SAQA

All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Write stories for a variety of journalistic purpose in print

SAQA US ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE
110361	Write stories for a variety of journalistic purpose in print
ORIGINATOR
SGB Journalism
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-
FIELD			SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language			Media Studies
ABET BAND	UNIT STANDARD TYPE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Undefined	Regular	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	12
REGISTRATION STATUS		REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE	SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		2018-07-01	2023-06-30	SAQA 06120/18
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard.

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

This unit standard will assist those learners who work in journalism as reporters or writers of stories for print publications.
Learners credited with this standard will be able to:

Prepare to write an assigned story

Write an assigned story

Review the written story

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

It is assumed that learners accessing this unit standard will be competent in:

Written and oral communication to NQF Level 4 in the language of the publication.

Performing journalism-related tasks under supervision in an editorial environment.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE

Assessment of this unit standard can take place for any combination of general news, sports, entertainment or feature stories which have been assigned to the writer. The assessment should take place at a non-specialised level and as part of a supervised team on either a newspaper or magazine. At least two types of story must be assessed.

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1

Prepare to write an assigned story.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Discussion of story with line authority is relevant.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

News values, intended readership, ethical implications and publication`s code of conduct, relevant provisions of media law, current and breaking news climate, deadline, visual elements, length, focus, intended placement.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

The information available is sorted, grouped, assessed and selected in terms of its relevance, interest, colour, logic and balance.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

The available information is gathered and is sufficient for the purpose of writing of the story.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Resources for writing are ready and available for use.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Reference materials, computer hardware and software, information to be used.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2

Write an assigned story.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

The introduction or lead is clear and relevant and has the potential to attract the attention of the intended reader.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

The text is logical, coherent and consistent with the style of the publication.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Verification of names and facts presented in the text is provided.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Grammar, syntax and spelling are correct and accord with current and given rules.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

House style, recommended dictionary or spelling software in use.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

Ethical standards of the media are met.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6

The story is original.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7

The story is completed within deadline and is of the required length and format.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8

A knowledge of laws applicable to the media is demonstrated.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3

Review the written story.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

An appropriate review process, including redrafts, is employed.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Language conventions are consistent with the required style.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Names, dates, figures and titles are accurate and used consistently throughout the story.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Language and expression have impact and are accurate.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

The finished story can be discussed in terms of legal implications, journalistic practice and ethics.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Balance, diversity, decency, defamation, sensitivity.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6

The finished story accords with the brief and has the potential to appeal to the intended readers.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7

The story and any relevant check forms are correctly labelled and in the required location by deadline.

UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the appropriate ETQA.
Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the appropriate ETQA.

Moderation Option:

The moderation requirements of the appropriate ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard.

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

Essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Learners are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the learners` performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard. The following embedded knowledge is addressed in an integrated way in the unit standard:

1. Operation of the computer systems

2. Knowledge of the news values of the publication

3. Knowledge of the production requirements of the publication

4. Knowledge of the target market of the publication

5. Writing techniques

UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME

N/A

UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES

N/A

Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):

UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Identify and solve problems (in writing) and make decisions using critical and creative thinking to take remedial action.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING

Work effectively with others (editors and sub-editors) as a member of an editorial team to achieve the production requirements.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING

Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively to complete the story within deadlines.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Collect and analyse available information and critically evaluate the effect of it on the story.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communicate effectively (with editors and sub-editors), using visual and / or language skills.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE

Use science and technology (computer systems) effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment (editorial environment) and health of others (editorial staff).

UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING

Demonstrate an understanding that the editorial world is a set of related systems and that problem-solving does not occur in isolation.

UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA

Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:

1. Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.

2. Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the learner is able to perform in the real situation.

3. Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion in isolation. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.

4. The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.

5. The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the learner can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.

6 All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles that assessment should be: appropriate, fair, manageable, integrated into work or learning, valid, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015.

UNIT STANDARD NOTES

Assessor`s Note:

Assessment of the writer`s final draft of the story must take place. At least four (4) stories which were published must be assessed.

QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD:

	ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	STATUS	END DATE	PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
Core	49123	National Certificate: Journalism	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	Passed the End Date - Status was "Registered"	2007-10-18	Was MICTS until Last Date for Achievement
Core	58978	National Certificate: Journalism	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2023-06-30	MICTS
Fundamental	50585	National Certificate: Public Service Communication	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2023-06-30	PSETA
Elective	50583	National Certificate: Public Service Communication	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2023-06-30	PSETA
Elective	49316	National Certificate: Text Editing and Document Design	Level 7	NQF Level 07	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2018-12-31	CHE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

1.	Frayintermedia Cc
2.	HILLCROSS BUSINESS SCHOOL (PTY
3.	Jeppe College of Commerce and
4.	MBOWA COLLEGE PTY LTD
5.	Musengavhadzimu Media
6.	Posh Multimedia
7.	Pretoria Technical College
8.	Together Lifestyle Resort Pty Ltd
9.	TSP COLLEGE
10.	Varsity Institute of Science & Technology (Pty)Ltd
11.	VUTHLARI MARKETING CONSULTING
12.	Whitestone College