Documentary Project; End of Year Stuff

You will want to include a few samples of your non-fiction writing in your final portfolio. These can be essays you wrote, personal reflections or reviews of films, or news articles from the Journalism units, etc.

Special projects/scripts include: radio plays, podcasts, prezis, documentary films, interactive adventure story games (Twine), photography series, blogs, TV scripts, literary magazine, etc.

Please use the lab time given you today to further your documentary project (or complete the PR packet & comment post if you haven't done that yet--please comment in this post (comments are due today)).

HOMEWORK: Continue working on your documentary projects; Aim to complete your filming! You need to complete the filming to begin your editing. Editing takes time...

Projects are due June 11 (last day of classes!); There will be a final test on June 7 (Thursday of next week!)

Noam Chomsky; Public Relations; Propaganda; Documentary Project: Day 2

Public Relations is the business of shaping and maintaining a public image of a celebrity, company, organization, or, even, a government. The Public is defined as clients, voters, members of a community, media consumers, parents/students, online groups, citizens...basically, anyone consuming mass media. With social media, public relations can directly influence or manipulate the masses. Take, for example, Mark Zuckerberg's most recent PR blunder and the Cambridge Analytica apology.

Propaganda is the idea or statement (often false or exaggerated/hyperbole...) that are spread culturally in order to help a cause, a political leader or party, a government, or any established institution. The fiasco concerning the Russian Bots, for example, are a good example of this.

Advertising, on the other hand, uses simple or fixed messages through "ads" to influence a consumer to buy a product. This may include product placement on social media or in films, for example.

TASK: take a look at these cartoons, PSA commercials, or media clips, and ask: What is the idea, statement, or image being shaped or spread? How might the message help a specific cause? What biases are inherent in the message? Then, in the COMMENT section of this post, please choose a few examples from what you've studied here and comment on the role of Public Relations & Propaganda in our Media today. This assignment will be due by Tuesday, May 29.

Check this website and read about propaganda here to get you started: United States Holocaust Museum.

Noam Chomsky: The 5 Filters of Mass Media (video)
Manufacturing Consent (Chomsky, illustrated video); Manufacturing Dissent (video/interview)
PsyWar (2010, documentary)

Propaganda & Public Relations:

Watch a variety of the clips below today in class. Note how the makers of these films/clips use pathos and logos to persuade us (perhaps by changing our feelings or making us think or feel.) Use what you've just learned about Noam Chomsky's filters of the Mass Media and what you've learned. As you watch, identify: Who's point of view is being presented? After viewing, select up to 5 of the pieces (make sure you have watched at least 1 of each type: commercials, PSA films, and cartoons) and comment on the video in the COMMENT section below for participation credit. Compare/contrast ideas.

Commercials:

• 1971: Environmental PSA
• 1970's Coca-Cola Commercial
• 1980's Commercial on Drugs & this one & 1990's anti-drug PSA & the updated 2016 version
• Global Climate PSA
• Global Climate PSA #2
• Child Refugees PSA
• US Navy Recruitment & 2012 Marines Recruitment PSA & US Army
• For the clown-phobic student: 1960's commercial for cereal

Propaganda and PSA films:

• 1950's: How to Handle a Bully
• 1960's: Lunchroom Manners
• The Trouble with Women
• 1970's Anti-Marijuana Propaganda
• 1970's Anti-gay Propaganda - Boys Beware
• Sam: Short Film About Gender Identity and Bullying

Cartoons:

• Education for Death (1943) Walt Disney
• Commando Duck (1944) Walt Disney
• Make Mine Freedom (1948)
• Duck and Cover (1951)
• Elbow Room (1976)
• The Great American Melting Pot (1977)
• Communist Propaganda
• Dare to Stand

Please use the lab time given you today to further your documentary project (or complete the homework--see below)

HOMEWORK: Continue working on your documentary projects; Aim to complete your filming this weekend!

Read & annotate PR packet.

Noam Chomsky: Filters of Mass Media; Propaganda & Public Relations

Public Relations is the business of shaping and maintaining a public image of a celebrity, company, organization, or, even, a government. The Public is defined as clients, voters, members of a community, media consumers, parents/students, online groups, citizens...basically, anyone consuming mass media. With social media, public relations can directly influence or manipulate the masses. Take, for example, Mark Zuckerberg's most recent PR blunder and the Cambridge Analytica apology.

Propaganda is the idea or statement (often false or exaggerated/hyperbole...) that are spread culturally in order to help a cause, a political leader or party, a government, or any established institution. The fiasco concerning the Russian Bots, for example, are a good example of this.

Advertising, on the other hand, uses simple or fixed messages through "ads" to influence a consumer to buy a product. This may include product placement on social media or in films, for example.

TASK: take a look at these cartoons, PSA commercials, or media clips, and ask: What is the idea, statement, or image being shaped or spread? How might the message help a specific cause? What biases are inherent in the message? Then, in the COMMENT section of this post, please choose a few examples from what you've studied here and comment on the role of Public Relations & Propaganda in our Media today. This assignment will be due by end of class Friday.

Check this website and read about propaganda here to get you started: United States Holocaust Museum.

Noam Chomsky: The 5 Filters of Mass Media (video)
Manufacturing Consent (Chomsky, illustrated video); Manufacturing Dissent (video/interview)
PsyWar (2010, documentary)

Propaganda & Public Relations:

Watch a variety of the clips below today in class. Note how the makers of these films/clips use pathos and logos to persuade us (perhaps by changing our feelings or making us think or feel.) Use what you've just learned about Noam Chomsky's filters of the Mass Media and what you've learned. As you watch, identify: Who's point of view is being presented? After viewing, select up to 5 of the pieces (make sure you have watched at least 1 of each type: commercials, PSA films, and cartoons) and comment on the video in the COMMENT section below for participation credit. Compare/contrast ideas.

Commercials:

• 1971: Environmental PSA
• 1970's Coca-Cola Commercial
• 1980's Commercial on Drugs & this one & 1990's anti-drug PSA & the updated 2016 version
• Global Climate PSA
• Global Climate PSA #2
• Child Refugees PSA
• US Navy Recruitment & 2012 Marines Recruitment PSA & US Army
• For the clown-phobic student: 1960's commercial for cereal

Propaganda and PSA films:

• 1950's: How to Handle a Bully
• 1960's: Lunchroom Manners
• The Trouble with Women
• 1970's Anti-Marijuana Propaganda
• 1970's Anti-gay Propaganda - Boys Beware
• Sam: Short Film About Gender Identity and Bullying

Cartoons:

• Education for Death (1943) Walt Disney
• Commando Duck (1944) Walt Disney
• Make Mine Freedom (1948)
• Duck and Cover (1951)
• Elbow Room (1976)
• The Great American Melting Pot (1977)
• Communist Propaganda
• Dare to Stand

HOMEWORK: Ongoing. See above. 

Documentary Project: Day 1

Please complete and turn in your editorial draft on Ethics in Journalism.

All documentaries have similar basic principals and/or qualities:

1. The events depicted in the film are unstaged; the events exist above and beyond the diegesis (the film world) or the act of filming them. The unstaged nature of the events suggest that the events or subjects have an existence independent of the cinema, thus granting them an air of authenticity or "realism".

2. Documentaries are understood to be non-fiction films. The world or diegesis of what appears on screen is considered real, not imaginary (as in fiction films).

3. It is often assumed that the documentary film maker observes, recording events or subject matter objectively. This is, of course, an untrue or uninformed statement.

There are Five different TYPES of documentary:

A. Expository documentary: the film maker's commentary acts as the "voice-of-God", often giving information or perspectives external to the filmed world in order to "see the world afresh, even if the world seems romantic (idealized) and/or didactic. Here's an example: the Last Lions (2011) & March of the Penguins (2005)

B. Observational documentary: The film maker records events depicted in the film unobtrusively, without intervention from the film-maker, capturing "real life" without commentary, intertitles, or interviews. The documentary type depicts a "slice of life" or direct representation without comment or subjectivity of the film maker. The film maker is completely invisible and/or uninvolved. the French film: Etre et Avoir about elementary schools in France.

C. Interactive documentary: The filmmaker's perspective and opinion is more evident. Interview styles allow the film maker to participate actively in presenting of events. It is sort of the opposite of the observational documentary. Sometimes the film maker him/herself is present in the film, asking questions or juxtaposing their opinion with others. Unlike expository documentaries, the film maker is present instead of a disembodied voice of authority (god).

Roger & Me (1989) but also Bowling For Columbine, Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me (2004) and Capitalism a Love Story (2009), and Where to Invade Next (2016)

D. Reflexive documentary: Going one step further from interactive documentary, the film maker of reflexive documentary does not attempt to hide the convention of film making. You know you are "watching a film" about "making a film." While documentaries are usually considered realistic, the camera work in a reflexive documentary are much more similar to formalism (the opposite style to realism). Example "Man with a Movie Camera" (1928)

E. Performative documentary: Going beyond the reflexive documentary, the performative documentary seeks to evoke mood or atmosphere traditionally found in fiction films. It can be downright avant garde and formalistic. Its purpose is more metaphorical than literal, although what's important is that it is a documentary that is performed. Here's an example: Survivors by Erol Morris.

One of the most famous performative documentaries is Koyaanisqatsi. Here's a clip.

Sample of previous SOTA creative writing documentaries:

• Post Mortem (2011 winner of the High Falls Film Festival Young Filmmaker's Award) 
• Kadisha Philips: The Nicki Syndrome (2010) & Teen Point of View: Teens Around the World (2010); Kadisha (Asher's sister) has worked for VH1, The History Channel, & Nickelodeon in New York City. 
• Another student film (Interactive Documentary style): One Girl At a Time (Kyle Cox--not a SOTA student...)

I'd Like to Make a Documentary Film. How do I Start?

Pick a topic (see below).

Research your chosen topic. It is likely you have to uncover some basic details and information about your subject matter. Just like previous research assignments, record any citations. You will need to give credit in your film for any quotes or materials you use that are not yours. Take notes on facts, statistics, definitions, or other information that will help you tell your story.

After you have researched your topic a bit, you should decide what KIND of documentary you intend to make. You have various options. Pick one of the five types from above.

If you are going to begin interviewing, write a few questions you will ask all of your interviewees. Perhaps you would begin your film by writing a VOICE OVER script. Remember that, just like in fiction, speech writing, or poetry, you want to HOOK the viewer's attention. Give us a reason to care about your topic by introducing the topic in a creative and interesting way.

When interviewing, set the camera up to focus on your subject(s). Try not to shoot the film entirely head on. Instead, it is better that you sit next to the camera and record, so that the interviewee looks at YOU, not the camera head-on. Record your interview. Ask follow up questions.

Before you leave your subject, ask to follow the person around with the camera for a bit. Record the subject doing typical things they would normally do in their day. Also, ask permission of your subject to use the information you recorded on film.

Then it's editing time! Take only the most interesting parts of the interview and string these together (perhaps with other interviews) or pictures or other footage of your subject doing things.

View these human interest videos as models.

• Survivors (documentary by Errol Morris)
• 3 Beautiful Human Minutes: food for thought on the power of Human Interest stories (intro)
• Ann's Story: A Foster Care Story (cause focused)
• Daughters Growing Up Without a Father: Letaris Witfield (cause focused)
• Michelle Duty: Human Interest (human-focused)
• Rodeo Human Interest (topic focused)
• Construction Human Interest (event/place focused)

For your next project, you will make a short 3 minute to 5-minute human interest video or a documentary on a specific topic. You will shoot, edit, and upload your film on Youtube to share with the class when you are done. 

Some things to remember about human interest stories:

• Your human interest story is a story. It should have a specific subject (see examples above) and involve some understanding of what it means to be fatally and tragically or humorously human.
• Create questions in your journal that you might ask your subject.
• Follow your subject around for some time (usually a day) and take pictures or video of him/her doing something normal.
• You should write a voice over script introducing your subject.
• You may use partial interviews or researched statistics in your video.
• You may use a musical underscore to add tone and ambiance to your video.
• Above all: Be creative!

How to go about doing this project. 

1. Decide to work alone or with a single partner. 

2. If you work alone: make a list of potential subjects for your human interest video or a documentary. Choose one as your subject (this can be a family member, a friend, a neighbor, a teacher, a person of interest, or an overlooked or important topic, etc.)

3. If you work with a partner who will be your subject, decide who will be the subject and who will be the videographer.

4. Videographers should come up with some interview questions to ask the subject. Record your questions and answers in your journal.

5. Decide on where you will shoot video footage of your subject. You may have to travel, so plan accordingly. Brainstorm different possible settings to use as an appropriate backdrop for your video in your journal.

6. Record your interview with your subject. Use some of this material (the best parts) for your video.

7. Use your smartphones or video equipment (you can borrow this from our department) to make your film.

8. Upload your video/audio footage into Windows Movie Maker (or iMovie or Premiere, or other video software if you have access to it).

9. Edit and prepare your video. It should be, again, 3-5 minutes in length.

10. Upload your video when it is completed.

For additional help, check out this online slideshow...

HOMEWORK: Begin planning/writing/shooting your documentary or human interest video project.

Shattered Glass; Ethics in Journalism Response Article; Documentary Project Intro

We will complete our viewing of the film Shattered Glass.

When we are done, please take your notes next door to the lab and complete the following task:

• Write a short 300-400 word editorial in which you discuss the importance of ethics in journalism & mass media. You should reference Shattered Glass as one example, but you can also use any material taken from recent or relatively recent headlines. For example, How Fake News Changed the New York Times; or The Top 3 Ethical Challenges Journalists will Face in 2017. You can find other articles on the internet by searching if you need them.

An editorial is an article (usually written by the editor of a newspaper or magazine) that gives an opinion on a topical issue. Your topical issue will be "ethics" in news journalism.

Write your article today in the lab. If you do not finish, please complete as homework.

Then:

All documentaries have similar basic principals and/or qualities:

1. The events depicted in the film are unstaged; the events exist above and beyond the diegesis (the film world) or the act of filming them. The unstaged nature of the events suggest that the events or subjects have an existence independent of the cinema, thus granting them an air of authenticity or "realism".

2. Documentaries are understood to be non-fiction films. The world or diegesis of what appears on screen is considered real, not imaginary (as in fiction films).

3. It is often assumed that the documentary film maker observes, recording events or subject matter objectively. This is, of course, an untrue or uninformed statement.

There are Five different TYPES of documentary:

A. Expository documentary: the film maker's commentary acts as the "voice-of-God", often giving information or perspectives external to the filmed world in order to "see the world afresh, even if the world seems romantic (idealized) and/or didactic. Here's an example: the Last Lions (2011) & March of the Penguins (2005)

B. Observational documentary: The film maker records events depicted in the film unobtrusively, without intervention from the film-maker, capturing "real life" without commentary, intertitles, or interviews. The documentary type depicts a "slice of life" or direct representation without comment or subjectivity of the film maker. The film maker is completely invisible and/or uninvolved. the French film: Etre et Avoir about elementary schools in France.

C. Interactive documentary: The filmmaker's perspective and opinion is more evident. Interview styles allow the film maker to participate actively in presenting of events. It is sort of the opposite of the observational documentary. Sometimes the film maker him/herself is present in the film, asking questions or juxtaposing their opinion with others. Unlike expository documentaries, the film maker is present instead of a disembodied voice of authority (god).

Roger & Me (1989) but also Bowling For Columbine, Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me (2004) and Capitalism a Love Story (2009), and Where to Invade Next (2016)

D. Reflexive documentary: Going one step further from interactive documentary, the film maker of reflexive documentary does not attempt to hide the convention of film making. You know you are "watching a film" about "making a film." While documentaries are usually considered realistic, the camera work in a reflexive documentary are much more similar to formalism (the opposite style to realism). Example "Man with a Movie Camera" (1928)

E. Performative documentary: Going beyond the reflexive documentary, the performative documentary seeks to evoke mood or atmosphere traditionally found in fiction films. It can be downright avant garde and formalistic. Its purpose is more metaphorical than literal, although what's important is that it is a documentary that is performed. Here's an example: Survivors by Erol Morris.

One of the most famous performative documentaries is Koyaanisqatsi. Here's a clip.

Sample of previous SOTA creative writing documentaries:

• Post Mortem (2011 winner of the High Falls Film Festival Young Filmmaker's Award) 
• Kadisha Philips: The Nicki Syndrome (2010) & Teen Point of View: Teens Around the World (2010); Kadisha (Asher's sister) has worked for VH1, The History Channel, & Nickelodeon in New York City. 
• Another student film (Interactive Documentary style): One Girl At a Time (Kyle Cox--not a SOTA student...)

I'd Like to Make a Documentary Film. How do I Start?

Pick a topic (see below).

Research your chosen topic. It is likely you have to uncover some basic details and information about your subject matter. Just like previous research assignments, record any citations. You will need to give credit in your film for any quotes or materials you use that are not yours. Take notes on facts, statistics, definitions, or other information that will help you tell your story.

After you have researched your topic a bit, you should decide what KIND of documentary you intend to make. You have various options. Pick one of the five types from above.

If you are going to begin interviewing, write a few questions you will ask all of your interviewees. Perhaps you would begin your film by writing a VOICE OVER script. Remember that, just like in fiction, speech writing, or poetry, you want to HOOK the viewer's attention. Give us a reason to care about your topic by introducing the topic in a creative and interesting way.

When interviewing, set the camera up to focus on your subject(s). Try not to shoot the film entirely head on. Instead, it is better that you sit next to the camera and record, so that the interviewee looks at YOU, not the camera head-on. Record your interview. Ask follow up questions.

Before you leave your subject, ask to follow the person around with the camera for a bit. Record the subject doing typical things they would normally do in their day. Also, ask permission of your subject to use the information you recorded on film.

Then it's editing time! Take only the most interesting parts of the interview and string these together (perhaps with other interviews) or pictures or other footage of your subject doing things.

View these human interest videos as models.

• Survivors (documentary by Errol Morris)
• 3 Beautiful Human Minutes: food for thought on the power of Human Interest stories (intro)
• Ann's Story: A Foster Care Story (cause focused)
• Daughters Growing Up Without a Father: Letaris Witfield (cause focused)
• Michelle Duty: Human Interest (human-focused)
• Rodeo Human Interest (topic focused)
• Construction Human Interest (event/place focused)

For your next project, you will make a short 3 minute to 5-minute human interest video or a documentary on a specific topic. You will shoot, edit, and upload your film on Youtube to share with the class when you are done. 

Some things to remember about human interest stories:

• Your human interest story is a story. It should have a specific subject (see examples above) and involve some understanding of what it means to be fatally and tragically or humorously human.
• Create questions in your journal that you might ask your subject.
• Follow your subject around for some time (usually a day) and take pictures or video of him/her doing something normal.
• You should write a voice over script introducing your subject.
• You may use partial interviews or researched statistics in your video.
• You may use a musical underscore to add tone and ambiance to your video.
• Above all: Be creative!

How to go about doing this project. 

1. Decide to work alone or with a single partner. 

2. If you work alone: make a list of potential subjects for your human interest video or a documentary. Choose one as your subject (this can be a family member, a friend, a neighbor, a teacher, a person of interest, or an overlooked or important topic, etc.)

3. If you work with a partner who will be your subject, decide who will be the subject and who will be the videographer.

4. Videographers should come up with some interview questions to ask the subject. Record your questions and answers in your journal.

5. Decide on where you will shoot video footage of your subject. You may have to travel, so plan accordingly. Brainstorm different possible settings to use as an appropriate backdrop for your video in your journal.

6. Record your interview with your subject. Use some of this material (the best parts) for your video.

7. Use your smartphones or video equipment (you can borrow this from our department) to make your film.

8. Upload your video/audio footage into Windows Movie Maker (or iMovie or Premiere, or other video software if you have access to it).

9. Edit and prepare your video. It should be, again, 3-5 minutes in length.

10. Upload your video when it is completed. 

HOMEWORK: None, unless your editorial article is not complete. Complete that. Begin planning/writing/shooting your documentary or human interest video project.

Rochester Area College Presentation; Shattered Glass (day 2)

During 7th period, please go to the Ensemble Theater for the Rochester Area College Presentation assembly.

When we finish there, we will continue viewing "Shattered Glass."

HOMEWORK: None.

What Makes Something Newsworthy?; Journalistic Ethics; Shattered Glass (day 1)

Complete and turn in your second article with revisions! Place draft #2 (revised) on TOP of your first draft. 

What Makes Something Newsworthy?

Factors Journalists Use to Gauge How Big a Story Is by Tony Rogers:

Over the years editors, reporters and journalism professors have come up with a list of factors or criteria that help journalists decide whether something is newsworthy or not. They can also help you decide HOW newsworthy something is. Generally, the more of the factors below that can be applied to your feature or story, the more newsworthy it’s bound to be. 

Impact or Consequences
Generally, the greater the impact a story has, the more newsworthy it is. Events that have on impact on your readers, that have real consequences for their lives, are bound to be newsworthy. An obvious example would be the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In how many ways have all of our lives been affected by the events of that day? The greater the impact, the bigger the story.

Conflict
If you look closely at the stories that make news on any given day, chances are most of them will have some element of conflict. Whether it’s a dispute over banning books at a local school board meeting, bickering over budget legislation in Congress, or the ultimate conflict – war – conflict is almost always newsworthy. 

Conflict is newsworthy because as human beings we’re naturally interested in conflict. Think of any book you’ve ever read or movie you’ve ever watched – they all had some type of conflict. Without conflict, there would be no literature or drama. Conflict is what propels the human drama. Conflict is so interesting to us as humans that it can even make an otherwise dull-sounding story – the passage of a city budget – into something utterly gripping. And the ultimate conflict – war – is always a huge story.

Loss of Life/Property Destruction
There’s an old saying in the news business: If it bleeds, it leads. What that means is that any story involving loss of human life – from a fire to a shooting to a terrorist attack -- is bound to be newsworthy. Likewise, nearly any story that involves property destruction on a large enough scale – a house fire is a good example-- is also bound to be news.

Many stories have both loss of life and property destruction – think of the house fire in which several people perish. Obviously, loss of human life is more important than property destruction, so write the story that way.

Proximity
Proximity has to do with how close an event is geographically is to your readers or viewers. A house fire with several people injured might be big news in your hometown newspaper, but chances are no one will care in the next town over. Likewise, wildfires in California usually make the national news, but clearly, they’re a much bigger story for those directly affected.

Prominence
Are the people involved in your story famous or prominent? If so, the story becomes more newsworthy. For example, if an average person is injured in a car crash, chances are that won’t even make the local news. But if the president of the United States is hurt in a car crash, it makes headlines around the world.

Prominence can apply to politicians, movie stars, star athletes, CEOs – anyone who’s in the public eye. But it doesn’t have to mean someone who’s famous worldwide. The mayor of your town probably isn’t famous, even locally. But he or she is prominent in your town, which means any story involving him or her is likely to be more newsworthy. Prominence can apply on a local, national or international level.

Timeliness 
In the news business, we tend to focus on what’s happening this day, this hour, this minute. So events that are happening now are often more newsworthy than those that happened, say, a week ago.
Another factor that relates to timeliness is currency. This involves stories that may not have just happened but instead, have an ongoing interest to your audience. For example, the rise and fall in gas prices is something that’s been happening for several years, but it’s a story that’s still relevant to your readers, so it has currency. 

Novelty
Another old saying in the news business goes, “When a dog bites a man, no one cares. When the man bites back – now that’s a news story.” The idea, of course, is that any deviation from the normal, expected course of events is something novel, and thus newsworthy.

TASK: Please view today's news on one of the following sites:

• The Washington Post
• The New York Times

Then, in the COMMENT section of this blog post, choose one of the feature articles the news has run and explain why the subject/article is "newsworthy." Use the information above to help you explain the article's purpose.

Journalism Ethics

Do you have the moral fiber it takes to be a journalist? 

The Ethics of Journalism include the following:

• Credibility
• Accuracy
• Objectivity

And to a lesser extent:

• Good taste (show compassion, minimize harm)
• Simultaneous rebuttal, or right of reply
• Fairness to all (subject & audience)
• Avoid plagiarism
• Use attribution--do not use anonymous sources
• Truth
• Accountability

CLASS ACTIVITY:

We are going to screen the film Shattered Glass (2003)
Written & Directed by: Billy Ray (with Buzz Bissinger)
Cinematography: Mandy Walker

Hayden Christensen ... Stephen Glass
Peter Sarsgaard ... Charles "Chuck" Lane
Chloe Sevigny ... Caitlin Avey
Rosario Dawson ... Andy Fox
Melanie Lynskey ... Amy Brand
Hank Azaria ... Michael Kelly
Steve Zahn ... Adam Penenberg

HOMEWORK: As we watch the film, please note the activities on the packet. Complete these as we view the film (they are due when we're done viewing the film).

Tips to Make Your Writing More Journalistic; Peer Review & Editing

General comments about your articles (article #1):

• Give your article a title. Your title should, like your lead, involve the most important information in the article to follow. Often titles are also clever, playing on double-entendres, understatement or overstatement, and clever or witty word choice (diction). The purpose of a headline is to hook your potential reader into reading your article.
• Use paragraphs. Articles should be written in paragraph form.
• Each paragraph can also use a "lead" for that topic sentence.
• Use the inverted pyramid style (most important info comes first!)
• Write your sentences in ACTIVE voice (see tips below).
• Write specifics instead of generalities (see tips below).
• Avoid long, rambling sentences--don't bury the lead, or overcrowd the lead (see tips below).
• Avoid "backing into the lead" (see tips below).
• Don't ask questions--report answers! (see tips below).
• Do not include URL web addresses in your article. Attribute your sources instead.
• I don't need a "works cited" blurb--just attribute your sources!
• Introduce direct quotes or explain quotes if you use them. (see tips below). 
• Avoid using the pronoun "I"--this is not an editorial!

TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR ARTICLE WRITING:

1.       Avoid overcrowding the lead.

Crowded MORTON -- Grant Zorn, a state trooper who investigated the crash at 3 a.m. Sunday resulting in the deaths of three Morton youths, said at an inquest Friday that William C. Libolt of Chillicothe, whose car ran over Larry, 7, and Martin, 19, told him he did not see Martin until he was directly in front of him, that he did not realize he was a person, but thought he was part of the car from which he had been thrown, and that he did not know he had run into him.

Better MORTON -- The driver of a car involved in an accident that killed three Morton youths Sunday says he did not see them early enough to avoid hitting them.

While you want your lead to answer who, what, where, when, how, and why--you shouldn't always cram all that information into one sentence. Think about what angle you want to present, decide on the most important information (is it who, what, where, when, how, or why) then use a lead of that type. Remember to keep your sentence active voice.

2.      Don't begin with a generality.

General Plans were being made today for doubling the capacity of the city's sewage treatment plant.	Specific Cost estimates and blueprints were being drawn up today for doubling the capacity of the city's sewage treatment plant.
General Work is progressing on a $107,000 complex of 11 tennis courts, the city Parks and Recreation Commission reported last night.	Specific Grading has been completed and fences installed for a $107,000 complex of 11 tennis courts, the city Parks and Recreation Commission reported last night.
General Professor Beth Carlisle spoke last night on the development of the French language.	Specific The purity of the French language spoken by Frenchmen themselves has deteriorated "profoundly" during this century, Professor Beth Carlisle told students at the monthly academic forum.

You want your writing to always be more specific than general. 

3.      Be wary of figures.

Before a crowd of 4,000, Fremont's Pathfinders trampled Roosevelt's Rough Riders 42-6 for the state high school football championship.

Figures must be placed in context. Is this a large crowd, or is the stadium only half full?

Inconclusive

Central High School's flood relief drive stood at $1,500 today.

Better

Central High School's flood relief drive stood at $1,500 today, 50 percent of the goal.

Also, don't slow the pace by overcrowding figures.

There are 3.5 million eligible voters in the state, of whom 1.7 million are over 18, yet only 391,000, or less than 25 percent, are registered to vote.

That's too many #'s for a reader to sort through in one sentence!

4.      Don't back into the lead.

Backing into the lead means the lead has not been written with the most important information first. In other words, the writer has not featured the feature. If a writer backs into the lead, the most important information is often near the end of the lead paragraph, when it should be first. Also, remember that news comes first, attribution second.

Not the greatest Dr. Robert P. Fowler, Southwestern University president, announced today that a medical school will be established on the campus next year.	Better A medical school will be established at Southwestern University next year, President Robert P. Fowler announced today.
Not the greatest According to Adm. Elmo P. Zumwalt, chief of naval operations, Navy seamen may henceforth sport mustaches, beards, goatees, flared sideburns and long hair.	Better Navy seamen may now sport mustaches, beards, goatees, flared sideburns and long hair, Adm. Elmo P. Zumwalt, chief of naval operations, announced today.

5.      Don't bury the lead.

Burying the lead is even worse than backing into the lead. Burying the lead means the writer places the major element several paragraphs down in the story.

Not the greatest

On Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, the Valley League Championship Track Meet was held in Prarie Hill. Schools in the league are Monroe, Carlton, Williams, Newland, Littlefield, Evanston, Prairie Hill, and Corbett.

Prairie Hill's boys team placed third, scoring 103 points. Top scoring efforts on the team were put out by Tom Lawrence with 28.5 points and Syd Sidewell with 24 points.

The girls team placed fourth with 94 points. The girls team was strong in the distances with a one, two finish in the 1,500 meter and 3,000 meter.

Better

The boys' track team placed third with 103 points and the girls' team fourth with 94 points in the Valley League Championships held in Prairie Hill May 19-20.

6.      Avoid "question" leads.

The question lead is an overworked tool of the lazy writer. The reporter's job is to inform, not ask questions. The question lead works best if the article focuses on answering the question posed in the lead.

How can auto insurance rates be lowered? The answer to that question will be sought at a public hearing conducted by the state insurance commissioner at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the council chamber in City Hall.

It's also best if it can be answered quickly.

Will Riverside annex the Brockhurst subdivision? The city council decided last night that the answer is "No."

It can, however, be used quite effectively, often with a feature approach.

What is born in dung, makes love in flight, has no sting, and doesn't travel before 10 in the morning? The love bug, that's what. The pesky, little, windshield-smearing, radiator-clogging love bug.

In Florida and other Gulf Coast states, love bugs are a semi-annual nuisance. This year they are like a plague. . .

7.      Avoid quotation leads.

Quotation leads, too, are cop-outs by lazy writers. Quotations rarely capture the essence of a news story in a succinct manner. Occasionally, however, a quote can provide a powerful opening:

"Dying is beautiful," Lyn Helton confided to her tape recorder, "even the first time around, at the ripe old age of 20." She made the comments two months ago, as bone cancer sapped her strength.

For most instances, however, rather than relying on a quotation, a reporter's paraphrase can brighten, shorten and clarify what the source said:

Children are not cocktails that need shaking to be good, a physician warns.

8.      Beware of "phrase" leads.

Not the greatest

At a meeting of ASB officers yesterday, the president resigned because he plans to graduate and enter college early.

Better

ASB President Ken Marshfield resigned yesterday, announcing he plans to graduate early and attend college.

Story 1

Dr Michael Kai is a scientist with the Papua New Guinea Department of Primary Industry. He has been working for ten years on a project to breed larger pigs. One of his pigs, an adult male, has been weighed at 350 kgs. This is the heaviest pig ever to have been bred in Papua New Guinea. Mr Kai hopes to use this animal to breed other very large pigs.

Story 2

A school bus ran off City Road in Suva, narrowly missed an electricity pole and came to rest in a garden. Most of the bus windows were smashed. There were more than 30 children on the bus. They were going to Martyr School. It was a 36-seater bus. All the children escaped serious injury. Some of them jumped out of the bus and grazed themselves. Eye-witnesses said the children were helped from the bus screaming and shouting and in a state of panic. This happened this morning.

TASK: Peer Editing & Review: Complete your second article (task #5 from last class) before the end of 7th period. If you finish early, you can begin your revision with your partner. See below:

1. Choose a partner to work with today.
2. Use Google or print out a copy of your work for your partner. Exchange papers.
3. Turn in a copy of your first draft to me (task #5 from last class...)
4. Edit and mark up mistakes or weak sections of your peer's article. See my tips and notes from above and suggest changes/edits to your peer's article. 
5. When you have completed your commentary/peer editing, hand the edited copy back to your partner.
6. Revise and edit your second article (task #5 from last class). 
7. Turn in your REVISED copy by the end of period 8. 

If you finish today before the period ends, please do the following:

• Complete your homework (see below)
• Make up any missing work

HOMEWORK: Read the rules of ethics for journalists. Consider reasons why journalists should follow an ethical code. We'll discuss this topic next class. Also:

• Check out the news: BBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, or NPR; Compare the day's top news topics by checking the headlines for each of the five major news networks linked. On YOUR blog: note patterns (which news articles are carried by all of the networks, which ones are unique, which articles are only carried as top news on certain networks, etc.) What bias or pattern or observations can you make as an informed young journalist about the delivery of top news items for the day. [Please indicate the date and time that you viewed these 5 networks--stories in the news tend to change rapidly...]

Leads (day 2); Active vs. Passive Voice; Article #2

Let's look at the leads for these three articles. Together, let's identify the lead.

TASK #2:
With a partner, choose two articles from an online news source and examine each article's lead. Write the headline, author, and the newspaper or source where you found the article, and write out the lead of the article. Finally, identify the type of lead used and explain whether or not the lead is effective or ineffective and why. Put both names on 1 answer sheet to turn in. [see post below for specific details!]

TASK #3

• Examine your own article (article #1) and identify the type of lead you used. Write the type of lead you used on the 2nd draft copy. 
• Revise your article. Revise your article to avoid common or ineffective errors like the models mentioned above. For example: Change passive voice to active voice. Clarify long sentences. Rewrite introductions. Rearrange your structure. Use the inverted pyramid structure to restructure your work. Call this draft your second draft (draft #2) and turn in WITH YOUR ORIGINAL. Note: your original draft should have your identified lead clearly marked.

Turn in your work (#2 & #3 and a copy of your 300-400 word article) by the end of class.

• If you need a reminder, watch and learn more about The inverted pyramid style here at the link. 

WRITING TIP: One way to make our writing better is to use active voice in our stories.

TASK #4: ACTIVE VOICE

The secret of active voice is to make the subject of the sentence perform the action. Make the subject act rather than be acted upon. What this means, for the most part, is that the person or thing doing the action appears first in the sentence.

Passive Voice has the subject acted upon. It is the opposite of active voice.

These sentences are written in passive voice:

• The match was won by senior Jake Standish.
• At dawn the crowing of the rooster was heard.
• The test was taken by all the French classes. 

Notice that the verbs (won, crowing, taken) are accompanied by a helping verb (was, in this case). This is a clue that you may be in passive voice.

When you see the main verb accompanied by was, were, is or are, make sure to evaluate whether it is written in active or passive voice. Find the person or thing doing the action, place it first in the sentence, and write a simple subject/verb sentence.

Caution: Just because a sentence contains is, are, was, or were does not necessarily mean it is in passive voice. For example, the sentence:

• Senior Susan Patterson is the winner of the speech contest.

is not passive voice. Also, be sure to distinguish between past tense and passive voice. The following sentence is past tense: Senior Susan Patterson was the winner of the speech contest.

These sentences are written in active voice:

• Senior Jake Standish won the match.
• The farmer heard the rooster crow at dawn.
• The rooster crowed at dawn.
• All French classes took the exam.

Active voice is important because:

1. Fewer words are used, so it is shorter and saves space. (Passive voice is often awkward.)
2. Each sentence is more crisp and forceful. (Passive voice robs a sentence of power.)

Acceptable Use of Passive Voice

Occasionally in journalistic writing, the situation calls for a passive voice verb. Injuries, deaths and natural disaster often fall into this category. In such instances, the passive voice is preferred because the subject has been the victim of the action. For example:

• The 12-year-old was kidnapped. The elderly woman was struck on her way home.
• Five children were trapped in the burning house.
• The special prosecutor was taken by surprise.

In such cases, those receiving the action are more important than those performing the action. 

ACTIVITY (Task #4): Please write out by hand the 5 of the following 10 sentences and change the passive voice to active. Turn in your work by end of class today for participation credit.

1. The instructions have been changed

Someone ________________ the instructions.

2. She will have to be taught.

Someone ________________________ her.

3. The car was manufactured in Japan by Toyota.

Toyota ________________________ this car in Japan.

4. It was wondered why the exercises had not been finished on time.

Why ____________________ the exericises finished on time?

5. Last year 2,000 new units had been produced by the time we introduced the new design.

We ________________________2,000 new units by the time we introduced the new design last year.

6. Casual clothes must not be worn.

You ________________________ casual clothes.

7. $400,000 in profit has been reported this year.

The company _________________________________$400, 000 in profit this year.

8. The test will be given at five o'clock this afternoon.

The school ___________________ the test at five o'clock this afternoon.

9. Students are required to wear uniforms at all times.

The school ___________________ students to wear uniforms at all times.

10. This rumor must have been started by competitors.

Our competitors _____________________ this rumor.


TASK #5 Article #2:

Let's add an inch. 400-500 word article #2

Write an article that you feel would appeal to the readers of a school newspaper. Research one of the following topics or brainstorm a topic of your own to write about. Use the links below to help you research, compile notes/sources, and write an article of 400-500 words that serves as one of the functions of journalism. Keep the information you've learned about active voice, leads, and the inverted pyramid style in mind as you write!:

• The RCSD New Releases
• SOTA performance schedule/news
• SOTA Athletics
• Teen Health Issues/Topics
• Teen Entertainment Ideas/Articles
• Food/Nutrition
• Science/Technology
• Sports News
• Local News (NBC), (ABC), (Fox)
• World News: Democracy Now!; CNN; BBC

Aim to complete your article by the end of class today. Note: please use single-space and two columns for your article. You may also fully justify your text. (full justify as opposed to left justify).

HOMEWORK: If you did not complete your 400-500 word article today, please complete on your own and turn in at the beginning of our next class.

Newspaper Article #1 - Due; Tips When Writing Journalism Articles; The Inverted Pyramid

Today, please turn in your homework (printed article and summary). During period 7, please complete your writing of your first newspaper article (300 word article). See below for details about the project:

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE #1

Golden journalist rule: One inch = about 30-35 words.

Today, complete the article from last class in the lab (period 7) that will be about 8-10 "inches" (300-400 words).

1. Use the link below to find a topic you would like to write about: [Choose ONLY one of the first 66 topics, please]

• http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/182-questions-to-write-or-talk-about/?_r=0

2. Make sure you attribute or cite your source(s).

3. Write your 300-400 word article by changing your paper to 2-columns (in other words, the writing should appear as two columns on the paper you hand in). Change your paper layout design to accommodate this.

4. Proofread and turn in when completed to complete this assignment.

Try the following template:

• Introduction (1st paragraph) 3 sentences (your hook, your lead-in, and your thesis). 
• 2nd paragraph (3 sentences): a hook (topic sentence), an example, and a concluding statement summing up sentence 1 & 2. This should connect somehow to your introduction.
• 3rd paragraph (3-4 sentences): 3-4 sentences connected to the 2nd paragraph to further discussion of the topic/thesis of the article. This might be a good place to put your facts, details, etc.
• 4th paragraph (2 sentences): concluding statement & last, but not least, a restatement of your claim (thesis) and perhaps a reason we should care. 

Period 8:

How to Write an Effective Lead:

The opening of a news story is called the lead. It is usually one paragraph, and sometimes only one sentence. The typical lead is called a summary lead or straight summary lead, and it summarizes the story; it tells the entire story in miniature as specifically and concisely as possible. The journalist's goal, as a general rule, is to write a clear, fairly short sentence that reveals all the important facts/details of the story--this would include telling the end result of the story as well. A reader should be able to read the lead and be informed about what happened without reading the rest of the story. This is occasionally what happens when people read newspapers and magazines.

A news story essentially has two parts, the lead, which gives the gist of the story, and the body, which adds details which expands on information given in the lead. The body is written in inverted pyramid style (see details below): short paragraphs in descending order of importance.

A summary lead should answer two or more of the 5W's and H: who, what, when, where, why and how. Include those that are important to inform the reader and to tell the story clearly. Usually, however, the lead will include, as a minimum, the who, what and when.

In deciding what to include in the lead, ask yourself: What is the first question a reader would ask? What is the first thing you would tell another person about the situation or event? This is often called the news peg; it is the reason for writing the story. In other words, it is the aspect that makes an event or occurrence newsworthy. See previous post for details about newsworthiness. Your lead might also focus on what journalists call the whammy, which is a fact or facts that make the story unique.

When writing the lead, you should attempt to feature the feature: put the most important aspect or main point first in the paragraph. Grab the reader's attention with the news immediately, without making your reader read through introductory words to find out what happened. This isn't radio or television news, where the reporter may slide into the heart of the story after an introductory sentence or two, which may be necessary so the listener will not miss important information. The written news story needs no such prompt, and if you slide into the story slowly you'll lose your reader. Newspaper readers expect to be informed about what happened immediately--no beating around the bush here.

In general, Leads should:

• open with bright, interesting, colorful nouns and verbs 
• be brief (often only 20-30 words) 
• be, for the most part, one sentence in length 
• be concise, specific, and to the point 
• effectively summarize the story 
• "feature the feature" (see details above)
• include attribution (the source) if needed for credibility 
• give the title or position for any person mentioned 
• should not include personal pronouns such as "we" and "you" 
• should not include a reporter's opinion. News articles are not an editorial. Ever. Keep your own opinions to yourself. [note: we will be practicing the editorial and review later in this course!]

FEATURE THE FEATURE

Depending on what you decide is most important, any one of the 5W's or H could be featured, which means it is placed first in the opening sentence. Take a look at the following facts:

Who: Washington television station
What: withdrew from a project to construct a 1,200-foot television transmitting tower
When: today
Where: in Silver Spring
Why: declining revenues
How: board of directors decided

The lead might read: A Washington television station announced its withdrawal today from a project to construct a 1,200-foot television transmitting tower in Silver Spring.

Whichever of the 5W's is mentioned first is featured in the lead.

• When the who is featured, it is called a name lead. The example above is a name lead. It features the Washington television station. 
• When the what is featured, it is called an event lead. Ex. Withdrawal from a project to construct a 1,200-foot television tower in Silver Spring was announced today by a Washington television station. This lead, however, is awkward because it is in passive voice; in other words, the one doing the action (the Washington television station) is at the end of the sentence as the object. Active voice requires that the subject of the sentence is doing the action, which means placing it first in the sentence, as in the original example. 
• When the when is featured, it is called a time lead. Ex. Today a Washington television station announced its withdrawal from a project to construct a 1,200-foot television transmitting tower in Silver Spring. 
• When the where is featured, it is called a place lead. Ex. A Silver Spring project to construct a 1,200-foot television transmitting tower was canceled today by a Washington television station. This, too, is passive rather than active voice. Avoid writing in the passive voice. 
• When the why is featured it is called a cause lead. Ex. Because of declining revenues, a Washington television station announced its withdrawal today from a project to construct a 1,200-foot television transmitting tower in Silver Spring. 
• When how is featured, it is called a manner lead. Ex. After a decision by the board of directors of a Washington television station, a project to construct a 1,200-foot television transmitting tower in Silver Spring has been canceled.

The most used openings for leads are the who and the what. The least used or weakest leads are where and when. Rarely are place and time the most important aspects of the story, although they are usually included in the lead paragraph.

Below are examples of leads which feature the various 5W's & H. The words that make up the "W" that is featured are in boldface type.

EXAMPLES. PLEASE READ & NOTE:

WHO (name lead)

• "Many gay and bisexual teens know plenty about AIDS and still don't protect themselves against the disease, two studies indicate." 
• "A railroad worker threw a switch too soon and sent an Amtrak passenger train crashing head-on into a parked freight train, killing two people and injuring 44 others, investigators said Saturday." (However, even though this begins with the who, the lead co-features the why, the cause of the train wreck.)
• "Reckless drivers who don't seem to be drunk may well be high on cocaine or marijuana, according to roadside tests that indicate drugs may rival alcohol as a hazard on the highway."

WHAT (event lead)

• Jars and cans tumbled off store shelves and telephone poles swayed when an earthquake that was a "real good shaker" rumbled through Central California yesterday. 
• A pack of wild monkeys terrorized a seaside resort town south of Tokyo last week, attacking 30 people and sending eight of them to the hospital with bites. (This also co-features the who or NAME LEAD.)
• A would-be victim turned the tables on a suspected burglar early Sunday, sending him running from her house with a bullet wound to his chest, police said. (This also CO-features the who or NAME LEAD.)

WHY (cause lead)

• With more amateurs cutting wood for use as an alternative to high-priced heating oil, hospitals are coping with an increasing number of injuries due to chain-saw accidents, reported the American College of Surgeons.
• Two railway technicians who overlooked a wheel problem may be charged with negligent manslaughter in Germany's worst rail disaster, a news magazine reported Saturday. (This also co-features the who or NAME LEAD.)

HOW (manner lead)

• Louisiana-Pacific Corp. plans to sell seven out-of-state lumber mills and expand production at 17 others in order to boost output by up to 40 percent. (The how in this lead is also the what or EVENT LEAD.)

Examples of when and where leads (time and place) are not given here because you should avoid using them. Professionals avoid them, so examples are hard to find.

We can learn how to "feature the feature" and avoid other mistakes by looking at examples of poorly written leads. Here are a few examples of the kinds of things to avoid:

• Ineffective: Sen. Robert Brown spoke to the assembled student body of Oakdale High School at 3 p.m. in the high school gym.
• Who spoke is usually secondary in importance to what was said. And, the mechanical details -- time, date and place -- do not necessarily have to be included in the lead, since the event has already taken place. They can be worked in later, perhaps the second or third paragraph. "Assembled student body" is a burdensome, unnecessary phrase, and "high school" is used twice in one paragraph. Avoid repetition.

• Ineffective: At 3 p.m., March 18, in the high school gym, Robert Brown spoke.
• Time and date (the when angle) are almost never important enough to merit first consideration in the lead, yet they are often used to kick off a speech story. The heart of this story is not included in the lead at all. Note, too, that in this reference the title for Robert Brown (senator) has been omitted. Titles should always be included on the first mention of an individual in the story.

• Ineffective: To further our interest in ecology, Sen. Robert Brown spoke today in the high school gym.
• The 'why' angle is usually not the most important aspect of a story and, therefore, it seldom works as the take-off point for a news story. Also, the use of second person (our), unless it's in a direct quotation, should be avoided in news writing.

• Ineffective: Last Friday, March 18, all of the sophomore, junior and senior students assembled in the gymnasium. After Student Body President Gary Winchman led the students in the flag salute, Vice Principal Barry Jones presented Sen. Robert Brown, who talked about ecology.
• This lead is filled with details that don't belong. It is basically written in chronological order rather than focusing on the "feature." It is dull, too long, and needs severe copy editing. In fact, it needs complete rewriting. It is also more than one sentence; most leads can be written as one smooth, flowing sentence.

• Ineffective: "We must clean up our rivers and streams and get the internal combustion machine out of the automobile and sit hard on the Food and Drug Administration to remove additives from our foods if we are ever going to clean up the air we breathe and make our world a pleasant place to live in again," stated Robert Brown, senator, to the assembled student body of Oakdale High School on Friday, March 18, in the gym at 3 p.m.
• The quotation is too long, covers too many subjects for the lead. In addition, mechanical details such as date and time can be worked in later. Since the event has already happened it is not necessary to tell the readers the place and exact time in the lead. "Stated" is a stuffy, greatly over-used word for attribution. Save it for quoting material from official documents rather than people.

TASK #1: Peruse a copy of The City. Identify and list the title of the article for each of the following typical sections in a newspaper. Try to identify and notice the following types of articles:

• Letters to the editor
• An editorial
• The feature 
• World news
• Local news
• Food/Theater/Film/Entertainment/Sports/Art review(s)
• Classified ads
• Advertisements
• Comic(s) (entertainment)
• Crosswords/jumbles/Sudoku puzzles (entertainment)

TASK #2:
With a partner, choose two articles from an online news source and examine each article's lead. Write the headline, author, and the newspaper or source where you found the article, and write out the lead of the article. Finally, identify the type of lead used and explain whether or not the lead is effective or ineffective and why. Put both names on 1 answer sheet to turn in.

TASK #3

• Examine your own article and identify the type of lead you used. Write the type of lead you used on the copy. 
• Revise your article. Revise your article to avoid common or ineffective errors like the models mentioned above. For example: Change passive voice to active voice. Clarify long sentences. Rewrite introductions. Rearrange your structure. Use the inverted pyramid structure to restructure your work. Call this draft your second draft (draft #2) and turn in WITH YOUR ORIGINAL. Note: your original draft should have your identified lead clearly marked.

Turn in your work (tasks #1, #2 & #3 and your 300-400 word article) by the end of class.

• Watch and learn more about The inverted pyramid style here at the link. 

HOMEWORK: None. Please take a look at the inverted pyramid style for news writing. In general, use this format when writing your own articles.