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An '''excellent''' journalist will take the extra step for '''professionalism in reporting, with consideration for truth, fairness, balance, decency and ethics'''. He will spend '''many hours researching his subject of choice'''. If you cannot do this, you might not be a successful journalist.
An '''excellent''' journalist will take the extra step for '''professionalism in reporting, with consideration for truth, fairness, balance, decency and ethics'''. He will spend '''many hours researching his subject of choice'''. If you cannot do this, you might not be a successful journalist.
==Tips for writing==
Qualities that most news stories must possess:
* Topicality (is the subject interesting?; is it current?)
* Completeness (document the who, what, where, when, how; and if possible, why)
* Accuracy (use at least two distinct sources for each fact you report)
* Impartiality (interview all sides)
* Verifiability (name sources where possible)
Skills
* research
** interviews
** going under cover
** documentation
** short-hand
** background reading
* composition/recording
* publishing
===Seven tips on better writing===
In the 1946 book, ''[[w:Shooting an Elephant|Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays]]'', author [[w:George Orwell|George Orwell]] devised 6 easy tips to make anyone a better writer. To paraphrase him, they are:
#Never use the passive voice when you can use the active voice.
#Shorter is better in sentences and paragraphs. If it is possible to remove a word from a sentence, cut it.
#Shorter is better in word choice. Never use a long word when a short word will do.
#Do not confuse your reader with uncommon words. Never use foreign phrases, scientific jargon or high-tech "buzzwords" if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
#Never use cliché metaphors, similes or other figures of speech that you are used to seeing in print. Be original.
#Be polite — even when you disagree. Break any of the above rules before you write anything offensive or outrageous. Avoid personal attacks, do not exaggerate the situation, and do not use sarcasm or [[w:hyperbole|hyperbole]]. Otherwise, you risk losing credibility in the eye of the reader.
#It is important to capture the most important facts in a new article before divulging into the details. Some readers will only have time to check the first paragraph or so of a news article ([[w:Inverted pyramid|Inverted pyramid]] style).


==Courses==
==Courses==
[[How to write a featured Article]]
[[How to write a featured Article]]


===See also===
==Stream==
*[[b:How To Run A Newspaper]]
[[Journalism Stream]]


==Topics==
==Topics==
*[[Topic:Science journalism|Science journalism]]
* [[Topic:Science journalism|Science journalism]]
*[[Topic:Photojournalism|Photojournalism]]
* [[Topic:Photojournalism|Photojournalism]]


==Participants==  
==Participants==  
 
The history of the School of Journalism page can help indicate who the active participants are. If you currently are or are planning to become a participant here at the School of Journalism, you may list your name here.  This may help the School grow and may help the Participants communicate better.   
*The history of the School of Journalism page indicates who the active participants are.
# [[User:Kent|<b>Dennis L. Kent</b>]] [[User_talk:Kent|<sup><span style="color: #FF9933;">(talk)</span></sup>]] Date: [[w:2007|2007]]-[[w:April 27|04-27]] ([[w:April 27|April 27]], [[w:2007|2007]]) Time: 165001 [[w:UTC|UTC]]   
 
*If you are or are going to become a Participant in the School of Journalism, you may list your name here.  This may help the School grow and may help the Participants communicate better.   
 
*Participants:
 
#[[User:Kent|<b>Dennis L. Kent</b>]] [[User_talk:Kent|<sup><span style="color: #FF9933;">(talk)</span></sup>]] Date: [[w:2007|2007]]-[[w:April 27|04-27]] ([[w:April 27|April 27]], [[w:2007|2007]]) Time: 165001 [[w:UTC|UTC]]   
# [[User:Thunderhead|Thunderhead]] 09:49, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
# [[User:Thunderhead|Thunderhead]] 09:49, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
#[[User:FWN|FWN]]
# [[User:FWN|FWN]]
 
===Stream===
[[Journalism Stream]]


==Wikinews==
==Wikinews==
[[Wikinews]] is a great place to hone your journalistic skills in a live public, neutral environment. Unlike many citizen journalism sites, Wikinews is written in the Neutral Point of View (NPOV), which means reporters there often strive for '''professionalism in reporting, with consideration for truth, fairness, balance, decency and ethics'''. There are regular reporters there, which are often credited for their work.
[[Wikinews]] is a great place to hone your journalistic skills in a live public, neutral environment. Unlike many citizen journalism sites, Wikinews is written in the Neutral Point of View (NPOV), which means reporters there often strive for '''professionalism in reporting, with consideration for truth, fairness, balance, decency and ethics'''. There are regular reporters there, which are often credited for their work.


*[[wikinews:Main Page|Wikinews]]
* [[wikinews:Main Page|Wikinews]]


Some Wikinews on-going projects you might be interested in:
Some Wikinews on-going projects you might be interested in:
*[http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Video_2.0 Wikinews:Video_2.0]
* [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Video_2.0 Wikinews:Video 2.0]
*[http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Audio Audio Wikinews]
* [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Audio Audio Wikinews]
*[http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Original Reporting Original Reporting]
* [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Original Reporting Original Reporting]


== Style Guides ==
==See also==
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide/ The Guardian] (newspaper)
* [[Wikibooks:How To Run A Newspaper]]
* [http://www.economist.com/research/StyleGuide/ The Economist] (weekly)
* [[Tips for journalistic writing]]
* [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/WN:SG Wikinews] (online wiki newspaper)
* [http://bailiwick.lib.uiowa.edu/journalism/journalists.html Other resources] (from the University of Iowa)


==External links==
==External links==
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* [http://www.newsu.org/ News University] ''Free online courses on various journalism topics''
* [http://www.newsu.org/ News University] ''Free online courses on various journalism topics''
* [http://www.journalism.co.uk Journalism UK] -''Journalism news, training, events and jobs, for journalists''
* [http://www.journalism.co.uk Journalism UK] -''Journalism news, training, events and jobs, for journalists''
=== Style Guides ===
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide/ The Guardian] (newspaper)
* [http://www.economist.com/research/StyleGuide/ The Economist] (weekly)
* [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/WN:SG Wikinews] (online wiki newspaper)
* [http://bailiwick.lib.uiowa.edu/journalism/journalists.html Other resources] (from the University of Iowa)
[[Category:Pages needing cleanup after Import]]
[[Category:Pages needing cleanup after Import]]
[[Category:Journalism]]
[[Category:Journalism]]

Revision as of 03:21, 17 November 2007

A journalist is generally understood to be one who communicates objective truth about current topics to an interested but critical audience. A good journalist is one who realizes that the objective truth is unobtainable.

A journalist must understand the medium he works in. For instance, a newspaper reporter will write in correct English.

An excellent journalist will take the extra step for professionalism in reporting, with consideration for truth, fairness, balance, decency and ethics. He will spend many hours researching his subject of choice. If you cannot do this, you might not be a successful journalist.

Courses

How to write a featured Article

Stream

Journalism Stream

Topics

Participants

The history of the School of Journalism page can help indicate who the active participants are. If you currently are or are planning to become a participant here at the School of Journalism, you may list your name here. This may help the School grow and may help the Participants communicate better.

  1. Dennis L. Kent (talk) Date: 2007-04-27 (April 27, 2007) Time: 165001 UTC
  2. Thunderhead 09:49, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
  3. FWN

Wikinews

Wikinews is a great place to hone your journalistic skills in a live public, neutral environment. Unlike many citizen journalism sites, Wikinews is written in the Neutral Point of View (NPOV), which means reporters there often strive for professionalism in reporting, with consideration for truth, fairness, balance, decency and ethics. There are regular reporters there, which are often credited for their work.

Some Wikinews on-going projects you might be interested in:

See also

Style Guides