1. Journalism Today – Chapter 7 Writing News Stories
Using Transitions

2. Chapter 7 – Key Terms Back-up quote Transition Body Tie-back
Personality interview
Action story
Color sidebar
Stylebook
Sexist language
Slang
Jargon
Redundancy
Cliché

3. Transitions
Words, phrases, or whole paragraphs that hold a story together (make them unified)
These link together paragraphs, making stories unfold orderly and logically
Developing effective transitions is a must-have skill for any journalist!

4. Transitions This example appears in your textbook.
President Bush today signed into law a new tax reform bill, expected to raise an additional $10 billion a year for the federal treasury.
Bush signed the bill in a White House ceremony and then handed out two dozen souvenir pens to the Republican senators who steered the bill to passage.
Did you catch the transition here?

5. Transitions The transition is the repetition of the word Bush
The word appears in both paragraphs, letting the reader know our subject hasn’t changed – the reader does not get lost.

6. Transitions Look for the transition
Commonly recognized as a comical loser, Happy Gilmore could be more serious than his character indicated.
A professional golfer who lost his left hand to a hungry alligator, Chubbs is a coach presently running for the United States presidency.
Hmmmmmmmmm . . .

7. Transitions Chubbs? Who’s he?
Most readers will assume that the second paragraph’s subject is still Happy Gilmore.
The writer has done nothing to indicate a change in subject.
This is not good, y’all!

8. Handy Dandy Transitional Words for the Newswriter
For example
Furthermore
However
Likewise
Therefore
Finally
In addition
Also
Consequently
Besides

9. Tying Paragraphs Together
Read the sample story on pages in your textbook.
Study the use of subtle transitions that tie the details together, letting the paragraphs flow in a logical order.