JOURNALISM High School Newspaper Basics

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JOURNALISM High School Newspaper
Basics

• Newspaper Terms/Story Types,
• The Inverted Pyramid,
• Headlines,
• Breaking News,
• Editorials,
• Features,
• Sports Articles,
• and Reviews

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Newspaper Writing
Terms and Story Types
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Newspaper Terms

• Byline-Reporters name, appears at the top of a
  news story
• Flag-Newspapers name as it appears on the top of
  the first page (aka-logotype)
• Folio-Papers volume number, date, and price info
  on front of paper under Flag
• Deadline-Time at which all copy for an edition
  must be turned in

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Newspaper Terms (contd)

• Editor-Person who decides what stories will be
  covered, assigns reporters to stories, improves a
  reporters story, decides layout
• Scoop-Story obtained before other papers get it
• Cutline (aka caption)-Information under a piece
  of art or picture that explains it using the 5
  Ws and H (who, what, when, where, why and how)

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Newspaper Terms (contd)

• Beat-Area of news regularly covered by a reporter
  (ex. Sports beat)
• Syndicate-Organization that distributes material
  to many different newspapers for their use
• Jump-to continue a story from one page to another
  (line that tells which page the story is
  continued on is called the Jumpline)
• Headline-Words in large type at top of story
  telling what story is about
• Lead-Opening of a news story telling who, what,
  when, where, why, and how

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Newspaper Terms (contd)

• Copy-All material used in publication
• Inverted Pyramid- News story form where important
  facts are listed first (less important details
  follow)
• Layout-To position copy on a page
• Masthead-Printed names of publications
  publisher, editor, usually printed in a box on
  the editorial page
• Ear-Copy on both corners of front page
• Dateline-Beginning of a story that gives storys
  place of origin

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Types of News Stories

• Hard News-Urgent news, usually of a serious
  nature, found on front page on newspaper, purely
  factual (aka-breaking news)
• Feature-News story that is timely and
  entertaining and of interest to readers (human
  interest)
• Editorial-Article expressing the opinion of
  editor or management (also come in form of
  cartoon)
• Sports-Gives scores, facts, and opinions about
  major sporting events
• Reviews-Gives summary and authors opinions of
  book, movie, song, etc.

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Writing the News

• Newspaper Style and Newsworthy Stories

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5Ws and H

• The lead/beginning of all newspaper articles
  should answer the 5 Ws and H
• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
• How

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Inverted Pyramid
News/Important-different from fiction-gives
relevant info at beginning (5 Ws and H)
Important
Less Important
Less Important- can be
deleted if necessary
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Why Use the Inverted Pyramid?

• Readers get necessary information given to them
  at the very beginning
• In case a story needs to be shortened due to
  space limitations, editor/advisor can easily chop
  off the end of the story without worrying about
  losing the most important information

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What Makes News?

• Since newspapers are created to meet the needs of
  the community and school, it is important to know
  what to look for when deciding on article topics

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Things to Consider When Deciding Story Topics

• Prominence-How well known are the people involved
  in the story? If people are well known on a
  local or national level.
• Proximity-Location-event happening close by is of
  more interest to readers
• Timeliness-New, fresh stories hold readers
  interest
• Oddity/Uniqueness-Something unusual usually gains
  readers curiosity-they want to know why it
  happened
• Impact/Consequence-An event or decision that
  affects peoples lives is newsworthy-write about
  events that alter readers lives in some way so
  they know how they will be affected by decisions
  (i.e. construction projects in community, new
  dress code rule)

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Things to Consider When Deciding Story Topics
(Contd)

• Human-Interest-Appeal to readers emotions
• Conflict-Present a story that appeals to sense of
  curiosity about who will emerge the winner in a
  battle (story about war, an athletic competition,
  or election)
• BRAINSTORM with a partner at least 5 article
  topic ideas that meet at least one of the above
  criteria.

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Headline Dos

• Give general overall summary of the story
• Remember that the headline may be the only reason
  the reader reads the story so make it stand out
• Limit the number of wordsgenerally 6-10 words
• Use strong, active verbs-to-be verbs are
  generally understood, but not written out
• Use present tense verbs
• Express complete thoughts-headlines usually read
  like simple sentences
• Substitute a comma for the word and
• Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns
  and adjectives

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Headline Donts

• Dont mislead reader about content by
• exaggerating or sensationalizing
• Dont use the name of the school unless
  absolutely necessary
• Dont put a period at the end of the headline
• Dont use names, unless very well recognized.
  Use grades or positions instead
• Dont use abbreviations or slang
• Dont repeat words from other headlines in same
  section (common in sports section-beat, wins,
  loses, etc.)
• Dont use a, an, or the
• Dont use headlines that can have more than one
  meaning

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Examples of Bad Headlines (can have more than
one meaning)

• Directions Talk to your partner about what is
  meant and how the headline can be misinterpreted
• Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers
• Safety experts say school bus passengers should
  be belted
• Drunk gets nine months in violin case
• Survivor of Siamese twins joins parents
• Iraqi head seeks arms
• Farmer Bill dies in house
• Prostitutes appeal to Pope
• Panda mating fails Veterinarian takes over

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Writing Breaking News Stories

• AKA Hard News or Straight News

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Interviewing-Before

• Call, visit secretaries, or go to classroom to
  set up appointments for interviewing
• Know purpose of interview-what information are
  you really trying to get from the source
• Research subject and source-have background
  material first
• Bring pencils and steno notebook

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Interviewing-During

• Arrive on time, thank source for willingness to
  be interviewed
• Build rapport with source-start with friendly
  greetings and casual conversation before getting
  down to business
• Take notes-use abbreviations that you know you
  will remember when reviewing notes later-you will
  not be able to write every word of background
  info

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Interviewing During (Contd)

• Be sure to write every word of direct quotations
• Look interested-get more info with encouraging
  statements as they talk
• Conclude by reviewing notes, asking if source
  would like to add anything, check spellings of
  names, ask where they can be reached if you need
  more info, ask if they know of another source you
  should see about the subject

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Interviewing-After

• Review notes
• Write out abbreviations and fill in missing words
• Make sure date is written on notes

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How to ask Interview Questions

• Yes or No Questions are a NO-NO!
• Instead ask open-ended questions - worded to
  encourage source to give opinion or expand on
  question
• Ask follow-up questions-unplanned questions that
  you naturally ask after source answers a question
  but doesnt give enough information-you ask them
  to get them to continue with explanation

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Interview Question Practice

• Practice changing these Yes/No questions to
  open-ended questions
• Do you have plans for the weekend?
• Should the president be re-elected?
• Do you plan to go on to college after graduation?
• Do you like the new class scheduling system?

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Subjective vs. Objective

• Subjective-shows opinion
• Article types that are subjective are ones that
  are persuasive in nature Editorials, Advice
  Columns, and Reviews
• Objective-shows fact-authors opinion is not
  detected, language does not show how author feels
  about subject
• Article types that are objective in nature are
  Breaking News, Sports
• Article types like Features are a combination of
  the two because they give about an equal mix of
  both subjective and objective statements

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Subjective Vs. Objective Practice
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Using Sources in Article-Writing Quotations

• Quotations-exact words spoken by a source, placed
  in quotation marks-example-must include name of
  source along with quote
• Purpose of quotes-provide description, pull
  reader deeper into story, capture
  feelings/emotions of person involved in story and
  the reader, allow reporter to remain objective
  (factual) while still letting readers know what
  the sources think
• When to quote-If the information is general
  knowledge, dont quote it. Ex. You are writing
  a story about the eighth season of American Idol.
  You speak to a representative for the show and
  she tells you the show airs on Tuesday nights at
  8. Dont quote. However, if the information is
  subjective (opinion), you quote it. Ex. The
  representative says she has not yet seen talent
  that compares to Kelly, Fantasia, or David Cook.
  Quote it, it is the opinion of your source.

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Attribution

• Attribution-crediting the source of your
  information Example-I have not yet seen talent
  that compares to Kelly, Fantasia, or David Cook,
  Idol spokesperson Sally Smith said.
• Use only neutral words when attributing sources
  or you risk showing bias-said, according to,
  asked, etc.

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Types of Quotations

• Direct Quotation-exact, word-for-word account of
  what person says-use to display thoughts,
  opinions from source (note it is acceptable to
  edit a sources information for grammar and to
  delete things like uh from direct quotes)
• Paraphrase-summarizes what speaker said-uses no
  quotes, but still attributes information. Ex.
  Idol spokesperson Sally Smith says she has not
  seen anyone with a voice like Kelly Clarkson.
• Partial Quotations-combinations of direct quote
  and paraphrase. Ex. Jones said he was displeased
  with the plan because it was excruciatingly
  long, drawn out and expensive.

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Types of Quotations

• Fragmentary Quotations-individual words or
  phrases that are singled out with quotes in a
  sentence-used to emphasize strong, descriptive
  words a source uses. Ex-Martin, who witnessed
  the crash, said the noise was earth-shattering.
• Pulled Quotation-Important quote pulled from
  story, enlarged, and placed so that it draws
  attention to story. Used to gain readers
  attention

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Quotation Types Practice

• For the following quotes, determine if they are
• Direct, Partial, Fragmentary, or Paraphrase
• Freshman Suzy Su said the best part of paintball
  is trying to be so slick you dont get hit.
• According to Lucy Thom, sophomore, people from
  the age of 5 to older adults come to play
  paintball.
• Phillips, who plays paintball two or three times
  a month, said the game is exhilerating.
• Im always looking for a new source of
  entertainment, Thom said.
• Don Johnson said the game is awesome, that the
  other players are sometimes unusual and that
  its more fun if she is in a crazy mood.

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Writing Editorials
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Editorial Writing

• Author gives opinion of self and/or newspaper on
  an issue
• Subjective
• Usually addresses some sort of wrongdoing by the
  government or business (problem/s that arose due
  to certain laws/rules or lack thereof)
• Persuasive in nature-calling reader to
  action-wants people to take a stand and make a
  change (Ex. Juvenile dying due to nurse
  neglect-author writes to try to get people called
  to action to change nurse care in Juvenile halls)

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Thesis

• Thesis-what you are trying to prove in your
  writing
• Say in your head I am going to prove that and
  whatever comes after that is your thesis
  statement
• Generally the last sentence of the first
  paragraph
• A Thesis is NOT
• a title, an announcement, or a fact

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Thesis Practice

• Write possible thesis statements for the
  following topics
• -War in Iraq
• -Parents who leave their infants at fire/police
  stations
• -Cloning humans
• -Cafeteria food
• Brainstorm using these topics-choose topic for
  editorial you will write based on the topic that
  you have the most/best ideas

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How to be Persuasive-Give Facts

• Facts-give statistics (percentages, numbers) that
  support your opinion to show how something must
  be done because the amount of something is very
  high or low
• Sample scenario (the next 6 slides regarding
  persuasive techniques use this situation to give
  an example)
• Sample Scenario Someone writes an editorial
  about getting suspended from school for what they
  consider to be silly reasons.
• Fact Citing that 86 of students get suspended
  in a school year helps show that suspensions are
  given too freely when other consequences would
  work).

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Be Persuasive-Give Examples

• After making a main point, support your claim by
  giving the reader examples
• Sample scenario In the case of too many
  suspensions, give an example of a student who got
  suspended for something you think deserved
  different consequences
• Remember, dont just complain-offer solutions
• Sample scenario Example- Say how lunch detention,
  a firm discussion, or a phone call home would be
  a better solution than suspension.

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Be Persuasive-Give Expert Opinions

• Find out what experts say on the subject
• By telling the reader what people who know best
  about the subject think, you give yourself
  credibility
• Sample scenario expert opinion Suspension-school
  board members, child psychologists, parents, etc.

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Be Persuasive-Emotional Pleas

• Convince your reader by tugging at the heart
  strings
• Sample scenario emotions-Tell a sad story about a
  kid who never got in trouble but got suspended
  for something minor. Normally an A student, he
  missed tests and classwork he couldnt make up
  and received failing grades on his report card.
  Make the reader feel sorry for the boy, and you
  can convince them with emotional pleas

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Be Persuasive-Logic

• Convince your reader that what you are saying
  just makes sense
• Present your case as being the only reasonable
  solution
• Work out the details so that the reader can see
  the logic behind your argument
• Sample scenario logic-Many students like to stay
  home from school, so it isnt logical to suspend
  them from school and give them what they want
  when they are supposed to be getting punished.

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Refuting

• Refuting an argument means bringing up the
  opposite point of view and then disproving it
  point by point
• In order to have an effective argument (as in
  editorial writing), you need to state your
  opinions about an issue, and also state the
  opposing viewpoint then show how that side is
  wrong
• Sample scenario-refuting suspensions-Someone may
  argue that the reasons for so many suspensions
  are 1-ISS is full, 2-the student should behave,
  3-they need to know their behavior is not
  acceptable. As the editorial writer on this
  topic, you would mention these opposing
  viewpoints then show how those are not valid
  points. Refuting-1-ISS could have more teachers
  to supervise, 2-students are getting suspended
  for little reasons, so they are behaving, 3-there
  are other ways to show something is unacceptable
  (talk, detention, etc.)
• Know your enemy!

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Editorial Cartoons

• Editorial Cartoons-gives opinions about current
  issue (usually political) through a drawing
  (usually one frame that quickly gets authors
  feelings about an issue across)
• Use symbols when necessary-many times the comedic
  element in editorial cartoons comes out when you
  show the object you are against in a symbolic
  fashion
• Use Caricatures-exaggerated figure
• Make analogies/comparisons to well known
  events/figures
• Use labels to be sure victims/targets are clear

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Editorial Cartoons (Contd)Creating Your Own

• Think of opposing views main figure/leader of
  what you refuted)
• How would you characterize a stereotypical one?
• Use that caricature to make your point
• Sample Suspensions idea-Dean standing at door of
  office not looking at the referrals given, just
  points to direct kids to get on a bus that says
  on its side Suspended For No Good Reason
• Using the same topic you wrote your editorial
  about, draw a one-framed editorial cartoon that
  effectively shows your opinion on the subject

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Editorial Writing/Cartoon Rubric

• Requirements
• Effective Lead (10 pts)
• Clear Thesis (5 pts)
• Refute opposing views point/s (10 pts)
• Story uses facts, examples, expert opinions,
  emotional pleas, and logic to build strong case
  (50 pts/5 pts each element)
• Effective Editorial Cartoon on same subject of
  writing that incorporates given strategies (25
  pts)
• Total 100 points!

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Writing Features
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Features

• Human interest stories that appeal to the
  readers emotions
• Reader can easily identify with the story
• Purpose is to entertain

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Timeliness of Features

• Features do not have to be written and published
  right away as hard/breaking news stories do
• They do not expire because they are not written
  about topics that the public must know immediately

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Feature story ideas

• Features MAY be linked to a current event (ex.
  There is a breaking news story in the paper about
  the war in Iraq. A feature story could then be
  written about a soldiers family and what they
  have to do now that their provider has gone to
  war. AKA news peg)
• Does not HAVE to be linked to breaking news-It
  may cover a wide range of topics (food, pets,
  people, etc.)
• Feature stories may also use the same set of
  facts as a breaking news story-it is the authors
  style of writing that makes it different
• Brainstorm Timeless and News Feature story ideas
  with a partner

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Feature Style

• Although written with more creative license than
  breaking news stories, features are still based
  on facts
• Do not follow inverted pyramid style of writing
  (most important facts to least important)

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Leads

• Does not necessarily use 5 Ws and H (summary)
• leads as Breaking news stories douse more
  narrative style
• Lead Types
• -Big Potato (In Medias Res)-Jump into the middle
  of your paper and leave readers wanting more
  (ex. And suddenly everything stops.)
• -Descriptive/Snapshot-Create a picture (snapshot)
  in the readers mind (ex. Abe Lincoln wasnt the
  sort of man who could lose himself in a crowd.
  After all, he stood 6 foot 4 inches tall, and to
  top it off, he wore a high silk hat. His height
  was mostly in his long bony legs, and when he sat
  in a chair, he seemed no taller than anyone else.
  (Lincoln a photobiography)
• Striking statement- Flaunt favorite bit of
  research. Start with a startling fact (In his
  will, Shakespeare left his second-best bed to his
  wife.)

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Leads contd

• Misleading Leads-Set up expectations then
  surprise the reader (ex. I would like to die
  peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not
  terrified and screaming like the other people in
  the car he was driving.) (Prairie Home Companion)
• Narrative-Put connection with the subject-Write
  specific memories subject brings to mind (ex.
  Once when I was a little girl, my father bought
  me a beaded wire ball that I loved. At a touch,
  I could collapse the toy into a flat coil between
  my palms, or pop it open to make a hollow sphere.
  It resembled a tiny Earth, with its wires
  tracing the same lines of latitude and
  longitude.) (Longitude)
• Quotations and Questions-least effective
  choice-use only strong quotes and questions. Use
  this only as a last resort

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With a partner, evaluate these feature story
leads. Which make you curious about the rest of
the story? Which do not? Discuss why. Rank the
leads from worst to best (continue on next
slide).

• It was Thursday, Jan 2, 1998.
• Leah Illiris mind was filled with sunny thoughts
  that April day. She was to graduate from college
  soon, and life had taken on a rosy glow. Then
  her car missed a curve-and nothing has been the
  same since
• Hes a small man, about 4 ft 11 in tall. He
  weighs maybe 95 pounds when hes soaking wet-and
  hes soaking wet most of the time.
• Through the inky darkness, a shot rang out.

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Leads to Evaluate (contd)

• If you think its noisy in the city, try visiting
  a farm once.
• As the room filled with her classmates, Sara Jane
  Black could feel her confidence crumbling.
• The door opened, and in walked Lute, all 6 feet 8
  inches of him.
• Have you seen the new painting in Mr. Lopeza
  office?
• Lights! Camera! Action!
• As the Immortal Bard wrote, All the worlds a
  stage.

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Transitions

• You dont want just a bunch of quotes with no
  connections, so transitions are important
• Make story easily readable and flowing
• Write sentences that connect the last sentence of
  the last paragraph to the first sentence of the
  next

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Write a Feature Practice

• You are going to write a feature article about a
  classmate
• Write down a set of 5-10 interview questions
  about a persons earliest, happiest, or scariest
  memory (remember how-to interview slides in this
  powerpoint)
• Choose a partner
• Interview each other using the questions you made
• Write a 200-250 word feature based on the
  interview with your partner

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Feature Writing Rubric

• Requirements
• -20 pts-Interview questions (open-ended follow
  up questions included when appropriate)
• -20 pts-effective lead (identify lead type in
  margin of paper)
• -10 pts-effective/correct use of quotes
• -10 pts-meets minimum length req (200 word min.)
• -40-story follows style of a feature and captures
  human interest
• TOTAL 100 points

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Sports Writing
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Sports Writing Terms

• Backgrounding-finding out info about the sport,
  team, coaches, events, and issues that will be
  covered in sports writing
• Advance-preview of an upcoming game that compares
  teams and players, discusses team records and
  gives lineups
• Press Row-row of seats at an athletic event that
  are reserved for the press, usually courtside
• Press Box-group of seats at an athletic event
  that provide a good view of the entire field
• Homer-sportswriter who favors the home team in
  his/her writing
• Cliché-trite, overused word or expression

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Our Schools Sports

• It is important to know what sports play when to
  be sure you have full coverage of all current
  sports
• Work with a classmate to determine schools teams
  and playing seasons
• Make a two-columned chart.
• Side 1 Team Sport Type
• Side 2 Season sport is played

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Getting to Know Sports

• Teacher will assign each pair/group of 3 to teach
  the rest of the class about a sport played here
  at our school-put all info gathered onto chart
  paper-be prepared to teach class about sport
• You will have 30 minutes to go online and gather
  information about your sport
• Be sure to find out
• -how sport is played, object of game
• -Number of players on a team and positions
• -Most common sports jargon associated with sport
  (any terms/phrases particular to that sport)
• -Tips Look up Your Sport jargon or Your
  sport lingo or Your Sport terms or Your
  Sport dictionary

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Avoiding Cliches

• Cliches rely on jargon (language used in a
  specialty area) for that sport. If you use
  sports jargon, many readers will be confused if
  they are unfamiliar with the terms. If you use
  them, be sure to explain.
• It is easy to get caught up using the same boring
  expressions in sports writing (splitting the
  uprights, deadlock, etc.)

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Sports Interviewing

• Cliches can also be found in answers to interview
  questions by team members and coaches.
• Practice getting rid of these kinds of cliches in
  your writing by coming up with follow-up
  questions in an interview if a source gives you a
  pat answer (general statements that dont show
  any real feeling or opinion. They are just
  answers that can please everyone, but dont
  really mean much to the reader.

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Pat Answers Avoidance Practice

• Directions Work with a partner to create
• follow up questions (for an answer people care
  about) if a coach or player gives a pat answer
  to a question you ask
• The whole team did great!
• We all did our best.
• We are going to practice every day so we can win
  the next game.
• I am very proud of all the players.

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Practice Sports Writing

• Take notes as we watch ending basketball
• clip from Teen Wolf.
• Consider
• Team names
• Player names, numbers
• Important events that happen (points scored, game
  score, time on clock, etc)
• What would you ask coach/key players?
• Turn notes into a Sports story based on the film
  clip (see rubric next slide)

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Sports Writing PracticeRubric (from Teen Wolf
clip)

• Requirements
• Effective Lead (Summary style-5Ws and H) (10
  pts)
• 6-8 Interview Questions that dont allow for Pat
  Answers (If you could interview coach/players,
  what would you ask him/her) (10 pts)
• No clichés or sports jargon used. Use fresh,
  lively language. (10 pts)
• Factual-based on events in clip (10 pts)
• Total 40 pts

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Writing Reviews
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Reviews

• Article type Feature
• Subjective
• Reviewers in professional papers are usually
  experts who offer opinions and judgment about
  their area of expertise
• Frequently focus on restaurants, theatre, movies,
  television, book, or music

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Tone in Review Writing

• Tone is important in reviews
• What tone does the author use?
• Is s/he sarcastic, positive, negative, cynical?
• Read a review in the newspaper and determine the
  authors tone
• What words indicate tone?
• How does author feel about topic?

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After Reading Newspaper Review

• After reading review in newspaper, what types of
  things does the author of the review do that
  could be used as a guideline for review writing?

70
Things to consider when writing Reviews

• 1-Discuss background of actors/singers/authors,
  etc.
• 2-Give summary/explanation of movie/song/book
• 3-Give quotes from movie/song/book
• 4-What you liked/disliked about what you are
  reviewing
• 5-Give reasons and examples that support your
  opinions