Journalism has become a job that brings enormous personal rewards. Indeed, it is difficult, demanding (e.g. physically, emotionally, ethically, politically), but again it is fun. Journalism requires mastery of a wide range of knowledge and skills (Hicks: 2008; Brighton: 2007; Randall: 2007). This essay is designed to identify the key sources and methods I have used to gather information for my 332MC News and Features (aka. 332MC) portfolio of articles, as well as provide commentary on what I have learned from working individually and collectively as a team in the various project activities through this module. Critical discussion of various journalistic issues will be included, such as news values, objectivity, sources, identification of a readership, interviewing techniques and information gathering (Machin: 2006: Allan: 2005). To develop my skills and theoretical knowledge I have developed through my practice in the first and second year of this course, this year I have sought to develop my awareness of the concept of researching and presenting news and feature articles in the press . As McQuail states, “journalism is not produced in a vacuum” (in an analogy borrowed from Harcup: 2004), but is a product developed within a range of structural factors and influences, as well as legal constraints and forces of market (Allan: 2005; Shoemaker: 2006 ; Machin: 2006). For starters, one of the first and most important things I improved this year was the quality of research and the use of primary sources as the basis for my articles. People, places or organisations: these are the most vital part of journalistic practice (Machin: 2006; Brighton: 2007). Tony Harcup suggests that sources are where “potential news originates” (Harcup: 2004: 44). 'News is what an authority... in the middle of the paper... news sources can also be charities, community groups, regulatory bodies, pubs, noticeboards, press releases, hospitals, council departments etc . Information is everywhere, all a journalist has to do is go, take it and turn it into their own “masterpiece” (Harcup: 2004; Hicks: 2008; Shoemaker: 2006; Cole: 2010). of the most exciting jobs in this world. When you work as a journalist you have the chance to meet powerful, interesting and inspiring people, heroes, villains and celebrities. In fact, journalists inform society about itself and are concerned with "making public what would otherwise be private" (Harcup: 2004: 2). This profession gives the opportunity to be among the first to know something and tell it to the world, as well as the opportunity to indulge one's passion for writing, travel and knowledge.