week 12: journalism 2001
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Week 12: Journalism 2001. April 21, 2008. Announcements. WDIO Tour Carpool? Who can drive?. Community Journalism Review. Overall excellent stories! You’re all good writers now – we’ll work on being stronger reporters! Remember the basics: 5Ws and H - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Week 12: Journalism 2001Week 12: Journalism 2001
April 21, 2008April 21, 2008
AnnouncementsAnnouncements
WDIO TourWDIO Tour– Carpool? Who can drive?Carpool? Who can drive?
Community Journalism Community Journalism ReviewReview
Overall excellent stories!Overall excellent stories!– You’re all good writers now – we’ll work on being stronger You’re all good writers now – we’ll work on being stronger
reporters!reporters!– Remember the basics: 5Ws and HRemember the basics: 5Ws and H– You might know a topic – assume this is new to the readerYou might know a topic – assume this is new to the reader
Need attributionNeed attribution– Strongest after direct quoteStrongest after direct quote– ,” he said, she said.,” he said, she said.
Comma inside quote marksComma inside quote marks Stick to third person: Not we, us, I, youStick to third person: Not we, us, I, you Style errors:Style errors:
– DatesDates– MonthsMonths– NumeralsNumerals– Need first nameNeed first name
Red Lake CartoonRed Lake Cartoon
Strong summariesStrong summaries Need to be careful with the detailsNeed to be careful with the details
– What was Jim Heffernan’s role?What was Jim Heffernan’s role?
Upcoming storiesUpcoming stories
Feature Story AssignmentFeature Story Assignment– Final article due: May 5Final article due: May 5
Final eportfolio project: Due May 12Final eportfolio project: Due May 12
Chapter 12: By the NumbersChapter 12: By the Numbers
Journalists often dread using “math Journalists often dread using “math skills”skills”
Numbers can help illustrate a story, Numbers can help illustrate a story, make comparisonsmake comparisons
Basic math skillsBasic math skills
Percentages:Percentages:– 10 percent, 40 percent10 percent, 40 percent– Budget increase/decrease:Budget increase/decrease:
(Year 2 – Year 1)/Year 1(Year 2 – Year 1)/Year 1
– Percentage of a wholePercentage of a whole (subgroup/entire group)(subgroup/entire group)
– Percent or percentage pointsPercent or percentage points (1 percent difference/5 percent base = .20 (1 percent difference/5 percent base = .20
or a 20 percent increase)or a 20 percent increase)
Ask for helpAsk for help
Journalists often have big egos!Journalists often have big egos!– OK to ask for helpOK to ask for help
Where to turn online:Where to turn online:– Robert Niles’ Journalism Help:Robert Niles’ Journalism Help:
http://nilesonline.com/stats/http://nilesonline.com/stats/
– Math test for journalists:Math test for journalists: http://www.ire.org/education/math_test.htmlhttp://www.ire.org/education/math_test.html
– Looking for a calculator?Looking for a calculator? http://www.refdesk.comhttp://www.refdesk.com
SurveysSurveys
Conducting a surveyConducting a survey– Formulating the questionsFormulating the questions
– Usually closed-end question: yes or no, one of two Usually closed-end question: yes or no, one of two choiceschoices
– Open-ended questions: tough to tabulateOpen-ended questions: tough to tabulate
– Testing the questionsTesting the questions– Developing the sampleDeveloping the sample
Identifying respondentsIdentifying respondents Selecting a random sampleSelecting a random sample Determining the sampling errorDetermining the sampling error
Gathering dataGathering data– Face-to-face interviewsFace-to-face interviews– Mailed questionnairesMailed questionnaires– Telephone interviewsTelephone interviews
Analyzing the dataAnalyzing the data– Hand-tabulateHand-tabulate– Computer programsComputer programs
Writing the storyWriting the story– Don’t overstate results in the leadDon’t overstate results in the lead– Must explain survey methodologyMust explain survey methodology
When are surveys used?When are surveys used?
Election campaignsElection campaigns– Harris pollHarris poll– Media pollsMedia polls
http://www.startribune.comhttp://www.startribune.com
– Political party pollsPolitical party polls Local issues:Local issues:
– Price of gasoline, price of beerPrice of gasoline, price of beer Pew Research Center:Pew Research Center:
– http://www.people-press.orghttp://www.people-press.org
Survey rules and guidelinesSurvey rules and guidelines Analyze the data carefullyAnalyze the data carefully Carefully interpret statistics correctlyCarefully interpret statistics correctly Lead with survey’s most significant findingsLead with survey’s most significant findings Strive to humanize the statisticsStrive to humanize the statistics Organize the story to help readersOrganize the story to help readers
– Use bullets for key statisticsUse bullets for key statistics Make comparisons among subgroupsMake comparisons among subgroups
– Gender, sex, ageGender, sex, age Consider using charts for statisticsConsider using charts for statistics Don’t forget to explain survey methodologyDon’t forget to explain survey methodology
Avoiding distortionsAvoiding distortions
James Simon’s Top-10 FactorsJames Simon’s Top-10 Factors1.1. Reflection versus Prediction: Polls as Reflection versus Prediction: Polls as
snapshotssnapshots
2.2. Sponsors: Are they credible?Sponsors: Are they credible?
3.3. Samples: Who was polled?Samples: Who was polled?
4.4. Neutrality and Accuracy: How were the Neutrality and Accuracy: How were the questions phrased?questions phrased?
5.5. Context: In what order were the Context: In what order were the questions presented?questions presented?
6.6. Respondents’ answers: Giving the Respondents’ answers: Giving the “right” answer.“right” answer.
7.7. Attitudes and non-attitudes: Measuring Attitudes and non-attitudes: Measuring intensityintensity
8.8. Interpretations: Evaluating Pollsters’ Interpretations: Evaluating Pollsters’ conclusionsconclusions
9.9. Statistical Significance: Are the results Statistical Significance: Are the results meaningful?meaningful?
10.10.Consistency: Comparing results across Consistency: Comparing results across pollspolls
Out-of-class Assignment: April Out-of-class Assignment: April 2828
GLBTA Panel StoryGLBTA Panel Story No more than 400 wordsNo more than 400 words Email to [email protected] to [email protected]
Community Journalism Community Journalism RewriteRewrite
Peer review and rewrite of Peer review and rewrite of community journalism stories for community journalism stories for Web siteWeb site
Review of feature story Review of feature story draftsdrafts
While doing editing/rewrite of While doing editing/rewrite of community journalism storiescommunity journalism stories
Let’s revisit portfolioLet’s revisit portfolio
https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jspindex.jsp
PortfolioPortfolio
Store academic information on your Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage.100 mb of storage.
Access Electronic Portfolio at: Access Electronic Portfolio at: https://https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jspportfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jsp