Content

Accuracy

Credibility (authority)

Clarity

Coherence

Context

News Values

--prominence—well-known people or institutions

--proximity—what are local effects, if any?

--currency—what’s the buzz?

--timeliness—what’s the latest?

--conflict—what’s the battle?

--impact—who’s affected and how?

--human interest—appeals to the heart?

--odd or unusual—what’s unexpected?

Quotations

--Direct quotes: Exactly what source said with quotation marks

--Indirect quotes: Paraphrase of what source said without quotation marks

Direct quotes provide:

--Information

--Color

--Context

Full direct quotes usually are separate paragraphs

Indirect quotes may provide more information.

Attribution identifies source of information.

Attribution

--Use attribution for all but general information.

--Vary attribution placement, but with change of speakers put attribution at front of direct quote.

--In most cases, use “said.” It is neutral.

--Be careful with “says.” Usually better for feature stories than news stories.

--Use either “says” or “said.” Do not use both in an article

--Use “stated” when referring to documents.

--Also use “according to” for documents. “According to” with speakers sometimes implies doubt.

--Be careful about having inanimate objects “saying” something.

--Separate attribution with appropriate punctuation.

--Use “feels” only for emotion or the senses, not for expressing opinions or ideas.

--Use “said” rather than “believes” or “claims” for general attribution.

Do not manufacture quotes

Do not include personal opinions in straight news articles. All opinions need attribution.

Do not provide a concluding summary for news or feature articles. They are editorial comments.

Structure

Straight News Articles

Inverted Pyramid

--Important information always goes first.

--Information declines in value as reader continues through article.

--Provides structure of article.

--Requires evaluation of news values of information in the article.

--Allows deletion of least important information due to space restrictions.

Straight News Leads

--First paragraph of article

--Leads are concise and contain the basic news story.

--Generally 30 words

--Straight news lead essentially is the “story.”

--Elements: Who, what, where and when

--Usually put “what” first

--Distinguish first-day leads and second-day leads

Developing story organization:

--Lead

--Second paragraph – supporting information

--Supporting quote (?)

--Determine necessary points

--Develop necessary points

--Supporting quotes

--Story outline

--Each point needs a separate paragraph in all media writing.

--Development of a point may require more than one paragraph in print and feature articles.

--Do not diffuse unrelated information about different points through several paragraphs.

--Be careful with background.

--Avoid including clunks of background in article, particularly high in the article.

--Once you establish identity of person, weave background into the full content of the article.

--Use background to support other information in article.

Features

Parts of a feature story:

--Lead: Catches reader’s interest

--Engine graph (why graph): Provides context for importance of article. Why should reader spend time reading article?

--Body: Develop all appropriate points.

--Ending: Provide closure for reader.

Feature leads should be creative, not simple statements of fact.

What is unusual? What is ironic? What appeals to human interest? What provides a good (and appropriate) play on words?

Evaluate all information, including direct quotes, for placement.

--Is the direct quote appropriate for the lead or to support the lead?

--Is the direct quote appropriate to end the article?

--Will the direct quote support a point in the article?

Broadcasting

--Efficiency

--Simplicity

--Conversational style

--Goal: Immediate comprehension; written to be heard only once

--Need to gain attention of listener

--Attention usually more important than presenting all of the facts

Simple sentence structure

--Subject, verb, object

Lead:

--Captures the viewer’s/listener’s attention

--Is conversational

--Uses active voice

--Moves the story forward

Structures

Sequential

--Lead-in tells who or what happened

--Current situation

--Background

--Ending with current or future developments

Specific to general

--Lead-in focuses on a person who exemplifies the problem

--General idea: statement of the problem or situation (equivalent to the nut graph in print writing)

--Background or past issues that led to the current situation

--Return to current or future developments Structure:

Dramatic unity – climax, cause, effect

Climax – what happened

Cause – why it happened

Effect – context and some insight about the story’s meaning

Completed circles rather than inverted pyramids

No cutting for time, but rewriting for time

Put a human face on the story whenever possible

Use the “you voice” whenever possible and appropriate

Leads:

Impact – What is the effect on audience?

Advance – What is the next step?

Focus on a person – Goes from specific to general

Mystery-teaser – Builds curiosity

Questions:

Why should audience care?

What’s the story? (in two or three words)

What’s the issue?

What’s new information for the audience?

Guidelines

--Titles usually come before names.

--Avoid abbreviations, even on second reference.

--Avoid direct quotations if possible; paraphrase; designate direct quote.

--Use teasers to get reader’s attention.

--Attribution should come before a quote, not after it.

--Use as little punctuation as possible.

--Round off numbers and statistics.

--Personalize the news when possible and appropriate.

--Avoid extended description.

--Avoid using symbols when you write.

--Use phonetic spelling for unfamiliar and hard-to-pronounce names and words.

--Avoid third person pronouns.

--Avoid apposition.

--Write in the present context when it is appropriate.

--Avoid dependent clauses at the beginning of sentences.

Online Content

Nutshell Structure

--Headline

--Summary (optional)

--Lead

--Bullet points of information

Audience expectations

--speed

--visual logic

--simple organization and navigation

--depth

--news

Qualities

--immediacy

--interactivity

--multimedia (flexibility)

--innovation

--permanency

--capacity

--mobility

Linear vs. nonlinear

Embedded vs. external links

Writing for the Web

--Accuracy

--Clarity

--Efficiency

--Precision

--Write short, simple sentences.

--Keep paragraphs short.

--Writer for readers who scan.

--Write to the point.

--Use common language.

--State the most important information in the first two paragraphs.

--Write a clear headline and subhead summarizing the main idea of the story.

--Write a clear focus statement or nut graph in the story, especially, if you an anecdotal lead. Readers should know what the story is about and why they are reading it within the first few paragraphs.

--Be concise.

--Use bulleted list to help readers scan text when the story lends itself to itemized information.

--Limit each paragraph to one idea.

--Avoid last name only on second reference in subsequent screens or Web pages unless the source is well-known or is the main person in the story.

--Use conversational style.

Lateral reporting

--Links

--Background, details and lists

--Photos

--Graphics

--Maps

--Documents

--Audio and video clips

--E-polls

--Comments and discussion forums

Mechanics

Simplicity (conciseness)

--Use simple words.

--Use simple sentence construction.

--Explain all terms that members of a general audience may not understand.

--Not necessary to use “on” with time element.

--Avoid use of “held” for schedule information.

--Avoid use of “that” with “said” unless also using a time element.

--Do not use “now” with present progressive tense unless the context includes a change in time.

--An institution or an organization is an “it,” not a “they.”

--Do not put a title with more than three words before a name.

--Do not begin sentences with expletives “there” and it.”

--Avoid using repetitive information.

--Avoid using extraneous words

--Do not use:

very

unique

hopefully

--Context of comments (press conference, interview, briefing, told reporters) generally is not most important information. Determine relevance for placement.

Avoid use of passive voice in writing for print and online media; do not use passive voice in writing for broadcasting.

Clarity

--Need to put the time element as close to the verb as possible.

--Do not use headline style with present tense for print leads; use present tense in broadcasting leads when appropriate.

--Use appropriate transition to move reader through article.

--Do not use dangling modifiers.

--Make sure what modifier modifies is clear. Avoid misplaced modifiers.

--Always check time elements for consistency

--Do not use first person in an article unless it is in a direct quote.

--Avoid sentence fragments.

Grammar

--Use appropriate tense.

--Use correct subject-verb agreement.

--Always check verb tense.

--Use correct pronoun-antecedent agreement.

--Only use “who” for people, not that or which.

Punctuation

--Do not use serial commas.

--Properly punctuate compound sentences (avoid comma splices, run-on sentences).

--Properly punctuate conjunctive adverbs.

--Properly use semi-colons for compound sentences.

--Use commas after introductory time elements.

--Do not use commas with most prepositional phrases.

--Use commas for non-restrictive elements.

--Use commas for appositives.

--Use commas to show contrast.

--Use hyphens for compound modifiers.

--Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks.

Style

--Capitalization

--Abbreviation

--Numerals

--Ages

--Dimensions

--Dates

--Job titles

--Composition titles

--Military titles

--Academic departments and majors

--State names

--Country names

--Composition titles

--Regions

Language Sensitivity

--Sexist pronouns

--Titles

--Descriptions

--Stereotypes

--Illness and disability

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