Writing for Online Writing for Online JournalismJournalism

Part 2: Part 2: A.P. Style, Leads, QuotesA.P. Style, Leads, Quotes

A.P. StyleA.P. Style

Associated Press – the Associated Press – the world’s largest news agencyworld’s largest news agency

Members contribute stories Members contribute stories that other members can use. that other members can use. Non-members pay a fee. Non-members pay a fee.

Used by 1700 newspapers Used by 1700 newspapers and 5,000 TV and radio and 5,000 TV and radio stations. stations.

The only news agency in the The only news agency in the U.S. since the collapse of U.S. since the collapse of United Press International.United Press International.

Common Trouble Spots Common Trouble Spots

ANATOMY OFANATOMY OFA NEWS SATORYA NEWS SATORY

HOME PAGEHOME PAGE

1) Headline is1) Headline isinformative andinformative andenticing.enticing.

2) “Lead” gives an2) “Lead” gives anintriguing summaryintriguing summary

INTERNAL PAGEINTERNAL PAGE

3) Headline is more3) Headline is moretraditional, direct.traditional, direct.Lead answers W’sLead answers W’s

4) Cutline explains4) Cutline explainsthe photo withoutthe photo withoutbeing obvious.being obvious.

5) Byline credits 5) Byline credits the authorsthe authors

6) Dateline: 6) Dateline: when/where when/where story is toldstory is told

A Lead answers “The W’s”

Journalists spend about half of their time writing leads, because they are the foundations of stories--the story flows from the lead

Who is subject(s) of the story What is the action of the subject(s) When is the time of the action Where is the place of the action

_____________________________

Why explains reasons for the action How describes the way the action happened

EXAMPLE: LeadEXAMPLE: Lead

Lead (identify the W’s): Mary Winkler, half of what has been described as “a perfect couple,” was indicted by a grand jury today on first degree murder charges in the March 22 shooting of her husband, the minister Matthew Winkler.

Subsequent Paragraph Ampliphies LeadSubsequent Paragraph Ampliphies Lead( and notice language and phrasing)( and notice language and phrasing)

He was a passionate young minister and she his quiet, substitute-teacher wife, beloved and respected in the town of Selmer, Tenn. The alleged murder has left his congregants desperate to find a motive to explain why, seemingly out of nowhere, Mary Carol Winkler allegedly shot her husband dead and ran away with their three daughters, confessing to the crime three days later.

SENTENCE LENGTHSENTENCE LENGTH

As in advertising, long sentences can be effective, though shorter are easier to read. Below is a lot of info in just two sentences:

He was a passionate young minister and she his quiet, substitute-teacher wife, beloved and respected in the town of Selmer, Tenn. The alleged murder has left his congregants desperate to find a motive to explain why, seemingly out of nowhere, Mary Carol Winkler allegedly shot her husband dead and ran away with their three daughters, confessing to the crime three days later.

TENSETENSE

Use present tense when possible—especially in headlines.

Even though past tense works for that storybook approach, present tense is usually more gripping and immediate:

Winkler Confesses to Murdering Her Minister Husband

Inverted pyramidInverted pyramid

Most important information info firstMost important information info firstProgressively less important info in each Progressively less important info in each

subsequent paragraph.subsequent paragraph.Story could be cut at any point or readers Story could be cut at any point or readers

could stop reading.could stop reading.

Feature Story Leads Feature Story Leads Can Be More CreativeCan Be More Creative

““This is Your Brain Online” has snappy This is Your Brain Online” has snappy fragments in the lead:fragments in the lead:

The high school sophomore who stays up all The high school sophomore who stays up all night adding to her blog. The 14-year-old who night adding to her blog. The 14-year-old who plays “Warcraft” for 12 hours at a stretch. The plays “Warcraft” for 12 hours at a stretch. The honors student who says she has no problem honors student who says she has no problem writing her English essay while IMing with her writing her English essay while IMing with her boyfriend and compiling iTunes play lists. Teens boyfriend and compiling iTunes play lists. Teens will swear up and down that technology they will swear up and down that technology they won’t turn off is harmless fun.won’t turn off is harmless fun.

But what if they’re wrong?But what if they’re wrong?

Kinds of LeadsKinds of Leads

Descriptive LeadDescriptive Lead (Like the one we just saw)(Like the one we just saw)

Quote lead:Quote lead: “I never thought I’d be a millionaire” “I never thought I’d be a millionaire” makes us want to know how this makes us want to know how this happened.happened.

Anecdotal LeadAnecdotal Lead: : The first time Ron Sims tried to set up The first time Ron Sims tried to set up a county office to study the effects of a county office to study the effects of global warming, he was mocked. A global warming, he was mocked. A Seattle Times editorial said King Seattle Times editorial said King County Council members Sims and County Council members Sims and co-sponsor Bruce Laing were belching co-sponsor Bruce Laing were belching “hyperbolic clouds of rhetorical gas,” “hyperbolic clouds of rhetorical gas,” and suggested they instead buy some and suggested they instead buy some tomato plants and steer manure. tomato plants and steer manure. They’re not laughing now.They’re not laughing now.

Using Quotes

Can lend credibility and life to your story

Quote vivid language, official information, or key facts including who, what, when, where, why/how.

You can use a quote for verification: For example, if you use the line “People are flocking to the beaches,” you might want to quote a beachgoer for a personal perspective or a city official for an authoritative perspective.

You must use the exact words said.

“Attribution”

In journalism, crediting your source is called “attribution” (attributing the information to the source).

You do not have to attribute common knowledge or well-established facts (e.g., George Washington was President from 1789 to 1797).

However, if you report that a painting of Washington was stolen yesterday, you will need to say “according to police.”

A suspect “allegedly” did this or that, or did it according to the prosecution (etc.)

Standard journalism practice is to name your source in the text but not to use parenthetical citations, footnotes, or list of resources.

Quoting vs. Paraphrasing

Exact QuoteMayor Fox said, “Beachgoing populations are higher this year than in any year past.”

ParaphrasedMayor Fox reported record numbers of beachgoers this year.

Interview Tips

Write down questions in advance

Arrive early Be respectful and appreciative Record interviews when

possible Start with general questions

that put interviewee at ease Stay as neutral as possible

(don’t “lead the witness”) Ask open-ended questions Take notes

Questions?Questions?