Intro to Journalism: The Inverted Pyramid

What are 4 habits you should have when checking for accuracy?

1. Go over your notes at the end of every interview to check quotes, facts, and statistics with your interviewee. 2. Carefully check your story against your notes and the documents you have collected to be certain you didn't introduce any errors while writing. 3. When sources give you facts, check them if possible. 4. Do a pre-publication check (some journalists object to doing this).

What are 3 danger leads?

1. Leads that start with a question 2. Leads that say what MIGHT happen or what MIGHT HAVE happened. 3. Leads that overreach (assume too much)

What are five variations on a lead?

1. The "You" Lead 2. The Immediate Identification Lead 3. The Delayed Identification Lead 4. The Summary Lead 5. The Multiple Element Lead

Define "Click-Through Rate"

A measurement of how many people open the stories.

What is the Inverted Pyramid?

A news story structure that places all the important information in the first paragraph.

Define "Lead"

A simple, clear statement consisting of the first paragraph or two of a news story.

Define and give an example of the "You" Lead

Allows the writer to tell the reader why they should care. Ex: You will find the lowest rate in two years if you're buying a home.

Define and give an example of the Immediate Identification Lead

One of the most important facts in this story is the "who," or the prominence of the key actor. Ex: Taylor Swift just made a deal with Apple Music.

Define and give an example of the Delayed Identification Lead

Used when the person or organization involved has little name recognition among readers. Ex: A 39-year old carpenter was killed today in a car crash. John Doe was..."

Define and give an example of a Multiple Element Lead

When choosing one theme for a story is too restrictive, work more information into the first paragraph. Ex: The city council ordered three department heads fired, established an administrative review board, and said it would begin to monitor the work habits of administrators.

Define and give an example of a Summary Lead

When dealing with several important elements, sum up what happened rather than highlighting a specific action. Ex: The city council replaced the city's 75-year old municipal code with a revised version Sunday night.

What six things does the lead answer in a news story?

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