articles
| # | download article | the provided |
| 1 |
 podrinkingwater.pdf | assignment1 |
| 2 |
pointernetstory.pdf | assignment2 |
| 3 |
poshorties.pdf | assignment3 |
| 4 |
KnightRidder.pdf | assignment4 |
Cherian George provided the following starting points for the articles.
Story assignment 1
General Instructions
- Write a news story based on the scenario provided.
- Length: 300-350 words.
- Deadline: Tuesday, July 17, 2001
The Scenario
You are reporter for The Stanford Sun, a Sunday newspaper serving the Stanford community.
The Sun has a "Living" section with a special emphasis on consumer news storie with an
environmental or health angel. The Living editor hands you a couple of press releases:
The WWF Press release "The real cost of bottled water"
International Bottled Water Associations Response to
The WWF Study, Bottled Water: Understanding a Social Phenomenon
That he says:
"Could you give me 300 words on this bottled water thing, please? It's a good summertime story.
And let's localize it, talk to people around here."
Your editor's instructions are brief and not very detailed. but that doesn't bother you, because
the journalism class you attended so long ago has ingrained in you in you the instincts for
news reporting and writing. You get to work, study the press releases, thinking about the best
angle to take and facts to include, and writing a clear, objective and compelling news story...
Download this article here -> podrinkingwater.pdf
Story assignment 2
General Instructions
- Write a news story based on the scenario provided.
- Length: 350-400 words.
- Deadline: Tuesday, July 31, 2001
- Conduct additional interviews as you see fit. Share your material with the rest of the class by sending out an email by Friday evening.
- You may discuss your draft with your classmates, and exchange comments. But what you hand in must be your own work.
The Scenario
You are a reporter for The Bay Area Daily, a local newspaper. The BAD editor
wants you to weite a story on a recent research study about how teenagers use the internet.
She says: "We've already picked up a story from USA Today on the insstand messaging angle,
but I think there's more in the report that deserves to be coverd. Read it, find an angle,
adn then come and discuss it with me."
For the purpose of this exercise, imagine that your story will be puplished the same week
as the report was releases. So, refer to the report as having been released "this week".
Teenage life online
USA Today: Online teens are instantly in touch
Download this article here -> pointernetstory.pdf
Story assignment 3
General Instructions
- This is a timed, in class test. You have a total of one hour, to finish the exercise and print out your answers.
- You will have three short stories to write. Create a seperate file for each story.
- Story length: 100 - 120 words each (excluding headlines).
- Like in a real newsroom, you are allowed to talk to your colleagues, to clarify doubts or check things.
The Scenario
You are a reporter for Shippenberg Times, a local newspaper. It
is 10:30pm, and you are on the late shift. One of your duties today is
to write the "Briefs" column in the Local section.
The Briefs column has a fixed format every day. It contains three very
short stories. Each story has between 100 - 120 words (excluding
headlines). If you write less than 100 or more than 120, the copy
editor will scream at you.
You have already chosen the three stories. They are as follows:
- Press release on new rules for child caregivers.
- Story about a baby adopted by a local cop.
- Story about a dog stuck in a tree in Rosewood, which is the town nest door to Shippenberg.
You have one hour to write the three stories. The Briefs column is the last remaining item for the Local Section. The paper is waiting for you. Ready, Set, Go.
Download this article here ->
poshorties.pdf
Final assignment
General Instructions
Based on the scenario below , write:- A news story of 350-400 words; and
- Text for an info-graphic, maximum 200 words.
The Scenario
You are a reporter for the Bay Area Daily. You have been following with interest the way the news media have been hit by economic downturn this year. So far, your newspaper has not written anything about it. You propose to your editor that you write a "trend story" on job cuts in the news media.
Your editor replies: "Good idea. Go ahead. Just one suggestion. I'd like to use this piece in the general news section and not the Business section. So don't give me a quality of journalism they're getting being compromised?"
He adds: "Keep the story short: 300-400 words. But give me a graphic as well."
Download this article here ->
knightridder.pdf
teacher
Cherian George
|
Beside working as a teacher at Stanford University Cherian also worked for the The Straits Times as a columnist and editor or wrote Singapore, The Air-conditioned Nation. |
students
Marilyn, John, Cherian, Kate, Valeria, Patrick, Wen-Yu, Rishona, Sarah
| name | note | |
| Wen-Yu (Chris) | wenyu@stanford.edu | she is going to do her master in journalism in Stanford 2001-2002 |
| Valeria De Napoli | valerydee@hotmail.com | |
| Nadia Solovieva | solov777@hotmail.com | |
| Kate Hogan | chogan@stanford.edu | showed me a way to understand America a little bit better with this part of an email |
| Marilyn Vogel | marilynv@stanford.edu | |
| John Burk | jburk@standrews-de.org | highschool teacher |
| Rishona | rishona00@hotmail.com | |
| Sarah | sarah.drake@stanford.edu | lives in Misury |
| Patrick Oehlinger | patrickoehlinger@gmx.net | |
| Jimmy | jim0000000000@msn.com | |
| emcmilin@stanford.edu | ||
| Tiffany | babylove313@yam.com | she was just in class for the first day |
textbooks
| frontpage |  |
 |
 |
 |
| Title | News Writing And Reporting | On Writing Well | A History Of News | America's Best Newspaper Writing |
| Autor | William Zinsser | Mitchell Stephens |