ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the activity of press releases in a nutshell, aim of the activity, need of the activity, time required for the activity, how the activity works and the advantages of the activity. This is a strategy inspired by the 'spin-doctor' world of 1990s politics, with students assigned the task of writing well focused and highly important press releases. The activity aims to involve students in thinking about issues from different angles, and to encourage students to think about how actions and beliefs are justified and explained in the modern media-dominated world. The tutor introduces the key issue or event being considered. Students are then split up into pairs and asked to produce and write a press release on behalf of an important person, movement or organization involved in the set topic. The chapter shows that, for tutors in the humanities and social sciences, there are many groupwork variations and possibilities.
