scared Straight is used throughout the United States as a means of deterring Juvenile crime. This program consists of youth that are at risk visiting adult prisons, the youth then have contact with prisoners to hear about the life and reality of being locked up from inmates (Slowikowski, 2011). The programs can involve tours of the facility, living the life of a prisoner for a full day, aggressive â€Å"in-your-face† presentations by inmates, and one- on-one counseling.However well intentioned these prison visit programs may be, decades of research have shown that this approach is not only ineffective, but possibly harmful to youth (Slowikowski, 2011). Now there was a study done by Anthony Petrosino and researchers at the Campbell Collaboration analyzed results from nine Scared Straight Programs and found that such programs generally increased crime up to 28 percent in the experi mental group when compared to a no-treatment control group (Slowikowski, 2011). In another analysis of Juvenile prevention and treatment programs, MarkLipsey of the Vanderbilt Institute for public Policy Studies found that youth who participate in Scared Straight and other similar deterrence programs have higher recidivism rates than youth in control groups (Slowikowski, 2011). Also there was a report done in 1997 presented to the U. S. Congress where there was 500 crime prevention evaluations and said the program â€Å"Scared Straight† is â€Å"what does not work† in preventing Juvenile crime. Yet programs like â€Å"Scared Straight† are continuing to be used as an approach in the United States and throughout the world.On January 13, 2011, A&E Television Networks aired the first of a multiepisode series of reality shows called â€Å"Beyond Scared Straight† (Slowikowski, 2011). It had become the most watched show in the United States with having an audien ce of 3. 7 million people (Sullivan, 2011). This then has parents and viewers thinking the â€Å"Scared Straight† programs works, which then they do not think of the other possibilities of programs that are proven to work and be more beneficial to at-risk youth in deterring Juvenile delinquency. When I think of the A&E series of â€Å"BeyondScared Straight† I think of it as showing at-risk youth at home with their parents what it would be like if they were a part of this program. The at-risk youth I think don't take it as serious as the show portrays it to be because in this program your getting yelled at in your face by the inmates, you have a session where the inmates share their stories with the youth and explain how they wish they would taken a different path, the youth will see their parents through video or glass windows, they may spend up to 24 hours in the facility, etc.With a program like â€Å"Scared Straight† there are many things we can critique. Fir st these programs require young people to project into the future. They don't think like that, they don't think logically or long term. That's why theyre kids. They are impulsive, and think short term, espically whenb it comes to punishment (Sullivan, 2011). Kids know how hit and miss the criminal Justice system is. They believe they might not get caught when they think about committing a crime. What young people react to is: How swift is the punishment in terms of the behavior?How certain is it that a consequence will occur? How severe is the punishment? The extreme nature of the punishment shown in â€Å"scared straight† programs doesn't match the expectations of young people. They don't picture themselves locked up (Sullivan, 2011 . ) Again a program like â€Å"scared straight† is something that was made by adults for young kids, but we need to realize that these young kids don't react the same was as adults do or would in a program like â€Å"scared straight. What these at-risk youths need are to be put in activities of everyday life that will keep them from going to prison rather than putting them in a â€Å"scared straight† rogram saying this is where you're going to be if you continue the road your going down. Why not show these at-risk youth what and where you should want to be in life, like a Job show them responsibility and what it is like to earn hard working money to save for something, to be able to afford the things you want, etc.

The Discovery Of Down Syndrome - 874 Words

Down syndrome is a common disorder where the child gets an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. It happens in every 691 babies born in the United States. This adds up to about 6,000 babies born with the disorder a year. The major points in this paper are: when the disorder was discovered, the symptoms, the lifespan, the medical treatments, if it is a dominant trait, what chromosome is affected, and how it is passed down to offspring. The discovery of Down syndrome was by an English physician named of John Langdon Down. He published a description of a person with Down syndrome in 1866, and that earned him the title of â€Å"The Father of Down syndrome.† In 1959 a French physician Jerome Lejeune discovered that the syndrome was actually a chromosomal condition. He discovered that instead of the normal 46 chromosomes, Down syndrome patients have 47 with an extra copy of 21. In 2000, a global team of scientists identified and catalogued each of the 329 genes on chromosome 21. With a ll this new information scientists made large advancements in Down syndrome research. There are many symptoms of Down syndrome. The symptoms that one can see are: low muscle tone, smaller stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. Down syndrome babies can be born normal size, but development is twice as slow as a non-Down’s child. The mental side effects are: impulsive behavior, poor judgment, short attention span, and slow learning capabilities. TheShow MoreRelatedGenetic Disorders and Down Syndrome Essay969 Words   |  4 Pagesretardation. Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, Turners syndrome and many other syndromes result from a mutation of a chromosome, an extra chromosome, or too few chromosomes. Discovered in 1991, Fragile X syndrome is considered a fairly new genetic disorder. According to The Fragile X Association, Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is caused by the expansion or lengthening of the FMR1 gene on the X chromosome, known as a gene mutation. Fragile X occurs more in males than females. â€Å"Fragile X syndrome occurs in approximatelyRead MoreDown Syndrome And The Human Body916 Words   |  4 PagesWe all love amazing smiles and infectious eyes and hugs. Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels. Who are we to judge when we all bleed the same blood. Down syndrome is only a part of them and not how they are defined. No one is greater than another no matter what the situation. In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes responsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structuresRead MoreGeneral Information On Down Syndrome Essay814 Words   |  4 Pa gesDown syndrome is a genetic disorder most commonly caused by extra copies of chromosome 21. 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It is a chromosomal anomaly in cell development that results in a person being born with forty-seven chromosomes instead of the normal forty-six chromosomes. People with Down syndrome may have mild to severe learning disabilities and physical symptoms, which include a small skull, extra folds of skin under the eyes, andRead MoreCorrelation Between Type Of Mecp2 Mutation And The Degree Of Phenotypic Severity1169 Words   |  5 Pagescan be spliced in two ways generating two different isoforms; MECP2E1 and MECP2E2 that differ in their N terminus. Exon 1 of the MECP2E1 isoform has historically not been sequenced due to the misconception that is was a non-coding exon. Since the discovery of the MECP2E1 isoform it has been included in genetic sequencing and a number of mutations identified in exon 1 have been linked to RTT. It has been suggested that those who have a mutation in exon 1 exhibit a more severe set of symptoms than those

Language Development Learning Environments, Motivation,...

When it comes to language development, learners will vary in their experiences and accompanying strengths and challenges. Even members of the same family with an identical cultural and language background can all experience unique L2 development. In the case of the Oteà ­za family, the three children all viewed their English L2 learning differently because of their individual external and internal circumstances. Rodrigo, Camila, and Natalia all moved to America from Chile with Spanish as their L1. As they lived in the United States over the course of a couple years, each child showed how their academic, emotional, and physical aspects altered the progress of their English acquisition. All three children were eventually able to successfully learn and apply English in their lives, but each had distinctive experiences and development when it came to their learning environments, motivation, and bilingualism/biculturalism. Learning Environments As the three Oteà ­za children began and continued their English L2 development, each sibling experienced interesting and unique learning environments. Rodrigo (9.5 years old) was initially placed in a Spanish immersion program where he only had English instruction twice a week. All of his content classes were taught in Spanish, so he had very limited exposure and interaction with English in his school. Since Rodrigo first started learning English in an instructional setting specific for limited English proficiency students, he was focusedShow MoreRelatedInterview with a Bilingual1929 Words   |  8 Pagesbackground , the challenges of second language acquisition , benefits and the role of languages in her life. H.D was asked the following questions : (a) Could you please explain how you became bilingual? (b) Could you describe the bilingual environment you grew up in? (c) Which language do you feel more confident in speaking? And why? 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Without social practices, such as identifying with specific cultures and norms, how would one know with which customsRead MoreShould The Removal Of Required Foreign Language Classes From More Majors?1851 Words   |  8 PagesForeign Language Classes from More Majors This research paper will indicate the reason why college should consider the removal of required foreign language classes from more majors. In â€Å"The Effect of Speaking a Minority Language at Home on Foreign language Learning,† Maluch, Kempert, Neumann, and Stanat state advantages as well as some disadvantages about learning a foreign language In the present study, they plan to determine whether there is a relation between immigrant bilingualism and foreignRead MoreBilingual Brain Boost : The Cognitive Benefits Of Learning A Second Language Essay2178 Words   |  9 Pagescultural environment being created. One major change is that of language evolution. English is the third most spoken language worldwide after Chinese and Spanish, but it is the most popular second language overall (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, McBride, 2014). The English language is taking over, so what, you may ask, is the point of putting in the energy to learn a second language? Why should you enrol your child in a language immersion school program? Well, as an English Canadian, learning a secondRead More1.3 Explain the Responsibilities of th e Assessor Essay1126 Words   |  5 Pagesthat the formative feedback is constant. This actually helps me give lots of feedback. Holistic assessment opportunities If the candidate assessor is also attempting either of the following units: †¢ Assess occupational competence in the work environment †¢ Assess vocational skills, knowledge and understanding evidence for the above could come from a discussion with the candidate assessor about how they have planned assessments to make the most efficient use of evidence generation. 3.3 ExplainRead MoreLearning And Managing Different Languages With Outstanding Theories Of Motivation1875 Words   |  8 Pagesthe process of boosting learning. However, intelligent people may find it easier to significantly integrate the daily interaction with people based on what they already know and what they are yet to know. Preliminarily, most people living in Senegal either speak the native languages or French. Such settings, for example, may serve as the most outstanding drawback to any person willing or someone brought up in an English speaking society. Narrowing down to self-motivation, willingness and desire toRead MoreEnglish Language Learners Lit. Review3197 Words   |  13 PagesSalsbury recommended some of the articles that I included in this literature review. The key words are engagement, motivation, English language Learners, reading, struggling readers, parent involvement, home literacy, literacies, home-school connections, and funds of knowledge. Introduction Of all student populations (aside from participants in Special Education programs), English Language Learners (ELLs) face the most academic challenges—especially on standardized evaluations emphasizing academic