UK Journalism Training Hub

Quizzes, learning paths, glossaries, and practice resources for UK journalism students, trainees, career changers, and working journalists. Free. No signup required.

Start here Ethics Quiz Glossary Learning paths Reading lists FAQs

Last reviewed: 15 April 2026Next review due: 15 October 2026

Start Here

UK JournoHub’s training resources are designed for everyone from first-year journalism students to experienced journalists brushing up on media law. Use the learning paths below to find the right route for your situation, or navigate directly to the tool or resource you need.

Not sure where to start? Take the Ethics Quiz to see where your knowledge gaps are, then follow the recommended reading.

Take the Ethics Quiz

The Ethics Quiz is a 10-question multiple-choice test covering the NUJ Code of Conduct and IPSO Editors’ Code of Practice. It’s a useful preparation tool for NCTJ students and a refresher for working journalists.

Topics covered: accuracy, privacy, source protection, discrimination, subterfuge, public interest, children in reporting, and the difference between the NUJ and IPSO frameworks.

Take the Ethics Quiz →Read the Ethics Hub

What the quiz covers

✓NUJ Code of Conduct — all 12 principles
✓IPSO Editors' Code of Practice — key clauses
✓Public interest test and when it applies
✓Source protection and Contempt of Court Act 1981
✓Privacy and the reasonable expectation test
✓Children in reporting (Clauses 6 & 7)
✓NUJ vs IPSO vs IMPRESS key differences
✓ICO journalism exemption basics

Glossary of UK Journalism Terms

91 UK journalism terms defined — from newsroom vocabulary to legal terms and regulatory language. Searchable and alphabetically organised.

Newsroom vocabulary

Splash, stringer, colour, kicker, peg, standfirst, NIB

Legal terms

Sub judice, contempt, absolute privilege, qualified privilege, malice

Regulatory terms

IPSO, IMPRESS, Ofcom, NUJ, ICO, EIR, FOIA

Digital journalism

SEO, metadata, OSINT, data journalism, deepfake, crowdsourcing

Browse all 91 terms →

NCTJ Readiness

The NCTJ Diploma in Journalism covers five core areas. Use these resources to build your knowledge in each area before your exams.

Media Law

Public Affairs

Reporting Skills

Shorthand

Online Journalism

Full NCTJ courses guide

› Journalism Courses UK Guide — NCTJ providers, degrees, and postgrad diplomas compared

Full guide: Journalism Courses UK — NCTJ providers, degrees, and postgrad diplomas →

Learning Paths by Persona

Choose the path that matches your situation. Each path is a curated sequence of UK JournoHub resources in the order you should read them.

Student Journalist

For journalism students and new entrants: build your foundations, pass your NCTJ, and land your first role.

1
How to Become a Journalist in the UK
Understand every route and what employers look for
2
How to Become a Journalist — full guide
Step-by-step entry guide including NCTJ and apprenticeship routes
3
Building a Journalism Portfolio UK
What to include, how to present it, where to host it
4
Ethics Quiz
Test your knowledge of NUJ Code and IPSO before your NCTJ exams
5
Journalism Courses UK Guide
NCTJ providers, degrees, and postgrad diplomas compared
6
Journalism Glossary
91 terms every journalism student needs to know

Career Changer

Coming from another profession with specialist knowledge — use that advantage to break into journalism.

1
Careers Hub
Understand the career-changer roadmap and the routes available to you
2
Freelance Journalism: Getting Started
Pitch your specialism as a freelancer before seeking staff roles
3
Building a Journalism Portfolio UK
Create clips from your specialism that prove you can report
4
Pitch Email Template
Use our template to pitch specialist pieces to trade and mainstream press
5
Journalism Salary UK 2026
Know what to expect at each career stage
6
Freelance Hub
Rates, invoicing, contracts, and tax for self-employed journalists

Trainee Reporter

You've got your first staff job or are on a training scheme. Build your legal knowledge and editorial instincts.

1
Court Reporting Hub
Contempt, reporting restrictions, absolute privilege, and court vocabulary
2
Ethics Quiz
Reinforce your NUJ Code and IPSO Editors' Code knowledge in practice
3
IPSO Editors' Code
The code your IPSO-regulated employer is bound by
4
Journalism Law Hub
Defamation, contempt, privacy, and data protection explained
5
Journalism Glossary
Legal and newsroom vocabulary for trainee reporters
6
Ethics Flowchart
Live editorial decision support for difficult calls

Aspiring Investigator

You want to break investigations, dig into data, and hold power to account. Build your techniques and legal knowledge.

1
FOI Hub
Freedom of Information: submitting requests, challenging refusals, EIR route
2
Digital Security for Journalists UK
Source protection, encrypted comms, and OSINT basics
3
SLAPPs and UK Reporters
Understand legal threats before you publish
4
Legal Threats UK Journalists 2026
Defamation, privacy, and how to protect your investigation
5
Safety Hub
Digital security, source protection, and legal threat response
6
FOI Templates
Ready-to-use FOI request templates for every public authority type

New Freelancer

You're going self-employed or have just gone freelance. Get your business foundations right from the start.

1
Freelance Hub
Rates, pitching, contracts, invoicing, and tax — everything you need to start
2
Journalism Salary UK 2026
Understand what staff journalists earn so you can set competitive freelance rates
3
Freelance Journalism: Getting Started
Practical first steps for going freelance in the UK
4
Pitch Email Template
A proven pitch structure for every editor type
5
Rate Calculator
Calculate your day rate, per-word rate, and generate a ready-to-send invoice
6
Late Payment Reminder Template
Chase overdue invoices professionally under the Late Payment Act 1998

Practice Quizzes & Checklists

Ethics Quiz

Quiz

10-question multiple-choice test on NUJ Code and IPSO Editors' Code. Useful for NCTJ students and working journalists.

Open →

Ethics Decision Flowchart

Interactive tool

A live decision-support tool for editorial dilemmas. Work through a series of yes/no questions to reach a justified editorial decision.

Open →

Pre-Publication Ethics Checklist

Checklist

A printable checklist to run through before publishing any story. Covers accuracy, privacy, fairness, source protection, and harm.

Open →

Source Verification Checklist

Checklist

Verify sources step-by-step and create an editorial record that protects against legal challenge.

Open →

Social Media Verification Template

Checklist

Step-by-step verification of social media content following First Draft protocol, adapted for UK newsrooms.

Open →

FOI Request Builder

Interactive tool

Build a correctly formatted FOI request for any UK public authority. Generates a ready-to-send letter.

Open →

Reading Lists by Topic

Curated sets of UK JournoHub blog posts grouped by topic. Each list is designed to give you a complete grounding in the area.

Getting into journalism

Freelance journalism

Safety & wellbeing

Technology & digital journalism

Ethics & regulation

Investigative journalism

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about UK journalism training and UK JournoHub’s resources.

What is the NCTJ Diploma and what does it cover?

The NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) Diploma in Journalism is the UK's industry-standard journalism qualification. It covers media law, public affairs, shorthand (100 wpm minimum for full Diploma), reporting skills, and online journalism. It can be taken full-time, part-time, or as part of a journalism degree at an accredited university.

How do I prepare for the NCTJ media law exam?

NCTJ media law covers defamation, contempt of court, reporting restrictions, court reporting, privacy, and data protection. Use our Law Hub for comprehensive coverage of each topic, take the Ethics Quiz to test your knowledge of the regulatory framework, and work through our glossary of journalism terms. The NCTJ also publishes past papers on its website.

What does the UK JournoHub Ethics Quiz cover?

The Ethics Quiz tests knowledge of the NUJ Code of Conduct and IPSO Editors' Code of Practice. It covers accuracy, privacy, source protection, discrimination, subterfuge, public interest, and children in reporting. It's a useful preparation tool for NCTJ students and a refresher for working journalists.

Is UK JournoHub suitable for journalism students?

Yes. UK JournoHub was built with journalism students and new entrants to the profession in mind. The Student Journalist learning path covers everything from understanding the NCTJ to building a portfolio and getting work experience. The Glossary covers 91 UK journalism terms. The Ethics Quiz and Law Hub are directly relevant to NCTJ exam preparation.

What learning path should I follow as a career changer entering journalism?

Career changers should start with the How to Become a Journalist guide in the Careers Hub, then read the Getting Started Freelance guide if they plan to freelance in their specialism first. Follow the Career Changer learning path on this page — it covers building a portfolio, understanding rates, pitching specialist pieces, and deciding whether to take an NCTJ fast-track course.

How many terms are in the UK JournoHub Glossary?

The UK JournoHub Glossary currently contains 91 UK journalism terms, covering newsroom vocabulary (splash, stringer, colour, kicker), legal terms (sub judice, contempt, absolute privilege), regulatory terms (IPSO, IMPRESS, Ofcom), and digital journalism terminology.

What is the difference between the Ethics Quiz and the Ethics Flowchart?

The Ethics Quiz (on the Ethics page) is a multiple-choice test of your knowledge of the NUJ Code and IPSO Editors' Code — useful for students and exam preparation. The Ethics Flowchart (on the Tools page) is a practical decision-support tool for live editorial dilemmas: it guides you through a series of questions to reach a justified decision on a specific ethical situation.