Week 12: Journalism 2001 November 26, 2007

Community Journalism Review Overall excellent stories! Overall excellent stories! –You’re all good writers now – we’ll work on being stronger reporters! –Remember the basics: 5Ws and H –You might know a topic – assume this is new to the reader Need attribution Need attribution –Strongest after direct quote –,” he said, she said.  Comma inside quote marks Stick to third person: Not we, us, I, you Stick to third person: Not we, us, I, you Style errors: Style errors: –Dates –Months –Numerals –Need first name

Red Lake Cartoon/Sarah Doty Review Strong summaries Strong summaries Need to be careful with the details Need to be careful with the details –What was Jim Heffernan’s role?

Editorial columnist Jeff Heffernan speaks out about the process that led to a highly controversial and offensive cartoon against American Indians and the Red Lake Reservation being published in the Duluth News Tribune. A controversial cartoon depicting the Red Lake Reservation shooting ran in the Duluth News Tribune sending a tide of anger over the Native American community pushing a staff member to issue an apology. A controversial cartoon in the Duluth News Tribune featuring the Red Lake Reservation sparks many disputes among readers. After running a culturally distasteful editorial cartoon on March 30, which depicted the tragedies of the Red Lake shootings, the Duluth News Tribune printed a formal apology of Jim Heffernan, who was responsible for the printing of the cartoon. In an unprecedented reaction to protests and a firestorm of letters to the editor regarding a recent editorial cartoon, a local opinion columnist pulled his Sunday column to run an explanation and an apology for the decision to use the cartoon.

Sarah Doty, a student at UMD, spoke to Reporting and Writing I students on Monday about her experiences as a student writer and as a hopeful future journalist to inspire young scholars interested in the field. UMD senior and Statesman managing editor Sarah Doty has applied her experience as a Duluth News Tribune intern to the Statesman in hopes that readers will enjoy a revamped experience. Writing started as a hobby, then turned into a passion, and after four years of schooling at the University of Minnesota Duluth, it turned into a career. Set to graduate this spring, University of Minnesota Duluth senior, Sarah Doty is on track to do great things in journalism.

Upcoming stories Feature Story Assignment Feature Story Assignment –Final article due: December 10 Final eportfolio project: Due December 17 Final eportfolio project: Due December 17

Don Imus Update

Chapter 12: By the Numbers Journalists often dread using “math skills” Journalists often dread using “math skills” Numbers can help illustrate a story, make comparisons Numbers can help illustrate a story, make comparisons

Basic math skills Percentages: Percentages: –10 percent, 40 percent –Budget increase/decrease:  (Year 2 – Year 1)/Year 1 –Percentage of a whole  (subgroup/entire group) –Percent or percentage points  (1 percent difference/5 percent base =.20 or a 20 percent increase)

Ask for help Journalists often have big egos! Journalists often have big egos! –OK to ask for help Where to turn online: Where to turn online: –Robert Niles’ Journalism Help:  –Math test for journalists:  –Looking for a calculator? 

Surveys Conducting a survey Conducting a survey –Formulating the questions –Usually closed-end question: yes or no, one of two choices –Open-ended questions: tough to tabulate –Testing the questions –Developing the sample  Identifying respondents  Selecting a random sample  Determining the sampling error

Gathering data Gathering data –Face-to-face interviews –Mailed questionnaires –Telephone interviews Analyzing the data Analyzing the data –Hand-tabulate –Computer programs Writing the story Writing the story –Don’t overstate results in the lead –Must explain survey methodology

When are surveys used? Election campaigns Election campaigns –Harris poll –Media polls  –Political party polls Local issues: Local issues: –Price of gasoline, price of beer Pew Research Center: Pew Research Center: –

Survey rules and guidelines Analyze the data carefully Analyze the data carefully Carefully interpret statistics correctly Carefully interpret statistics correctly Lead with survey’s most significant findings Lead with survey’s most significant findings Strive to humanize the statistics Strive to humanize the statistics Organize the story to help readers Organize the story to help readers –Use bullets for key statistics Make comparisons among subgroups Make comparisons among subgroups –Gender, sex, age Consider using charts for statistics Consider using charts for statistics Don’t forget to explain survey methodology Don’t forget to explain survey methodology

Avoiding distortions James Simon’s Top-10 Factors James Simon’s Top-10 Factors 1.Reflection versus Prediction: Polls as snapshots 2.Sponsors: Are they credible? 3.Samples: Who was polled? 4.Neutrality and Accuracy: How were the questions phrased? 5.Context: In what order were the questions presented?

6.Respondents’ answers: Giving the “right” answer. 7.Attitudes and non-attitudes: Measuring intensity 8.Interpretations: Evaluating Pollsters’ conclusions 9.Statistical Significance: Are the results meaningful? 10.Consistency: Comparing results across polls

Assignment for December 3 Survey story: words Survey story: words Due: Monday, December 3 Due: Monday, December 3 to to

Let’s revisit portfolio

Review of feature story drafts While doing editing/rewrite of community journalism stories While doing editing/rewrite of community journalism stories

Portfolio Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage. Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage. Access Electronic Portfolio at: sp Access Electronic Portfolio at: sp sp sp