VIDEO Language of the news

Some people criticize journalism as being for people who are boring writers. They seem to think that just because they can’t put their own opinion into news stories or use a lot of adjectives that the story is plain. I counter that it’s harder to write a crisp, clean news story than it is to write a novel. Watch the video to hear my reasons why.

Classroom bulletin: Session 2 leads

Remember that at the most basic, a lead should include the answers to questions that the reader has, including who, what, when, where, why and how. Ocassionally, to be creative, you can neglect to answer a few of those questions in the lead, but certain ones always need to be answered. You should almost always tell the reader when something happened. You should say who is affected. You should tell the reader where something happened so the reader knows if this affects him/her.

Consider these good leads written by your classmates:

• The sweltering heat that claimed the lives of three elderly residents may have been prevented, according to officials.  Police say they found a pair of fans and an air conditioner in each of the victims' homes that were still in their boxes - they had never been installed.

• An 8-year-old boy is in critical condition after being struck by a train Saturday afternoon. Police have charged the boy's mother with several counts of child endangerment after learning the mother allegedly did not help the boy, but taunted him as the train approached.

• A local paramedic is trying to get his job back after being informed that the positive HIV test he received eight years ago was a mistake.  

• Local paramedic, Julius Povacz, lost his job after testing positive for HIV. However, in a recent turn of events, Povacz learned he is not HIV positive and now fights to get his job back.

• While on her cell phone with her insurance company, a 25 year old woman severely injured a 44 year old man when she rear ended him in rush hour traffic.

• A grieving woman came home from her husband’s funeral yesterday to find her house plundered. Her sewing machine, small kitchen appliances, and a stamp collection were among the stolen items. 

• The home of Dorothy R. Ellam was burglarized yesterday afternoon while she was attending the funeral of her late husband, who died one day prior to the break in.  The total loss was expected to equal $8,000. 

GOOD BUT MISSING THE WHEN

One of the fundamental rules about journalism is that a story must be timely. You don’t give readers information about anything that is a month or two old. You let them know what is going on now. Consider what has been lost by not including the when in these leads:

• While talking to her insurance company about an error on a bill, Cheryl Nicholls struck the rear of a pickup truck. 

• While attending her husband's funeral,  Dorothy Elam's home was burglarized. 

• After attending her husband's funeral, Dorothy R. Elam learned that her home had been burglarized. 

WRITE IN PAST TENSE

• When you’re writing sentences in news stories, you should almost always use the past tense. Save present tense for your headlines and photo cutlines. 

The mother was charged (in the past and now you’re writing about it; or she is expected to be charged tomorrow. 

Three people died over the past two days, announced officials from the city’s health department.

DON’T GIVE INANIMATE OBJECTS ATTRIBUTES THEY CAN’T POSSESS

Be wary about giving objects attributes they can’t possess. An afternoon can’t witness anything; people can witness events on an afternoon. High temperatures don’t kill people; they did because of the high temperatures.

X) Saturday afternoon witnessed a train colliding into a boy while his mother taunted him from safety, according to several witnesses.

FIX: Witness on Saturday afternoon watched a train collide into a boy while his mother taunted him.

KEEP YOUR OPINION OUT OF THE STORY

You are an unbiased reporter giving the details and facts about an event or crime. Keep your opinion out of it. Never use adjectives in a news story. Give your readers the facts, and let them decide for themselves what to think.

X) 1. Destiny Schifini has been charged with numerous criminal offenses pertaining to the horrific injuries sustained by her eight year old son, after he was hit by an oncoming train. He remains in critical condition. 

FIX) Destiny Schifini has been charged with numerous criminal offenses pertaining to the injuries sustained by her eight year old son after he was hit by an oncoming train.

X) Widow’s home shamelessly burglarized while she attended her late husband’s funeral.

FIX: A widow’s home was burglarized while she attended her late husband’s funeral.

REMEMBER TO USE ARTICLES

Remember to use articles (the, a and an) in your sentences to make the stories flow. The only time in news stories that you don’t use articles is in headlines and subheads. 

X) Widow’s home shamelessly burglarized while she attended her late husband’s funeral.

FIX: A widow’s...

X) Divorced mother of two is being charged with multiple misdemeanors after she allowed her eight-year-old son to be struck by a train.

FIX: A divorced mother of two...

VIDEO AP Style: What to focus on

Not sure what to focus on when it comes to AP Style? Watch this video and find out.

VIDEO Newswriting Style

Writing a news story isn't like writing a diary entry or an email to family members about your fishing trip. It's not like writing a newsletter to garner support for your non-profit. Here are five tips to help you write better news stories that fit into the newswriting style.

Join the student newspaper and practice your journalism skills

Calling all writers, videographers, graphic designers, web designers and students interested in PR/marketing/social media! The student newspapers need you.

On the Cambridge Campus, it's the Ink Spot. http://myinkspotnewspaper.weebly.com/. Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ink-Spot-newspaper-at-ARCC/155445681148822

On the Coon Rapids Campus, it is the Rampage.

Enroll in JOUR1109 for 1 credit or join the staff for no credit. It's your choice.

If you're interested, please contact Trisha Collopy at trisha.collopy@anokaramsey.edu

VIDEO Headlines vs. leads

Get help creating a blog on blogger.com

Not sure how to set up a blog? You're not alone! Check out these videos to learn how.

How to create a blog with Blogger

Adding a Google Gadget to your blog

Blogger Help Center Video

Adjusting your Blogger privacy settings

VIDEO: Online Learning: Tips for Success

See more help by clicking on the Resources for Online Students tab.


IS ONLINE LEARNING FOR YOU?
According to the Illinois Online Network, the following are characteristics of successful online learners:
• Open-minded about sharing life, work and educational experiences as part of the learning process.
• Able to communicate through writing.
• Self-motivated and self-disciplined.
• Willing to “speak up” if problems arise.
• Able and willing to commit four to 15 hours per week per course.
• Accept critical thinking and decision making as part of the process.
• Have access to a computer and a modem, and have the ability to use them.
• Able to think ideas through before responding.
• Feel that high-quality learning can take place without going to a traditional classroom.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
• Be a noisy learner. Be active and creative in the learning process.
• Establish a presence online. Be sure to post an introduction on your blog, and fill out the user profile information on D2L. Include a photo so that your fellow classmates can put a face to the name.
• Push yourself to get involved and enter into the classroom discussion. I expect you to respond to all of student colleagues at one point or another in either the discussions or blog posts. I realize that some of you see another on campus and others are at a distance. Because of this, it’s not unusual for you to talk to only the people you know, but push yourself out of your comfort zone and make some new friends at a distance.
• Keep up-to-date with assignments. It’s easy to fall behind and tough to catch up.
• Use a detailed planner to keep track of your assignments.
• Email the instructor as soon as you foresee problems, not afterwards when you’re buried.
• Realize that online classes are not “easier” than seated classes, but depending on your skills may actually take more time. Pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and set realistic timeframes for getting your work done.
• Have contingency plans for computer problems as well as late arrival of textbooks. Become familiar with the local library, Internet services, and community college resources. Seek out friends, family and even coworkers who have Internet services in case your computer crashes. This way you will stay current with your weekly assignments.

VIDEO Syllabus

Be sure to also print out your syllabus and assignment schedule and read it thoroughly. I also recommend adding the twice-weekly assignments to your calendar to keep yourself organized. Please contact me with any questions.

Introduction

I love journalism. I think that journalists are needed to serve as government watchdogs and to inform the public. It is a nobel job.

That’s why I’m teaching this course.

Whether or not you choose to make journalism your career, you will learn important lessons from this class. It doesn’t matter where you work, you need to know how to write well. You need to know how to communicate an idea. You need to write so that you catch people’s attention. You will learn that in this course.

I have been a journalist for over 12 years. I worked at the STAR newspaper in Cambridge as the assistant editor until March of 2009. We covered all of Isanti County and half of Chisago County. My beats included Cambridge City Council, Isanti County Board, District 911 School Board and Harris City Council. Over the years, I had also covered Braham City and School, Rush CIty School and City Council, Isanti City and Chisago County Board. I've written for the Isanti County News, Twin Cities Daily Planet and Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger as a stringer. Over the years, I've written about crime and crashes, philanthropists and businesses. And I've told the stories of average, everyday people.

I earned several awards over the years for my work from the Minnesota Newspaper Association. Among them are Best Photo, Best Feature Story and Best Social Interest Story.

To view stories I wrote while working at the STAR and Isanti County News, go to
http://stories-i-tell.blogspot.com/

I have also written numerous stories and press releases for a variety of non-profits, including the Isanti County Historical Society and the Performing Arts Committee. In addition, I created the Isanti County Historical Society web site and regularly update it (www.ichs.ws).

I have been teaching at ARCC for five years.

I recently moved to Minneapolis from Cambridge, the town I grew up in. I am married to Jesse Pettit, a mechanical engineer, and I have a 2.5 year-old daughter named Joselyn. She's the apple of my eye.

I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you!