You Be The Journalist By Professor Pearson’s Race, Gender, and the News class at The College of New Jersey

Intro and Instructions You are a journalist. You’ve been assigned to investigate and report on the daily lives of people experiencing homelessness in the Trenton area. You have written the bulk of your article, but with the deadline fast approaching, you’re being pressed to finish your work while still presenting the story both accurately and fairly. You are putting the finishing touches on a handful of sentences. Once the game begins, you’ll have 20 seconds to read a portion of your story and chose between three terms to complete the blank. Start the Game! I Don’t Understand [to Detailed Instructions]

Your objective is to read a sentence and decide which choice best completes the blank. You’ll have three options to choice from. Keep in mind you’ll have 20 seconds to answer each question. I understand – start the game!

First Question John Doe, ______________, has been living on the streets of Trenton for 6 months. a man experiencing homelessness a homeless man an African- American man experiencing homelessness

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Second Question he lost his job due to the downward shift in the economy he lost his job 4 months ago he is unemployed John Doe is currently experiencing homelessness because _____________

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Second Question he lost his job due to the downward shift in the economy he lost his job 4 months ago he is unemployed John Doe is currently experiencing homelessness because _____________

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Second Question John Doe is currently experiencing homelessness because _____________. he lost his job due to the downward shift in the economy he lost his job 4 months ago he is unemployed

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Third Question Your editor calls you half an hour before your deadline and tells you that your story is too long and uninteresting. Your editor suggests cutting a few segments in the story. Which one do you keep? Jane Doe, who is experiencing homelessness leaving an abusive relationship. The story about Joe Bloggs, who is experiencing homelessness in order to save money to pay for a mandatory medical operation. The story about John Smith, who is experiencing homelessness due to drug addiction

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Third Question Your editor calls you half an hour before your deadline and tells you that your story is too long and uninteresting. Your editor suggests cutting a few segments in the story. Which one do you keep? Jane Doe, who is experiencing homelessness leaving an abusive relationship. The story about Joe Bloggs, who is experiencing homelessness in order to save money to pay for a mandatory medical operation. The story about John Smith, who is experiencing homelessness due to drug addiction

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Third Question Your editor calls you half an hour before your deadline and tells you that your story is too long and uninteresting. Your editor suggests cutting a few segments in the story. Which one do you keep? Jane Doe, who is experiencing homelessness leaving an abusive relationship. The story about Joe Bloggs, who is experiencing homelessness in order to save money to pay for a mandatory medical operation. The story about John Smith, who is experiencing homelessness due to drug addiction

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fourth Question How would you like to end your article? Quote from a person experiencing homelessness Quote about your own personal observation Quote from a removed “expert” on the topic of homelessness

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fourth Question How would you like to end your article? Quote from a person experiencing homelessness Quote about your own personal observation Quote from a removed “expert” on the topic of homelessness

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fourth Question How would you like to end your article? Quote from a person experiencing homelessness Quote about your own personal observation Quote from a removed “expert” on the topic of homelessness

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fourth Question How would you like to end your article? Quote from a person experiencing homelessness Quote about your own personal observation Quote from a removed “expert” on the topic of homelessness

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fifth Question What type of picture will accompany your story? A piece of artwork done by a person experiencing homelessness A picture of a person experiencing homelessness sleeping on the street A picture of a person experiencing homelessness with a sign over their face

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fifth Question What type of picture will accompany your story? A piece of artwork done by a person experiencing homelessness A picture of a person experiencing homelessness sleeping on the street A picture of a person experiencing homelessness with a sign over their face

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fifth Question What type of picture will accompany your story? A piece of artwork done by a person experiencing homelessness A picture of a person experiencing homelessness sleeping on the street A picture of a person experiencing homelessness with a sign over their face

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Fifth Question What type of picture will accompany your story? A picture of a person experiencing homelessness with a sign over their face A picture of a person experiencing homelessness sleeping on the street A piece of artwork done by a person experiencing homelessness

GAME OVER You’ve failed to meet your deadline. Keep in mind you only have 20 seconds to answer each question. This 20 seconds is representative of the short deadlines journalists are often given in order to complete stories about homelessness and people experiencing homelessness. Try again!

Congratulations! You were able to select the best phrases while also being sensitive to the subjects who are experiencing homelessness. The words used in newspaper articles greatly effect those experiencing homelessness as well as how society views them. Describing the subject of an article by their race or gender often wrongly encourages labeling people. Also, calling someone a “homeless person” as opposed to a “person experiencing homelessness” defines him or her by their circumstances. You successfully selected the phrases that begin the process of reversing the false beliefs often used in media. Play again! Check out our Tumblr page!

Not so easy, huh? The words that journalists use to describe the subjects of their articles often have consequences beyond words on a page. While some of your answers were appropriate, using the phrase “homeless person” as opposed to “person experiencing homelessness” defines a human being permanently by their (often temporary) living situation. Also, needlessly describing a person by their race encourages the idea that all people of that race experience homelessness. Play again! Check out our Tumblr page!

The phrases that journalist choose to describe their subjects determine how society sees those experiencing homelessness. The phrases chosen in your quiz may have seemed harmless, but in reality they encouraged incorrect views on certain groups of people. Many journalists choose similar phrases such as “homeless person” as opposed to “person experiencing homelessness” which defines a person by their (often temporary) living situation. Likewise, needlessly describing a person by their race or focusing on a single gender instills in the reader’s head that homelessness only a male or minority race issue. Play again! Check out our Tumblr page!