Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing
Foundational Skills for a Digital Age
- Vincent F. Filak - University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, USA
Newswriting & Reporting
“This book is an exceptional introduction into the world of journalistic writing and editing. The author turns the material into a discussion, allowing students to better grasp the concepts at hand.”
—Dante Mozie, South Carolina State University
Journalists in today’s media environment require a skill set that can be adapted to a variety of media. Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing: Foundational Skills for a Digital Age teaches students the foundational skills they need to successfully report and write the news in an evolving digital landscape. Author Vince F. Filak offers guidance on the essential skills of the industry while weaving in the “how-to’s” of writing digital news. Recognizing that well-crafted stories are founded on sharp prose, this new text covers the foundational elements of newswriting, such as lead writing, structure, and storytelling while also teaching students how to think critically and determine what matters most to their readers.
Visit the author’s blog at www.dynamicsofwriting.com to get tips for teaching the course, industry related news, sample exercises & assignments, & more!
Free Poster: How To Spot Fake News
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| Media and Media Users Today |
| Defining Your Audience |
| What Do We Owe Our Audience? |
| What Attracts an Audience? |
| The Big Three |
| How Do We Think? |
| The Requirements of Critical Thought |
| How to Approach a Story as a Critical Thinker |
| Critical Thought and the Value of Your Questions |
| The Big Three |
| A Quick Look at Types of Leads |
| Identifying Problematic Leads and Potential Fixes |
| The Inverted Pyramid: Ordering Information After the Lead |
| Quotes: Letting Your Sources Tell the Story |
| Attributing Your Information |
| The Big Three |
| Expanding the Inverted Pyramid |
| Writing With a Narrative Feel |
| Nonlinear Storytelling |
| The Big Three |
| What Is Social Media? |
| Value of Social Media |
| Social Media Tools for Your Toolbox |
| Blogging |
| The Big Three |
| Critically Thinking About Interviewing’s Purpose |
| Understanding the Interviewing Basics |
| Types of Interviews |
| Other Purposes for Interviews |
| The Big Three |
| Reporting Basics |
| Event Coverage |
| Basic Tips for All Event Stories |
| Stories Beyond Standard Events |
| The Big Three |
| The News Feature: How to Find Stories in Everyday Life |
| Beat Reporting |
| Personality Profiles |
| Working as a Watchdog |
| The Big Three |
| Broadcast Style: Different, Yet the Same |
| Script Writing 101 |
| The Basic Elements of Broadcast Structure |
| Story Types and Formats |
| The Big Three |
| Tools of the Trade |
| Types of Material You Gather |
| Capturing Vivid Visuals |
| Making Your Video Valuable |
| The Big Three |
| Audio Bites Online |
| Video Bites Online |
| Pairing Script and Video |
| Building a Story From Start to Finish |
| The Big Three |
| Understanding the First Amendment |
| Law Across Media Platforms: Levels of Protection |
| Reporter’s Privilege |
| Let the Sunshine In: Rules for Transparency and Access |
| Rules for Recording |
| The Basics of Libel |
| Defenses Against Libel |
| Invasion of Privacy |
| The Big Three |
| Why Ethics Matter |
| Basic Approaches to Ethics |
| Tenets of Journalistic Ethics |
| Accountability |
| The Big Three |
Supplements
SAGE edge for Instructors, supports your teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students.
- Newswriting Assignments enable students to broaden their reporting skills and practice writing.
- AP Style Quizzes and Exercises test your students' knowledge of AP style and provide opportunities for them to practice writing in this style.
- Video and multimedia links appeal to diverse learners.
- Test banks provide a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert your own personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding.
- Sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses provide suggested models for structuring your courses.
- Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for your course.
- EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter is included.
SAGE edge for Students provides a personalized approach to help students accomplish their coursework goals in an easy-to-use learning environment.
- Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts.
- Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment by students of their mastery of course material.
- Newswriting Assignments enable students to broaden their reporting skills and practice writing.
- AP Style Quizzes and Exercises test your students’ knowledge of AP style and provide opportunities for them to practice writing in this style.
- Video and multimedia links appeal to diverse learners.
- EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected to support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter is included.
“Dynamics for News Reporting and Writing is a compelling text incorporating up-to-date information in a very readable, student-friendly format. It is well worth review when considering new texts for a journalism course.”
“A comprehensive and conversational look at what every beginning journalist needs to know in the quickly changing media environment.”
“Dynamics for News Reporting and Writing provides a resource for professionals and students of journalism alike that engages readers to become active participants through digital and real-world examples/lessons. The text encourages readers to perform exceptional journalistic work while providing the background theory and concepts required to be successful in this competitive industry.”
“This book is an exceptional introduction into the world of journalistic writing and editing. The author turns the material into a discussion, allowing students to better grasp the concepts at hand.”
“This book is representative of the skills students should have when they go into their first internship or job.”
“This could be the textbook I’ve been waiting for. It is easy to understand, has a logical flow of information, and doesn’t have too much “noise” that makes the material overwhelming for beginning reporters.”
“This book sets the tone early and is a warning to beginner journalists—lazy thinking and doing enough to get by won’t cut it. Everything a journalist does involves learned skills, starting with critical thinking. If you don’t know how to properly approach a story and think on your feet, the rest of your story just falls apart.”
