Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method, Media Enhanced

by Rich, Carole

• ISBN13: 9780534633332
• ISBN10: 0534633331
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-02-23
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

This reviewer-praised text uses a practical coaching method to introduce students effectively to the basic skills required of a journalist -- from conceiving and researching to organizing and writing news. It emphasizes writing fundamentals and ethics in journalism. After using this motivational and engaging text, your students will be well prepared to write effectively in every news medium. This edition is enhanced with a CD-ROM that provides your students with a virtual news lab where they can put the texts concepts to practice as they write their own news stories.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
About the Author	xvii
Introduction: Tips From Award-winning Journalists	xix
Part One Understanding News
1 Write From the Start: A Coaching Method	1	(14)
The Reporting and Writing Process	2	(1)
How to Be Your Own Writing Coach	3	(3)
Determining Your Focus	3	(1)
What's the story about?	3	(1)
How Would you tell the story to a friend?	3	(1)
Putting It All Together	4	(2)
Online Coach	6	(4)
Adding Visual Elements	6	(31)
Point of entry	6	(1)
Summary blurb	7	(1)
Facts box	8	(1)
Wmpowerment box	8	(1)
Pull quote	9	(1)
Infographic	10	(1)
Exercises	10	(3)
Featured Online Activity	13	(2)
2 Changing Concepts of News	15	(20)
Media Convergence	15	(3)
Origins of the World Wide Web	18	(1)
Impact on Journalism	19	(2)
Job Skills	21	(1)
Online Coach	22	(1)
Public Journalism	22	(1)
Hard News and Features	23	(1)
Ethics	24	(1)
Qualities of News Stories	25	(5)
The Importance of Graphics	30	(1)
Exercises	31	(2)
Featured Online Activity	33	(2)
3 The Basic News Story	35	(26)
Conflict and Resolution	36	(1)
Elements of the Basic News Story	37	(6)
Headline	37	(1)
Lead	37	(1)
Backup for the Lead	38	(1)
Nut Graph	38	(1)
Lead Quote	39	(1)
Impact	40	(1)
Attribution	40	(1)
Background	41	(1)
Elaboration	42	(1)
Ending	42	(1)
Graphics	43	(1)
Examples of Basic News Stories	43	(2)
Quotes and Attribution	45	(1)
Coaching Tips	45	(1)
Online Coach	46	(9)
When to Use Direct Quotes	47	(2)
How to Write Quotes	49	(4)
When to Use Attribution	53	(2)
Plagiarism	53	(1)
Wording of attributions	54	(1)
Overview attribution	55	(1)
Ethics	55	(1)
Second references	56	(1)
Titles	56	(1)
Courtesy titles	56	(1)
Exercises	56	(3)
Featured News Scene Assignment	59	(2)
4 Grammar and Usage	61	(14)
Online Coach	63	(8)
Exercises	71	(2)
Featured Online Activity	73	(2)
Part Two Collecting Information
5 Curiosity and Story Ideas	75	(40)
Curiosity	76	(1)
Observation	77	(3)
The Show-in-action Technique	78	(1)
Hard News vs. Soft News	78	(1)
Fact vs. Opinion	79	(1)
Observation to Find Questions	80	(1)
Observation for Visual Presentation	80	(1)
Ways to Find Story Ideas	80	(1)
Ethics	81	(5)
Online Coach	86	(1)
The Internet	86	(1)
Idea Budgets	87	(1)
Exercises	87	(2)
Featured Online Activity	89	(2)
6 Sources and Online Research	91	(1)
Human Sources	92	(3)
Ethics	95	(4)
Anonymous Sources	95	(3)
Promises	97	(1)
On and off the record	98	(1)
Multicultural Sources	98	(1)
Written Sources	99	(1)
Online Sources	100	(1)
Online Coach	101	(5)
Effective Searching	101	(3)
Databases	104	(1)
Public Records	105	(1)
Other Public Records	106	(3)
The Freedom of Information Act	109	(2)
Exercises	111	(2)
Featured Online Activity	113	(2)
7 Interviewing Techniques	115	(22)
Sensitivity	117	(1)
Listening and Note-taking Skills	117	(1)
The Pros and Cons of Tape Recorders	118	(1)
Listening Tips	119	(1)
Note-taking Tips	120	(3)
Tips for Interviewers	123	(6)
Planning the Interview	123	(1)
Conducting the Interview	124	(5)
Online Coach	129	(1)
Reporting for Graphics	129	(1)
The GOAL Method of Interviewing	130	(1)
Ethics	131	(1)
Telephone Interviewing	131	(3)
Exercises	134	(1)
Featured News Scene Assignment	135	(2)
Part Three Constructing Stories
8 The Writing Process	137	(14)
Ways to Approach the Writing Process	138	(5)
The FORK Method	138	(13)
Focus	138	(1)
Order	139	(1)
Repetition of key words	140	(1)
The kiss off	141	(2)
Online Coach	143	(1)
How to Revise Stories	143	(1)
Writing Process Tips	144	(3)
Exercises	147	(2)
Featured News Scene Assignment	149	(2)
9 Leads and Nut Graphs	151	(1)
Hard-news Leads, Soft Leads and Nut Graphs	151	(4)
The Wow Test	155	(1)
Hard-news Leads	155	(10)
Summary Leads	155	(5)
Order of information	156	(1)
Active vs. passive voice	157	(1)
Where to say when	158	(1)
Delayed identification	159	(1)
Updated Leads	160	(1)
Impact Leads	161	(1)
Attribution in Leads	161	(4)
Fact vs. opinion	162	(1)
Accusations	162	(1)
Quotes	163	(1)
Attribution first or last	164	(1)
Cluttered attribution	165	(1)
Soft Leads	165	(1)
Coaching Tips	165	(1)
Online Coach	166	(9)
Descriptive Leads	167	(1)
Anecdotal Leads	167	(1)
Narrative Leads	168	(1)
Other Soft Leads	168	(5)
Focus-on-a-person leads	168	(1)
Contrast leads	169	(1)
Teaser lends	170	(1)
Mystery leads	170	(1)
Build-on-a-quote leads	171	(1)
List leads	172	(1)
Question leads	172	(1)
Cliche leads	172	(1)
Leads to Avoid	173	(2)
How to Find Your Lead	175	(1)
Exercises	176	(3)
Featured News Scene Assignment	179	(2)
10 Story Structure	181	(1)
Middles of Stories	182	(4)
Transition Techniques	182	(1)
Techniques for Maintaining Interest	183	(3)
Parallelism	183	(1)
Pacing	184	(1)
Dialogue	184	(1)
BBI: Boring but important stuff	184	(1)
Simple sentences for complex information	185	(1)
Lists	185	(1)
Endings	186	(5)
Circle Kickers	186	(1)
Quote Kickers	187	(1)
Future-action Kickers	188	(1)
Climaxes	188	(1)
Cliffhangers	189	(1)
Factual Kickers	190	(1)
Out-of-gas Endings	190	(1)
Body Building From Start to Finish	191	(1)
Story Forms	192	(2)
Inverted Pyramid	194	(1)
Wall Street Journal Formula	195	(2)
Hourglass Structure	197	(1)
List Technique	198	(1)
Sections Technique	199	(1)
Online Coach	200	(2)
Exercises	202	(5)
Featured News Scene Assignment	207	(2)
11 Storytelling and Feature
Techniques	209	(1)
Narrative Writing	210	(2)
Reading to Write	212	(1)
Reporting Tools	212	(2)
Writing Tools	214	(8)
Theme	214	(1)
Descriptive Techniques	214	(5)
Avoid adjectives	215	(1)
Use analogies	215	(1)
Limit physical descriptions	215	(1)
Avoid sexist/racist descriptions	216	(1)
Show people in action	216	(1)
Use lively verbs	217	(1)
Set the scene	217	(2)
Narrative Techniques	219	(3)
Use foreshadowing	220	(1)
Create tone	220	(2)
Storytelling Structure	222	(4)
Narrative Storytelling	224	(2)
Serial Narratives	226	(1)
Online Coach	227	(1)
Exercises	227	(2)
Featured Online Activity	229	(2)
12 Public Relations Writing	231	(2)
The Media's Needs	233	(1)
Newsworthiness	233	(1)
Good Writing	233	(1)
Writing Skills for News Releases	233	(1)
Ethics	234	(3)
The Structure of News Releases	236	(1)
Online Coach	237	(2)
Public Service Announcements	239	(1)
Media Kits	239	(1)
Corporate Publications	240	(2)
Corporate Web Sites	242	(1)
Exercises	242	(3)
Featured Online Activity	245	(2)
13 Broadcast Writing	247	(2)
Planning a Newscast	249	(4)
Writing for Broadcast	253	(15)
Broadcast vs. Newspaper Writing	257	(3)
The Writing Process	260	(1)
Story Structure	260	(6)
Lead	261	(2)
Body	263	(3)
Ending	266	(1)
Teasers and Lead-ins	266	(2)
Writing for Radio	268	(1)
Basic Writing Tips	268	(1)
Online Coach	269	(1)
Using Broadcast Terms	269	(4)
Copy Preparation and Style	271	(18)
Punctuation	272	(1)
Numbers	272	(1)
Names and titles	273	(1)
Writing a Package	273	(3)
Ethics	276	(1)
Exercises	277	(2)
Featured News Scene Assignment	279	(2)
14 Web Writing	281	(1)
Interactivity	282	(1)
Linear vs. Nonlinear	282	(1)
Immediacy	283	(1)
Online Readers	284	(1)
Story Planning	285	(2)
Reporting for the Web	287	(1)
E-mail Reporting	287	(1)
Discussion Groups	287	(2)
Online Coach	289	(1)
Headlines, Blurbs and Briefs	289	(3)
Headlines	290	(1)
Blurbs	290	(1)
Briefs	291	(1)
Story Structure	292	(4)
Inverted Pyramid	292	(1)
List Format	293	(1)
Question/Answer Format	294	(2)
Storytelling Format	296	(1)
Personal Storytelling	296	(1)
Chunks or Scrolling Pages?	297	(1)
Revise	298	(1)
Take Risks	298	(1)
Exercises	299	(2)
Featured Online Activity	301	(2)
Part Four Understanding Media Issues
15 Accuracy and Libel	303	(52)
The Importance of Accuracy	305	(1)
Checking Information	305	(1)
Showing Copy to Sources	305	(1)
Libel	306	(7)
Times v. Sullivan	307	(1)
Public Officials	308	(1)
Public Figures	308	(2)
Private Figures	310	(1)
Corrections	310	(1)
Privilege	311	(1)
Neutral Reportage	312	(1)
Fair Comment and Criticism	313	(1)
Invasion of Privacy	313	(3)
Intrusion Into a Person's Solitude	313	(1)
Public Disclosure of Private Facts	314	(1)
Publicity That Puts a Person in a False Light	315	(1)
Use of a Person's Name or Picture Without Permission	316	(1)
Online Legal Issues	316	(1)
Online Coach	317	(1)
Exercises	318	(1)
Featured Online Activity	319	(2)
16 Media Ethics	321	(1)
Deception	321	(3)
Plagiarism	323	(1)
Privacy Issues	324	(7)
Public Officials	324	(3)
Celebrities	327	(2)
Rape Victims	329	(1)
Photo Subjects	330	(1)
A Guideline for Privacy Issues	330	(1)
Online Coach	331	(1)
Moral Reasoning	331	(2)
The Poynter Institute Model	332	(1)
Philosophical Approaches	332	(1)
Codes of Ethics	333	(1)
Exercises	334	(1)
Featured Online Activity	335	(2)
17 Multicultural Sensitivity	337	(1)
The Language of Multiculturalism	338	(1)
Minorities in the News	338	(3)
Ethics	341	(1)
Gender Differences	341	(3)
Online Coach	344	(1)
Guidelines for Writing About Special Groups	344	(7)
People With Disabilities	345	(1)
Stories About Aging	346	(1)
AIDS Stories	347	(16)
A Pulitzer-Prize AIDS story	348	(2)
Ground rules for sensitive questions	350	(1)
Terminology	351	(1)
Online Multicultural Resources	351	(1)
Exercises	351	(2)
Featured Online Activity	353	(2)
Part Five Applying the Techniques
18 Beat Reporting	355	(183)
Developing Story Ideas	356	(1)
Cultivating and Keeping Sources	357	(1)
Ethics	358	(1)
Checking Records and Human Sources	359	(1)
Beginning a Beat	360	(2)
Covering Specialty Beats	362	(1)
Online Coach	363	(9)
The Education Beat	363	(1)
Health and Environmental Writing	364	(3)
Business Writing	367	(2)
Sportswriting	369	(3)
Exercises	372	(1)
Featured News Scene Assignment	373	(2)
19 Obituaries	375	(2)
The Importance of Facts	377	(1)
Online Coach	378	(1)
Obituary Guidelines	378	(2)
Basic Obituaries	380	(1)
Feature Obituaries	381	(2)
Ethics	383	(2)
Exercises	385	(2)
Featured Online Activity	387	(2)
20 Speeches, News Conferences and Meetings	389	(2)
Media Manipulation	391	(2)
Preparation	393	(1)
Stories About Speeches	393	(2)
Online Coach	395	(1)
Stories About News Conferences	396	(1)
Stories About Meetings	397	(6)
Understanding the System	398	(1)
Writing the Advance	399	(1)
Covering the Meeting	400	(1)
Writing the Story	400	(3)
Exercises	403	(1)
Featured Online Activity	403	(2)
21 Government and Statistical Stories	405	(2)
Reporting Tips	407	(2)
Graphics	409	(1)
Writing Tips	409	(5)
Statistical Stories	414	(2)
Budget Stories	416	(5)
Budget and Tax Terms	417	(2)
Writing Techniques	419	(2)
Online Coach	421	(1)
Exercises	421	(2)
Featured News Scene Assignment	423	(2)
22 Crime and Punishment	425	(1)
Crime Stories	426	(12)
Access	426	(2)
To previous criminal records	427	(1)
To university records	427	(1)
To records of juvenile offenders	428	(1)
To the crime scene	428	(1)
Use of Names	428	(1)
Wording of Accusations	429	(1)
Attribution	430	(1)
Newspaper Archives	430	(1)
Guidelines for Reporting Crime Stories	431	(1)
Stories About Specific Types of Crimes	432	(7)
Motor vehicle accidents	432	(1)
Burglaries and robberies	433	(2)
Homicides	435	(3)
Fires	438	(1)
Ethics	438	(1)
Online Coach	439	(1)
Court Stories	439	(13)
Criminal and Civil Cases	441	(1)
Federal Courts and State Courts	441	(1)
Criminal Court Process	442	(3)
Arrest	442	(1)
Booking	442	(1)
Charges	442	(1)
Arraignment	443	(1)
Preliminary hearing	444	(1)
Grand jury	444	(1)
Pretrial hearings and motions	444	(1)
Plea bargain	444	(1)
Trial	445	(1)
Sentencing	445	(1)
Appeal	445	(1)
Civil Court Process	445	(1)
Terms Used in Court Reporting	445	(3)
Court Story Examples	448	(4)
Exercises	452	(3)
Featured News Scene Assignment	455	(2)
23 Disasters, Weather and Tragedies	457	(6)
Reporting Techniques	463	(5)
Sidebars	465	(2)
Graphics	467	(1)
Online Coach	468	(6)
Disaster Basics	468	(2)
Death Tolls	470	(1)
Interviews With Grief-stricken People	471	(2)
Follow-up Stories	473	(1)
Airplane Crashes	474	(1)
Natural Disasters	475	(2)
Weather Stories	477	(3)
Personal Tragedy	480	(3)
Exercises	483	(6)
Featured News Scene Assignment	489	(2)
24 Profiles	491	(1)
Basic Elements of Profiles	492	(3)
Focus	492	(1)
Theme	493	(1)
Background	493	(1)
Turning Points	494	(1)
The GOAL Method	495	(1)
Online Coach	496	(1)
Graphics	496	(1)
Organizing the Profile	497	(1)
Putting It All Together	498	(3)
Slice-of-life Profiles	500	(1)
Writing Snapshot Profiles	501	(3)
Ethics	504	(1)
Exercises	505	(1)
Featured Online Activity	505	(2)
25 Computer-assisted Journalism	507	(1)
Using Databases	508	(9)
Using Excel Spreadsheets	509	(3)
Sorting data	510	(2)
Quick calculation	512	(1)
Making Calculations	512	(3)
Formula for addition	514	(1)
Sort	514	(1)
Other Calculations	515	(2)
Percentages	515	(2)
Online Coach	517	(2)
Using Relational Databases	517	(1)
Understanding Statistical Terms	518	(1)
Writing Database Stories	518	(1)
Exercises	519	(2)
Featured News Scene Assignment	521	(2)
26 Media Jobs and Internships	523	(1)
Job Application Skills	524	(1)
Online Coach	525	(3)
Where to Apply	526	(1)
Online job sites	526	(1)
Printed directories	526	(1)
Whom to Contact	526	(1)
How to Apply	526	(7)
Cover letter	526	(1)
Resume	527	(1)
Clips or videotape	527	(1)
Follow-up phone call	528	(1)
Research for the interview	528	(1)
Interview follow-up	528	(1)
Cover Letters	528	(5)
Resumes	533	(1)
Templates	533	(1)
Interviews	533	(4)
Exercises	537	(1)
Featured Online Activity	537	(1)
Appendix: Style Guide	538	(13)
Credits	551	(10)
Index	561