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News writing: writing great quotes

9/3/2014

8 Comments

 
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News writing: writing great quotes
by Joanna Liu, Editor-in-Chief of Voice K

When I first introduced news writing to a group of 7- to 15-year-old students, I talked about the importance of using good quotes in their stories. Then when their assignments were due, I found many articles that looked like transcripts, consisting of several very long quotes.

I find writing quotes to be the most challenging concept for a young writer to comprehend. That is totally understandable, because writing good quotes is one of the most challenging aspects of journalism writing. I am also constantly reading and learning to write better quotes myself, so I gathered some tips that I found useful. Most tips are selected points from Bob Baker’s blog on a vocabulary list for editors and reporters on which I’ve expanded a little, and added some examples.

What is a quote in news writing?

A quote is written words copied from a text or speech. Basically it is about recording what people have spoken. A quote is different from a transcript; while a quote is often embedded in the story to illustrate a point, a transcript is just a record of exactly what is said.

A news article sometimes needs quotes because:

  1. It repeats the exact words people said and reduces the mistakes in reporting.
  2. It can give readers different point of views while the writer stays neutral.
  3. It can make your story lively and make readers feel like they are at the event themselves.  
Although quotes can make a story come to life, overuse of or poorly chosen quotes can also kill a good story. Here are some points to remember:

KEEP ‘EM SHORT AND POWERFUL

Bob Baker’s blog on a vocabulary list for editors and reporters said that we should think of quotes as the spices, the seasoning in your story. You should avoid having your sources drone on and on. A great tip to write a short, powerful quote is to use the ones you remember off the top of your head, and then check for accuracy later. These quotes are usually more emotional, leaving a permanent mark on reader’s mind. 



Your quote should not be more than 3-4 lines long. 

The other long, rambling, vague, or obvious quotes should be cut off or paraphrased.


DON’T ANNOUNCE THE QUOTE:

Announcing a quote is a waste of space and the reader’s time.

Example: Jonathan said that he could not remember the last time he got a good grade, “I’ve not gotten anything better than a C in many years,” he said.

It is repetitive. If you are going to tell your story in a quote, then let your quote do the job. If you think it is better to paraphrase or summarize it, then do so without the quote.


AVOID TALKING HEADS

Talking heads are faceless, personality-less people, speaking quotes in a story. We usually get a name, a title and a long, pointless quote from the talking heads. Some writers include them to show different reactions or convince an editor that many people were interviewed.

For example:

“I really like the rides here,” 6-year-old Jason Smith said.

“This is a great festival before school starts, I will come next year,” said Jason’s mom.

“I volunteer because it is fun and to gain some experience,” said Jenny Worth, a volunteer at the festival.


As Baker’s article phrases it: “Reading one of these stories is like going to a big party and shaking hands with 100 people, but getting to know no one.”

So the best practice is to go back and search for those most memorable moments, then develop those moments into a great quote with great description.  

For example:

“I really like the rides here,” says 6-year-old Jason Smith as he charges into the bouncy arena with his balloon sword. This is Smith’s first time playing at a bouncy castle. He will be entering Grade 1 in September, and his mom thinks the festival is a great way to kick off a new school year.


CHANGE OUT-OF-TIME QUOTES TO IN-TIME QUOTES

Out-of-time quotes are quotes spoken to a reporter. The reader is reminded that he is reading a newspaper story. IN-TIME quotes make the reader feel in the midst of the story as it happened.

Example:

“The mayor told me right before his speech that he had forgotten his notes,” press secretary Bob Berg said.

An in-time quote about the same moment would read:

“Goddamn it,” the mayor muttered to his press aide moments before the speech began, “I forgot my notes.” (example from a vocabulary list for editors and reporters)

I hope these tips help. Here is a little assignment: try to rewrite the paragraph / quotes below to get rid of the long quotes:

“What inspired you to be in the race?” I asked.

“My dad and I used to always go rowing when I was your age and we did the same in Boy scouts too.” Hudson says. I asked him about the most challenging part of the dragon boat race. “The important part about racing is that everyone has to be in sync and you have to make sure you gotta listen to the man in the back and everyone on the boat has to know his instructions so you wanna start paddling very hard at the start, slow down in the middle, and then pick up at the end and you always have to be in sync. So that’s the hardest part.”(example from a young journalist)

See ourdragon boat race article to read the final version.


Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com
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3 ways to use a dictionary to become a better writer

8/4/2014

10 Comments

 
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How to use dictionaries to become a better writer
by Joanna Liu (Editor-in-Chief) 


In the movie Flash of Genius, the main character, Dr. Robert Kearns, made a convincing argument against Ford Motor Company at trial, using Charles Dickens’ “Tale of Two Cities.” The scene describes the concept of creativity as arranging available tools into a new pattern. English is a simple and elegant language. Good writing is not determined by how many difficult words you can use, but rather by how you group simple words together.

I recently read an article about how John McPhee, pioneer of creative non-fiction, often looked up the words he knew, rather than the words he didn’t.  I thought that was an extremely interesting concept.

My mother once told me that as a young child, she would just read the dictionary for hours, reading the definitions and learning how to use each phrase precisely. I never really understood the value of a good dictionary until recently.

Here are some ways you can use dictionaries to practice your writing skills. I found this a beneficial practice for my young journalists and creative writing students.

Usage #1: Replace a word with its definition

In some dictionaries, words can be defined so sophisticatedly that there is almost a poetic rhythm. In the article “You’re probably using the wrong dictionary,”   the author James Somers introduced the secret weapon that John McPhee used ─ Webster’s dictionary of 1828 and 1913 version.

First, I check the definition of a simple word, such as “cold.” Next, I find one definition that best describes my usage. Then, I get inspiration from the definitions and replace the word with parts of the definition.

Cold: Lacking the sensation of warmth; suffering from the absence of heat; chilly; shivering; as, to be cold.

Original Sentence: He felt cold. He shivered.

New Sentence: Suffering from the absence of heat, he shivered.

Play: Amuse oneself by engaging in imaginative pretense

Original Sentence: The kids were playing House.

New Sentence: The kids engaged themselves in the imaginative pretense of being parents.

Jump: push oneself up off the ground by the muscular action of the feet and legs

Original Sentence: He jumped up.

New Sentence: He kicked his feet and pushed himself into the air as hard as he could.

Usage #2 Look up the example sentences given on a good dictionary.

As I mentioned earlier, a good dictionary gives great examples. If you search the word “part” in dictionary.com, you get one definition and a following example sentence like this:

Part (Noun) 

a portion or division of a whole that is separate or distinct; piece, fragment, fraction, or section; constituent: the rear part of the house; to glue the two parts together.

Part (verb used with object) 
to go apart from or leave one another, as persons: We'll part no more.

It is hard to get any inspiration from an example sentence like those above because a modern dictionary’s aim is to explain words in our modern language concisely and clearly, so examples are simple and easy to understand.

However if you looked up “part” in the Webster 1913 version, you will find:  

Part:

1. One of the portions, equal or unequal, into which anything is divided, or regarded as divided; something less than a whole; a number, quantity, mass, or the like, regarded as going to make up, with others, a larger number, quantity, mass, etc., whether actually separate or not; a piece; a fragment; a fraction; a division; a member; a constituent.

I am a part of all that I have met. Tennyson.

5. To separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion; as, to part gold from silver.

The liver minds his own affair, . . . And parts and strains the vital juices. Prior.

6. To leave; to quit. [Obs.]

Since presently your souls must part your bodies. Shak.

Now you see how reading the right dictionary is like studying from literature’s finest masters! Does your dictionary give example sentences from English poets like Matthew Prior, Alfred Tennyson and William Shakespeare?

Usage #3 - Don’t use the Thesaurus blindly. Check the definitions of each and find the exact meaning.

I generally don’t mind my students using a Thesaurus to find a better word, but sometimes they think changing a simple word with a difficult one is always better. So they blindly search for a synonym without knowing the difference between each word.  In John McPhee’s article, Draft No. 4, he said exactly what I have been trying to tell my writers,

“In the search for words, thesauruses are useful things, but they don’t talk about the words they list. They are also dangerous. They can lead you to choose a polysyllabic word and a fuzzy word when a simple and clear one is better. The value of a thesaurus is not to make a writer seem to have a vast vocabulary of recondite words. The value of a thesaurus is in the assistance it can give you in finding the best possible word for the mission that the word is supposed to fill.”

If you look up the word “understand’ in Thesaurus, you find “apprehend,  realize, recognize, interpret, conceive, sense, accept, be aware of, figure out, catch on…”

To know which word to use, you should check the meanings of each in a dictionary. Let’s try to figure out the difference between apprehend, conceive and interpret.

Apprehend: To take or seize; to take hold of with the understanding

Conceive:  To form in the mind; to plan; to devise; to generate; to originate; as, to conceive a purpose, plan, hope.

Interpret: To explain or tell the meaning of; to expound; to translate orally into intelligible or familiar language or terms; to decipher; to define

Each word is different and unique. Each can replace “understand” in a unique situation.

I cannot understand this difficult concept -> I cannot apprehend this difficult concept.

I understood the idea one day in my sleep -> I conceived the idea one day in my sleep.

I can’t understand the meaning of his last words -> I can’t interpret the meaning of his last words.


Finding the right word is important. In writing ─ and in many other professions ─ accuracy is what separates masters from amateurs.

The importance of accuracy in language usage is amplified when working with ESL students. One of my students wanted to say the “water is clear (transparent) and sparkling,” but instead wrote “the water is clean and glowing.” Grammatically, the sentence is correct, and we can guess what the student is trying to say. However, the writing is not conveying the idea the student wanted.

When students’ parents ask me what their child can do to write better, I usually tell them to work on vocabulary and literary devices. Too often I hear parents say, “My child has a great vocabulary, she reads a lot. She just needs to improve other writing techniques.” I tend to advise them that vocabulary is not just about how many words you know, it is about knowing how to use them in a manner that is precise and innovative.

I hope these tips can help anyone like me who is aiming to be a better writer, encouraging you to reexamine each word you use, and to make your dictionary your best friend again.  

10 Comments

Effective Email Communication Tips for Kids

10/23/2013

7 Comments

 
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Effective Email Communication Tips 

1. Subject lines are headlines

Previously, we have learned about newspaper style writing. A newspaper headline has two functions: It grabs your attention, and it tells you what the article is about, so that you can decide if you want to read further. Same with the email subject lines! Make sure your subject matches the content of your email, so the reader knows exactly what the email is about. It is ridiculous for a newspaper to publish an article without headlines, so don’t ever send an email without a subject line!

Bad Example: 

Subject: My Article!

Good Example:

Subject: My fake news article from Oct 5 journalist class

2. Address people appropriately and sign off your name

An email without a proper address looks rude and rushed. When you send out an email, you need to know who your audience is. If you are talking to your friend, you may be casual with a “Hey George,” to start. If you are talking to your teacher, you may start with “Hello Ms. McLean,”

When you finish your email, it is best to sign off with your name and title, so your reader knows exactly who you are.

For example:

George Wu

Your Journalist Training Student –Richmond Hill

 
3. Specify date, time, location and event

When you are writing an email talking about a specific date, time, or event, you need to make sure the content of your email remind people about it. Lack of any specific information may confuse your reader or make it look like a spam.

Bad Example:

Hello Joanna,

I would like to go to the kite event, please sign me up!

George.

Good Example:

Hello Joanna,

I would like to sign up for the Burlington Kite Festival event on Sunday, June 2, 2013, located at Brant Hills Community Park. I am planning to arrive at 11:00 am. Please let me know if I have got the spot at your earliest convenience.

Thank you.

George Wu.

4. Specify the response you want

Sometimes, you want include a call-to-action at the end of your email, whether it is booking an appointment or asking for advice. You need to be as specific about your request.

Bad Example:

Hello Joanna,

Did you get my article from last week? Please check!

Thanks.

 Good Example: 

Hello Joanna,

Have you received my article regards to the Zombie Walk in Toronto? I sent it out on Friday, Nov 1st. I would like to know your views on it. Can we talk about it after our next training seminar on Sunday, Nov. 9. Please let me know if this would work.

Thanks,

George.

 

5. Proofread and edit before you hit send

It is always good to proofread your email before you send, this will avoid simple mistakes. The first place to look is always the name of the recipient. Make sure the names are spelled correctly.  Then check your grammar, avoid simple mistakes such as misspelling “there” as “their”.

7 Comments

Building Characters in a Story

9/25/2013

5 Comments

 
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Building Characters in a Story

A character is a person depicted in a narrative or drama. When people like a story, it is usually because they like the characters in the story. Creating a vivid and interesting character will help your story leave a memorable impression on your readers.


Create a Character Sketch!

A character sketch is a descriptive piece of writing that focuses on a dominant impression of a person. The character sketch uses many lively details to support this impression.


Direction: Make up a character (could be based on a friend, a mysterious stranger or a memorable person from a movie or book) and write a character sketch about that person.


Follow the steps:



1.  What is the overall impression of that person you want to express?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


2.  Describe the person’s physical characteristics, including clothing, movements and facial expressions. 
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


3.  Write down some important facts about your character’s past. 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


4. What would your character say? Show your character’s personality through their own words.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


5. Describe the character’s opinions and typical activities. 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


6. Show the character in action by describing an experience the character had. 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


7. Describe how others feel about the character. 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


8 . Now that you have all the information, organize it in such a way that will help your readers to see your character vividly.

Pictureillustration by Vicky Liu
Example: 

By Edward Wang (Age 8) 


Josh was born in Barcelona. He is a “brave” 17-year-old teenager. His parents were so surprised when he was born: he already had lots of hair! Josh has blue eyes, white skin and green hair. He has a big secret that only his best friend, Jake, knows. 


No matter what the weather is like, he always wears a red jacket and black pants. When he travels from one country to another, he always goes by helicopter. No matter what he needs to do, where ever he is, he will never leave Jake alone. He was successful at robbing eight banks in Italy and twelve in the United States. He has also escaped jail. 


Just for emergencies, he keeps a pet lion at his secret laboratory. He sometimes says to himself, “I will get a pet shark one day!”Josh thinks he will never ever get caught by the police. Every morning, he tells his minions to rob as many banks as they can. In the meantime, he builds more and more weapons as well as robot minions. If the cops ever found him, he would call his flame dragon and minions to attack the cops. Not many people know about Josh’s true identity, but his minions say he rocks!

      

5 Comments

Avoid Plagiarism 

4/17/2013

2 Comments

 
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From www.glogster.com
Plagiarism is stealing somebody else's ideas and writing by pretending they are your own.  Plagiarism is copying an idea from an existing source.

Examples of plagiarism:

·         Turning in someone else's work as your own

·         Copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit

·         Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks

·         Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation

·         Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit

  • Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not



How to prevent plagiarism:
  • DO NOT copy and paste any information directly from a source
  • When getting your information from online sources, you must put the information in your own words (paraphrase)
  • Be sure to credit all websites, magazines, and newspapers that are used to help you find information
  • When you are interviewing subjects, be sure to write down detailed and correct information, and make sure to credit who said what
  • When you are including quotes in your story, make sure you recorded the quotes properly otherwise it could be considered misleading information
  • If you are ever in doubt about possible plagiarism, always credit your sources

Consequences of plagiarism:

Most schools will fail the student on their assignment if they are caught plagiarizing, or possibly even suspend them. In college, you can be expelled from your school. Once you get expelled from one school, it is very difficult to get into another.

For more information on plagiarism visit: http://plagiarism.org/

2 Comments

Transitional Words and Sentences

3/7/2013

3 Comments

 
PictureHowever, but, and...
Transitions:

Transitions are a very important part of writing a story and keeping it organized. Transitions help us connect one thought to another and help our stories flow more smoothly. They also give the reader an idea of what is coming up next in the story.

Transition words can be used to help sequence ideas between paragraphs or between sentences.



Using Transition Words in Sentences:

Transition words are used in sentences when:

  • Adding information (Another, also, first, second, third, in addition, and, beside, furthermore, moreover, etc.)
  Example:Brian likes playing sports and being outdoors.

  • Making a conclusion (In conclusion, to sum up, to conclude, finally, etc.)
  Example: To sum up, everyone has the responsibility to protect the earth.

  • Repeating information (In fact, in other words, once again, to repeat, etc.)
  Example: Once again, Tommy had a temper tantrum.

  • Showing a comparison (like, likewise, similarly, in comparison, as in, etc.)
  Example:Like her mother, Katie loved baking.

  • Showing a difference (but, in contrast, rather than, unlike, though, yet, although, however, etc.)
  Example:Matt likes playing outside rather than doing his homework.

  •  Showing time (after that, later, next, then, now, still, while, following, before, the next day, soon, in time, etc.)
        Example: Steve went to the car, but his dog is still outside in the park. 

  • Showing cause (because, caused by, because of,  since,etc.)
       Example: Jason was excited to see his dad because he hasn't seen him for months!
       Example: John found it hard to make new friends since he moved. 

  • Showing Effect (as a result, that is why, therefore, for this reason, consequently, etc.)
       Example: We all dislike being outside in this weather, therefore we decided to have the party inside instead. 

Using Transition Sentences in Paragraphs
Transitional sentences are used in a similar way that we use transitional words. When we write a story, we separate our thoughts with paragraphs. Each paragraph has its own idea, but we still need to be able to connect them all together using transition sentences. Transition sentences can be placed at the end of the first paragraph, or at the beginning of the second one, or both.

Example:

It was Sandy's 6th birthday and she was ready for her big party! Sandy's mom decorated the house with ribbons and balloons, and stacked beautifully wrapped gifts on the table. Her mom also bought a cake that was beautifully decorated with flowers, and had Sandy's name printed on the top with bright yellow frosting. Sandy and her friends ate cake and played lots of games. Although Sandy was tired from her fun-filled day, her mom had another birthday surprise waiting for her outside. (Use transitional sentence to connect the first paragraph with the next. )

Sandy's eyes were covered with her mom's hands as she was led outside to the driveway to see her one last gift.  Her mom removed her hands and Sandy gasped at the site of a brand new bicycle. She wanted a new bike without training wheels for a long time and she finally got it! Sandy told her mom that this was the best birthday ever!

Practice your on your own!
Fill in the blanks with these words : because, after, in fact, since, similarly, rather, than. 


  1. I felt tired for the next three days _________ the event.
  2. I loved those cupcakes ________they were made fresh. 
  3. I would ________go to the concert with my friends _______helping out with chores. 
  4. __________, I never liked her __________she was never honest about her feelings.
  5. ____________, Jay also wanted to go.  



Show me your answers through commenting! 
3 Comments

Understanding CP Style 

1/29/2013

3 Comments

 
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What you should know about CP Style...

1. Quotations
a. “It’s period/ quote and not quote/ period. “

Look in newspapers and you will always see."


b. Capitalize the first word in a quotation when it forms a complete thought. 
Example:  
"No matter what you say," he said. ""I will go." 


2. Punctuation
a. Understand how to use commas, semi colons, colons and especially apostrophes. Review singular and plurals and possessives.

3. Titles
a. Do not use Mr./Ms. in first or subsequent reference.

4. Spell proper names as they are
a. Bar Harbour, Maine, not Bar Harbour
b. Lincoln Center, New York City, not Lincoln Centre
c. U.S. Secretary of Labor, not Labour
d. Don’t mix Canadian and U.S. spelling in one sentence: one wouldn't say U.S. Defence Secretary met with Canadian Minister of Defense…in this instance, CP style would predominate
e. Also spell common names per the individual’s preference—yes, it ’s k.d. lang and ee cummings and Kim Campbell, not Kimberly

5. Avoid caps where possible
a. Capitalize all proper names, trade names, government departments and agencies, names of associations, clubs, religions, languages, nations, races, places and addresses.
b. For example: white and black are colours, not races; Caucasian and African-Canadian are correct. (This may not be politically correct).
c. Medical references enjoy persistent capitals: Fallopian tube, Achilles tendon
d. Be careful with newspaper names: it ’s the New York Times, the Toronto Star, no initial capitalization
e. Former titles are generally not capitalized: the late governor general Roméo Leblanc, not former Gov. Gen etc.

6. Numbers and figures
a. Check figures very carefully. One decimal point can be disastrous
b. Percentages can throw off copy and be misleading—increases from one number to another may be prefer red. “Sales increased from $100 to $150, or 50 per cent. (Percent is two words).

7. Sports
a. Familiar league names are abbreviated in first reference. NHL or CFL, not National Hockey League (NHL)
b. City names are singular while team names are plural. The Toronto Maple Leafs play in Air Canada Centre, while Toronto “plays” in Air Canada, etc.
c. The series is singular: The Stanley Cup final, not finals

8. Front Loading 
a. “The Minister of External Affairs said today in a news conference that he was adding six new consular officials in Iraq” is ghastly. 

Correct way is: "Six new consular officials will be added in Iraq, the Minister of External Affairs said today."
b. Bring the news out first.

9. Time
a. Try to make it fall naturally – as it would in speech
b. In the above example, imagine this:
i. The Minister today said
ii. The Minister said today

10. That and Which
a. That is used when the clause is “essential to the noun it defines.” “The movie that played at Square One.”
b. Which clauses give a reason or add a new element and are over used. If it can be set off by a comma, it probably requires “which.”The Hangover, which just opened at the Yorkdale Cinema…

11. Who and Whom
a. Whom is becoming archaic in spoken language and is t rending that way in written speech;when it can’t be avoided, use it correctly
b. Separate sentence to check which is which
i. Who can be replaced by he, she and they
ii. Whom favour s him, her and them
iii. Who is a subject;Whom is an object (to whom)

12. Abbreviations
a. When in doubt, spell it out. Notable acronyms are permissible—GST but not provinces: it ’s B.C., not BC
c. In first reference, use U.S., not U.S.A or USA

13. Everyday words
a. About, not approximately
b. Met, not held a meeting
c. Instructor or teacher , not resource person

14. Canadian Spelling – is also fading away but not entirelya. Programme, tyre and gynaecologist are out but manoeuvre and cheque are in
b. “our”words ar e in: labour, favour and honour etc. Believe it or not , until 1998 “labor”was CP style but the population –and schools – taught ‘our.’
c. Double “ll” is also CP style: counsellor, travelled
d. It’s now criticize and rationalize—one exception is analyse

15. Over vs. More than
a. They are equivalent

16. Commas
a. Not after the final “and” in a series

3 Comments

Learn to Write Better 

1/29/2013

3 Comments

 
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Anyone can learn to write better—by following these tips.

Executive Summary
Get rid of these three words in your copy:
  • Of
  • Is
  • By
Your writing will be tremendously improved. Read to see why.

Writing flaws are based on mistakes that individuals make repeatedly. Becoming a
better writer includes eliminating these most common mistakes.

Writing Tips: The Big Five 

  1. Eliminate “of” by using apostrophes in possessive clause
    “With the assistance of the manager of the home” becomes “With the home manager ’s assistance.” Tip: review the “of” in your copy and change them: ‘The Pride of Canada” becomes “Canada’s Pride.

  2. "Is" can almost always be eliminated
    Look at your own 
    sentences and find all the ways you use it.  "John is the best person for the job and he will begin his new assignment tomorrow" can be changed to "John, the best person for the job, will begin his new assignment tomorrow."

  3. By: Avoid the passive voice
    This is one of the most common 
    mistakes made in writing. Tip: every time you come across the
    word ‘by,’ it’s the passive voice. Even the appallingly literal spell check can recognize this. The ball was thrown by John. No: John threw the ball. Rigourously eliminate the word by from your copy.

  4. It's and its
    “Its” is the possessive. “It’s” is a contraction. Avoid this mistake.

  5. It and they
    Organizations, corporations and institutions take “it” 
    in second references. People and descriptions of groups are they. The Golden Key Center launched "its" fall session – not GKC launched "their" courses. However, “the students of Golden Key Center started their courses.

Click through for some more good tips! 


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The Structure of an Article 

1/29/2013

26 Comments

 
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With any piece of writing, it is always wise to have a template to guide you. Here is a suggested article template to help you when it comes to structuring your article.

The Title
  • The title should be catchy, something that will catch the reader’s attention.
  • It should give the reader a good idea of what the article is about. If a title doesn’t describe the article well, some readers who would have liked it might not read it. It can help to try to figure out what the main idea of your article is, and then try to describe that.
  • Try to keep the title short.
  • Don’t use any punctuation in the title.

First sentence and first paragraph
  • The first sentence should also be catchy. Now that you have someone reading your article you want them to continue to read.
  • In the first paragraph you should describe what you are writing about, so that the reader knows where the article is going. For example, if you are reviewing an event, tell your reader where it was, who put it on, what it is, when it is, and why you are writing about it. If you are writing about a product, tell your reader where to get it, who makes it, what it is, when it comes out, and why you are writing about it.
  • Remember, your reader might have never heard about what you are writing about before. Make sure that you give enough details that readers don’t feel confused or in the dark.

Second paragraph
  • The second paragraph is a good place to start including some quotes. This will make your article more interesting.
  • Remember, in order to quote someone in your article you should have both their first and last name, so make sure that you ask them what their name is and make sure you have the right spelling.
  • When you are quoting someone you don’t always have to say what you asked them (question, answer, question, answer, etc.). Instead, you can build the quotes you gathered into your paragraph. For example, you could say, “While kids at the movie were just thinking about having fun, parents were happy to find good value for their money. John Smith, a parent of two, said, ‘This event was a great way to keep my kids busy without paying a fortune’.”

Next paragraphs

The next few paragraphs should add more details about your topic. For example:
  • Tell some stories about your experience. If you are reviewing a new product, try to tell the reader about your experience using the product. If you are reviewing an event, try to tell the reader something unique that happened.
  • Use some more quotes. For example, if you are writing about a product, you could interview other customers, employees at a store that sells the product or someone from the company that makes the product.
  • Try to think about what your reader will be curious about, and then answer the questions you think they would want to ask. For example, if you are writing an article reviewing a craft sale some topics might include: What kind of crafts did you see? Was it busy? Were there a lot of other kids there, or were most of the customers adults? What did other customers have to say about their experience? Did you buy anything, and why or why not? What was most enjoyable about the sale? Was there anything that you would change? What did you find out from people selling their crafts? (For example, how long have they been making their crafts? How long do they take to make? Why did they start making these crafts?) If you brainstorm, you will be able to come up with all sorts of ideas like these!

Conclusion paragraph
  • In the last paragraph you should sum up what the rest of the article said. To do this, try to think about what the main points are in the article. What do you want the reader to remember?
  • The goal of the last sentence is will make the reader remember what they have read, so try to think up something catchy.

26 Comments

Interview Techniques 

1/29/2013

3 Comments

 
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Good journalism is dependent on a total stranger’s cooperation and participation. Below are some techniques that you might find helpful.

1. Find a good location: avoid to interview at a busy location where you are easily to be interrupted.

2. Prepare Your Goals Ahead: know what you are going to ask and why you are going to ask them. Get an idea of the article you are going to write before going to the interview. Do enough research about the event/ person.

3. Write down your questions: Write down all your questions beforehand and divide them into categories, this will help you to visualize the article better.

4. Work on your flow: Have lists of questions prepared, but let the interview flow naturally instead of trying to "stick to the list." You need to make your interviewee comfortable and ask what you need to know.

5. Think about the medium: you react differently to different mediums (video, audio or print.) If it is for video, let your interview subject speak more and a longer block. Do not interrupt frequently. Smile and nod to acknowledge the topics. For print, you can break down the questions so it is easier for you to record and write, you can acknowledge the topic by replying “yeah”, “uh-huh” etc.

6. Be a little annoying: Don’t be afraid to relentlessly revisit a question or topic that you feel hasn't been properly addressed by the interviewee. Sometimes people need time to warm up to you or a topic, or will respond better if your question is worded differently. Keep trying.

7. Endure awkward silences: It is usually a journalist’s instinct is to keep chattering and asking questions to keep people feeling comfortable, but sometimes, especially when you’re dealing with sensitive subjects, you need to shut up and wait.

8. Ask for what you need: Sometimes you need to be straight forward to ask for what you want. If you missed to write down a quote, just ask them to repeat them. If you want your interviewee to describe a certain scene, just say “I really need you to walk me through the location when this happened.”

9. Don’t forget to ask for your interviewee’s full name, title, and age.

10. Last but not least, another one of the most important tips to remember when interviewing somebody is to ask interesting questions!

Try to not ask “yes” or “no” questions. Try to ask open questions (Who, What, Where, When, Why) that make the person you are interviewing to speak more. The more they speak the more information you will have to write

Example, if you ask an audience at the horse show, “do you like horses?” The answer is likely to be “yes.” Instead, if you ask “Why do you like horses?” You would get a more interesting answer.

General Questions to Ask at an Event 

Event Organizer:

Who’s /Which company is the organizer of this event?

Can you tell me a little history about the organizing company or the event?

What makes this event different?

What are some of the excitements/difficulties organizing this event?

Audience:

How did you like the event?

Where are you from?

What was the most interesting thing about the event?

Which part do you think the event could improve?

Have you attended this event before?

What’s different about this year?

Performers:

How did you get involved with this event?

What do you enjoy the most about the event?

What are some of the challenges performing / preparing for the show?




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    Voice K Team

    Hope this blog will help our young journalists to write better

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