Assignments for Dec. 8 class

1. News clip -- story looking ahead
2. Read Ch. 25
3. Bring in draft of final story (optional) for possible discussion.

Nov. 24 Class Notes

Assignments
1. Newspaper clipping – A news-feature story with a soft lede (anecdotal, descriptive, focus-on-a-person). Describe the type of lede and identify the nut graph.
2. Provide at least two paragraphs of background info for your final story.


Ch. 15 – Interviews

Two types
1. news
2. profile

Principles of good interviews
1. Preparation
2. Establish relationship
3. Ask relevant questions
4. Listen and watch attentively
5. “Rules of Interviewing” – p. 302
6. Listening and hearing
· Be open to new ideas
· Keep on point
· Keep questions short
· Note the source’s appearance, demeanor

Profiles
1. See the person – physical appearance
2. Hear the person -- QUOTES
3. Watch the person
4. Know the person – background, hobbies, interests, successes, failures

Interviews by e-mail
1. Difficult to ask follow-up questions.
2. Cannot see the source’s reaction
3. Responses lack spontaneity
4. Cannot be sure the source actually provided the information.
5. Sometimes the only way to reach the source
6. Should specify in the story.

Nov. 17 Class Notes

Class Notes – Nov. 17

Assignments for Nov. 24
1. Rewrite of James Sell press conference story.
2. Read Ch. 15 – Interviewing Principles and Practices.
3. News clip: News story or profile based on an interview (not a press conference or meeting). Note how quotes are used. To support a point or to enable readers to “hear” the source talk.
4. Topic of final story, and possible sources (the more specific, the better). News or news feature with relevance to Lower Bucks Campus and/or Centurion readers. 700 words MINIMUM; 1,000 words MAXIMUM. Must quote or paraphrase at least three (3) live sources. Due at time of last class (10 p.m., Dec. 15) by e-mail. No rewrites.

News story clips
-- Need to include a few sentences explaining how and why your clip illustrates the assigned principle or writing skill. Otherwise, maximum grade will be 5/10.

James Sell news conference story
-- Lede should be a one-sentence paragraph, maximum 35 words.
-- Lede should start with the most important point – THE NEWS – not that he spoke, where or when he spoke.
-- Do not write graphs summarizing his comments
-- Be specific.
-- Let’s write the story together.

Lab: Rewrite Sell stories.

Class 9 ­‑‑ Teaching Notes
Nov. 10


Assignments due Nov. 17

1. News clip – Reaction story: comments about a news event or situation, such as Obama’s election, Phillies winning the World Series, smoking ban in public bldgs.

2. Write 700-word story: reaction to Lower Bucks Campus in light of 40 percent increase in fall enrollment. Get specifics, not general comments. What do they like, dislike the most?


Advance story
Should have:
-- who is speaking
-- what he’s speaking about
-- where and when
-- open to the public
-- background of James Sell AND the campus
-- number of students
-- cost of bldg.
-- when it opened
-- unique features: green bldg.

Avoid jargon – “portal communications”

Full-length stories

Need the local angle – gives it relevance, impact.
1. Student, staff interviews
2. Back up comments. How do you measure general statements? Seek stats
-- Lower Bucks a success – enrollment up 40 percent.
-- Sept. a good month for Nirvana – how many new members? Percentage, comparison to comparable period.

Interviewing -- questions
1. Phrase them so they can’t be answered with “Yes” of “No.”
2. Keep them on topic – remember the point of the story
3. Look ahead – what plans do you have? what’s in the works?
4. Ask open-ended question (dream project? “anything to add”) – might get a surprise.
5. Don’t ask questions that are easily researched, but do confirm even basic info.

Assignments for Nov. 10 class

1. Story about Lower Bucks Campus, from James Sell press conference. 500-700 words.

2. Story idea for Story No. 4 -- a few sentences, plus 2-3 sources (at least one person); should have relevance to Lower Bucks students.

3. News clip -- A story that localizes an event or an issue. For example, local reaction to a state ban on smoking in public buildings; local students talking about what they would do if a military draft were instituted.

Oct. 27 Class Notes

-- News Quiz
-- Discuss first stories
-- Discuss advance story
-- Discuss Nov. 3 press conference
-- Assignments
-- news clip – story from a press conference
-- rewrite Story 1
-- write five questions for James Sell, and 1-2 paragraphs of background
-- read Page 63, Workbook -- Speeches and Press Conferences
-- Review text Ch. 16 -- Speeches, Meetings, News Conferences

Story 1 points

-- Reason for reading newspapers, submitting clips? Examples to pattern writing after.
-- Don’t editorialize or put yourself in the story (Pages 32, 46)

Don’t:
1. Repeat word in same sentence
2. State the obvious.
3. Write in generalities
4. Use parentheses instead of brackets for missing words in quotes
5. Use put information in parentheses.
6. State the question.
7. Use alternative attribution to “said.”
8. Write in passive voice (… said Reed.)
9. Use semicolons
10. Write in present tense when writing about an event.

Do:
1. Be specific.
2. Have a plan – organize the story by points.
3. Support each point w/quotes, facts, background
4. Use “said.”
5. Write in active voice.
6. Ask follow-up questions.
7. Punctuate correctly – no spaces between words and punctuation; commas and period INSIDE quote marks.
8. Make attribution clear, especially when not in an interview.

James Sell advance story, press conference
1. Sources of background information
2. Point of press conference story?
3. Prepare five questions.

For Oct. 27 class

Please bring your first full-length story with you, on a flash drive or by e-mailing it to yourself, so you can work on a rewrite during class.

Thanks

Mr. Reed