Student Yearbook Guide

Student Yearbook Guide

Reporting

1.     Good Reporters

a.     Look and listen for their readers

b.     Everyone at an event is a potential source

c.     Some sources offer better insights than others

d.     Who, what, where, when, why, and how

2.     Research

a.     Helps reporters understand their stories

b.     Start research with previously published material

c.     Primary sources provide background and material that may become part of a story

3.     Interviews

a.     Better questions = better answers

b.     Active listening provides better results

c.     Good notes need direct quotes and facts

Writing          

1.     Notes

a.     Writer uses questions to focus the story

b.     If notes seem incomplete, there is more reporting to do

c.     Organize notes to help make final decisions

2.     Stories

a.     Best stories put information in a human context

                                               i.     Lead – opening sentence/paragraph introduces story

                                             ii.     Quotes –word for word statements form sources

                                            iii.     Transitions –help understand what the sources are talking about

                                            iv.     Conclusion – ties the end of the story back to the lead

b.     Quick reads offer an alternative to features

3.     Good Writing

a.     Depends on angle and substance

b.     Tightly written and lively

c.     Uses narrative elements

d.     Fresh and original

Writing effective headlines requires creativity, effort, and attention to details

Make sure the lead is catchy and sets the tone and angle of the article. Remember that readers like to read about people not events. Quote more than one view of a specific event. End the story so that it refers back to the lead.

Describe the 3-step process to writing dynamic headlines

1.     Solid understanding of content

2.     Word play & brainstorming

3.     Guidelines lead to quality and consistently

Captions                        

1.     Content

a.     Do more than state the obvious

b.     Answer reader’s question about a photo

c.     Requires reporting

d.     Direct quotes from individuals in photo add depth

2.     Describe the 3-step process to writing captions

a.     Range from identification to mini stories

b.     Sports captions require specific details and understanding

c.     Joke captions should be avoided