"Introduction to Journalism" is a core paper in BA Honours Journalism course of Delhi University. There are 36 students in the class of Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College. Classes started from 4th August. Here is the feedback of the students.
Journalism, Jails & Tinka Model of Prison Reforms: Vartika Nanda
29 comments:
After a month of attending classes for the paper— "Introduction to Journalism", I have learnt about many new things which I previously had little or no knowledge of. A prime example of such learning would be, the different ingredients of news along with its various components. Adding more to that, I also learnt about the difference of hard and soft news with examples from newspapers as well as what importance each holds. The lecture containing explanations on "attribution", "embargo", "verification" were also unique and interesting to me. Another unique concept that we were taught was the "5ws and 1h" method of writing news stories. The practical classes that we attended were informative as well. For our first practical, we had the opportunity to learn about making dummy newspapers in group setting, which was, once again, a fun and engaging activity accompanied by figuring out how to set the layout for the newspaper.
Overall, we have had very interactive classes with our professor packed with practical assignments and hands-on-learning.
— Chandrani Mondal.
It has already been a month since the classes for first years began for the students of B.A. Journalism of Lady Shri Ram College for Women. After a month of classes for the paper of ‘Introduction to Journalism’, I have learnt of many things that I previously had little to no knowledge of. We learnt about the different ingredients of news, while some of them were quite obvious like timeliness, verification, etc; the points about conflict which makes a certain incident newsworthy. The existence of a backgrounder for news articles was a new concept to me as I was unaware of what the term meant and what its purpose was before attending my IOJ classes. Other news related terms that were new to me were attribution and its types and embargo—which was explained to us in class by Vartika ma’am. I like how the IOJ classes are very engaging whether it's a lecture, practical or a tutorial class.
By geet-
After a month of attending classes for the paper Introduction to Journalism, I can confidently say that the journey has been both enriching and eye-opening, providing me with knowledge that I previously had little to no exposure to. The classes began by introducing us to the core foundations of journalism, including the basic yet crucial ingredients of news, which helped me understand how a news story is built and what makes it relevant to an audience. We also learned to differentiate between hard news and soft news, supported by practical examples drawn from newspapers, which gave me clarity on why certain news items demand immediate reporting while others are more feature-oriented or human-interest based. The concepts of attribution, embargo, and verification were also taught, and I found these to be particularly unique and interesting because they highlighted the ethics and responsibilities that come with being a journalist. Another engaging part of the syllabus was the 5Ws and 1H method of writing, which reinforced the importance of clarity and completeness in reporting. What made the learning process even more impactful was the way theory and practice were integrated into our classes. For instance, in our first practical session, we were given the opportunity to create dummy newspapers in groups. This exercise not only tested our understanding of layout and structure but also emphasized the collaborative aspect of journalism, as we had to decide on content placement and page balance together. It was both fun and challenging to work on setting up the newspaper’s flow while keeping in mind the importance of headlines, visuals, and spacing. Through these activities, I realized how much thought and planning go into something we often take for granted as daily readers. The interactive nature of the lectures, coupled with hands-on assignments, made the sessions highly engaging and participatory, ensuring that learning never felt monotonous. Overall, this month of learning has given me a strong foundation in journalism, introducing me not only to its technicalities but also to its ethical and creative dimensions, and I am eager to explore further in the coming months.
Jiya Raj
It's hard to believe that it's already been a month since I joined this college and came to Delhi. It's been a very interesting month, here at LSR, learning and growing in ways I never had experienced. In the classes of ' Introduction to Journalism', I have had the opportunity to learn various new topics and subjects in a deeper level and with great understanding. We had very interactive classes on the topic of news, its definitions, Hard news, Soft news, uses of internet, Ingredients of news, components of news, 5 W's and 1 H and many more intriguing topics. These classes are led by professor Vartika ma'am. The assignments given are very effective and efficient in the learning process as well. There's no lack of resources or help needed to excel in my subject. I think the classes and the university itself is a great place for acquiring numerous skills and knowledge. I hope to be more resourceful and mindful about the opportunities I get to fuel my learning and personal growth.
My first month in college has been full of learning and adjustment. Everything feels new with the classes, teachers and friends. I learned how to manage my time better, attend lectures regularly and speak up in discussions. Slowly, I am becoming more confident and I feel my communication skills are improving which is very important for a journalism student.
In Introduction to Journalism, I understood what makes news important. Hard news is serious and urgent such as elections or accidents, while soft news is lighter such as entertainment or lifestyle. I also learned that news must be accurate, truthful, balanced and timely. Things like importance, conflict and human interest decide whether something is newsworthy. The parts of a news story including headline, lead and body help make it complete. I also practiced using the Five W’s and One H which answer every basic question in a report. A new concept I learned was the embargo which means holding back news until the right time.
This month has given me a strong and exciting start in journalism.
By Priya
In my first month of journalism class, I gained a clear understanding of what journalism really means and why it matters. I learned the definition of journalism and how it works as a bridge between events and the public. I understood the ingredients of news, like timeliness, proximity, oddity, conflict, and human interest which made me see how journalists decide what deserves attention. I also discovered the importance of attribution, as giving credit to sources is what makes a report trustworthy. The ideas of fairness and balance showed me how essential it is to present every side of a story without personal bias. I also learned to distinguish between hard news, which include serious and urgent reports and soft news, which focuses more on features and entertainment. Learning the components of news such as headlines, bylines, and leads made me realize how structure shapes clarity.
The most exciting part was our practical newspaper-making activity. I created pages on entertainment, sports, and politics, covering topics like the Asia Cup, Taylor Swift, Sayara, Handloom Day, Ukraine-Russia relations, and even the local street dog issue. This activity made me feel like a real journalist, it was challenging but fun to bring different stories together into one paper. I realized how theory and practice complement each other, and I enjoyed working creatively while learning teamwork. This month not only gave me knowledge but also built my confidence and made me more curious about the world of journalism.
My first month in college has been a mix of excitement and adjustment. Everything feels new—new people, new routines, and a new sense of responsibility. One class that really stood out to me is Introduction to Journalism. I realized journalism is more than just writing stories; it’s about telling the truth and giving people the information they need. We talked about accuracy, fairness, and the role journalists play in society, which made me see the news in a different way. I also learned how important it is to fact-check and write clearly so people can understand. College has already pushed me to grow, but this class especially made me curious about how words can make a real impact,The class showed me how much effort goes into fact-checking, researching, and writing clearly. Overall, IOJ opened my eyes to the real purpose of journalism and made me appreciate the role it plays
As of 30 August 2025, I have completed one month in Dr. Vartika Nanda’s Introduction to Journalism class. Owing to this experience, I believe that this class has certainly been enlightening and empowering for me. Over the past one month, I have studied and, most importantly, deeply understood concepts and like Embargo, Ingredients of News, Types of News, etc. I have come to truly appreciate the importance of things like Attribution, Brevity, Prominence, etc. and realised that there are so many technicalities, intricacies and challenges that go behind putting a news story together, no matter how simple and to-the-point it seems.
Having learned so many new interesting things in just the span of a month, I am immensely excited to go through the coming months in the class and walk out with so much more knowledge and understanding of the subject.
- Lavanya Shah
The first month has been a wonderful learning experience for me at Lady Shri Ram. Even though, before formally starting my studies about journalism, I already had a good understanding of what news is, this paper Introduction to Journalism has given me a much deeper perspective on what news truly means. Now that I have started with this paper, I have gained clarity on the nature of news, the difference between hard news and soft news (which was completely new to me), as well as the basic components of a news story.
Terms like verification, balance and fairness, dateline, credit line, and byline were ones I had always heard about, but the way this paper explained the subtle nuances of each has completely changed the way I look at the news-making process. Among all the topics, attribution and embargo interested me the most, as they were entirely unfamiliar to me before. Lastly, our discussions on the 5Ws and 1H, the inverted pyramid, and the use of the internet have been the most engaging and enriching part of the lectures so far.
After a month of attending classes for Introduction to Journalism, I’ve understood that news is simply about sharing important or interesting events with people in a way that is true, clear, and useful. I learned the difference between hard news (serious issues like politics or crime) and soft news (lifestyle or human-interest stories). For something to qualify as news, it must be timely, close to people, impactful, or unusual. Journalism stresses verification, unlike social media where misinformation spreads easily. I also realized how freedom of speech for Indian youth must come with responsibility. A news story is built with a headline, byline, dateline, photos, attribution, and balance. Lastly, every report is guided by the 5Ws and 1H, ensuring fairness and trust.
Overall, these classes taught me that journalism is about truth, fairness, and responsibility.
Srija Minz
The first month of Vartika Ma'am class, Introduction to Journalism has provided me with comprehensive and well rounded knowledge of basic concepts in journalism. One of concepts this class taught me is verification of news. It is of grave importance that one verifies the facts written in the news story. Otherwise, there is a high chance for misinformation to spread rapidly. Verification gains the trust of the people as well as maintains credibility. Components of news, Attribution, Balance and Fairness. These elements should be used to ensure that a news story is all encompassing the multiple perspectives of the story as well as not attatching personal feelings and opinions to the story, so it remains unbiased, and therefore, news. I also thoroughly enjoyed the newspaper making practical. It provided me insight into the process of newspaper making, from the selecting the topics, research, keeping in mind to cover a wide a range of topics to engage a variety of audience to deciding on photographs, which adds to a news story and increases credibility.
Riya singh
In Vartika Ma’am’s Introduction to Journalism class, I had the opportunity to learn the fundamental concepts that form the backbone of journalism. One of the first things we studied was the ingredients of news, which helped me understand what makes an event newsworthy. She also explained the importance of the 5Ws and 1H—Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How—which are crucial in ensuring a story is complete and accurate. We explored the difference between hard news and soft news, which clarified how news can either be fact-based and urgent or more feature-oriented and human-interest focused. Along with this, we learned key terms such as attribution, the practice of crediting sources; embargo, which taught us about the timing of news releases; and verification, which stressed the importance of accuracy in reporting. Finally, in our practical class, we created a newspaper in teams, which gave us valuable hands-on experience and enhanced teamwork.
It’s only been a month in college, but so much has changed already. The first week was awkward—new faces, new classrooms, and me pretending I wasn’t lost. Slowly, I found my spots on campus and even a few people I could call friends. Classes are tougher than school, and professors expect us to figure things out ourselves, which is both scary and exciting. The best part, though, is the freedom—you choose how to spend your time. Just one month in, and I can already feel college shaping me in ways school never did.
My first month at Lady Shri Ram College has been a blend of adjustment, excitement and learning. While adapting to the rhythm of classes and campus life, what stood out most was the paper Introduction to Journalism (IOJ), which has already reshaped the way I understand and consume news. Before starting this paper, my understanding of news was fairly basic. However over the past few weeks, I have learnt that news is far more than just reporting events. It is about structure, clarity and credibility. We began by studying the ingredients of news, such as timeliness, impact, conflict, proximity, and novelty, which made me realize why some stories attract attention while others do not. Closely linked to this was our learning about the difference between hard news and soft news. Understanding that one deals with urgent facts while the other focuses on features and human interest has given me a clearer lens to view everyday reporting.
The classes also introduced me to concepts that were entirely new, such as attribution, verification, embargoes, and backgrounders. Verification emphasized the responsibility of accuracy, while attribution taught me the importance of giving voices their due credit. The idea of an embargo was fascinating as it showed how timing itself is a professional concern in journalism. Similarly, learning about backgrounders revealed how depth and context are essential to strengthen any story. One of the most useful tools we studied was the 5Ws and 1H method of news writing, along with the inverted pyramid structure. These techniques helped me see how information can be arranged logically by placing the most important facts first and then adding supporting details. We also examined components such as datelines, bylines, and credit lines, which initially seemed minor but are in fact crucial for transparency and accountability in reporting.
The highlight of the month was our first practical assignment, where we worked in groups to create dummy newspapers. This activity taught me that journalism is not just about writing. It is equally about design, presentation, and teamwork. From choosing headlines to arranging columns and images, every decision shaped how the reader would interpret the news. Overall, this first month has been a transformative experience. I no longer look at newspapers the same way. I read more critically, question more deeply, and value the ethics behind every story. This paper has not only expanded my knowledge but also instilled in me a greater sense of responsibility as a future journalist. As I move forward, I look forward to exploring field reporting, editing, and layout in greater depth, confident that each month will continue to challenge and enrich me.
Aakriti Yati
My first month in college has been a mix of adjustment and excitement. From meeting new people to exploring the campus, every day has brought something different to look forward to. During this time, the paper Introduction to Journalism has opened up new ways of looking at the media, it has introduced me to the basics of accuracy, objectivity, and ethics in reporting, while also showing how journalism shapes society and influences thought. This first month has helped me settle into college life and has also deepened my curiosity about journalism as a subject and practice.
In my first month of college, the paper Introduction to Journalism has been both insightful and engaging, giving me a strong start to my academic journey. I was introduced to the essential elements of news, the distinction between hard and soft news, and the importance of concepts like attribution, verification, and embargo. The “5Ws and 1H” method of writing stories particularly stood out as a simple yet powerful tool for structuring information. What made the learning experience even more enriching were the practical classes especially the activity of creating dummy newspapers in groups, which combined teamwork with creativity and gave us a hands-on feel of the newsroom. This month has not only helped me adjust to college life but also sparked a deeper curiosity about the world of journalism.
-Navya Kaul
My first month in Dr. Vartika Nanda’s Introduction to Journalism has been a crash course in both curiosity and discipline. I’ve learned that journalism thrives on brevity i.e every word must carry weight. The idea of attribution struck me deeply; it’s not just about quoting, but about giving credibility and responsibility to news. I never really thought about how news is made and distributed before, but now I catch myself analyzing headlines like puzzles. The classes feel playful yet profound, where every discussion makes me question what truth means in media. It’s like learning to see the world with sharper eyes.
-Saranya Saha
My first ten days in college have been both refreshing and full of learning. The campus is always buzzing with life, which instantly makes me feel motivated, fresh, and confident to show up every day. This environment has made the transition smooth, and even in this short time, I feel I’ve started building a strong base for myself, both academically and personally.
The most engaging part so far has been my classes on Introduction to Journalism. Even though it’s just the beginning, I’ve already been introduced to important concepts that show how journalism works beyond just news reporting. For example, I’ve learned about attribution, which highlights the importance of giving credit to the right sources to maintain accuracy and credibility. Similarly, the concept of an embargo was eye-opening, as it showed how journalists sometimes hold back news until a specified time to ensure fair and responsible reporting. We’ve also touched upon other essentials like news values, the role of objectivity, and the ethics that guide journalistic practices.
My professor has made each session thought-provoking, linking theory with real-world examples, which has encouraged me to think critically about the role of media in society. Though it has only been ten days, the exposure has been enriching and has already sparked a deep curiosity to explore journalism and mass communication further. It feels like the perfect start to my journey here.
In the sessions taken by vartika mam for the subject introduction to journalism in this one month, I learnt alot of important thing's including.. Ingredients of news and it's corr values of news including relevance and proximity, timeless in digital era etc
Got the real knowledge of what is News and it's nature ,hard News and soft news
Components of News including headline sub headlines byline etc.got to know about how the verification of News is a crucial part of covering any report as a journalist also fairness balance attributions embargo..
Each and every topic is explained by mam in very easy way ,briefly and clearly .
Each and every topic and class is the bunch of knowledge fruits that should help anyone to understand the 4th pillar of democracy that is journalism.
-Yashi sharma
My view of Journalism has never been the same since the day I formally began to attend the 'introduction to journalism' classes. The things that I never focused on like the structure of a news, the way it is presented and the questions a journalist ask to know well about an issue is surreal. The classes changed how I perceive the news. The differentiation done on the basis of: hard news and soft news, their subject urgency, the presentation everything make better sense. Now when I read a newspaper I can understand how they are written based on 'inverted pyramid structure' and ask the necessary 5Ws and 1H questions and especially giving credits to the sources. Among all of these, the most enjoyable task for me was definitely the newspaper making assignment. It was so fun and allowed us to work as a team creatively. The amount of knowledge I have gained in this one month is something I truly owe to our subject teacher and I feel deeply grateful for her efforts.
The past month in vartika mam class where she introduced us to fundamentals of journalism has been very insightful.One of the most important lesson I learnt was her emphasis on looking positive side of story - while explaining topics ,she often gave such examples which changed the way I used to perceive stories as black and white. Apart from this, academically she taught us inverted pyramid structure of news story, components and ingredients of news story and basic fundamental rule of 5Ws and 1 H, also she taught us how important verification, balance and fairness is in journalism. Mam also gave us a practical assignment of making newspaper with pictures which helped us to understand how pictures communicate more than words while presenting a powerful story.
Overall the first of introduction to journalism classes taught us the basics of this subject which are important for building strong foundation in this subject.
by Kusum saraswat
During my first month in Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College, guided by Vertika Mam, I gained a holistic understanding of the essential ingredients of news, including immediacy, prominence, drama, conflict, and oddity, which shape what is considered newsworthy in society. Delving deeper, I learned about the components of a news story: accuracy, attribution, verification, completeness, fairness, balance, and objectivity, all of which are crucial to building trust and credibility as a journalist.
One highlight was understanding the difference between hard news and soft news. Hard news focuses on urgent, factual reporting of events such as politics or disasters, keeping objectivity and direct impact in mind. In contrast, soft news covers topics like human interest, lifestyle, or entertainment, allowing more creativity, subjectivity, and emotional connection with the audience.
We also covered journalistic practices such as attribution (crediting sources accurately), the concept of embargo (holding news for release at a specific time), and the critical process of verification to confirm facts before publication. The classic framework of “5Ws and 1H” (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How) enriched my understanding of constructing clear, informative stories.
A memorable part of the month was the practical class, where we created a dummy newspaper. This hands-on exercise allowed me to apply these principles, collaborate with peers, and appreciate the real challenges of newsroom work.
I sincerely thank Vertika Mam for her inspiring teaching, practical exercises, and constant encouragement, which fostered both my knowledge and passion for journalism at LSR.
It has been a month since I joined Lady Shri Ram College, and our Introduction to Journalism classes have begun , and the experience so far has been insightful. Over the past few weeks, we have gained a basic understanding of what journalism truly is, its purpose in society, and the ethics and responsibilities that come with it. I didn't know that journalism has so many dimensions to it, like we are introduced to the core principles of news reporting, including accuracy, fairness, balance, and attribution, which forms the foundation of credible journalism. Through class discussions, we have explored the difference between hard news and soft news, a very important aspect of journalism. We also made handmade newspapers where the focus was on the pictures, and it was such an amazing experience knowing how pictures tell us stories. Overall the first month of the Introduction to Journalism class has been enriching, helping us understand core concepts, ethics and many more.
- Samriddhi Srivastava
This one month in Delhi has been full of chaos and hustle bustle. From figuring everything out on my own to dealing with homesickness, it broke me in ways I never imagined. But here, I also had a place where I could rejoin these pieces and put them again, yes with a few cracks, beautifully.
Lady Shri Ram --- home for the next three years.
Introduction to Journalism, a paper that taught me how important it is for a country to have a watchdog media,
how important it is for a journalist to maintain journalistic integrity that does not hinder public trust, and lastly, how important it is for us to not trust any news blindly and have the courage to question it.
On top of that, our esteemed prof. Dr. Vartika Nanda, not only teaches us theory, but also makes us do assignments that enhances creativity, analytical thinking and the ability to think out of the box. I am truly surprised by how much we have learnt in the very first month and excited for the upcoming lectures.
It's an honour to be her student and I look forward for an amazing learning experience.
The “Introduction to Journalism” course has been a very insightful experience. The classes, which started on 4th August, balance both theoretical foundations with practical examples from the field. The lectures have helped me develop a clearer understanding of journalistic principles, news writing, and the most importantly, the ethical responsibilities of a journalist. I really the efforts made by ma'am in making the classes engaging, providing reading materials and case studies which have been useful in connecting classroom concepts with real-world journalism. Overall, the course has been informative and motivating, and I look forward to gaining more in-depth knowledge and hands-on exposure as the semester progresses.
As a BA (Hons) Journalism student at Lady Shri Ram College, I have learnt many new things that have changed the way I look at news. In the beginning, I thought news was just about reporting events, but now I understand that there is a proper process behind it. One of the first things I learnt was about the ingredients of news. A story becomes news when it has qualities like timeliness, impact, or human interest. This helped me see why some stories get attention while others don’t.
I also learnt about verification, which means checking facts before publishing. Earlier, I never thought much about this, but now I realise that even one mistake can affect the trust of readers. Another important concept was the embargo, where certain information cannot be shared before a fixed time. This showed me the importance of discipline and ethics in journalism.
We also studied ideas like attribution, fairness, and brevity. These small details make a big difference in how a news story is received. Overall, this learning has given me confidence and a better understanding of journalism. It feels like I am slowly preparing myself for real reporting outside the classroom.
The practical exercise of the newspaper especially taught me the essence of teamwork and the effort taken to prepare the newspaper.
-khushi
As a BA (Hons) Journalism student at Lady Shri Ram College, I have learnt many new things that have changed the way I look at news. In the beginning, I thought news was just about reporting events, but now I understand that there is a proper process behind it. One of the first things I learnt was about the ingredients of news. A story becomes news when it has qualities like timeliness, impact, or human interest. This helped me see why some stories get attention while others don’t.
I also learnt about verification, which means checking facts before publishing. Earlier, I never thought much about this, but now I realise that even one mistake can affect the trust of readers. Another important concept was the embargo, where certain information cannot be shared before a fixed time. This showed me the importance of discipline and ethics in journalism.
We also studied ideas like attribution, fairness, and brevity. These small details make a big difference in how a news story is received. Overall, this learning has given me confidence and a better understanding of journalism. It feels like I am slowly preparing myself for real reporting outside the classroom.
The practical exercise of the newspaper especially taught me the essence of teamwork and the effort taken to prepare the newspaper.
-Khushi
It has not been that long since I have started attending college and I have still learnt so much about what journalism is. All the subjects that I have been studying are so fun and new to me to study. After taking classes on the course "Introduction to Journalism" I have learnt so much about this subject. I have learnt so many new things that I never thought I would about how this field works. I had always watched news but I had never realised on how it works and what all goes into actually coming up with news, how just the geographical location can change the topic of conversation so much, how a language impacts on how and what type of people will view the news. The little things that change the news drastically. The classes till now have been very fun and the assignments and projects that ma'am makes us do really teaches us on how this field works practically instead of just teaching ma'am has actually helped us learn on how everything works by gently guiding us on how this field works. Different assignments have taught us different things like the group project on making a newspaper helped us in realising how a news paper is actually made, how we need to do reasearch and then make the actual newspaper. If someone asked me 3 weeks ago what 5Ws and 1H is I would've been perplexed and not been able to given you an answer but if someone asked me right now I would be able to give an answer and i would also know how all the Ws make such a big impact and why. I have learnt so much in just a month and i cannot wait to learn so much more in the upcoming year.
The “Introduction to Journalism” course has been a very insightful experience. The classes, which started on 4th August, balance both theoretical foundations with practical examples from the field. The lectures have helped me develop a clearer understanding of journalistic principles, news writing, and the most importantly, the ethical responsibilities of a journalist. I really the efforts made by ma'am in making the classes engaging, providing reading materials and case studies which have been useful in connecting classroom concepts with real-world journalism. Overall, the course has been informative and motivating, and I look forward to gaining more in-depth knowledge and hands-on exposure as the semester progresses.
- Naisha Nagpal
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