Previewing Masterclass 41 at Multimedia Journalism: A Practical Guide

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With so much research done online, you need a way to organise the things you clip

As you research a story you’ll probably find things on websites, blogs, in PDFs, on Twitter, Facebook and other social platform

There may be YouTube videos, images, and audio.
And you’d like to group those elements, which will make up the background and reference points to what you write, all in one place.
As you’ll probably be doing some research on your computer, some on your smartphone and/or your tablet, you need what you find to be synchronised, whatever device you are on when you discover it.
If you are working collaboratively, you might also want to share the things you find with colleagues (co-workers).

Evernote Web Clipper

That’s where web-clipping software comes in. We’ll take a close look at Evernote Web Clipper, which is the market leader.
But what if your research is more academic? If you write on a scientific, medical or other journal and need to manage bibliographic data and related research materials (such as PDFs) you may need something more specialised that Evernote.
In which case Zotero might fit the bill.

Zotero

Zotero also has word processor plugins that allow you to insert citations and bibliographies directly into your documents.
We’ll have a run-through on Zotero – how to use it and what it can do for you.
And what about getting your best work gathered in a smart, elegant format online? Paper cuttings are inadequate, and running a list of links to your best stuff isn’t very impressive-looking either.

Cuttings Me

So how about Cuttings Me? It’s a great way to build up an online portfolio or clippings book of the journalism that you’ve produced.
It lets you put your best material, plus your profile and cv, on a smart web page that you can link to from wherever you like.

Next: Evernote Web Clipper

Up-coming tuition at MMJ (update)

Masterclass 41: Top 3 essential web-clipping apps for journalists

We take a look at three incredibly useful clipping apps - each of which is the best in its field for one key function. There's Evernote, a great research-gathering tool for news reporters; Zotero, perfect for more academic research and article composition; and Cuttings Me, an elegant way to put your best material together in a showcase of your talents.

Find out more...

Masterclass  42: How to use Google Creative Kit for photo-editing, plus some alternative apps to check out

When Google announced it would close Picnik, the popular photo-edtiting software company it bought a while back, there was outrage. Infact, what Google has done is bring Picnik into the Google+ fold, giving the good old Picnik functionality a re-skin.

We'll look at how to use it - hence updating the coverage of Picnik in the print veriosn of MMJ, and in the equivalent part of the ebook and online versions of the project.

We'll also take a look at three or four alternatives to Creative Kit/Picnik

Going live: February 4

Masterclass 43: Focus on print - plus: win your own print run

Print may be under pressure, but it's still core to what many journalists do. We'll take a look at the future of print, and at an interesting new venture called Make My Newspaper.

Make My Newspaper lets you create your own tabloid online, design it, add content and buy a short print run. It could be the answer for  journalism courses where creating a print product is an important learning tool and demonstration of competence. And it might work for hyperlocals that want a print presence.

We will offer two free print runs of 100, 20-page papers to lucky UK-based journalism courses, hyperlocals or start-ups.

Going live: February 11

Masterclass 44: Flash website building for non-coders

Flash websites are great for situations in which you want to make a visual impact, and where photography is important.

We'll look at a way to create a really professional one without knowing the first thing about coding.

Going live: February 18

Masterclass 45: Wordpress

Two levels of tuition in Wordpress. 

We’ll kick off by getting a basic site up and running. 

Then we'll look at using customised themes to create a really impressive Wordpress publishing platform.

March 10

Masterclass 46 - 49: How to choose a specialism, Series 2

We looked here at eight popular journalistic specialisms. Now we feature a second series, including:

• Technology
• Music
• Education

March 24 - May 5

Masterclass 50: Brand Journalism

What it is, and why it could be the future for many journalists

May 19

This term's masterclasses from MMJ

A Happy New Year to all users of Multimedia Journalism: A Practical Guide

We're sorting out content up to Easter, so here's a run-down of planned topics. As ever, feel free to get in touch if there are things you'd like included in any of them, or other areas you'd like to see covered. 

A number of things in the list below were suggested by MMJ registered users, so thanks to them for taking the trouble to raise them.

Masterclass 41: Focus on print

Print may be under pressure, but it's still core to what many journalists do. We'll take a look at innovations in the medium, including Make My Newspaper.

Make My Newspaper lets you create your own tabloid online, design it, add content and buy a short print run. It could be the answer for  journalism courses where creating a print product is an important learning tool and demonstration of competence. And it might work for hyperlocals that want a print presence.

We hope to offer two free print runs of 100, 20-page papers to lucky UK-based journalism courses, hyperlocals or start-ups.

January 14, 2012

Masterclass 42: Focus on video

VeriLocal lets you record and edit video on an iPhone or other Apple mobile device, and upload it swiftly through a dedicated link to your own website.

VeriLocal scores on two counts - it's a much more sophisticated in-phone editing app than anything else on the market, and its dedicated upload facility means you avoid the perennial problem with other apps of a long time-lag on your video uploads.

Hopefully there'll be a number of free trials on offer for MMJ users from VeriLocal.

January 28 

Masterclass 43: What web-clipping app is best for journalists?

A range of competing apps road-tested and compared

February 11 2012

Masterclass 44: Flash website building for non-coders

February 25 

Masterclass 45: Getting started and building proficiency in Wordpress 

Two levels of tuition in Wordpress. We’ll kick off by getting a basic site up and running. 

Then we'll look at using customised themes to create a really impressive Wordpress publishing platform.

March 10

Masterclass 46 - 49: How to choose a specialism, Series 2

We looked here at eight popular journalistic specialisms. Now we feature a second series, including:

• Technology
• Music
• Education

March 24 - May 5

Masterclass 50: Brand Journalism

What it is, and why it could be the future for many journalists

May 19