EL 119: Pre-Writing Concerns in Campus Journalism

Vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, legal frameworks, newsworthiness criteria, research and interviewing concepts, and publication processes from Chapter 2: Pre-Writing Concerns in Campus Journalism.

Campus Journalism

An educational practice through which students learn to gather information, evaluate evidence, communicate responsibly, and participate meaningfully in the life of their school and community.

Republic Act No. 7079

Also known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991, a Philippine law that recognizes campus journalism as an important means of developing journalistic skills, critical and creative thinking, ethical values, and personal discipline among Filipino students.

Campus Paper

A publication produced for the student community and intended to address matters relevant to the school and its community, legally defined under RA 7079 as independently published printed material meeting student needs and interests.

News Section

The section of a campus publication that reports events, developments, decisions, issues, and situations relevant to the school community, emphasizing verified facts rather than personal opinion.

Features Section

The section of a campus paper that explores people, experiences, issues, trends, and events in greater depth, frequently employing a narrative or descriptive approach.

Editorial Section

The section of a publication that presents and argues the institutional position or stance of the editorial board regarding a specific issue.

Column

A regular piece presenting the perspective, commentary, or analysis of an individual writer regarding campus life, education, culture, or social issues.

Timeliness

An indicator of newsworthiness based on whether an event or issue is recent or currently developing.

Proximity

An indicator of newsworthiness based on whether an event directly affects the campus or the immediate surrounding community.

Impact

An indicator of newsworthiness that measures how many people are affected by a particular event, decision, or situation.

Prominence

An indicator of newsworthiness determined by whether an event involves a person, organization, or institution of public significance.

Novelty

An indicator of newsworthiness characterized by an event or development that is unusual, unique, or unexpected.

Human Interest

An indicator of newsworthiness centered on stories that evoke emotion or reveal a meaningful human experience.

The "So What?" Test

A pre-writing evaluation strategy answering the question "Why should the reader care?" used to help journalists narrow and focus a topic.

Primary Sources

Sources that provide information directly connected to an event, person, document, observation, or original research, such as interviews, official memoranda, and surveys.

Secondary Sources

Sources that interpret, summarize, analyze, or report information derived from primary or other sources, such as news reviews and academic commentaries.

Story Pitch

A concise proposal presented to an editor or editorial team outlining the topic, central angle, significance, evidence, and reporting plan for a proposed story.

Angle

The specific perspective, lens, or focus from which a journalist decides to report a broader topic.

Interview

A structured conversation designed to obtain information, explanations, perspectives, experiences, or evidence relevant to a story.

Open-Ended Questions

Interview questions formulated to encourage broad, detailed responses rather than one-word answers.

Closed-Ended Questions

Interview questions that elicit brief, specific answers, primarily utilized for confirming factual details.

Leading Questions

Biased interview questions phrased in a way that suggests or prompts a particular answer, which journalists should avoid.

Direct Quotation

The exact reproduction of a source's spoken or written words, subject only to legitimate journalistic conventions that do not alter meaning.

Paraphrase

A restatement of a source's ideas using the journalist's own words while maintaining proper attribution.

Attribution

The practice of identifying the source of specific facts, claims, or quotations, enabling readers to assess reliability and context.

Right of Reply

An ethical standard requiring journalists to make a reasonable effort to give individuals or organizations facing criticism or allegations an opportunity to respond before publication.

Copyreading

The editorial process of reviewing an article for factual accuracy, organization, grammar, spelling, punctuation, attribution, clarity, fairness, and ethics.

Yomiuri Shimbun

A Japanese broadsheet newspaper credited with holding the largest newspaper circulation in the world.

The Cornell Daily Sun

Founded in 1880 at Cornell University, it is the oldest continuously published college student newspaper in the United States.

Honi Soit

The student publication associated with the University of Sydney.