sports writing final

The inverted chronological order structure works a story from least important to most important information.

False

The themes in an advance story do not always make for good follow-up stories.

True

What is the purpose of a sidebar?

To provide additional coverage to big events Something monumental is expected Sidebars complement main story Sidebars are loosely related to main story; slice of main story Sidebars provide a unique perspective to an event

Bridge building in a story refers to:

Transition paragraphs that move the story from one point to another

A homerism column?

never includes negative information about a subject

with online leads, writers are required to?

post immediately at the end of games

A typical column structure includes?

premise, evidence, conclusion

what do straight leads answer?

5WH elements uses inverted pyramid style corresponds to AP style

Advanced stories should be?

A set-up for the event include minimal stats interesting and engaging

The incident sidebar?

A sidebar does not have to feature a person. It can be a single play or series of plays. It can be the turning point of a game - those who succeeded and those who failed. Dissecting exactly what happened, why it happened, and how it happened provides a unique peek into the inner workings of a game. It can be written from either one team's perspective or both teams. Writing about the struggle between the two makes for an interesting sidebar.

What do enterprise stories include?

A unique perspective of an existing storyLocalizing a national issue

what does touch describe?

A writer's use of phrases Be descriptive without being stale. Use analogies that make sense. Avoid mismatched parts - a game is like a pizza, for example.

what does taste describe?

A writer's word choices. Use simple language Avoid clichés; use variety in your writing Appeal to the senses and appeal to emotion.

There are three stages of game coverage. Name them.

Advance/preview, game story, follow

how to avoid misrepresentation?

Be sure information from sources is properly presented Don't lie or tell half-truths to get sources to give information Always introduce yourself as a reporter Don't bait-and-switch sources In online forums, don't poise to be someone else Confirm social media information with original sources

what should you do when developing interview questions?

Be curious of the subject do not be restricted by a list of questions discuss the story with editors, and other reporters

What does plagiarism include?

Copying previously published materials Copy and pasting from Internet sources without attribution Using previously published quotes without identifying source of quotes

what type of writing style always uses a nut graph?

Diamond Structure

The goats sidebar?

Featuring the player who was a key figure in a loss makes for good storytelling. The idea is not to exploit the goat but to tell his or her story. These stories have a great deal of emotion and readers appreciate that.

How can quotes be obtained?

Focus on the "how" and "why" during interviews Focus on source's points of view Ask questions the source is qualified to answer Separate yourself from the critics

What are some acceptable freebies?

Food and drink while covering a game

Player injury sidebar?

If a star is injured and leaves the game, writing about the impact on the game is significant.

Purpose of advance stories/previews?

Inform readers of the basics (time, place, date, teams, records, etc.) of an upcoming game Capture the event's meaning in a larger context without predicting outcomes

what is the advance story?

Informs readers of the event's essentials - time, place, date and teams Attempts to capture the the event's meaning Does not require the writer to predict outcomes

What is a sports column?

It generally answers why and how, using the first and second person (I and you). A column also has a standard head, called a title, and a by-line (name) at the top. These identify you and your column for the reader

What does a trustworthy column include?

Knowledgable sources fact-based analysis logical, unique perspectives impeccable recording

what does a play-by-play usually include?

Knowledge of the game. Knowledge of the rules, and all the details regarding the players, past records, officials, and plays.

The milestone sidebar?

Milestone stories can focus on career, season, or game milestones. If a player is closing in on a career or season mark, be aware that it could happen during this particular game - last game, last win, last loss, last throw, last goal, etc.

Who should quotes be avoided?

Ones that say nothing When they make an authoritative person appear unintelligible.

What does an editorial ending consist of?

Opinions should not dominate the story The editorial ending should tie into the previous information It should be a low-key way to include an opinion based on facts

What is not included in the FOIA?

Professional teams (private ownership), private colleges/universities, businesses

what does the FOIA include?

Public college/university athletic salaries Public high school athletic salaries Police records/reports City/county contracts Not included: Private school contracts; personnel issues

What are some examples of payola?

Receiving money or gifts prior to or after writing a story is unethical The audience will think the reporter is doing favors for the source

What are the main purposes of quotes?

Someone says something unusual Someone says something in an unusual way Someone important says something

Game story trilogy?

The advance: Prepares readers for the upcoming event The game story: Covers the event (play-by-play game story) The follow-up: Provides perspective and meaning to the event

What is an anecdotal ending?

The ending can be used to paint a picture for the reader of something that happened well after the game was already concluded.

The last hurrah sidebar?

The final games for athletes and coaches come in different packages. Some athletes choose to retire or quit. Others complete their eligibility. Others just cannot play any longer due to injuries or old age.

The Star sidebar?

The key is to find a different story, particularly among athletes who always seem to be the stars. A sidebar can also feature a star when he or she performs poorly. Why did things go wrong?

What are some APSE guidelines?

The newspaper pays for staff expenses Editors/reporters avoid outside activity that might create a conflict of interest No deals, discounts or gifts of significant value No free tickets; press credentials acceptable

The benchwarmer sidebar?

The seldom-used player finally gets his or her chance and succeeds. It does not have to be game-winning success. Benchwarmers are not usually involved in game-altering plays.

definition of a play-by-play?

The type of story that demands close observation and ability to work at top speed.

What does timing describe?

The writer's rhythm of a story. Mix short sentences with longer sentences; use appropriate pacing

What is a summary ending?

This type of ending attempts to wrap up the report of an event by looking at the big picture

head-to-head match-ups sidebar?

When star players meet head to head there's a sidebar in the making. Pitcher vs. hitter; running back vs. linebacker; guard vs. guard; goalie vs. scorer. Recreating the confrontation for the readers can be a great sidebar.

What does fabrication include?

Writing fictional information without proper reporting Assuming something happened without verification

What does a quote ending consist of?

a source of significance in the ending do not introduce a new source in the ending endings can summarize the story allows for a smooth ending to the story

What can a tie-back ending consist of?

can be a summary paragraph can be a quotation can also complete an anecdote•

What is an enterprise story?

digs deeper into an issue take time to develop are time consuming but rewarding allows reporters to explore new angles

What are some other aspects of a sidebar?

examines a slice of the main story and sometimes it examines a unique aspect that is loosely related to the main. provide additional perspective about a game or event

what is the soft lead of the diamond structure consist of?

foreshadowing Anecdotal descriptive

What are the four characteristics of a sports column?

good reporting, unique perspectives, good sources, based on facts.

what is the importance of a play-by-play?

framework of a game story is not the most important element of a game story Find the good stories buried within the action of a game

What are the two main types of features?

human interest stories and profiles.

What are some problems with features?

lack of focus Avoid questions in stories Too few or too many quotes included in the story Nut graph comes too late

what is the inverted chronological order?

most important info Story works backward from the final drama. Less important information

what is the hourglass structure?

most important info nut graph inverted pyramid style 2nd mist important info

What is a tie-back ending?

refer back to the opening paragraphs, returning to points made in the lead

What is a sidebar?

stories that complement the main story

what are the 3 T's

taste, touch, timing

what is the difference between the inverted pyramid and the diamond structure is:

the diamond structure has a more compelling lead the lead and first few paragraphs

What are leads to avoid?

the quote lead No-kidding lead cliche leads fiction leads

What is a quote ending?

this type of ending allows the writer to put the conclusion in the hands of a source:

follow-up statements should never include?

tons of statistics much of the events outlined in the game story and sidebar No perspective on what the game meant to the larger context

what is an anecdotal story ending?

uses short stories of interest story samplers leads to engage readers

what is the role of a play-by-play?

usually posted immediately after a game on the internet. Social media used, during the game in real time.