Newswriting for PR Final
T/F: It's okay to accept a gift from a news source.
False It's NOT okay to accept a gift from a news source. (Chapter 5)
T/F: "Pod" is an abbreviation for "Power on demand."
False "Pod" is an abbreviation for "Portable on demand." (Chapter 1)
T/F: If you don't name the person against whom an accusation is made, you cannot be sued for libel.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: Teachers, professors and other employees in a public education system usually are defined as public officials.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: The "involuntary" type of public figure often fits an individual in a libel suit.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: The federal government has laws protecting reporters from revealing their sources.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: Truth is no defense in libel suits.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: Basic information about a speech, including location and highlights, should be used at the top of your story.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: Capitalize titles whenever they are used: "Mayor Joe Jones" and "Sue Smith, Mayor of Podunk."
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: It's not important to stay until the end of a meeting if items on the agenda have been covered.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: Open-meeting laws are the same in all U.S. states.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: Stories about news conferences shouldn't include information about reactions from sources with similar and opposing points of view.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: Budget stories are easy to write.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: Bunching numbers in one paragraph is a good idea.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: In a budget story, the use of graphics or chart of key numbers would make the story difficult to understand.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: A "pay wall" is a physical location where customers can pay for their media subscriptions.
False A "pay wall" blocks access to certain content on a news site without a fee. (Chapter 1)
T/F: Obituary writing follows no basic form.
False Obituary writing follows some basic forms. (Chapter 17)
T/F: The South Korean website called OhmyNews International prohibits the use of input from citizen reporters.
False OhmyNews is a pioneer in the user-generated-content movement (promotes citizen reporter input). (Chapter 1)
T/F: There's no problem losing the reader when you use a question lead.
False Question leads can be effective if the reader is interested in finding the answer to the question you pose. If not, you could lose the reader. (Chapter 7)
T/F: Reporters must describe the "big picture" but don't need details.
False Reporters must describe the "big picture" AND details. (Chapter 5)
T/F: Separating sections of a story by time frames is not effective.
False Separating sections of a story by time frames IS effective. (Chapter 9)
T/F: Social media have no news roles in disasters.
False Social media have become vital resources for breaking news in major news events, especially during disasters. (Chapter 3)
T/F: The traditional qualities of news stories no longer apply to print, broadcast and online media.
False Some traditional qualities of news stories still apply to print, broadcast and online media. (Chapter 1)
T/F: The Wall Street Journal formula is not useful in broadcast news stories.
False The Wall Street Journal formula IS useful in broadcast news stories. (Chapter 9)
T/F: The most common type of lead on a hard-news story is called a "feature lead."
False The most common type of lead on a hard-news story is called a "summary lead." (Chapter 2)
T/F: The obituary pages in the newspaper are poorly read.
False The obituary pages in the newspaper are some of the best-read pages in the newspaper. (Chapter 17)
T/F: The question/answer format is not useful for mobile media stories.
False The question/answer format IS useful for mobile media stories. (Chapter 9)
T/F: The structure in active voice is object-subject-verb.
False The structure in active voice is subject-verb-object. (Chapter 6)
T/F: A nut graph is always harder to read, thus the name, "nut graph."
False A nut graph should tell in a nutshell what the story is about and why it's newsworthy. (Chapter 2)
T/F: A hard-news lead must answer the questions of who, what, when, where, why and how.
False A summary lead must answer the questions of who, what, when, where, why and how. Hard news leads do not have to answer all those questions in the first sentence if doing so would make the lead too long & difficult to read. (Chapter 2)
T/F: You must attribute information used in a story even if the information is common knowledge.
False Attribution is not needed for common knowledge information. (Chapter 2)
T/F: Basic news stories for the web do not resemble print formats.
False Basic news stories for the web DO resemble print formats. (Chapter 9)
T/F: In planning an order for your story, the blocking process involves eliminating unimportant information.
False Blocking sources is organizing them in the story by source (all comments from one source in one part of the story, the next source's comments in another block and so on) (Chapter 8)
T/F: Reading a story written in the inverted pyramid form, you have to wait until the end to learn the "who."
False Crucial information is first in the inverted pyramid format. (Chapter 9)
T/F: Detail is not important in taking notes.
False Detail IS important in taking notes. (Chapter 5)
T/F: Regardless of the topic, all stories follow the same writing formula.
False Different stories lend themselves to different writing forms. (Chapter 9)
T/F: Unfortunately, Facebook can't be used to get news.
False Facebook can be used to get news. (Chapter 3)
T/F: In an obituary, you write about a person's death, not the person's life.
False In an obituary, you write about a person's LIFE, not the person's death. (Chapter 17)
Which of the following is NOT a part of the GOAL method? G stands for Goals (past, current, future) O stands for Objectives A stands for Achievements L stands for Logistics (Background)
O - stands for OBSTACLES (Chapter 17)
Which of the following is NOT a type of public figure? A. Pervasive B. Preventive C. Vortex D. Involuntary
Preventive is not a type of public figure. Pervasive, Vortex and involuntary are types of public figures.
T/F: Accuracy is paramount for a good journalist.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F: All material on the Internet is copyright as soon as it is created.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F: Public officials, including law enforcement officials, can make statements in the course of their official duties without fear of being sued for libel.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F: Mark Fagan says "When you cover speeches, meetings and news conferences, your observations are as much a part of the story as the scripted comments from speakers.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: When a board makes a decision at a meeting, you need to understand what kind of authority that board has.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: With a prominent speaker, you often can get the text of the speech in advance.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: Assessments and property taxes are common in municipal budgets.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: Avoid starting sentences with "There."
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: Comparisons with things familiar to readers are helpful.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: If you can express an official's point better in your own words, do so.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: In government the fiscal year often starts on July 1.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: Use only quotes and facts that you need. Dump the rest.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: "Soft news" is news that entertains or informs, with an emphasis on human interest and novelty.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: Brief profiles showing a slice of life or vignettes of people are excellent formats for the web, especially now that many stories are being tailored to small screens.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Dawson said, "Every profile subject has a future, and you need to ask your subject what lies ahead."
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Descriptive show-in-action leads, anecdotes, contrast leads and scene-setting leads work particularly well in profiles.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Many profiles focus on people in the community who have done something noteworthy but do not have celebrity status.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Most newspapers have free or paid death notices.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Obituary writers have their own blog.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Outlining your profile by planning a facts (highlights) box can help you determine what topics to include in your story.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: All quotes must be attributed to a speaker.
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: Broadcast news scripts don't include headlines.
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: Plagiarism is copying the words of another person without identifying the source. It is "a cardinal sin in journalism."
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: The basic news story structure includes a headline, a lead, a body and an ending.
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: Whenever possible, the writer should explain how the news affects readers.
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: Personal communication and publishing, previously separate functions, now shade into one another.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: Podcasts now can include video. A video podcast is called a "vidcast" or "vodcast."
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: Storify is a way to gather tweets, images and posts to create a story.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: The textbook says that Facebook is the most popular social media site in the world.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: Twitter is used around the world be media, government agencies and corporations as a way to communicate a lot of information in a little amount of space.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: Twitter readers are scanners, so you need to write tweets like headlines that will grab attention.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: With traditional media, people are receivers; with social media they are contributors.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: "Not for attribution" means that the information provided by the source can be used but the source can't be identified.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: "Off the record" means that information from the source can't be used at all, and the source cannot be identified.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: "On the record" means that source agrees that the interviewer can use the information provided in a news story and the source can be identified.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: FOIA.gov is one of several websites that provide guides to request information using the Freedom of Information Act.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: Getting the data to accompany your story is now a standard part of the reporting process.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: Learning to use data is not a separate skill; it's just part of good reporting.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: Many government records, such as data from state and local agencies, can be obtained from databases consisting of public records.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: Many sources, named or unnamed, have their own agenda and want to manipulate reporters so the sources can promote their causes.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: Most print and broadcast newsroom maintain only paper information on stories the newspaper or television station has done.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: Newswriting needs human sources to make the story credible and readable.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: Social media networks should never be used as a reporting shortcut when another method like picking up a phone or knocking on a door, would yield more reliable or comprehensive information.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: The Freedom of Information Act was established by Congress in 1966 to make federal records available to the public.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: A digital recorder is helpful, but don't rely on it without taking some notes.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: A machine—such as a recorder—can inhibit a source.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: Researchers suggest that telephone interviews be limited to 20 minutes.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: Writing simple sentences in a conversational style—the way you talk—is preferable for all media, but essential for broadcast.
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: Although soft leads are also called "delayed leads," the lead is still first, but the nut graph is delayed.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: If a person has been charged with a crime, you may state that fact without attribution.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: Soft leads can be as effective in broadcast writing as in print.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: Soft leads delay telling the reader what the story is about by teasing the reader with a description or a storytelling approach before the focus is stated in a separate paragraph called the "nut graph."
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: Summary leads, also called hard-news leads" or "direct leads," summarize what the story is about in the first sentence.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: The anecdotal lead starts with a story about a person or event.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: The focus-on-a-person lead is an effective technique for broadcast news, especially when the person or people used in the lead exemplify a problem shared by many other people in the community.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: The lead is crucial in any medium. Studies show that most online readers are scanners who read only headlines.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: The teaser lead uses the element of surprise to tease the reader into the story.
True (Chapter 7)
T/F: "Blocking sources" means organizing quotations from each of several sources in one paragraph or in consecutive paragraphs.
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: To provide a smooth transition, a word or phrase from one paragraph can be used in the next paragraph.
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: When you return to your lead for an idea to end your story, it's called a "circle kicker."
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: Writing the lead and organizing the story are the two most common problems of professing writers.
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: A common way to organize sections is by points of view.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: A list is useful as a highlights box within the story or at the end of the story.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: The Q and A format is commonly used for profiles.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: The hourglass format is useful in crime or disaster stories.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: The inverted pyramid is the most common form used for print, broadcast and online news as well as news releases in public relations.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: Many newspapers and TV news programs are curtailing coverage of local government meetings because the news is sometimes dull.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: Social networking has changed the nature of journalism.
True (Chapter 3)
What is the main lesson to be learned from Alan Richman's ill-fated interview with Richard De Niro? A: Prepare for interviews in advance B: Always be on time for an interview
A: Prepare for interviews in advance (Chapter 17)
The time element can be confusing in a lead. Which of the following is better? A: University officials agreed to raise tuition by $100 Monday. B: University officials agreed Monday to raise tuition by $100.
B: University officials agreed Monday to raise tuition by $100. You need to place the time element where it is accurate, even if it sounds awkward. (Chapter 7)
A hard-news story presents the key facts: A: at the end of the story B: in the first few paragraphs C: in a hard-to-understand format
B: in the first few paragraphs (Chapter 2)
T/F: According to Glen Nowak, Ph.D., "... It's just a matter of knowing the technical elements of creating a Facebook page to know what makes a good one."
False "... It's NOT just a matter of knowing the technical elements of creating a Facebook page, but also knowing what makes a good one versus a bad one" (Chapter 6)
T/F: "Hard news" are those stories that are difficult to write because they require considerable research and fact checking.
False "Hard news" includes stories of a timely nature about events or conflicts that have just happened or are about to happen. (Chapter 1)
T/F: If you have an online publication and a stranger posts a message on your website that could be libelous, you are responsible.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: If you write a negative review of a play, concert or book, you may not be sued.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: Unless the owner of a copyrighted photo, text and other materials has made a written request to have the materials copyrighted, you may use the materials without permission.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: When you precede words such as "criminal" and "perpetrator" with the word "alleged," you are on safe ground.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: You are not violating copyright law by using only a portion of a song or video that you located on the web.
False (Ch. 14)
T/F: "Board" is a plural noun: "The board discussed the issue at their meeting."
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: Advance stories about upcoming public hearings are not particularly important.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: News conferences have nothing in common with speeches.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: When you cover a meeting, it's important to report only what officials say publicly.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: You can't use storytelling techniques when writing about speeches.
False (Ch. 18)
T/F: Even though you use a visual or visuals, you must repeat the information in the story.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: Lists are difficult for mobile media users to scan.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: Statistical stories don't lend themselves to storytelling.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: The only stories to be developed from databases are statistical reporting stories.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: The term "computer-assisted reporting" refers only to the use of databases.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: Using "to be" verbs help to paint a picture of the activity you are reporting.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: When a video is from a government agency, you don't need to identify the source.
False (Ch. 19)
T/F: Pinterest is nothing like a bulletin board.
False (Chapter 3)
T/F: "Be an aggressive listener" is one of the Listening Tips listed on page 82.
False - Focus on the 'hear' & now - Practice conversational listening - Be quiet - Be responsive - Listen for what isn't said - Listen with your eyes - Be polite - Block personal intrusions - Be flexible (Chapter 5)
T/F: No U.S. state prohibits recording telephone conversations without the consent of the person being recorded.
False 12 U.S. states prohibit recording telephone conversations without the consent of the person being recorded. (Chapter 5)
T/F: A good quote or sound bite from a source should rarely be placed high in the story after the lead or nut graph.
False A good quote or sound bite from a source SHOULD be placed high in the story after the lead or nut graph. (Chapter 2)
T/F: It's essential to use a lead quote in all stories.
False A lead quote is not required in all stories, but a strong quote or soundbite helps make the story more interesting. (Chapter 2)
T/F: A narrative lead tells a story with enough dramatic action for readers to feel as if they are witnessing the event, but narrative writing doesn't use techniques of fiction.
False A narrative lead tells a story with enough dramatic action for readers to feel as if they are witnessing the event, USING ALL THE TECHNIQUES OF FICTION (Chapter 7)
T/F: No U.S. state has laws protecting journalists from revealing their sources.
False All states except Wyoming have laws protecting journalists from revealing their sources. (Chapter 4)
T/F: Email is an effective method for interviewing people.
False Although email is an effective tool for contacting sources, it isn't the best method for interviewing people. (Chapter 5)
T/F: An "aggregator" is a person who continually complains about news items.
False An "aggregator" (also known as a "feed reader") is a software that compiles or collects certain websites that you want delivered to you regularly and pushes them to you via email or automatically downloads them for you into a portable media player. (Chapter 1)
T/F: An interview is the only source you need for reporting for most stories.
False An interview with one source is just the beginning of reporting for most stories. For credibility and fairness, you need other sources. (Chapter 5)
T/F: Blogs are limited to news and personal sites.
False Blogs are NOT limited to news and personal sites. (Chapter 3)
T/F: Chronological storytelling is not a version of the inverted pyramid format.
False Chronological storytelling IS a version of the inverted pyramid format. (Chapter 9)
T/F: Clear, compelling headlines should be less than 15 words, or 200 characters.
False Clear, compelling headlines should be less than 25 words, or 200 characters. (Chapter 6)
T/F:Consumers use only one mobile device at a time.
False Consumers use several mobile devices simultaneously most of the time. (Chapter 6)
T/F: No federal rules or guidelines apply to bloggers and other users of social media.
False Federal Trade Commission guidelines imposed in 2009 apply to bloggers and other users of social media. (Chapter 3)
T/F: Full quotes are effective for broadcast writing.
False Full quotes are ineffective for broadcast writing. (Chapter 7)
T/F: When collecting information for a story, don't concern yourself with gathering anecdotes; that can be done later in the process.
False Gather anecdotes about the story as you go. (Chapter 8)
T/F: Mario Garcia, a world-renowned consultant on newspaper design, said the majority of people who read newspapers are older and developed their reading habits before the advent of television, so graphics are not particularly important in newspapers.
False Graphics are important online! Visual elements are crucial to any news. (Chapter 1)
T/F: When a question is asked, it should be answered in the same paragraph.
False If one paragraph raises a question, you can answer it in the next paragraph. (Chapter 8)
T/F: Impact leads can be written only in a hard-news summary form.
False Impact leads can be written in a hard-news summary form or in a soft lead. (Chapter 7)
T/F: In a quotation, commas and periods always go outside the quotation mark at the end of the quote.
False In a quotation, commas and periods always go INSIDE the quotation mark at the end of the quote. (Chapter 2)
T/F: In broadcast writing, you need to put the attribution last.
False In broadcast writing, you need to put the attribution FIRST. (Chapter 7)
T/F: In the inverted pyramid structure for news, the important information falls after the first few paragraphs.
False In the inverted pyramid structure for news, the important information is in the lead and first few paragraphs, and the rest of the story is organized in descending order of importance. (Chapter 6)
T/F: Investigative reporters don't use lists.
False Investigative reporters often use lists to itemize the findings of their investigation. (Chapter 9)
T/F: It's not necessary to attribute partial quotes you use in a lead.
False It IS necessary to attribute partial quotes you use in a lead (Chapter 7)
T/F: It's not necessary to research your subject's background.
False It IS necessary to research your subject's background. (Chapter 17)
T/F: It's easy to verify the accuracy of information that social media provide.
False It is easy to find sources with social media, but it may be harder to verify the information they provide. (Chapter 3)
T/F: It's too early in your career for you to start a list of sources.
False It's NOT too early in your career for you to start a list of sources. (Chapter 4)
T/F: A list should be used only to itemize a group of statistics of any other cumbersome information.
False Lists can be used to itemize cumbersome information or to highlight key points within a story. (Chapter 8)
T/F: None of the reporting principles for traditional journalists apply to mobile media.
False Many of the reporting principles for traditional journalists apply to mobile media. (Chapter 6)
T/F: No websites are available that provide links to valuable resources for the media.
False Many websites are available that provide links to valuable resources for the media. (Chapter 4)
T/F: It's important to write a strong lead before continuing with writing the story.
False Many writers insist that they can't write the rest of the story until they find their lead, but you can't afford this luxury when you need to file the story quickly for online delivery. Start with the focus graph and write the lead later. (Chapter 8)
T/F: Most journalists are not opposed to prepublication review by a source.
False Most journalists are opposed to prepublication review by a source because of fears that the source may recant statements or may wish to change the copy. (Chapter 4)
T/F: Basic news stories don't use a story-telling approach at their beginning.
False Not all basic news stories have to start with a direct approach. Some stories start with a storytelling approach. (Chapter 2)
T/F: One of the most important qualities of mobile journalism is "inexpensive" for their employer.
False One of the most important qualities of mobile journalism is "immediacy" (Chapter 6)
T/F: Close-ended questions are designed to elicit quotes, elaboration or longer responses.
False Open-ended questions are designed to elicit quotes, elaboration or longer responses. (Chapter 5)
T/F: Pacing—that is, following a complex sentence with a short, punchy one—is less important in broadcast writing than in writing for print.
False Pacing is even more important in broadcast writing when you are writing for the ear. (Chapter 8)
T/F: Print and broadcast styles are really the same.
False Print and broadcast styles differ. Print is past tense, broadcast and web are present tense. (Chapter 6)
T/F: "Trends" is not one of the "qualities of news" listed in WRN Chapter 1.
False Qualities of News: Timeliness Proximity Unusual Nature Human Interest Conflict Impact Helpfulness Celebrities Entertainment Issues or Problems in the Community Trends (Chapter 1)
T/F: Readers and viewers receive news; they don't help collect and create it.
False Readers and viewers don't just receive news; they help collect and create it. (Chapter 1)
T/F: The summary lead is not a good form for cell phones, tablet computers and other small-screen devices for news reading.
False Summary leads are ideas for cell phones, tablet computers and other small-screen devices for news reading. (Chapter 7)
T/F: The "sections" technique divides a story into sections, like book chapters, but it does not use graphic devices to separate the sections.
False The "sections" technique divides a story into sections, like book chapters, using graphic devices to separate the sections. (Chapter 9)
T/F: The focus-on-a-person lead can be used in profile stories about the person, but that type of lead cannot be used in news stories.
False The focus-on-a-person lead can be used in profile stories about the person OR in news stories. (Chapter 7)
T/F: The idea for a story should never come from a blog.
False The idea for a story may start with information from blogs. (Chapter 8)
T/F: The most common type of ending is called a "final kicker."
False The most common type of ending is called a "quote kicker" - ending with a quote that sums up the mood or main idea of the story." (Chapter 8)
T/F: The most common way to write a contrast lead emphasizes a crisis situation.
False The two most common ways to write contrast leads emphasize circumstances and time (but-guess-what contrast & then-and-now contrast) (Chapter 7)
T/F: There is a specific way to organize a profile.
False There is no one way to organize a profile, other than having a lead, a body & an ending. (Chapter 17)
T/F: It's not necessary to video interviews, because they can't be used to produce audio and video to enhance your stories for the web and mobile media.
False These days it is even more essential to videotape interviews so you can produce audio and video to enhance your stories for the web and mobile media. (Chapter 5)
T/F: To insert background into a story, it's inappropriate to use a phrase such as "The incident began this way."
False To insert background into a story, it's inappropriate YOU CAN use a phrase such as "The incident began this way." (Chapter 8)
T/F: To produce a good multimedia website, you need only a smartphone.
False To produce a good multimedia website, you need more than just a smartphone. (Chapter 6)
T/F: Twitter is of no use in getting sources and eyewitness accounts during a disaster, an accident or a local event.
False Twitter is a good way to getting sources and eyewitness accounts quickly during a disaster, an accident or a local event. (Chapter 3)
T/F: Using The Wall Street Journal formula, the lead can be anecdotal or descriptive, but not narrative.
False Using The Wall Street Journal formula, the lead can be anecdotal or descriptive, OR narrative. (Chapter 9)
T/F: Using anonymous sources is a good way to gather information for your stories.
False Using anonymous sources is not an ideal way to gather information for your stories. (Chapter 4)
T/F: Visuals, including photos and graphics, are essential for broadcast media such as TV, but they are not particularly important for print media.
False Visuals, including photos and graphics, are essential for broadcast media such as TV, AND for print media. (Chapter 1)
T/F: Writing news for print, broadcast and the web requires the writer to focus only on the story being written.
False Writing news for print, broadcast and the web requires careful planning and reporting for more than one story (immediacy, then a follow-up, etc.) (Chapter 6)
T/F: Writing news today has nothing in common with speed dating.
False Writing news these days is like speed dating; you only have a few minutes to make decisions about the story before you post parts of it on Twitter or the Web. (Chapter 8)
T/F: You must explain your reason for requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act.
False You do NOT have to explain your reason for requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act. (Chapter 4)
T/F: Considerable technical knowledge is required to create or publish a blog.
False You don't need considerable technical knowledge to create or publish a blog. (Chapter 3)
T/F: You should begin an interview by asking your most important question.
False You should begin an interview by asking easy questions to warm up your interviewee. (Chapter 5)
T/F: You should always describe your profile subject and give the person's age and physical description.
False You should describe your profile subject and give the person's age and physical description ONLY when it's relevant. (Chapter 17)
T/F: Your university's police department can be of no help in providing statistics on such things as crimes on the campus.
False Your university's police department is required to keep a record of statistics on such things as crimes on the campus. (Chapter 4)
T/F: No sites exist to help locate blogs that contain specific information.
False beatblogging.org is a site that helps reports find blogs in their field in addition to other blog search engines (Chapter 3)
Which of the following is NOT one of the points to include in your story about a meeting? A. Quotes B. Number of votes pro and con each time a vote is taken C. Background on the issues D. Type of meeting and location E. Impact on readers
Th number of votes for or against a topic each time a vote is taken should not be included in your story. (Ch. 18)
T/F: Carelessness is the most common cause of lawsuits.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F: During a public meeting, if a city council member calls another member a crook, you may print the accusation.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F: It is crucial to verify your sources when you use Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites for reporting.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F: You may use information from a U.S. government website without permission.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F:Libel is a false and defamatory attack on a person's reputation in written form.
True (Ch. 14)
T/F: A "consent agenda" is a list of items on the meeting's agenda that the board will approve without discussion.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: All states have open-meeting laws requiring officials who have the authority to spend public funds to conduct their business in public.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: Capitalize "city council" and "school board" only when part of a proper name: "the Dallas City Council."
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: Don't lead with a no-news approach: "Someone made a speech." Instead, tell the reader what the speaker said.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: Knowing what is going to happen at a meeting often is more important to readers than knowing what did happen.
True (Ch. 18)
T/F: In small communities, you have to ask officials for statistical information, and they may be reluctant to give it to you.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: Long clauses and phrases before the verb make it hard for the reader to remember what the subject is.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: The more complex the information, the simpler and shorter the sentences should be.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: The textbook encourages making government relevant to readers by finding people who are affected by the actions of government agencies.
True (Ch. 19)
T/F: "Breaking news" is about an event that occurred the same day as, or the day before, publication of the media outlet.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: In the last few decades, news stories have contained more analysis to help readers understand the context of stories.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: Many of the skills you need to become a journalist are still grounded in basic reporting and writing principles.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: Mobile news delivery is the fastest growing trend for the media industry.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: Partnerships with university journalism departments are a way news organization are expanding their coverage without expanding their staffs.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: The days of writing for a single medium have ended at most news, public relations and advertising organizations.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: The textbook lists 11 factors—qualities—of news.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: When a story breaks, reporters at many newspaper and broadcast organizations are expected to file the story immediately for the web and update major stories online throughout the day.
True (Chapter 1)
T/F: A misspelled name or a factual error is a major problem in any story; in an obituary it is disastrous.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Alan Richman says, "Nobody has lived a totally uneventful life."
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: The theme of a profile is an angle or recurring idea that weaves throughout the story.
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: Walter Dawson said, "The heart and soul of a profile is making sure the reader understands the twists and turns and intricacies of human life."
True (Chapter 17)
T/F: "Attribution" answers the question, "Where did you get the information?"
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: A direct quote is a quotation that uses a person's exact words and must be put inside quotation marks.
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: A nut graph is crucial when a story starts with a feature lead because the reader has to wait for a few paragraphs to find the reason for the story.
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: A secondary headline is called a "deck head," "summary line" or "summary blurb."
True (Chapter 2)
T/F: Social media "curation" techniques can be used to compile a composite website.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: Social media reporting techniques have received several Pulitzer Prizes.
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: Sree Sreenivasan, a social media expert, said to be sure each of your tweets "... has at least one of these qualities: helpful, useful, informative, relevant, practical, actionable, timely, generous, credible, brief, entertaining, fun, occasionally funny."
True (Chapter 3)
T/F: Fabrication of sources and information has led to journalists' resignations, apologies and even prison terms.
True (Chapter 4)
T/F: A reporter evaluates information for its accuracy, fairness, newsworthiness and potential to make a readable story.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: For a telephone interview, make two lists of questions: (1) all the questions you want to ask and (2) crucial questions.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: For an email interview, limit the number of questions to five.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: Interview questions that will elicit the most quotes and anecdotes start with what, why and how.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: It is illegal to secretly record any conversation between two other people when you are not a part of the discourse.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: Private individuals do not have to deal with the media, so you need to use more sensitivity when interviewing them.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: TV reporters are expected to post blogs to describe breaking news events.
True (Chapter 5)
T/F: "Mojos" are mobile journalists.
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: Citizens can provide valuable information, but some people try to fool news organizations with bad information or fake pictures.
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: Multimedia is defined as a combination of media and can also be called "convergence."
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: On page 107, the textbook says, "Put the attribution at the beginning of the sentence in broadcast writing. In print and web writing, the attribution may come at the end of the sentence.
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: People typically read less of articles on a small screen cell phone.
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: Social media applications have become standard features in most news, government and public relations websites.
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: Some of the most innovative forms of storytelling can be offered with multimedia tools.
True (Chapter 6)
T/F: In broadcast stories, sound bites and video constitute dialogue.
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: Parallel construction means the sentences are worded in the same grammatical order.
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: Reading your story aloud is useful in correcting your story.
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: The ending of a story is called the "kicker."
True (Chapter 8)
T/F: A version of The Wall Street Journal formula works well when you want the lead to focus on a person to explain a larger issue, a trend or a study.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: The "sections" technique lends itself to cliffhanger endings for each section or each day's installment.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: The Wall Street Journal formula's idea is to go from the specific to the general, starting with a paragraph or two about a person, place or event that illustrates the main point of the story.
True (Chapter 9)
T/F: The disadvantage of the inverted pyramid form is that the reader may not read past the crucial information.
True (Chapter 9)
Which of the following is NOT one of the ways the textbooks says the body of the profile story can be organized? 1. Supporting Themes 2. Time Frames 3. Chronology 4. Point/Counterpoint 5. Sections 6. Q and A 7. None of the above, all are acceptable
7. None of the above, all are acceptable (Chapter 17)
Lists in the beginnings and middles of stories should be limited to ___ items. A: 5 or less B: 10 or less C: 3 or less
A: 5 or less (Chapter 9)
Which of the following is written in active voice? A: A pet iguana started a fire in a split-level house in Lake Shores by knocking over a heat lamp with its tail, fire officials said. B: A fire in a split-level house in Lake Shores was started by a pet iguana that knocked over a heat lamp with its tail, fire officials said.
A: A pet iguana started a fire in a split-level house in Lake Shores by knocking over a heat lamp with its tail, fire officials said. (Chapter 7)
The four coaching method steps in the writing process are conceive, collect, construct and _______ A: Correct B: Connect C: Compare
A: Correct (Chapter 8)
T/F: On page 43 in the textbook, which of the seven statements need attribution?
B, C, F (Chapter 2)
Which of the following sentences is appropriate for broadcast? A: The first firefighters arrived on the scene about three minutes later, at 7:43 a.m., the Fire Department said. B: The Fire Department says the blaze broke out about 8 a.m. in a child's bedroom at 80 Northview Ave.
B: The Fire Department says the blaze broke out about 8 a.m. in a child's bedroom at 80 Northview Ave. Attribution must come first in broadcast. (Chapter 6)
Which of the following sentences is appropriate for print? A: Fire officials say the blaze started in the bedroom. B: The blaze started in the basement, fire officials say.
B: The blaze started in the basement, fire officials say. Attribution may come at the end of the sentence in print and web. (Chapter 6)
The headline for your story should be fewer than ___ words. A: 15 B: 20 C: 10
C: 10 (Chapter 8)
To determine the focus of a hard-news story that you will write, ask yourself: A: What's the story about? B: What does my boss want? C: How are readers or viewers affected? D: How would you tell the story to a friend? E: All of the above except B
E: All of the above except B (Chapter 2)
T/F: The study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism revealed that the speed of producing news has had little or no negative effect on accuracy.
False The study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism revealed that over 62% of executives from print and 67% from broadcast media think accuracy is declining due in part to the speed of producing news & to social media. (Chapter 1)
Which of the following have the courts NOT acknowledged as grounds for an invasion of privacy lawsuit? A. Intrusion B. Public disclosure of private and embarrassing facts C. False light D. Intoxicated admission E. Misappropriation of a person's name or image without permission
The courts have not acknowledged intoxicated admission as ground for an invasion of privacy lawsuit.