Chapter 5: News Writing Basics Show
In general, news stories are organized using the inverted pyramid style, in which information is presented in descending order of importance. This allows the audience to read the most crucial details quickly so they can decide whether to continue or stop reading the story. From an editing perspective, using the inverted pyramid style makes it easier to cut a story from the bottom, if necessary. Invented more than a century ago, the inverted pyramid style remains the basic formula for news writing (Scanlan, 2003). “Inverted pyramid in comprehensive form” by Christopher Schwartz is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0It is important to note that some news stories do not strictly follow the inverted pyramid style, although the lead for a hard news piece always does. Furthermore, not everyone in the journalism field embraces the style; some detractors believe it is an unnatural way to engage in storytelling and present news to the public. Yet, proponents believe it is an efficient way to organize and share information in a fast-paced society (Scanlan, 2003). Therefore, it’s important for students to learn the style; one good way to do so is to regularly read hard news stories and pay attention to how the leads are structured. The lead (also known as the summary lead) and the body of the inverted pyramid style are discussed in the next sections.
Section 4: Sample Selected-Response Questions Journalism 7–12 (256)Expand All Answers | Collapse All Answers This section presents some sample exam questions for you to review as part of your preparation for the exam. To demonstrate how each competency may be assessed, sample questions are accompanied by the competency that they measure. While studying, you may wish to read the competency before and after you consider each sample question. Please note that the competency statements do not appear on the actual exam. For each sample exam question, there is a correct answer and a rationale for each answer option. The sample questions are included to illustrate the formats and types of questions you will see on the exam; however, your performance on the sample questions should not be viewed as a predictor of your performance on the actual exam. Domain I—Mass Media and CommunicationCompetency 001—The teacher understands the historical development of journalism in the United States.1. Which of the following prominent journalism figures is often credited with advancing the practice known as yellow journalism by famously helping to propel the United States into war with Spain?
2. Prior to 1980, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) maintained strict rules on broadcast media ownership. Since then, the FCC has eliminated most of those restrictions through a process called
3. Which of the following journalists is famous for exposing the squalid conditions of New York’s Blackwell Island Asylum and sparking reform around the country?
Competency 002—The teacher understands the role of mass media in society.4. Which of the following best describes an effect of cross-media ownership in contemporary journalism?
Competency 003—The teacher understands the skills needed to evaluate mass media messages and to be a critical, informed consumer of mass media.5. In a journalism class, students are reviewing media messages in various television commercials which try to persuade consumers to buy different products. To best hone in on how the commercials are influencing viewers’ opinions about the products, students should consider which of the following questions as they view each commercial?
6. Ms. Potello wants her students to become more critical of information they find online. She asks them to search the Internet for articles about the latest treatments for common diseases. One student discovers an article that describes the benefits of an innovative new treatment for diabetes. Which of the following steps will help students evaluate the legitimacy of the claim? Select allstart underline all end underline that apply.
Competency 004—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of legal and ethical principles relevant to journalistic media.7. In which of the following instances is prior restraint deemed justified by the United States Supreme Court?
8. Which of the following best describes the impact of the Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier decision on school newspapers?
Domain II—Journalistic Writing and PhotojournalismCompetency 005—The teacher understands skills for gathering information using journalistic research, interviews and news judgment and develops students’ ability to use these skills to create various journalistic products.9. Olivia, a high school junior, has just finished a paper for her journalism class. She has paraphrased and cited sources in her bibliography to the best of her ability, but as she rereads the paper, she is concerned about possible plagiarism. If she brings the paper to her teacher for advice, which of the following is the best response by the teacher to help Olivia avoid any plagiarism issues?
10. A student reporter is interviewing the superintendent and the high school principal for a story about the school’s building expansion project. Which of the following is the most appropriate way for the student to generate questions for the story?
Competency 006—The teacher understands various forms of journalistic writing.11. Which of the following best describes a primary difference between feature stories and news stories?
Competency 007—The teacher understands methods for developing students’ ability to use journalistic writing and editing to create journalistic products.12. Which of the following best demonstrates the journalistic principles of headline writing?
13. A journalism teacher is reviewing tips on writing better leads. The teacher presents the class with different leads to the same story about a winter snowstorm.
The teacher asks the students to choose one lead and explain why it is the best. Using this strategy helps the students realize that
14. Which of the following is a primary reason for students to use a journalism stylebook?
Competency 008—The teacher understands principles, procedures and techniques of photojournalism.15. A student is taking photos for a newspaper article about a rash of cell phone thefts on campus. An anonymous source provides a tip as to where the missing cell phones may be found. The student believes that it is possible to use a zoom lens and capture a photo of possible evidence through a window at another student’s house. Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the teacher to the student?
16. The following is the first sentence of the caption that a photo editor created for a photo from a school bake sale.
Which of the following is the most appropriate feedback to give the photo editor to improve the caption?
Competency 009—The teacher understands methods for developing students’ ability to create effective images for journalistic products.17. A student photographer is disappointed with the photos from a recent shoot. The student sits down and evaluates the photos with the teacher who says they lack dimension. Which of the following should the student do next time to best improve photo composition?
18. Erin and Allison are trying to photograph their school from the top of a hill, but they are having a hard time with the picture scale. Which of the following techniques should they use to best depict scale and landscape?
Domain III—Student-produced MediaCompetency 010—The teacher understands principles, elements, tools and techniques of publication and design.19. The yearbook staff wants to increase the number of pages in the yearbook. Adding pages requires making adjustments to the
20. Which of the following elements is most directly responsible for creating a focal point in a design?
21. The yearbook editor is completing the layout using a desktop publishing program. The editor realizes that the copy will not fit in the designated dummy. The best solution for fitting the copy is to
Competency 011—The teacher understands methods for developing students’ ability to use publication design skills to create effective, aesthetically pleasing student publications.22. A student reporter has submitted a headline along with a front-page story. The layout editor does not believe the headline will fit on the page, given the headline schedule and specific column width assigned. Which of the following is the best way the adviser can help the student reporter determine if the headline is the right size?
23. Which of the following should be the first consideration when designing a print advertisement to promote a product?
24. A student is designing an advertisement for the school newspaper. The student has written the copy, taken a coordinating photo, created the graphics and located the logo. The best next step in the layout process is to
Competency 012—The teacher understands principles, procedures and techniques of broadcast journalism and methods for developing students’ ability to create effective broadcast productions.25. Which of the following statements best describes the impact of technology on television audiences during the 1980s and 1990s?
26. Broadcast students are producing a video news story about an upcoming community-wide parade celebrating the volleyball team’s state championship. They have conducted several interviews and need to choose which sound bites to include. Which of the following sound bites targets the student audience using an emotional appeal?
Domain IV—Journalism in the School CommunityCompetency 013—The teacher understands the economics of student publications and methods for developing students’ ability to use business management skills and procedures to produce and distribute journalistic products.27. A middle school usually prints its newspaper in black and white, but for a special homecoming edition, the staff wants to add the school color, purple, to the front page. Which of the following color systems is the most appropriate and least expensive to print?
28. During a meeting with the principal, the school’s newspaper adviser and editor-in-chief learn that budget cuts are looming and that the school will no longer be able to finance the newspaper. Which of the following actions should be taken first to promote the long-term stability of the newspaper?
Competency 014—The teacher understands methods for encouraging students’ development of organizational, collaborative and leadership skills through the creation and distribution of journalistic products.29. Which of the following strategies will best prepare first-year journalism students for being staff members and editors on the school newspaper?
30. A yearbook teacher organizes a staff field trip to an overnight yearbook camp, where the students will have the opportunity to learn various techniques and work together to come away with a theme. Which of the following is the most important benefit of this practice?
Competency 015—The teacher understands methods for advising and mentoring students and ways of working collaboratively with others in the school and community.31. A journalism teacher has started a student newspaper at school, and students in the journalism class will be directly involved in its production. To help students become more comfortable with the demands of being on a newspaper staff, the teacher arranges to have them visit the city’s local newspaper office. However, a few parents have questioned the educational value of the field trip. Which of the following will best help the teacher resolve the situation?
32. A middle school yearbook staff is at a loss about how to plan for the distribution of their books. Which of the following is the best suggestion the adviser can provide about how to begin?
Return to Navigation What point was the newspaper motto it does not soil the breakfast cloth trying to make?What point was the New York Times trying to make with the motto “It does not soil the breakfast cloth”? That its news stories would be less sensational and more matter-of-fact.
What makes literary journalism also known as new journalism different from early twentiethWhat makes literary journalism different from early-twentieth-century models of "objective" journalism? a. Literary journalism believed in reporting on both sides of an argument, whereas objective journalism focused only on one opinion.
What makes literary journalism different?Literary journalism, sometimes called narrative journalism, is a style of reportage that presents true stories in a more narrative way, using storytelling techniques to create a gripping and personal form of journalism.
Which of the following is a way that online journalism is redefining news?40 Cards in this Set. |