Major Project Checklist

Some things that you should make sure you do before you submit your Major Project:

Re-write your Introduction. It is a long time since you wrote the original version. It should be an introduction to the documentary you have actually made. Make sure you clearly state what the research question is.

Add to your Background Research chapter — refreshing it with the material you have read/watched since February. I’m happy if you do this as a new section at the end of what you have already written.

Re-write your Journalistic Approach chapter. Now you are writing about what you actually did — rather than what you plan to do. How did you make your documentary? What choices did you make? Why?

Write your Conclusion. Re-state the Research Question. Now that you have made your documentary, what is your answer to the Research Question? What did you find out?

Write your Reflection. What did you learn about journalism through making your documentary? What would you do differently? What were the biggest challenges? Please note: I am not interested in reading about boring things like your travel details. Focus on the journalism. How has making the documentary developed you as a journalist?

Complete your Production File. Make sure that you include a full script which has every word you say and every word that the contributors say.

If you have used material that you didn’t create yourself, you need to fill out a Programme-as-Completed form. In this you make a note of all the material that isn’t your own and make it clear that you have permission to use it. Here is a form you can download and fill in. Please remember to delete the two fake examples at the top! Please note: using lots of material that you did not create yourself may affect your mark. As much as possible, the documentary should be your own work.

Please remember:

• Very long soundbites may affect your mark. Be ruthless about the material. Everything contributors say should be interesting and help to move the story forward. If you are just using a long soundbite to fill time, this will be obvious. You need to write a script!
• Be careful with music. Don’t just leave it running underneath what’s going on for minute after minute. Less is more. Think about using it at key moments; to get from one part of the documentary to another or to add space within soundbites.
• Check that your script makes sense. The best way to do this is to show it to somebody else. If you are in any doubt, it may help if you get it “sense-checked” by a student with very good English — ideally a native speaker.