Reaching Audiences

by Yopp, Jan Johnson; McAdams, Kathy C

• ISBN13: 9780205483273
• ISBN10: 0205483275
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Reaching Audiences: A Guide to Media Writingprovides a brief yet thorough guide to correct, clear writing for the media. This book sets up the writing process and shows the reader how to accomplish each task in a mass media context. The importance of the audience in considering media and messages is stressed throughout, while illustrative and specific real life examples provide guidance for writing improvement. Specific skills related to spelling, grammar, accuracy, word usage, bias, research, interviewing, and other important topics are covered. Recognizing the changing media environment, this book covers a wide range of careers in print, electronic media, public relations, and advertising, illuminating the differences and similarities in writing styles among them.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
PART ONE The Components of Good Writing
1 Writing for Today's Audiences	1	(18)
Reaching Audiences	2	(6)
Knowing Audiences	8	(2)
The Writing Process Explained	10	(7)
Exercises	17	(1)
References	18	(1)
2 Tools for Writers: Spelling, Grammar, and Math	19	(35)
Spelling in the Computer Age	20	(5)
Grammar to the Rescue	25	(3)
Grammar Problems Up Close	28	(17)
Math for Journalists	45	(7)
Suggested Readings	52	(1)
References	53	(1)
3 Editing, Editing, Editing	54	(21)
Watching Style	55	(3)
Copyediting Symbols	58	(1)
Editing Responsibilities	59	(7)
Editing for Online and Other Formats	66	(4)
Putting the Rules in Practice	70	(2)
Exercises	72	(2)
References	74	(1)
4 Guidelines for Good Writing	75	(38)
Watchwords of Writing	75	(3)
Keys to Good Writing	78	(7)
Words	85	(5)
Sentences	90	(4)
Paragraphs—Short Paragraphs	94	(2)
Where We Are	96	(1)
The Way to Clearer Writing	96	(13)
Exercises	109	(2)
References	111	(2)
PART TWO Structuring the Message
5 Getting to the Point	113	(39)
What's the Point?	114	(1)
In the Beginning Comes the Lead	115	(3)
News Elements	118	(7)
News Values	125	(8)
General Rules for Leads	133	(2)
Summary Leads	135	(3)
Other Lead Formats	138	(6)
Choosing a Lead Type	144	(4)
Exercises	148	(4)
6 Beyond the Lead: Writing the Message	152	(31)
The Inverted Pyramid	153	(4)
Organizing a Story	157	(7)
News Peg and Nut Graph	164	(2)
Other Organizational Styles	166	(6)
Unifying Writing	172	(7)
Exercises	179	(3)
References	182	(1)
7 Beyond Simple Formats	183	(23)
News versus Feature	184	(9)
Obituaries	193	(3)
Speech Stories	196	(8)
Exercises	204	(1)
References	205	(1)
PART THREE Gathering Information
8 Research and Observation	206	(22)
Getting Started in Research	207	(6)
Government Sources	213	(4)
Online Research	217	(4)
Observation	221	(5)
Exercises	226	(1)
References	227	(1)
9 Interviewing, Quotes, and Attribution	228	(29)
Interviewing as a Challenge	229	(4)
Research before Interviewing	233	(1)
Getting the Interview	234	(3)
Writing the Questions	237	(1)
Conducting an Interview	238	(6)
Selecting and Using Quotes	244	(6)
More on Attribution	250	(5)
Exercises	255	(1)
References	256	(1)
10 Recognizing Bias and Stereotypes	257	(21)
The Bias Habit	258	(4)
Considering Specific Groups	262	(12)
Overcoming Bias in Writing	274	(1)
Exercises	275	(1)
References	276	(2)
11 Legal and Ethical Issues	278	(24)
Libel	279	(6)
Privacy	285	(3)
Copyright and Plagiarism	288	(5)
Ethics in Gathering Information	293	(6)
Exercises	299	(2)
References	301	(1)
PART FOUR Other Media Writing Styles
12 Broadcast Media	302	(21)
The Medium Changes the Style	303	(3)
Print versus Broadcast	306	(4)
Leads and Structure	310	(3)
Writing Guidelines	313	(4)
Broadcast Formats	317	(1)
Trends in Broadcast Media	318	(1)
Exercises	319	(2)
References	321	(2)
13 Public Relations Writing	323	(18)
What Is Public Relations?	324	(3)
The Role of Good Writing	327	(2)
The Media as a Public	329	(2)
Communications Tools	331	(6)
Public Relations and Advertising	337	(1)
Exercises	338	(2)
References	340	(1)
14 Advertising	341	(18)
Advertising in the Information Age	342	(2)
Advertising and Today's Audiences	344	(7)
Advertising and the Internet	351	(3)
Tips for Ad Copy That Sells	354	(1)
All Writers Can Learn from Advertising	355	(1)
Exercises	356	(2)
References	358	(1)
APPENDIX A The Abused Words List	359	(9)
APPENDIX B Keys to Quizzes	368	(5)
APPENDIX C Key to Math Test	373	(4)
INDEX	377