Elements of A News Story

ELEMENTS OF A NEWS STORY
1. Timeliness. Based on the idea that news is something you didn’t know before which is significant
or interesting to a group of readers, news items are basically timely or immediate. In other words,
items are fresh and new as usually indicated in the news by the use of words “today” or “yesterday”
or “at present time” and the use of the present tense in news headline as one principle in journalism.
Although news is basically timely, it may not be always new or fresh, for it can be the development
of an old event. There are news that are drawn from the historic past and are made to come alive by
playing on or reporting the newest angle or latest development of the story. For example: Jose P.
Rizal’s death in 1896 will always be presented on its newest angle as readers recall his death
anniversary.
2. Popularity. Popular or prominent persons, places, or events make news. Persons become popular
due to their position, rank, wealth, intellect, talent, skill, personality, and achievement. Well-known
places make news due to their tourism value, historical, political, economical, and social significance.
Popular events are usually those that involve a multitude of people or some well-known personalities
as in the case of the NBA games, Miss Universe Pageant, and film festivals. Most of the events or
activities or any gathering that involves the president of the country is newsworthy. Besides, the
president of a country is a significant figure and is undoubtedly a popular person. So even if the
incident is routinary like the raising of the flag, if the president of a country does it on a certain
occasion, it is a page one story.
3. Nearness. What readers consider interesting and important can be news but the degree of
interest and importance will vary from place to place and from one set of readers to another. What is
news in the province may not be news in Manila. What is important or interesting to high schoolers
may not be that significant to professionals or businessmen. Nearness to the event affects readers’
interest. Reports or events that happen nearest to the readers or to those that directly involve them
will be most interesting to them. However, nearness is not merely physical, it can also be emotional.
As such news in Japan will be more of interest to the Japanese than to the Filipinos. But a report on
the life of Filipinos in America will be interesting to the people of the Philippines because of family
ties or emotional links. The election of a Filipino-American lawyer, Ben Cayetano, as governor of
Hawaii has dramatically touched the Filipino nation as the story was prominently displayed on page
one of the local papers.
4. Conflict. Events of ideas that involve physical or mental struggle, though these are not
encouraged, would make news. These range from wars, rebellion, crimes, chaos, duel, or fist fight,
and from games, competitions and even writing contests. As the various elements or criteria overlap,
one event may have two or more elements portrayed as in a “word war” of two prominent
personalities on a very significant issue. For this example of event, there are at least three dominant
elements reflected: conflict, popularity or prominence, and significance.
5. Significance. Persons, places, events, or things that are of value, use, and significance are
necessarily interesting to a set of readers. The reading public has to be warned of an approaching
typhoon, an impending war, rise in prices of commodities and services, and bandits at large, even of
new tax exemptions or measures. If it is worthknowing, then that must be news. Why should people
be informed of such events of significance? It is because the newspapers has to serve the public and
make people be more prepared and better equipped to face the trying times and life’s difficulties and
tragedies.
6. Unusualness. Anything that deviates from the normal or usual flow of happenings attracts
attention and, therefore, to some extent, are of interest to readers. The writer’s watchful eye, nose
for news, and keen senses are for catching the peculiar, the special, the odd, the unique, the
different, the rare, and the bizarre. Of course, you have heard of the Siamese twins, the mudfish
baby with human lips, the three-legged cock, and thing like one for Ripley’s.
7. Emotions. Events, situations or ideas that cater to the emotions of people(not only those that
tickle the minds), also make news. The poor, the street children, the disabled, the sick, — AIDS
victims, are subject of emotional news reporting. Human interest situations draw various feelings
from readers. Such may make the readers do something about some particular tragic events. For
instance, reports on the victims of earthquakes influence readers to react to some charitable knocks
to their hearts. Dramatic events like suicide, coup de tat, massacre, or hunger strikes appeal to the
emotions of people, and are, therefore, newsworthy.
Page One
8. Gender. Newspapers cater to different groups of readers due to the varying interests and
activities of men, women, and “in betweens”. A news is created when women invade men’s usual
territories or vice-versa. Like when women first went into space exploration, or when a woman ruled
a nation or when men dominated the cuisine and even reigned the laundering which society
considers places for women. Example: When former President Corazon Aquino became the first
Philippine woman president and when she was subsequently chosen as Time Magazine’s Woman of
the Year, these two instances made big events for newspapers.
9. Progress. Reports on progress, whether physical, mental, economic, emotional, or social,

constitute good news. Newspapers carry both good and bad news, for people learn from both events.
It is just sad to note that generally speaking, some newspapers if not all the local papers consider
“bad news as news”and “good news as no news.” The advent of development communication in the
Philippine setting is good news. More developed countries in Asia like Singapore, Malaysia, and
Thailand practised development journalism in such a way that freedom of the press is utilized in
support to the economic growth of the country as in writing articles to support government programs
aimed at improving the quality of life of the people is a healthy measure for the Philippines media to
practice.
10. Change. Changes that affect the majority or certain groups of people make news. Some of these
changes are change in administration and policies, change of name or popular places or events,
changes of weather, fluctuating rates of exchange, change of partners of party mates, change of
schedule or postponement and other major or even insignificant changes that may pave way for big
events. While some changes are unexpected, there are also expected ones.
11. Names and Numbers. Figures, statistics, numbers, and series of names also make news. Many
names would also make many readers. Numbers or figures are parts of reports on a good number of
newsworthy events like election results, scores in games, ratings in examinations, and percentage of
passing, vital statistics for beauty pageants, number or fatalities or casualties in catastrophes,
accidents, and battles; prices of goods and services, increase in salaries, and other events that deal
with figures. Names and numbers usually come together for these are two basic facts that reporters
need to complete their news stories.
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THE 6 MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWS

TIMELINESS
If it happened today—rather than yesterday—it just might be news.
Journalists stress current information—stories occurring today or yesterday, not several weeks
ago—and try to report it ahead of their competitors. When reporting a story that occurred even
hours earlier, journalists look for fresh angles and new details around which to build their stories.
If background is necessary, they usually keep it to a minimum and weave it throughout the story
IMPACT
If it affects readers—physically or emotionally—it just might be news.
Reporters stress important information that has an impact on their audience: stories that affect,
involve or interest thousands of readers or viewers. Tax increases that take money from my
paycheck matter more than tax increases that don’t.
PROMINENCE
If it happened to a recognizable person, it just might be news.
If a plumber catches a cold, no one cares, except that person’s friends and family. If the U.S.
president catches a cold, the stock market could lose 500 points.
PROXIMITY
If it happened in a place that readers feel a connection to—someplace they feel
allied with, rather than some “faraway” place—it just might be news.
The closer an event is to home, the more newsworthy it becomes: a hurricane in New Orleans
matters more than an earthquake in Pakistan. However, proximity can be psychological: stories in
Iraq feel “close to home” because America has troops there, so an explosion there is “local,”
while an explosion in, say, Yemen, is not.
SINGULARITY (AKA NOVELTY)
If something has never happened before, it just might be news.
Deviations from the normal—unexpected or unusual events, conflicts or controversies, drama or
change—are more newsworthy than the commonplace.
CONFLICT OR CONTROVERSY
If somebody is struggling with a problem, it just might be news.
Two people arguing about a social issue is more newsworthy than two people who agree about
that issue. The tension between the subjects creates the conflict that often makes a story dramatic
and interesting to read. While conflict between groups can be viewed as negative news, it often
provides readers and viewers with different opinions about policies and problems
Writing Story structure
You have several options when it comes to the structure of your story. You can choose a chronological order, where you
present the key events in your story as they occurred. It is more likely, though, that you will use one of the three
traditional news forms: the inverted pyramid, the narrative or the hourglass.
1. The most popular structure for news stories is the inverted pyramid. In the inverted pyramid, the information is
arranged in descending order of importance. The most important material is placed at the beginning of the story, and
less important material follows. Succeeding paragraphs explain and support the lead.
2. The inverted pyramid is popular because it still serves readers well. It tells them quickly what they want to know. It
also serves the reporter by forcing her to sharpen her news judgment, to identify and rank the most important elements
of the story.
3. But the inverted pyramid has big disadvantages. Although it delivers the most important news first, it does not
encourage
good writing. Many times stories do not have an ending crafted by the writer; they simply end. There is no suspense.
Reporters tend to lose interest, time and energy. Writing in the second half of the story is casual at best, and poor at
worst.
4. One alternative to the inverted pyramid is narration or story telling. Narration uses scenes, anecdotes and dialogue to
build to a climax. People are prominent in the story, and they are responsible for the action. The story has a beginning,
middle and end. Quotations sound like real speech. The words and actions of the characters reveal motives.
5. A third story structure, the hourglass, combines some of the best elements of both the inverted pyramid and the
narrative. It consists of three parts: a top, which tells the news quickly; the turn, a nimble transition; and the narrative, a
chronological retelling of events. The hourglass works well with police stories, courtroom dramas and other incidents
that lend themselves to chronological narration. The hourglass has several advantages: Readers get the news high in the
story; the writer gets to use storytelling techniques; and it encourages a real ending.
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Writing
The news lead—part 1
A good news story, unlike the novel or play, is based on one main idea. That is why it is so important to decide on a focus
and stick to it. A well-focused article tells your reader that you worked from a plan. It gives the reader a sense of
completeness, a sense that you know what you are doing.
1. In deciding on this focus, you also are working on your lead. By asking yourself about the main theme for your story,
you are deciding how to begin, for often the two—a statement of theme and a lead—are one and the same.
2. To help you decide on this theme, sometimes it helps to try the "tell-a-friend" technique. Imagine your friend asking,
"What's your story about?" Answer that question in one sentence that captures the essence of the entire story.
3. Now try to refine your answer so it can do two things. It

should capture the essence of your story and do so in a way
that encourages the reader to continue. It is your promise to the reader of what is to come. It is your lead.
4. After reading the lead, your reader makes a critical decision: Shall I read on? You have little time, according to Donald
Murray, author of Writing for Readers. "Three seconds and the reader decides to read or move on to the next story,"
Murray said. "That's all the time you have to catch the reader's glance and hold it; all the time you have to entice and
inform."
5. Think of the lead as a baited hook that lures the reader into the story. Think economy. Imagine you are writing the
lead while seated on a hot stove, or carving it into a block of oak. Make each word count and include no extra words.
One writer said she writes a lead as if each word cost her $10.
6. There are two main types of leads: direct or delayed. The direct lead reveals immediately what the story is about. It is
the summary or statement of the most important events contained in the story. It is the climax, the result of the
investigation, the theme. If you told a joke as you wrote a direct lead, you would place the punch line first.
7. The direct lead—also called the summary lead—is usually one sentence, but sometimes two. It answers immediately,
in 25 words or less, the main questions of who, what, when and where. It is the workhorse of daily journalism, used at
the top of most stories.
8. The best direct leads start with a compelling noun and a strong verb, not with a prepositional phrase. William
Caldwell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, recalled the best lead he ever heard. The year was 1922. "I was on my way
home from school and my stint at the local weekly. My little brother came running to meet me at the foot of the street.
He was white and crying. A telegram had come to my mother. 'Pa drowned this morning in Lake George,' my brother
gasped. I was ashamed to admit my inner response. Before I could begin to sense sorrow, despair, horror, loneliness and
anger, before all the desolation of an abandoned child could well up in me, I found myself observing that the sentence
my brother had just uttered was the perfect lead. Noun, verb, period, and who-what-when-where to boot."
9. There is a second type of lead that is used mostly on feature stories. It is the delayed or feature lead. It usually sets a
scene or evokes a mood with an incident, anecdote or example. The writer may foreshadow events to come or create a
sense of foreboding or anticipated surprise. Essential information is temporarily withheld. The writer teases before she
pleases.
10. The delayed lead can be short, perhaps two sentences, or it can be longer, up to four paragraphs. The delayed lead
still must fulfill the two roles of the lead: It must capture the essence of the story and do it in a way that encourages the
reader to continue. Like the direct lead, it leads the reader straight to the heart of the story. Good leads are like good
titles: they shine a flashlight down into the story.
11. When the lead is delayed and does not immediately explain
the main point of the story, it is important to include the theme statement somewhere high in the story, usually within
the first
four paragraphs. If you ask the reader to wait before he learns what the story is about, be sure to reward him with a
clear
statement of purpose, also known as a nut graph.
12. Leads must be honest. They should never promise what does not follow in the story. Don't begin with a startling or
sensational anecdote if it is not organically related to the theme. As writer John McPhee said, "A lead should not be
cheap, flashy, meretricious, blaring a great fanfare of trumpets, and then a mouse comes out of its hole."
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Writing
The rest of the story
We've talked about the lead. Now let's talk about the rest of the story—the middle and end.
1. The real strength of your story will come from the details that back up the promise of the lead. This is the
background material, the examples and quotes, the things you have observed, the explanations and definitions
and the sense of history. These are the parts that lend meaning and significance to the event or person you are
writing about.
2. You can build strength and interest in the middle of the story in a number of ways. Some of them are:
a. Raise a question or a dilemma in one paragraph and answer it in the next. Elaborate on this cause and effect
by using examples or quotes.
b. Introduce background with phrases such as "previously," "in the past" or "two months ago." Put this
information in several sections rather than one big block.
c. Repeat a word or phrase from one paragraph to the next.
d. Use parallel structure. Use the same grammatical order in succeeding sentences or place the same number of
sentences in succeeding paragraphs.
e. Vary sentence length. Follow a long sentence with a short one.
f. Use anecdotes. You used one in the lead, try it in the middle of the story. An anecdote within the story creates
momentum, pulling the reader through the copy.
g. Use dialogue. Let your readers hear two of your characters talking to one another.
h. Use a list to highlight the key points. For example, a court decision or the findings of a scientific study could
be summarized in a list.
3. Finally, we have come to the end of the story. Think of it as the lasting impression, the last song you heard on
the radio. The ending is often what the reader remembers most about the story, so end strong. The ending is so
important that you should know how you are going to end before you start.
4. Many writers save a good morsel for the end, perhaps their second-best quote. (The best quote would be used
near the top of the story.) Roger Simon, a columnist for The Baltimore Sun, switches his leads and endings to
see which works best in which spot.
5. The most common type of ending is the quote ending. Look for a quote that sums up the main idea of the
story. Another favorite is the circle end. In the circle end, you return to an idea expressed in the lead.
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Writing
The tools of the trade
When I first started as a reporter, I thought that the skills and structures used in writing a novel or play would apply to
writing a news story. I have since changed my mind. Now I believe, as Roy Peter Clark of The Poynter Institute for Media
Studies teaches, that there is a "language of journalism." News writing is unique in the following ways:
1. News writing is concrete and specific. At the St. Petersburg Times, they ask reporters to get "the name of the dog, the
brand of the beer, and the color and make of the sports car." The task of the writer, said Joseph Conrad, "is by the
power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel, to make you see."
2. News writing is front-loaded or top-heavy. The news writer makes meaning early with sentences that begin with
subjects and verbs. Subordinating elements follow in what scholars call "right-branching" sentences. Many writers, John
McPhee and Ernie Pyle come to mind, create page after page of
right-branching sentences, but with such variety in length and subordination that the effect is almost invisible.
3. News writing is plain. It is tough and muscular and free of clutter. "Good prose is like a window pane," said George
Orwell. The reader notices not the writing but the world. "We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular
constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon," said William Zinsser. The good writer avoids this clutter with a
meanness of attitude. "By meanness I don't refer to a harsh quality in my copy," said William Blundell. "I refer to an
attitude toward myself as I work. The mean storyteller becomes two people, acting alternately as he works. The first is
the sensitive artist-creator, the second the savage critic who eradicates every weakness in his creation. He is cruel and
hoots at affectations and pretty turns of phrase, passive constructions and wordiness. He is a rotten S.O.B., worse than
any editor who ever drew a breath, and he is an artist's best friend."
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Rewriting
Getting it right—part 1
You've spent hours gathering material and writing your story. Now it is time for the third step in the process—rewriting.
To illustrate the value of rewriting, imagine that you are suddenly asked to play third base for the Baltimore Orioles. You
have no training or experience in baseball, so the experiment is likely to be a disaster. But suppose you have expert
instruction and one month to prepare. Suppose someone hits you 1,000 grounders a day for that month. No doubt, after
this kind of practice, you will be much more successful.
1. So it is with writing. Writing takes practice. Your first draft will never be as good as your second draft, and the second
will never be as good as the third. Remember, there is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting. Or, as Roscoe
Born, former Wall Street Journal editor, said, "What you have written is only preparation for what you are going to
write." Here are some
ways to improve your first draft:
2. Read your story aloud. Reading aloud is a great way to test for clarity and grace. Are your sentences too long? Is a
paragraph confusing? Is your work conversational or stilted? "I read aloud so I can hear every word, can discover where
the little words bump into each other and destroy the rhythm," said Don Murray of The Boston Globe. Or as historian
Barbara Tuchman said, "After seven years' apprenticeship in journalism, I have discovered that an essential element for
good writing is a good ear. One must listen to one's own prose."
3. Check to make sure your sentences are not too long. Sentence length should vary, but the average should be below
25 words. Reader comprehension decreases as sentence length increases. Paula LaRocque of The Dallas Morning News
said, "The period is one of the clear writer's best friends." And Robert Gunning wrote, "I know of no author addressing a
general audience today who averages much more than 20 words per sentence and still succeeds in getting published."
4. Check your writing for clutter. Is your work full of twisted phrases, jargon, redundancies, long words where short ones
will do, unnecessary qualifiers and modifiers? The disease of American writing is clutter, said William Zinsser. Strip every
sentence to its cleanest components. The gardener knows that he must thin his plants after the first seedlings appear.
Otherwise, his entire crop will suffer. The same holds true for writing.
5. Make sure that you have used the subject-verb-object construction in most of your sentences. Avoid backing into
sentences with long dependent clauses, especially introductory ones. Roy Peter Clark calls this "throat-clearing." Get to
it.
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The traditional structure of news writing

THE 5Ws AND THE H
  Journalists are concerned with the 5Ws and the H (who did what, when, where, why and how). Any good
news article will provide answers to all of these. Practise finding the 5Ws and the H in the articles of your
choice. If one or more is missing suggest reasons that might explain why.    
THE INVERTED PYRAMID STYLE OF WRITING
  To illustrate the effect of this style choose an article and list the main facts in the order the reporter presents
them. Now rewrite the list in chronological order. Compare the two lists. Discuss the differences.    
ANGLES 
In news writing the angle is the approach taken in presenting a story. For example, in the story of Cinderella
there are many possible angles for a story:
 Prince meets love of life

 Stepsister treated brutally
 SPCA looks into maltreatment of mice
 Survey of citizens' shoe sizes has strange results
 Rags to riches story
 Palace Footmen's Union strike about overtime rates.
a. Find examples of different types of angles in your newspaper. Clip each article and alongside in your own
words explain what the angle is.  
b. Choose a topic for a news story such as a chemical spill. In groups discuss possible angles that could be taken
in presenting it. Report your group's angles back to the class. See how many the class came up with.  
c. For several chosen articles decide on other angles that could be taken in writing follow-up stories.    
INTROS 
The intro or introduction is the first sentence of a news story. The basic requirements of the intro are that it
should:  Grab the reader's attention
 Concentrate on the main news point (the 'what')

 Be short - no longer than 25 words
 Use active (Dog kills rat) not passive (Rat killed by dog) verbs.
 Be specific and clear
 Use simple language
Analyse a selection of intros in today's paper using the above criteria. How do they rate?   
'Hot 100' News Writing Tips
(Compiled by Sheryl Swingley)
LEAD
1. Keep leads short. Those with 35 words or less are preferred.
2. Leads limited to one or two sentences are preferred.
3. Avoid starting leads with "when" or "where" unless the time or place is unusual. Most leads start with "who"
or "what."
4. Avoid beginning leads with "there" or "this."
5. In leads about future events, the time, day (date) and place usually go at the end of the paragraph.
6. In leads about past events, the day (date) of the event usually appears before or after the verb. Sometimes the
day (date) comes at the end of the first sentence or the paragraph if it is a one-sentence lead.
7. Use quote and question leads sparingly.
8. The first five to "what happened" makes a better story than the fact it did.
BODY
9. Keep paragraphs short. Those limited to 60 words or less or no longer than 10 typeset lines are preferred.
10. Paragraphs limited to one to three sentences are preferred.
11. Each paragraph should contain only one idea.
12. Remember short paragraphs encourage readers to continue reading.
EDITING
13. Eliminate the word "that" whenever possible.
14. For past events, report it happened "Friday," NOT "last Friday." Eliminate the word "last." For future
events, report it will happen "Monday," NOT "next Monday." Eliminate the word "next."
15. Eliminate the "be" verb. Write "she will resign" instead of "she will be resigning. "Write in future tense
(will) instead of future progressive tense (will be "ing").
16. Eliminate words such as "when asked" and "concluded." These are weak transitions. Just report what was
said.
17. A long title should follow the name. A title that follows the name should be lowercased and set off in
commas. Shorter titles that precede names should be capitalized.
18. Avoid the contractions of he'd and they'd. "He'd" can mean both "he had" and "he would," and "they'd" can
mean both "they had" and "they would."
19. Always double-check the spelling of names.
20. Make sure numbers match the items listed.
21. Make sure "only" is placed properly in a sentence. The location of "only" can change the meaning of a
sentence.
22. Write. Rewrite. Revise. Rewrite. Revise. Edit. Revise. Edit. Edit. The first version of a story is NOT good
enough to go into print. Someone once said THERE IS NO GREAT WRITING, ONLY GREAT REWRITING.
23. Read the story out loud to catch awkward sentence constructions.
GRAMMAR
24. If "none" means "no one" or "not one," use a singular verb. Consult the AP Stylebook or Grammar for
Journalists for more information. Example: None was found guilty.
25. When you use a pronoun to refer to a team or a group, the proper pronoun to use is "its," NOT they.
Example: The team wants to improve its record.
26. Make sure verbs or other phrases are "parallel" or the same in structure when they appear in stories or list.
Examples: He likes gardening, fishing and hunting. The fire killed at least 12 persons, injured 60 more and
forced scores of residents to leap from windows.
27. Use THIRD PERSON (she, he, it, its, her, hers, him, his, they, them, their, theirs) in news stories. Only on
rare occasions do you use first person (I, mine, we, our, ours) or second person (you, your, yours) in news
stories.
28. When "either ... or" and "neither ... nor" are used, the verb agrees in person with the nearer subject.
Examples: Neither the coach nor the players are to blame. Neither the players nor the coach is to blame.
29. Use active voice vs. passive voice. The passive voice is formed by using some form of the verb "be" with
the past participle of an action verb: is shot, was shot, has been shot, had been shot, may be shot, will be shot.
The word "by" may also signal the sentence is written in passive voice. Rewrite sentences to eliminate the word
"by." Example: Passive voice ; The city was ordered by the judge to make the payment. Active voice ; The
judge ordered the city to make the payment.
MISCELLANEOUS
30. When something isn't clear, make a drawing of it. Putting it on paper can clarify the situation.
31. WHEN IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT. This has to do with questionable information that may be libelous,
incomplete information and information the writer does not have a clear understanding of.
NONSEXIST, NONAGEIST, NONDISCRIMINATORY COMMUNICATION
32. Avoid words that reinforce ageist, racial and ethnic stereotypes.
33. Avoid racial identification except when it's essential to communication.
34. Substitute asexual words for "man" words or sexist words.
NO YES
mankind
people, humanity, human beings,
...............................................
human race
man-made
synthetic, artificial, manufactured,
....................................................
of human origin
manpower
workers, work force, staff, personnel
....................................................
man-hours
work hours
....................................................
man-sized husky, sizable, large, requiring

.....................................................
exceptional ability
pioneers, colonists, patriots,

founding fathers forebears
...........................................
gentleman's agreement
informational agreement or contract
.................................
for the man on the way up

for the person or executive on
............................
his or her way up
for the lady of the house for the homemaker or consumer or

................................ head
of the household
anchorman
anchor
....................................................
advertising man advertising professional or

............................................ practitioner
chairman
chairperson
.......................................................
cleaning woman
housekeeper, custodian
............................................
Englishmen
the English
...................................................
fireman
firefighter
...........................................................
foreman
supervisor
........................................................
a man who
someone who
....................................................
man the exhibit

run the exhibit, staff the exhibit
..............................................
man of letters
writer
................................................
newsman
reporter
......................................................
postman
letter carrier
........................................................
policeman
police officer
....................................................
salesman
salesperson
.......................................................
stewardess
flight attendant
....................................................
self-made man
self-made person
..............................................
weatherman
meteorologist
..................................................
workman
worker
......................................................
the girls (for women over 18)

the women
......................
the little lady, the better half

wife
..........................
girl Friday
secretary, assistant, right hand
.....................................................
libber or women's lib feminist, liberationist, women's

.................................... movement
the ladies and the men the women and the men, the ladies
................................... and
the gentlemen, the girls and the

boys
(Note the parallelism in structures.)
man and wife

husband and wife
................................................
you and your wife

you and your spouse
.........................................
coed (for female students at a
coeducational school)
student
...................................
ladylike
well-mannered
.........................................................
housewife homemaker (for a person who

..................................................... manages a
home); in an economic sense,

consumer,
customer or shopper
career girl or career woman

refer to the woman's profession or
.........................
vocation ; Professor Jane Jones;
Kathy Smith, welder
35. Separate the person from the handicap. For more information, go to
www.easter.seals.org/resources/press/tips.asp.
NO YES
Mary, who had epilepsy, had no

Mary, an epileptic, had no trouble
trouble
doing her job. did her job.
The parents, each with some

The handicapped parents met to
handicap,
exchange ideas. met to exchange ideas.
The deaf accountant spotted the

The accountant spotted the error.
error.
36. Be respectful of persons with handicaps. For more information, go to

www.easter.seals.org/resources/press/tips.asp
NO YES
crippled impaired, limited, disabled or be

......................................................... specific -
paraplegic
deaf and dumb, deaf mute deaf, hearing and/or speech

............................. impaired
crazy, insane, dull, half-witted,

mentally ill, developmentally
retarded ........
disadvantaged, disabled or limited,

or
be specific - emotionally disturbed,
slow learner
fits, spells
seizures, epilepsy
......................................................
37. Use "he or she" or "she or he" for "he." If using "he or she" or "him or her" becomes cumbersome, consider
using a plural pronoun ; "they," "them," "their" or "theirs." Plural pronouns, however, are weaker than singular
ones.
ORGANIZATION
38. Make sure information introduced or outlined in the lead is covered in the same order in the body of the
story.
39. Avoid introducing new information at the end of a story. All aspects of a story should usually be introduced
or outlined in the first few paragraphs.
40. Transitions are necessary to show the reader that the writer has a sense of direction. A word, phrase,
sentence or paragraph can move the reader from one thought to another.
PARTS OF SPEECH
41. Avoid using "like" for "as." "Like" is a preposition and takes a noun or pronoun object. "As" is a
subordinate conjunction that introduces dependent clauses. Examples: It tastes like a peach. The one-time
millionaire now works from dawn to dusk, as he did in his youth.
42. Most adverbs are unnecessary. Redundant adverbs weaken strong verbs. Instead of "tightly clenched teeth,"
write "clinched teeth." Instead of "the radio blared loudly," write "the radio blared."
43. Most adjectives are unnecessary. The concept is oftentimes already in the noun. Use adjectives sparingly.
44. Choose verbs that suggest what they mean. "Active" verbs add pace, clarity and vigor to writing. Verbs are a
writer's most important tools. Avoid "be" verbs.
PUNCTUATION
45. Use a comma with "according to." Example: ... , according to the news release. According to John Jones, ... .
46. There is no comma between time, date and place. Example: The accident occurred at 4:32 a.m. Monday
one-half block north of Central Dairy on Third Street South.
47. When in doubt about the use of a comma, leave it out.
48. Avoid comma splices and comma blunders. If a comma is placed between the subject (noun) and predicate
(verb), it's called a "comma splice." Example: The Fountain of Youth, is not in Florida. (The comma is NOT
needed.) If two independent clauses are joined by a comma, this is a "comma blunder" or "comma fault."
Example: The Fountain of Youth is not in Florida, it's in Russia. (This is known as a run-on sentence. A period
or a semicolon should replace the comma. If a period is used, the "i" on "it's" also needs to be capitalized.)
49. A comma should precede "such as," "especially" and "including" when these words introduce examples.
Examples: The advertised price of the tour does not cover some personal expenses, such as laundry,
entertainment and tips. He likes fruit, especially oranges. In newswriting, students study various approaches to
writing, including the inverted pyramid, chronological, narrative, personalized and first-person. When "such as"
is used with a restrictive application, the comma is omitted. Example: Magazines such as these should be
thrown in the trash.
50. Quotation marks go outside commas (,") and periods (."). They go inside semicolons (";) and colons (":).
51. In a series, a comma is NOT needed before the "and." Example: red, white and blue.
52. The dash is a long mark (-- or ; ). There should be a space before and after the dash. The dash should be
used before words and sentences run as lists.
53. The hyphen is a short mark ( - ) and is used to divide words or to link hyphenated adjectives. Don't
hyphenate adverbs ending in "ly" with adjectives. Write "frequently misused words," NOT "frequently-misused
words."
54. Use an exclamation point in only the rarest of situations and only after brief interjections. Exclamation
points are "graphic tantrums" and sometimes demonstrate a lack of control on the writer's part. The order of the
words in a sentence should be arranged in such a way that they make the desired impression. Let the reader
decide if the content is humorous or exciting on his or her own.
QUOTES AND ATTRIBUTION
55. Use attribution only once per paragraph.
56. Attribution is needed when policy change statements are made, when opinions are expressed or when
"professional" opinions from physicians, scientists, engineers and others are used. Attribution is also needed
with direct quotations and indirect quotations (paraphrased information).
57. Attribution is NOT needed when facts are commonplace and not subject to dispute or when they are
accepted and historically true.
58. Attribution is usually noun + verb. Example: Jones said. It may be verb + noun when the source's title
follows his or her name. Example: ... ," said John Jones, chairman of the department of English.
59. Attribution should be placed at the end of the first sentence when the quote is made up of two or more
sentences.
60. When one quote follows another but the second one is from a different source, attribution for the second
quote should be placed at the beginning of it. This helps the reader know immediately that a different person is
speaking.
61. "Said" is the best word for attribution. Other words can be used, but they should accurately represent how
something is said.
62. Use past tense verbs (said vs. says) for attribution in news stories.
63. Let quotes begin the paragraph. Show them off. Quote marks attract the reader's eye. Use them to encourage
the reader to continue reading.
64. Avoid the use of partial quotes. Quote or paraphrase material. Don't mix the two.
65. Each time a different source is cited, start a new paragraph.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
66. Avoid using the same word twice in a sentence.
67. The optimum number of words to use in a sentence is 14 to 16. The average reader cannot comprehend a
sentence with more than 40 words.
68. When writing becomes cumbersome, turn one long sentence into two or three shorter ones.
69. If a long sentence must be used, place a short sentence before and after it.
70. Don't have more than three consecutive prepositional phrases in a sentence. Prepositional phrases start with
about, above, against, at, between, by, down, during, for, from, in, like, on, over, through, to, toward, under, up,
until, upon, with ...
71. Count the words in a story's sentences. Sentence length should vary. Stories become dull when sentences are
all the same length.
72. Don't start or end a sentence with "however." Start the sentence and then work "however" into it as soon as
possible. This word is intended to cause an interruption in thought.
SPELLING
73. Use "Spell Check" on the computer.
74. Consult a dictionary. (Webster New World Dictionary is the preferred reference.)
75. Ask for help. Public library information desk personnel can be resourceful and helpful. Don't call university
libraries for assistance.
STYLE
76. Consult the AP Stylebook and Libel Manual.
77. If the answer cannot be found in the AP Stylebook, consult a dictionary or a grammar book.
78. The order for writing when and where is time, day (date) and place.
79. Use the day of the week for six days before or after a specific day.
80. Use the date when it is seven or more days before or after a specific day.
81. On first reference, identify a person by his or her first and last names. On second reference, refer to the
person by his or her last name only. On second and all other references, you don't need Miss, Mrs., Ms. or Mr.
unless it's an obituary.
VOCABULARY
82. Use simple words. Never send the reader to the dictionary. Odds are the reader won't bother looking up the
definition.
83. Words such as "thing" and "a lot" annoy some readers, bosses and executives. Avoid using them. (Note the
correct spelling of "a lot.")
84. Be careful how the word "held" is used. Make sure the object can be "held" physically. Example: Weak ;
The meeting will be held at noon Monday in Anthony Administration Building, Room 125. Better ; The
meeting will be at noon Monday in ...
85. Avoid using words that qualify how someone feels, thinks or sees. "Little qualifiers" include the following:
a bit, a little, sort of, kind of, rather, around, quite, very, pretty, much, in a very real sense, somewhat.
86. Avoid technical jargon unless 95 percent or more of the readers will understand it. If technical jargon is
used and it won't be understood by the majority of readers, be sure to explain each term used.
87. Learn the difference between "affect" (usually a verb) and "effect" (usually a noun). Consult the AP
Stylebook or a dictionary for more information.
88. Never say "yesterday" or "tomorrow." These words are confusing to readers. Use the day of the week.
"Today" may be used.
89. Know the difference between its (no apostrophe for possessive pronoun) and it's (the contraction for it is).
Examples: The dog has a thorn in its (possessive pronoun) paw. It's (contraction) time to go.
90. Know when to use "their" (possessive pronoun), "there" (adverb) and "they're" (the contraction for they are).
Examples: It is their (possessive pronoun) project. The project is over there (adverb). They're (contraction)
working together on the project.
91. Know the difference between whose (possessive pronoun) and who's (the contraction for who is). Examples:
Whose (possessive pronoun) coat is this? Who's (contraction) going on the trip?
92. Know when to use "to" (preposition), "too" (adverb) and "two" (adjective). Examples: The advertising
group is going to (preposition) Indianapolis. The public relations group wants to go, too (adverb). Some
members are not going on the trip because it will take too (adverb) much time from their schedules. The two
(adjective) groups will go to Indianapolis.
93. A person dies "unexpectedly," "apparently of a heart attack," "after a brief illness," "after a long illness," "of
injuries suffered or sustained," "following or after an operation" or "of a disease."
94. In connection with suicides, it is best to say the person was "found dead" or "fell or plunged to his or her
death" until the coroner completes his or her investigation. When suicide is reported, used died by suicide vs.
committed suicide. For more guidelines on reporting and writing about suicide, go to
www.suicidology.org/media/7.html.
95. In connection with arrests, write "arrested in connection with," "sought in connection with," "charged with"
or "arrested on charges of." If a confession is involved but the confession has not been admitted as evidence in
court, report only that the prisoner "has made a statement."
96. Injuries are "suffered or sustained," NOT received.
97. With murder, arrests are made "in connection with the death of." It should not be reported that a victim was
murdered until someone is convicted of the crime. In obituaries, it may be said the victim was "killed" or
"slain."
98. Remember two objects must be moving to "collide." If a vehicle runs into a parked one or an object, say the
vehicle "struck" the stationary one.
99. Sometimes information cannot be verified. If doubt exists regarding a person's name, report the person "was
listed by police as John Smith" or he "gave his name as John Smith." If a person is dead or unconscious and
there is no identification, he or she is "unidentified," NOT unnamed. If there are questions about where a person
lives, report "address not given" or "address unknown."
100. With fires, a building is "destroyed," NOT completely destroyed. Buildings also are damaged "lightly,"
"moderately" or "heavily." A fire may "gut" or "destroy" the interior of a building. To raze a building is to level
it to the ground.
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TIPS IN NEWSWRITING
1. Use the 3rd person point of view

Unlike in feature writing where one can use the 1st person, 2nd, and 3rd approach, news stories should be in
the 3rd person only because news are events that are reported to the people basically for information.
Example:
“Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino was laid to rest, Aug. 5, which was made as national holiday to
give chance to all Filipinos to sympathize with the bereaved family and to ponder on the legacy of faith and
freedom left by Cory to the nation.”
NOT this: (2nd person)

“You must have attended President Cory’s funeral, one significant event in Philippine history. (except when the
story is a news feature.)
NOT this: (1st person)

“I tied a yellow ribbon to each post in my house as my unique way of expressing my sentiments and
appreciation for what Cory has done for the country.”
This could be a part of a diary or if it were a quoted remark, source should be cited and be made a part of a
news feature.
2. Use adjectives sparingly.

You can use all the adjectives that you want in feature writing but NOT in the News. Adjectives and other
descriptive words connote opinion and subjectivity which is contrary to, of course, objectivity, which is a quality
needed in news, particularly in straight news reporting.
Though, it is alright to say “…the big tremor of 1990…” since it was really a strong or big (intensity 7)
earthquake which was experienced in 1990.
But NOT in this case: “The beautiful principal explained the meaning of BESRA, which is Basic Education
Sector Reform Agenda.”
The use of the adjective “beautiful” is NOT proper if this statement were to be a part of the news report, unless
it is a quoted statement.
3. The straight news story follows the inverted pyramid structure – that is – facts are arranged
according to diminishing importance – from the top or beginning (most important data) to the
concluding part (least important details).
4. The news story may also start with feature leads, such as the following:
a. Quotation Lead: “The Filipinos are worth it.” – Kris Aquino. (referring to the love (0f country)/ sacrifices
made by her parents, Ninoy and Cory Aquino)
b. Question Lead: “Will Kris enter politics, too?”
c. Staccato Lead: “Yellow roses. Yellow ribbons. Yellow balloons. Yellow T-shirts. Yellow confetti. All these
dominated Cory’s last day on earth; and all these signify love for Cory from the Filipino nation and even the
world.”
d. Descriptive Lead: “Yellow ribbons hug every post. Patriotic songs linger the air waves. Even Dawn’s ‘Tie a
Yellow Ribbon” comes alive. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) offers a volley of fire. Eight canon
balls continuously blasting, one every thirty minutes until sunset. Philippine flags, half-mast. Tears flooded the
nation. The worldwide icon of democracy just passed away. “ (CHIT-chats)
e. Punch Lead: “Beware of young terrorists!” (students who are vindictive over failing grades)
f. Parody Lead: “Tying a yellow ribbon under the ole oak tree…as a message of love to Cory was one of the
commonplace sights during the bloodless EDSA revolution and Cory’s passing away recently.”
5. Timeliness is an indispensable news value. So it is important to present the fresh angle or the newest
angle of the event.

Elements of A News Story

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Elements of A News Story

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

ELEMENTS OF A NEWS STORY

9. Progress. Reports on progress, whether physical, mental, economic, emotional, or social,

THE 6 MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWS

3. Now try to refine your answer so it can do two things. It

c. Repeat a word or phrase from one paragraph to the next.

e. Vary sentence length. Follow a long sentence with a short one.

The traditional structure of news writing

THE INVERTED PYRAMID STYLE OF WRITING

 Prince meets love of life

 Concentrate on the main news point (the 'what')

1. Keep leads short. Those with 35 words or less are preferred.

2. Leads limited to one or two sentences are preferred.

4. Avoid beginning leads with "there" or "this."

7. Use quote and question leads sparingly.

10. Paragraphs limited to one to three sentences are preferred.

11. Each paragraph should contain only one idea.

12. Remember short paragraphs encourage readers to continue reading.

13. Eliminate the word "that" whenever possible.

19. Always double-check the spelling of names.

20. Make sure numbers match the items listed.

NONSEXIST, NONAGEIST, NONDISCRIMINATORY COMMUNICATION

33. Avoid racial identification except when it's essential to communication.

34. Substitute asexual words for "man" words or sexist words.

man-sized husky, sizable, large, requiring

pioneers, colonists, patriots,

for the man on the way up

his or her way up

for the lady of the house for the homemaker or consumer or

advertising man advertising professional or

man the exhibit

the girls (for women over 18)

the little lady, the better half

libber or women's lib feminist, liberationist, women's

the gentlemen, the girls and the

(Note the parallelism in structures.)

man and wife

you and your wife

coed (for female students at a

housewife homemaker (for a person who

home); in an economic sense,

career girl or career woman

vocation ; Professor Jane Jones;

Kathy Smith, welder

Mary, who had epilepsy, had no

The parents, each with some

exchange ideas. met to exchange ideas.

The deaf accountant spotted the

36. Be respectful of persons with handicaps. For more information, go to

crippled impaired, limited, disabled or be

deaf and dumb, deaf mute deaf, hearing and/or speech

crazy, insane, dull, half-witted,

disadvantaged, disabled or limited,

be specific - emotionally disturbed,

47. When in doubt about the use of a comma, leave it out.

QUOTES AND ATTRIBUTION

55. Use attribution only once per paragraph.

65. Each time a different source is cited, start a new paragraph.

66. Avoid using the same word twice in a sentence.

73. Use "Spell Check" on the computer.

76. Consult the AP Stylebook and Libel Manual.

96. Injuries are "suffered or sustained," NOT received.

1. Use the 3rd person point of view

NOT this: (2nd person)