Term
| Using "on" before a day of the week and before a month and date |
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Definition
OMIT the word "on" before a date
City council will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. NO
City council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday. CORRECT |
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Term
| "Holding" meetings, conferences parties, conventions |
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Definition
Avoid using the term "hold" when referring to a meeting
INCORRECT
City council will hold its meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
CORRECT
City council will meet at 7p.m. Tuesday. |
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Term
| Inviting, urging, or welcoming |
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Definition
Don't "invite, urge, or welcome" a reader or listener to do anything
This may only be used in attributed sources
WRONG: The public is invited.
CORRECT: The event is open to the public. |
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Term
| Talking inanimate objects |
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Definition
Avoid talking inanimate objects, such as the White house said, the University asked
Instead, use terms such as spokesman, spokeswoman, or representative |
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Term
| Attributions/ name and verb location |
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Definition
Put the name before the verb
Jessica said, not said Jessica |
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Term
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Definition
Be cautious when using according to
Usually, use according to when talking about an inanimate object and use said when referring to a person |
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Term
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Definition
Don't interchange these
Feel-sense of touch
Think-express an opinion
Believe-refer to a conviction or a principle |
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Term
| Reading minds or making predictions |
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Definition
don't do it
avoid this problem by saying he/she said before
INCORRECT: Trager thinks he has enough votes.
CORRECT: Trager said he thinks he has enough votes. |
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Term
| Giving orders to readers/listeners |
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Definition
Avoid giving orders
INCORRECT: You must bring a statement of your annual income when you apply for the loan.
CORRECT: Applicants are required to provide a statement of annual income. |
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Term
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Definition
Belong after the person's name
short titles go before and are typically capitalized
long titles follow a person's name and are lower cased
(Ralph Hastings, associate director of the United Fund Campaign"
Use titles before names only if you would address those individuals that way if you passed them on the street |
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Term
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Definition
Quotations should only be used if they actually have an impact.
If it is routine information then it should be paraphrased. |
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Term
| Identification of the person being quoted |
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Definition
| Should be placed directly after the first sentence |
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Term
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Definition
Doctor is a title not a profession
Avoid writing that a person is a doctor, use their profession instead
Most people assume that doctor is a medical profession so clarify the profession
(Dr. Martin Reynolds, professor of journalism) |
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Term
| Beginning sentences with coordination conjunctions. |
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Definition
| Acceptable in Journalism unless it is the first sentence of the first paragraph |
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Term
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Definition
| don't repeat major words in the same sentence or headline |
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Term
| relative pronouns and their antecedents |
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Definition
A relative pronoun introduces a dependent clause, further explains or defines its antecedent from the independent clause, and enables the writer to combine two clauses into one effective sentence. (who, which, that, whom, what, whose, whoever, whomever, etc.)
PLACE A RELATIVE PRONOUN IMMEDIATELY AFTER ITS NOUN ANTECEDENT
INCORRECT: the library in McDonald County, which used to be a barn,...
CORRECT: The McDonald County library, which used to be a barn... |
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Term
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Definition
don't interchange
use which if is a nonessential clause
use that if it is an essential clause |
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Term
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Definition
don't report as facts
INCORRECT: The university's inferior science program...
CORRECT: The study body president of Acme State described the university's science program as inferior |
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Term
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Definition
| use proper judgment when adding -ize to the end of a word |
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Term
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Definition
resist doing this
(jailed, journeyed, housed) |
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Term
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Definition
word that are pompous, wordy
avoid using these words |
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Term
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Definition
| maintain parallel construction, make sure your writing has the same balance, rhythm, and consistent direction |
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Term
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Definition
think first
usually, do it only when it improves writing and promotes comprehension
INCORRECT: to forever look young,
CORRECT: to look young forever |
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Term
| "currently", "now", and "presently" |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
although means despite the fact that
while means during the time that |
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Term
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Definition
between when two people, place or things are involved
use among when the number is three or more |
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Term
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Definition
amount- indefinite quantity that cannot be counted
number-a quantity of people or things that can be counted |
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Term
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Definition
anxious- indicates concern or worry
eager- shows impatient desire
avoid using the prepositions to or for after anxious, it then takes on the meaning of eager |
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Term
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Definition
because indicates a cause or a reason
since refers to time |
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Term
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Definition
use can for ability to
use may for permission |
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Term
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Definition
convince means to cause someone to believe
persuade means to cause someone to do something or to take action |
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Term
| disinterested/uninterested |
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Definition
disinterested describes a person who is impartial
uninterested describes a person who is not interested |
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Term
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Definition
dragged- the past tense of drag, means to pull along with considerable effort
drug, as a verb, refers to a medicine or some other chemical substance |
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Term
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Definition
each other- when two people, place or things are involved
one another- three or more |
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Term
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Definition
ensure- to guarantee or make certain
insure- to make safe from loss or harm |
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Term
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Definition
farther- refers to distance
further- refers to a degree or extent |
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Term
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Definition
fewer- things that can be counted
less- bulk or quantity |
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Term
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Definition
hanged- executed
hung-everything else |
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Term
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Definition
healthful- refers to something that promotes good health
healthy- refers to being in good physical and mental heatlh |
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Term
| in behalf of/on behalf of |
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Definition
in behalf of-means for the benefit of
on behalf of-in place of |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
lie-to recline/rest (lie, lay, have/has/had lain, lying)
lay- to place/put (lay, laid, have/has/had laid, laying) |
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Term
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Definition
proved is a verb
proven is a noun |
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Term
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Definition
who and whoever- primarily used as subjects
whom and whomever- primarily used as objects |
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Term
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Definition
| a player will try to win not try and win |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| use want instead of wish usually |
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Term
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Definition
| use feel bad (badly is an adverb) |
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Term
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Definition
when discussing an injury use when
luther was injured when he was hit by a car (not after) |
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Term
| former student/ former graduate |
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Definition
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Term
| time out on the field/court, etc. |
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Definition
| only need to say time out |
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Term
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Definition
| avoid saying this, who else would apply other than those interested? |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| angry mobs, brutal beatings |
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Definition
angry and brutal not necessary
all mobs are angry all beatings are brutal |
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Term
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Definition
avoid
all babies are little all babies are new |
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Term
| free gift, free of charge |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| say or write the objects separately |
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Term
| adage, cliche, tradition, habit, maxim |
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Definition
| drop the term "old" before these words |
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Term
| can't help/ can't help but |
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Definition
can't help
CORRET: I can't help thinking... |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| o is a letter. 0 is a number. |
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Term
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Definition
just because you're repeating doesn't mean you have to use the past tense
INCORRECT: After the game, the coach said the defeat was the worst in the school's history. (the defeat IS still worst) |
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Term
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Definition
nauseated- feeling sick or disgusted
nauseous- means causing sickness or disgust |
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Term
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Definition
funny- something that causes laughter or amusement
strange- something odd or unusual |
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Term
| anyone/any one, anybody/ any body, everyone/ every one, everybody/every body |
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Definition
as a single word, each refers to a group
as two words, the reference is to an individual person or body |
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Term
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Definition
anytime-whenever
any time- an amount of time |
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Term
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Definition
anyway-regardless
any way-method, choice, direction |
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Term
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Definition
everyday-an adjective, refers to days in general without emphasizing any specific day
every day- every is an adj modifying day |
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Term
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Definition
sometime-some unspecified time
some time- an unspecified quantity of time |
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Term
| relative pronouns-singular or plural? |
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Definition
relative pronouns such as who, which and that can be singular or plural when they serve as subjects
the solution is locating the antecedent (the noun that the pronoun replaces)
one of...who are
only one..who is |
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Term
| none as singular and plural |
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Definition
when none means not any, it is plural
none means not one it is singular |
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Term
| either/or as singular and plural |
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Definition
when both subjects are singular, the verb is singular
when both subjects are plural, the verb is plural
when one is plural and one is singular, the verb should agree with the subject nearest to it
therefore, put the plural subject next to the verb |
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Term
| other or else in comparison |
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Definition
| when we compare persons places or things with other persons places or things from the same grouping or class we must insert either OTHER or ELSE to make the comparison clear |
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Term
| commas between adjectives |
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Definition
if the adjectives are coordinate (they modify the noun equally) then commas go between them
add the word and between the adjectives and if it makes sense then commas are needed
if the adjectives can be interchanged without harming the meaning of the sentence, commas are needed |
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Term
| apostrophes showing joint or separate ownership |
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Definition
add an 's to the last noun to indicate joint ownership
add an 's to each noun to indicate separate ownership |
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Term
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Definition
let your ear be the guide
if there must be a pause then use a colon, but if no pause is necessary then don't use a colon |
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Term
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Definition
words such as however, therefore, nevertheless, consequently, subsequently, moreover, furthermore create a punctuation problem
when these words join two complete sentences they are preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma
when these words are parenthetical adverbs, they are preceded and followed by commas |
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Term
| commas and dependent clauses |
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Definition
determine if the clause is essential
essential clauses don't need commas, nonessential (adds to but does not affect the meaning of the independent clause)clauses do |
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Term
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Definition
it's-it is
who's-who is
its and whose-possessive pronouns |
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Term
| when to use self and selves |
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Definition
| intensive and reflexive cases |
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Term
| when to use were or was after if |
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Definition
use were if you are expressing a wish or something that definitely is not true
use was if you are using a clause that starts with if and you are expressing something that could be true |
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Term
| when (and when not) to use OF after ALL, BOTH, and OFF |
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Definition
| use your ear, say the sentence with and without the word of |
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Term
| when to follow THAN with I or ME, HE, or HIM, SHE or HER, WE or US, THEY or THEM |
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Definition
| add the verb back in to the end of the sentence and pick whatever sound correct |
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Term
| how only can be insensitive |
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Definition
when used in connection with death
"only four people died" |
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Term
| how only can cause misunderstanding |
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Definition
| moving the word only can cause different meanings in a sentence |
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Term
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Definition
| change it to one of # (ten, etc.) or one of only a few |
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Term
| how to avoid problems using only |
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Definition
| place it directly before the word that represents whoever or whatever is the lone or the sole one |
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Term
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Definition
Improve your writing
Increase media literacy
Develop professional skills
Begin to define your interests |
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Term
| The more consistent your process, the more consistent your _________. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| prewriting, writing, rewriting |
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Term
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Definition
| the gathering and planning for the writing |
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Term
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Definition
| creating the first version of a piece |
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Term
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Definition
making the story ready for readers, starting with
editors and ending with end-users of the magazine,
newspaper, Web site or other media platform or product. |
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Term
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Definition
Step 1:Get an idea
Step 2: gather information
Step 3:organize |
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Term
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Definition
| Step 4:write a rough draft |
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Term
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Definition
Step 5: revising
Step 6: edit
Step 7:proofreading |
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Term
| the writing process has ___ stages and ___ steps |
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Definition
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Term
| the writing process is ____ rather than ____ |
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Definition
| recursive rather than linear |
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Term
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Definition
Assigned
Clip file (Steal everything)
Personal inventory
Phone book
Look at the world around you
Listen to the world around you |
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Term
| Step 2: Gather information |
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Definition
Secondary research (library, internet, press kits, previous media coverage)
Primary research (interviewing) |
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Term
| always end an interview with these two questions |
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Definition
"is there anything i haven't asked you that you think is important?"
"If i have any more questions, may i call you?" |
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Term
| which step are most beginning writers most likely to skip? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| the publication of the daily NEWS |
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Term
| basic definition of journalism |
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Definition
| the acceptance or belief in chronicling and publishing daily events |
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Term
| We select news based on ______ |
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Definition
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Term
| news values are both _____ and ______ |
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Definition
| core elements and ever changing in their definitions |
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Term
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Definition
| race, class, gender, generation, geography |
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Term
| sources of news for journalists |
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Definition
| official records, news conferences, press releases, government decisions and actions, events, issues, beat reporting/asking questions/scanning territory/news sense |
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Term
| sources of news for consumers |
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Definition
| newspapers, newscasts: radio and television, internet, handheld devices, social media |
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Term
| journalists are no longer in the ______ position they once held |
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Definition
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Term
| while journalists are still ______ in some ways, people seek information from a variety of sources |
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Definition
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Term
| Four reasons for diversity |
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Definition
| ethics, atonement, good economics, good journalism |
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Term
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Definition
| we've solved the problem, move on |
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Term
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Definition
| education to raise awareness of cultivating sources, story ideas and content of broader range |
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Term
| Seven categories of "otherness" |
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Definition
created by beverly daniel tatum
ethnicity, racism
gender sexims
religion, religious oppression/anti-semitism
sexual orientation, heterosexism
socioeconomic status, classism
age, agism
physical or mental ability, ableism |
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Term
| According to stovall, what four things equal good writing? |
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Definition
efficient
precise
clear
modest |
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Term
| According to stovall, the would-be writer but do four things: |
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Definition
know the language
know the subject
write it down
edit and rewrite |
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Term
| Stovall's basic writing techniques |
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Definition
write simply
use simple words
use simple sentences
practice brevity
eliminate jargon, cliches, and bureaucratese
use familiar words rather than unfamiliar words
vary sentence type and length
nouns and verbs
transitions |
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Term
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Definition
| technical language that is used in specialized fields or among a small group of people with a common interest |
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Term
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Definition
| overused words, phrases and clauses |
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Term
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Definition
| a general name for a serious misuse of the language |
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Term
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Definition
| simple, compound, complex, compound-complex |
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Term
| what type of sentences should writers not overuse? |
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Definition
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Term
| four ways writing for the mass media differs from other forms of writing |
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Definition
subject matter
purpose
audience
writing environment |
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