Jour 120 Midterm

What are the best practices for writing well?

• Keep it simple

• write clearly

• keep sentences to one idea

• favor subject verb object sentences

• avoid using more than three number in a sentence

• avoid cliches, technical jargon, police speak

How is the lead structured in inverted pyramid?

it summarizes the three key W’s - who, what, where, most important facts

How are paragraphs structured in the inverted pyramid?

2nd - adds more description - when, why, how

3rd - adds interviews, perspective, and more details

4th - more details, background, more perspective

final - supplemental facts and info, interesting but can be cut if necessary

When should the inverted pyramid NOT be used?

in surprise and feature stories

Things to remember with news leads

get to the point, audience is impatient, identify key facts, identify focus, use concise wording, don’t delay and bury the lead

What makes a story interesting?

Impact, immediacy, proximity, prominence, novelty, conflict, emotions

Writers should spend ___ of time chasing a story and ___ writing it

90%, 10%

An editor:

runs the newsroom and has the final say in story selection

A manager editor:

oversees day-to-day operation, resolves staffing issues

A reporter:

writes the story to go to city editor or copy editors to check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation

How is chaos avoided in the newsroom?

clear lines of authority, some organize staff in teams to encourage collaboration

At most papers, writers are either:

General assignment reporters - cover a wide range of stories, or beat reporters - cover a specific topic

What are the parts of a story?

Headline, byline, dateline, lead, quote, attribution, photo, photo credit, liftout quote, tagline

What are the parts of a page?

Flag (name of news organization), headline, deck (subheadline), text (story measured in inches), jump line (tells readers where story continues, or jumps)

Difference between subjective and objective writing

subjective is based on opinions, objective is based on facts

Who uses objective writing?

journalists, lawyers, other officials

Who uses subjective writing?

speech writers, book authors, blogs, journal writers

How is objective information used to become a better writer?

always have objective information to back up statements, even if content is about perception and beliefs

Examples of subjective language you should not use in your writing:

amazing, startling, astonishing, shocking, horrifying, thrilling, fascinating, tragic, wonderful, luckily, unfortunately

Objective or subjective? The woman shot by terrorist gave an amazing speech.

Subjective

Objective or subjective? During the speech the woman said she's not seeking revenge despite being kidnapped, dragged and shot in the head by terrorists.

Objective

Use a person’s first and last name in __ reference and last name only in __ reference

first, second

Good reporters are:

objective, truthful, fair, let the facts tell the story and let readers draw their own conclusion

What are the five W’s?

Who, what, when, where, why

What does the WHO tell readers?

who’s involved, who’s affected, who’s benefitting, who’s getting screwed

What does the WHAT tell readers?

gives news its substance, story can become dry from overfocus on what, who is necessary

What does the WHY tell readers?

gives meaning to news

The HOW of a story:

requires detailed explanation, omitted to save space at times, gives readers a “how-to”

the inverted pyramid:

summarizes first, explains later, info in the beginning to allow editors to trim stories from the bottom

How to write an effective news lead

prioritize the five W’s, highlight most important facts, rethink, revise, and rewrite lead to check if its: clear, active, wordy, or compelling

When should the inverted pyramid be used?

for news briefs, breaking news, crime, fire, disasters

When should the martini glass structure be used?

for crimes, disasters, dramatic stories

What is the order of the martini glass structure?

the lead, key facts in inverted pyramid form, chronology of events, kicker

Tips for the big finish

plan ahead, don’t end with a summary, avoid cliches, end with a bang

No comma should appear between:

time, date & place

What are lazy adverbs?

loudly, strongly, quickly

What words annoy many readers and editors?

thing and a lot

What numbers must be spelled out?

one through nine

Numbers should be used for:

ratios, ages, dimensions

If a sentence begins with a number:

spell it out

Titles are capitalized when:

used before a name

Capitalize common nouns when they are part of:

the full name for a person, place or thing: Republican Party, Lake Hodges

What titles should be abbreviated?

Dr., Gov., Lt., Mr., Mrs.

How should times be written?

5 p.m., 8 a.m.

How should address be written?

abbreviate street, avenue, and boulevard when used with an address but not when standing alone, use figures for address, spell out first through ninth for street names

When should months be abbreviated?

When being used with a specific date, spelled out when standing alone

Which eight states are never abbreviated?

Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Utah

What is an attribute?

identifies where an idea comes from, shows reader you are reporting

Which sense is most difficult to capture?

sound

What are some tips for successful interviews?

relax, be in charge, start with basics, budget time, focus questions, keep it simple, limit “yes/no” questions, get every question answered, ask follow-up questions, stay flexible

When should direct quotes be used?

when speaker’s entire sentence presents ideas in relevant, concise way

When should a partial quote be used?

When quote is too long or awkward

When should paraphrasing be used?

to rephrase a source’s ideas in a clear, concise way

What are some problems to avoid when using quotes?

using dull, obvious quotes, rehashing quotes (reusing with no new information), using quote as lead, repeating foul language, distorting quote’s meaning

When is present tense appropriate for attribution?

reviews that describe music or drama as if its happening right now, feature stories, broadcast newswriting

What are the standards when covering accidents and disasters?

What is the severity? How many people are affected? Is it local?

Practices for writing stories on traffic accidents

lead with WHAT or WHO, don’t start with name unless they’re famous, delay naming victims until 2nd or 3rd paragraph, distribute key facts logically, no need to identify police by name

Traffic accident checklist

victims, extent of injuries, cause of death, cause of accident according to police, location, time, vehicles, arrests or citation, comments, acts of heroism, relevant facts

What should reporters do when arriving on the scene of an accident or disaster?

go where the action is, question authorities, talk to victims and eyewitnesses, record details that capture the scene, check in often with editors, collaborate

What should reporters do when dealing with victims of a tragedy?

ask permission, go slow, empathize, watch what you say

Fire story checklist

victim names, extent of injuries, cause of death, type of building, location, time, how fire was discovered, cause of fire, number of firefighters, estimated cost of damage, extent of insurance coverage, acts of heroism, weather, effect of fire on evacuees, plans to relocate victims or rebuild structures, arrests or citations, anecdotes or descriptions, any other unusual aspects

What is the organization of a fire story?

death or injury usually lead, focus on most compelling aspect, cover the aftermath, may offer opportunity to use narrative storytelling

What should be withheld when covering crime?

names of minors, names of victims of sensitive crimes, names of endangered victims, labeling people as suspects, stereotypes

Homicide or assault story checklist

victim’s name, extent of injuries, cause of death, location, time, circumstances, description of suspect, name and identification of anyone arrested, comments, unusual factors

What are some practices when covering court beats

do your homework, learn to navigate court records, monitor future cases, study background of every case, be there for key moments, don’t trust everything attorneys tell you, stay neutral, double-check all facts, be balances and careful, be a storyteller

What are misdemeanors?

minor offenses

what are felonies?

serious crimes

What are civil suits?

resolve disputes, recover rights or obtain compensation

Verdict story checklist

sentence, details about jury deliberations, reactions from central characters, what it means

What should reporters do before covering a speech?

research the speaker, request an advance copy of speech, ask if pictures are ok

what should reporters do during a speech?

get a good seat, estimate the size of the audience, monitor the mood of the crowd, take a tape recorder

what should reporters do after covering a speech?

create a compelling lead, avoid topic leads, include minimal background/biographical data, highlight speaker’s key points, convey tone of speech, beware of false or libelous comments