Week 11
Ch. 3 eWorkbook lead exercise
Interviewing and Observing activities
AP style practice
Beat Story #1 and 2 advice
Ch. 4 eWorkbook exercises: 2.1 and 2.2.
Cover Chapter 5
If time allows, exercise 5-12
2.7
p.48-9, Inside Reporting
A.
B.
1. scene-setter lead
anecdotal/narrative/St.St.
2. direct address
anecdotal/narrative
3. standard summary (delayed ID)
anecdotal/narrative
4. anecdotal/narrative with a bit of a topic
Stand.Su. (immediate ID)
5. standard summary (immediate ID)
startling statement
6. scene-setter/startling statement
anecdotal/narrative
7. roundup
anecdotal/narrative
8. question
startling statement
9. standard summary (delayed ID)
anecdotal/narrative
10. anecdotal/narrative
startling statement
11. anecdotal/narrative/blind/startling statement
12. wordplay lead
13. startling statement
Slide
Interviewing/Observation
Activities
Interviewing Pair up. You are going to interview each other. Three rounds means three
different partners. This will help you to focus the interview in the same way reporters focus
interviews to get answers for a particular story. The topics are as follows:
Round 1: What did you do over the May Day holiday?
Round 2: What’s the most traumatic (embarrassing, funny, etc.) event in your life?
Round 3: Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?
Observation
Close your eyes. Spend three minutes, with your eyes closed, thinking of your favorite place. It
could be your room at home, a football field, a restaurant, a certain store – whatever your
favorite spot is.
Now, open your eyes and write about that place. Your goal is to transport me and your
classmates to that place through your observations – the sights, sounds, smells – of the
place. You should pretend that the others in the room are blind and that the writing will help
the others “see” the place.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
AP style practice
1. What’s the proper abbreviation for Xi’an International
Studies University? Can I use it on all references?
2. School of Tourism, the school of Tourism, the school of
tourism or school of Tourism studies?
3. When referring to a government bureau, what’s the
correct usage/capitalization?
4. According to AP style, how should you differentiate
between a graduate/post-grad and a student who has
graduated? (Hint: p.124)
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Ch. 4 eWorkbook exercises 2.1 (Consult
pp. 80-1)
4 "I told them to expect to read a list of some of my favorite quotes from journalists", he said.
4 "Nah, hang on jus' a minit' thar," she said.
4 She added, "What do you mean by 'favorite quotes?'"
4 "Just some of the ones that I've collected over the years … ones that make me laugh … or make me
pause and think," he said.
4 "How about a few more?" she said.
4 "Now he is a statesman, when what he really wants is to be what most reporters are, adult
delinquents." Said Peggy Noonan, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal.
4 As far as I'm concerned, 'whom' is a word that was invented to make everyone sound like a butler",
Calvin Trillin said.
4 "The president (Clinton) has kept all of the promises he intended to keep," said George
Stephanopolous.
4 "The world may be full of fourth-rate writers," says ABC's Barbara Walters, a journalism legend.
"But it's also full of fourth-rate readers."
4 "The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof … detector," Hemingway said.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Ch. 4 eWorkbook exercises 2.1 answers
4 1. The comma goes inside the quotation mark.
4 2. Avoid mimicking someone’s dialect.
4 3. The question mark should go outside the single-quote mark but inside the double-quote mark,
as in: She added, “What do you mean by ‘favorite quotes’?”
4 4. Use ellipses to show that words have been deleted; here it seems the writer may be using them
to indicate long pauses, which could confuse some readers.
4 5. This one is correct. If you’re quoting someone’s question, put the question mark inside the
quotation mark.
4 6. The quote should end with a comma, not a period, and the S in “Said” should be lowercase.
4 7. Again, the comma should be inside the ending quotation mark.
4 8. This one is correct. The parenthetical aside “(Clinton)” is used to clarify which president
we’re discussing.
4 9. Punctuation here is correct. Some editors will note that newspaper style would be to use
“said” instead of “says.”
4 10. The ellipsis here is used well to hide a word that usually wouldn’t find its way into a
newspaper.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
McGraw-Hill
Slide
Ch. 4 eWorkbook exercises 2.2 (Consult
pp.82-3)
1.“The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism,” said George
Bernard Shaw, “by those who have not got it.”
2.Gilda Radner said, “I base my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.”
3.“Passion makes the world go round,” Ice T said. “Love just makes it a safer place,”
he said.
4.“Mistakes are part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are:
precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake,
which, at least, others can learn from,” wrote comedian Al Franken in “Oh, the
Things I Know!”
5."For the first time — and these are no longer rumors, or insinuations, these are
proven scientific facts — someone has shown me that in 1999, (cyclist Lance)
Armstrong had a banned substance called EPO in his body," Tour de France director
Jean-Marie Leblanc told the French newspaper L'Équipe. “When I gave those
samples, there was not EPO in those samples. I guarantee that," Armstrong
responded.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Ch. 4 eWorkbook exercises 2.2 answers
1. The placement of the attribution interrupts the logic of the sentence.
Some readers will have a tough time putting the two pieces of the quote
together.
2. The attribution should go at the end of the sentence, unless this quote
follows one from another speaker.
3. One attribution is enough. Delete the second one.
4. For long quotes like this one, put the attribution at the beginning.
5. Put the attribution at the beginning of the second quote to avoid
suggesting to the reader that Leblanc is still speaking.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Tips for Beat Story #1 and 2
Refer to pp. 52-55, 57, 59-61, 82-85 for before,
during, and after writing; rewriting, editing, a
newswriting checklist and tips, quotes and attribution
Lead;Nut graph/second paragraph
Avoid personal pronouns, opinion, passive voice.
Check grammar and punctuation.
Attribution (who said) and Quotes (direct and
indirect)
Check for accuracy, fairness and balance,
redundancy, cliches etc.
AP stylebook
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
lcome to the world of
Every culture seeks effective
constantly evolving, reflectingdramatically. The typi
urnalism, where
ways to spread new
and shaping its culture.
newspaper of 1800 wa
porters have been
information and gossip. In
Others see it as an inspiring undisciplined mishma
gging dirt, raking muck, ancient times, news was
quest for free speech, an
legislative proceeding
king headlines and adlines written on clay tablets. In
endless power struggle
long-winded essays a
for centuries
Caesar’s age, Romans read
between Authority (trying to secondhand gossip. B
w. It’s a history full of
newsletters compiled by
control information) and the 1900, a new breed of
bloid trash, of slimy
correspondents and
People (trying to learn the
tor had emerged. Jour
nsationalists, of runkards, handwritten by slaves.
truth). Which brings to mind had become big busin
deadbeats and mmers” (as Wandering minstrels spread
the words of A.J. Liefling:
Reporting was becom
a Harvard iversity
news (and the plague) in the
“Freedom of the press is
disciplined craft. And
president once scribed
Middle Ages. Them came ink guaranteed only to htose who newspapers were bec
Tim Harrower
reporters).
on paper. Voices on airwaves.
own one.”
more entertaining and esse
But it’s a history full of Newsreels, Web sites, And 24- In the pages ahead, we’ll
than ever, w
roes, too: men and
hour cable news networks.
take a quick tour of 600 years most of the features w exp
men risking their lives tell Thus when scholars analyze of journalism history, from
today: Snappy headlines, A
stories of war and agedy, the rich history of journalism, hieroglyphics to hypertext: the Comic Sports pages. And
risking prisonment to
some view it in terms of
media, the message and the “inverted pyramid” sty wr
defend
technological progress—for
politics.
that made stori tighter and
ee speech. And as you
example, the dramatic impact
Technical advances and
newsier.
n see here, reports have of bigger, faster printing
brilliant ideas forged a new
Radio and television br
come beloved characters ppresses.
style of journalism. It was a an end to
culture, too, turning up
Others see journalism as a century of change, and
newspapers’ media monop
movies, comics and TV specialized form literary
newspapers changed
Why? Well yourself: Whic
ows as if guided by an cult expression, one that’s
did yo
hand.
Inside Reporting
5
Covering the news
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering the news
Covering a beat
Writing
obituaries
Covering accidents
and disasters
Covering fires
Covering crime
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering a beat
Beat reporters focus on specific
topics or institutions
 New beat
•Do research.
•Meet people.
McGraw-Hill
Make lists
•Key sources
•Upcoming meetings and
events
•Story ideas
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering a beat
Working a beat: Do’s and don’ts
DO
 Familiarize yourself.
 Follow the money.
 Call sources back.
 Write for your
readers.
McGraw-Hill
DON’T
 Get too cozy.
 Get used.
 Waste sources’ time.
 Simply mimic.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Writing obituaries
Death is news
 Obituaries are
read more closely
by more people
than any other
part of the paper.
• They tell stories.
• They touch hearts.
• They honor and
inspire.
McGraw-Hill
What’s the
difference?
•Death notice —
brief announcement with basic
facts.
•Obituary —
longer
announcement
and provides more
history and detail.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Writing obituaries
Watch your language
 Addresses
 Cause of death
 Past personal
problems
 Flowery phrases
McGraw-Hill
Other terminology
•Funerals are
scheduled.
•Masses are celebrated.
•People die
unexpectedly.
•People die after
surgery.
•A man is survived by
his wife.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Writing obituaries
Obituary checklist
Use full names.
Find a phrase that
best summarizes
this person.
State age simply
unless asked to
omit.
McGraw-Hill
Avoid details in
mentioning cause of
death.
Include birth date
and birth place.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Writing obituaries
Obituary checklist
List education,
military service,
honors and career
achievements.
Name survivors in
immediate family.
McGraw-Hill
Include name and
phone number for
funeral home.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Writing obituaries
Writing standard news obituary
Emphasize person’s
significance in lead.
Lead should include
•Name.
•Major accomplishment
or occupation.
•Day, location and cause
of death.
McGraw-Hill
 If natural cause of
death, focus on
personal history.
• If unusual cause of
death, details should
precede the background
info.
 More prominent get
more quotes.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Writing obituaries
The feature obituary
Looser, friendlier
style.
Create an illusion of
intimacy.
Omit attributions.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering accidents and
disasters
Most editors maintain standards
 What is the severity?
 How many people
are affected?
 Is it local?
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering accidents and
disasters
Writing stories on traffic accidents
 Usually lead with WHAT or WHO.
 Start with a delayed-identification
lead.
• Delay naming victims until 2nd
or 3rd paragraph.
• Distribute key facts logically
through first few paragraphs.
• Generally no need to identify
police by name.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering accidents and
disasters
Traffic accident checklist
Victims
Extent of
injuries/cause of
death
Cause of accident
according to police
Location
McGraw-Hill
Time
Vehicles
Arrests or citations
Comments
Acts of heroism
Relevant facts
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering fires
Fire story checklist
Victim names
Extent of
injuries/cause of
death
Type of building
Location
Time
McGraw-Hill
How the fire was
discovered
Cause of fire
Number of fire fighters
Estimated cost of
damage
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering fires
Organizing stories on fire
 Death or injury usually the
lead.
 Focus on the most
compelling aspect.
 Cover the aftermath.
 May offer opportunity to
use narrative storytelling.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering crime
Crime writing style and structure
 Add color, not clutter.
 Avoid sloppy allegations.
 Explore chronological story
forms.
Inverted-pyramid lead
Chronology
Kicker
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering crime
What you should withhold
 Names of minors
 Names of victims of
sensitive crimes
 Names of
endangered victims
 Labeling people as
suspects
 Stereotypes
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering crime
Homicide or assault story checklist
Victim’s name
Extent of
injuries/cause of
death
Location
Time
Circumstances
McGraw-Hill
Description of suspect
Name and identification
of anyone arrested
Comments
Unusual factors
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering crime
Theft story checklist
Type, value of items
taken
Victim
Location
Time
Circumstances
McGraw-Hill
Description of suspect
Name and
identification of
anyone arrested
Comments
Unusual factors
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering speeches
Speeches: Before, during and after
 Before
 During
• Research the speaker.
• Request an advance
copy of speech.
• Ask if picture- taking
will be allowed.
• Get a good seat.
• Estimate the size of the
audience.
• Monitor the mood of the
crowd.
• Take along a tape
recorder.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering speeches
Speeches: Before, during and after
 After
• Create a compelling
lead.
• Avoid topic leads.
• Include minimal
background/
biographical data.
McGraw-Hill
•Highlight speaker’s
key points.
•Convey tone of
speech.
•Beware of false or
libelous comments.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering speeches
Speech story checklist
Speaker’s name
Relevant credentials
Reason for speech
Time, day and
location
Description of
audience
Quotes
Comments
Responses
Speaker’s fee
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering meetings
Explain issues, how decisions are
made, and what it means
 Start with research.  Go early.
 Clarify. Condense.
 Dress
Concentrate.
appropriately.
 Encourage readers to
attend meetings.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering meetings
Explain issues, how decisions are
made, and what it means
 Stick around after the  Remember, meetings
meeting.
are not always news.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering meetings
Meeting story checklist
Group/agency name
Crowd size
Location and length of Atmosphere
meeting
Graphics
Important decisions
Unusual events
Quotes
Reactions
McGraw-Hill
What happens
next?
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering meetings
Personalizing meetings
 Write about real
people.
 Write about real
issues.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering politics
Covering campaigns and elections
 Prioritize.
 Get to know the
candidates.
 Do your homework.
 Use reliable experts.
 Decide what matters.
 Brainstorm story ideas.
 Spread onto the Web.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering politics
Keeping tabs of governmental
policies and players
 Decision making
 The election process
 Money
McGraw-Hill
Getting the facts
•Meetings
•Speeches
•News releases
•News conferences
•Network of sources
•Documents
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering politics
5Unfortunate truths about
covering politics
 Politicians lie.
 Politicians will
schmooze you so
they can use you.
 Everybody believes
your stories are
biased.
McGraw-Hill
 People don’t want to
read about
government
process.
 You must peel away
layer after layer to get
to the truth.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering sports
Three most common story types
 Game stories
 Feature stories
• Analysis
• Profiles
 Columns
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering sports
Game story checklist
Final score
Key statistics
Teams’ names
Injuries
When and where
Both teams’ records
Key players and key
plays
What the game
means
Quotes
Other relevant factors
Strategies
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering sports
Advance sporting event checklist
Significance of game
Strategies
History
Injuries
Key players
Other factors
Records and recent
performances
Who’s favored
Quotes
McGraw-Hill
Time, place and ticket
information
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering sports
Sports style
 Team name
usually plural.
 High school
athletes are girls
and boys.
 Abbreviate league
names.
McGraw-Hill
Use figures for
measurements.
Use numerals for
scores and time.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Covering sports
Tips for the sports beat
 Covering
events
• Know the sport.
• Cultivate your
sources.
• Ask tough, pointed
questions.
McGraw-Hill
 Writing stories
• Think plot, not play-byplay.
• Avoid jargon and
clichés.
• Remember, it’s a game.
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Ch. 5 eWorkbook exercise 5-12
http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0073378917/student_view0/chapter5/exercise_512.html
She had a 7 par to finish 2-up for the round.
The Fountain Valley High School girls soccer team won 12 games last
year.
The Barons beat the Eagles 7-0.
Walter Payton was the NFL's leading career rusher.
She threw five strikeouts in the fourth inning.
On third down, he rushed 5 yards for the touchdown.
The 6-10 Cal graduate shot a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Minnesota lost its only home game this week.
After his team started 0-3, coach Lawrence Hannah shook up the
roster.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide
Week 11 Assignments
Read Chapter 6
Group Work
Submit second draft of Beat Story #1
 Deadline: Monday, May 12 by 8 a.m.
Submit first draft of Beat Story #2
 Deadline: Wednesday, May 14 by 8 a.m.
McGraw-Hill
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.