MCOM 2320- Writing for Media Final

Describe a feature release:

"Softer" news story, normally human interest piece that highlights some aspect of the organization.

3 most important concepts of Informative writing:

1. Accuracy 2. Clarity 3. Brevity

What are the 10 parts (in order) of the strategic message planner?

1. Advertising Goal 2. Clients: Key Fact 3. Product: Key Features 4. Target audience: demographics and psychographics 5. Product benefits 6. Direct competitors and brand image 7. Indirect competitors and brand image 8. Product brand image 9. Strategic message: the promise 10. Supporting evidence: the proof

Name 6 parts of an article citation that would appear on a reference page:

1. Author's name 2. Year of publication 3. Article name 4. Journal name 5. Volume number 6. Page numbers

What are the 5 parts of a bad newsletter (in order?)

1. Begin courteously, focusing on a positive relationship. 2. Explain the reasons for the bad news 3. Deliver the bad news. 4. "Cap" the bad news with something neutral or positive 5. Close courteously, focusing on a positive relationship

Name at least 3 differences between feature and announcement releases?

1. Hard vs soft news 2. Inverted pyramid vs not 3. Traditional lead vs less traditional lead (attract attention) 4. Verb tense (past vs present)

3 things that should not be on your resume:

1. High School Information 2. A picture 3. Bad email

What should you capitalize in AP rules?

1. Holiday/Special Events 2. Points on a compass 3. Geographical areas 4. Nationalities/Races 5. Media (books, plays, poems, songs, movies, TV programs)

Journalists judge events according to 7 commonly accepted news values, what are they?

1. Impact 2. Currency 3. Prominence 4. Conflict 5. Proximity 6. Novelty 7. Timeliness

Public relations process behind news releases:

1. Research 2. Planning 3. Communication 4. Evaluation

AP Abbreviations rules:

1. Spell out names of clubs, organizations, universities, groups, governmental bodies the first time you use them. 2. Don't abbreviate or acronym in parentheses after the first reference. 3. Street addresses, always abbreviate st, ave, blvd. but NOT road, alley, circle, and drive. 4.Abbreviations for titles: dr, gov, lt. gov, mr. mrs, rep., most military ranks.

Resume font is normally how big?

10-12 pt.

How should a source be introduced the first time you reference them, and how should they be written about every time after that?

1st time: full name, first and last 2nd: just last name Remember: no courtesy titles unless it confuses things

How many words is a news lead (normally)?

20-25 words

How many parts to a cover letter are there, and what are they?

4 parts: 1. Why are you writing/what do you want? 2. Why are they awesome? 3. Why are you awesome? 4. Take initiative- Ask for an interview

How many parts are there in a good-news letter, and what are they?

Part 1: Deliver the good news Part 2: Explain the details Part 3: Your positive feelings about the news Part 4: End positively, perhaps with instructions

Advertising definition:

Persuasive messages that identified sponsors send to targeted consumers through controlled media

Section #2 of resume

Professional Experience

Difference between professional experience and other employment:

Professional experience: work/internships that are relevant to career goal Other employment: don't really relate to career goal but show work ethic

Image advertising definition:

Promotes a brand whose benefits are so familiar that they don't need to be restated in the ad

Direct quote breakdown:

Quote, speaker, identifying information, verb,

What can those who write news releases make up when writing their news releases?

Quotes (common practice in PR)

Different Kinds of Academic Writing:

Response Paper Textual Analysis Annotated Bibliography Critical Annotated Bibliography Research Paper (Qualitative and Quantitative)

True or false: Writers should always use figures for ages (AP) Ex. A 2-month-old baby He was 80 years old.

True

True or false: Writing as a journalist means learning and following certain customs and conventions as you write.

True

True or false: Do not use "Miss" or "Mrs" in business letters.

True

What should be included in a lead?

Who, what, when, where, why Most important information One sentence Comes directly after headline

The strategic message planner comes before what?

You create the ad.

In a headline, you should use an ____ voice.

active

Section #1 of Resume

Education

It's important to have quotations and attribution to informative papers in order to:

Enhance credibility

Business communication:

Exchange of messages that help an organization complete its day-to-day functions

What does the strategic message focus on?

Focuses on the benefits that your product offers to target audience.

How many parts are there in a bad-news letter, and what are they?

Part 1 of 5: Begin courteously, focusing on a positive relationship Part 2 of 5: Explain the reasons for the bad news Part 3 of 5: Deliver the bad news Part 4 of 5: "Cap" the bad news with something neutral or positive Part 5 of 5: Close courteously, focusing on a positive relationship

What is a stylebook?

A book that provides the "rules of writing" for reporters. Establishes consistency.

What is a hybrid release good for?

A hard news story that has a whimsical/human interest angle

What does APA stand for?

American Psychological Association

What are the three types of news releases?

Announcement Feature Hybrid

What does AP stand for?

Associated Press

How long is the product brand image?

Brief- just a few sentences

What's the difference between demographics and psycho-graphics? (please provide an example for each)

Demographics: SES (how much money you make), age, sex, race, etc. Psychographics: Attitudes, interests, lifestyles, etc.

What is the difference between paraphrasing and using direct quotations?

Direct quotations: verbatim from another source. Include page numbers (Thompson, 2016, p.5) Paraphrasing: Taking what someone else said and putting it in your own words (Thompson, 2016)

Describe a hybrid release:

Combination of announcement and feature, however lead is much like a feature, designed to attract attention.

Brand definition:

Consumer's image of the product, product line, or company.

The work of the PR Practitioner:

Handles communications with internal and external public by working with the news media, helps to produce public functions and events

Five important aspects of a news story:

Headline Lead Inverted Pyramid Quotes Following AP style

Where do you put the good news in a good news letter?

In the first sentence/paragraph ********

What is the format news stories follow?

Inverted pyramid

What should you state in the proof of the strategic message?

List facts/benefits that support the truth

How is a lead written differently in a feature release?

Meant to entice the reader by posing a question, anecdote. Written in present tense

What is listed at very top of resume?

Name and contact information, specifically: -name -address -phone number -email -permanent address if needed

Informative paraphrasing breakdown:

Name, identifying info, what they said (paraphrased)

How long should a news release be?

No more than a page

Does your target audience see the strategic message planner?

No, they see the ad.

In informative writing, it is important to be _________ and to have balance and fairness in your writing.

Objective

How long should a resume be?

One page

How long is the advertising goal?

One sentence.

Strategic business message:

One-page document that delivers a strategic message to a targeted individual Audience is usually one person.

Section #3 of resume

Other employment

What is a thesis statement, and where does it go in the introduction of an Academic Writing assignment?

Sentence that comes in the last sentence of the introduction, that is declarative, and tells the reader the argument you're going to make. Restate thesis in the beginning of the conclusion (first sentence)

Last section of resume:

Skills, honors, activities

An impersonal reporter is:

Someone who keep's distance between the reporter's personal feelings and the story itself

How can someone get their ads to stand out?

Through extensive research. Must know the client, competition, and target audience.

Writings by practitioners are subject to the approval by who?

The organization, they are highly scrutinized by them.

Business letters are:

Usually a one-page, hard-copy document that delivers a strategic message to a targeted individual Some forms include: good-news, bad-news, sales, request letter, pitch letter, and job-request

Describe an announcement release:

Usually hard news, written in past tense, has a traditional lead, and inverted pyramid.