Writing a News Report

ENG 2P
 The key elements in a news report are:

1. Headline 5. Body
Catches your attention Supplies detail
Sums up the story Most important details come
2. Byline first
Writers name Simple true statementt
Writers Specialty, e.g. sports 6. Quotation
3. Placeline What someone actually said
Where the story begins Adds accuracy
Adds at the scene feeling
4. Lead
The opening section
Gives most important information
Should answer most of the 5W's
The upside down triangle (as I call it)
Car thief caught trapped in target vehicle

Jim Day, Staff Reporter Wed Feb 25, 2009

CANBERRA - A bungling Australian car thief was nabbed

after accidentally locking himself in the vehicle he
was trying to steal, police said Wednesday.

Police were called to a house in Adelaide after two

thieves were heard trying to steal a car. On arrival
they were surprised to find a 53-year old man hiding
inside the vehicle.

"The man, while breaking into the car, had locked

himself in the car and couldn't get out," South
Australian police said, adding a second thief was found
hiding in nearby bushes.
What are the 5Ws ?

What happened?

Who did it happen to?

Why did it happen?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

Read the article. Fill in the Elements of a News Report chart.
Element Definition From the Article

Headline Catches your attention

Sums up the story

Byline Writers name

Writers Specialty, e.g. food

Placeline Where the story begins

Lead The opening section

Gives most important information
Should answer most of the 5Ws

Body Supplies detail Circle the Paragraphs in the Body

Most important details come first

Facts Simple true statements Underline 4 Facts in the Article

Quotations What someone actually said

Adds accuracy
Adds at the scene feeling
 Newspaper Evaluation
Part 1: The Written News Report
Task: Write an authentic news report about any newsworthy event that has happened or that could happen at Ridgemont High School
following the format outlined in class. Your article should be at least 4 paragraphs long.

Part 2: Editorial If I could change the world

Task: Write an editorial piece outlining your opinion on what should be changed in the world. Remember, Gerald made some strong
arguments on eliminating band aids, five dollar bills, and peanut butter.

Part 3: Dear Abby

Task: This task has two parts.
a) Write a letter to the newspaper asking for advice from the perspective of a character from the novel (Andy, Gerald, Keisha,
B.J. etc.).
b) Respond to the letter providing good advice for your character.

Part 4: Advertisement
Task: Create a one page print advertisement that would appear in your newspaper for a product or service that the audience of your
newspaper (Ridgemont HS Students) would be interested in.

Part 5: The Oral News Report

Task: Report on the same event as Part 1 to the class as a television reporter. Include conventions of an oral news report
including appropriate audio-visual aids. This can be presented live or taped. Complete a chart outlining your use of the codes
and conventions which you applied.
News Report
Part 1: The Written News
Report
Task: Write an authentic
news report about any
newsworthy event that has
happened or that could
happen at Ridgemont High
School following the format
outlined in class. Your
article should be at least 4
paragraphs long.
Writing an editorial

An editorial is an article that presents the newspaper's

opinion on an issue.

Editorials are meant to influence public opinion, promote

critical thinking, and sometimes cause people to take action
on an issue.

In essence, an editorial is an opinionated news story.

Your editorial will be kind of like a personal essay.

Step 1: Understand the composition of an essay.

Start by making sure that you understand the composition of

an essay. It has three parts: an introduction, a body of
information, and a conclusion
 Composition of an essay
The introduction: Start your personal essay with an interesting sentence that hooks your
readers. You want them to want to read more. Communicate and introduce your topic with a
bang.

Body: The body of your essay consists of one to three paragraphs that inform your
readers about the topic you introduced. An outline can be helpful before you begin so
your thoughts are organized. Paragraphs have the same structure as the entire essay.
They begin with a sentence that introduces the point and draws the reader in. The middle
sentences of the paragraph provide information about the point, and a concluding
sentence drives home your view and leads to the next point. Each new idea is a signal to
start a new paragraph. Each paragraph should be a logical progression from the previous
idea and lead to the next idea or the conclusion.

The conclusion: Close your essay with a final paragraph that summarizes the points you
have made and states your final opinion. This is where you offer insights or lessons
learned, or share how you were, or will be, changed because of your approach to the
topic. The best conclusions are tied to the opening paragraph.
 Keep using point, proof, comment.

Gerald even does.

Id also get rid of Band-Aidsfor two reasons. One, POINT

theyre beige. They say on the box, skin tone is
the color of the bandages inside. Whose skin? Not
PROOF
mine! So I HATE wearing Band-Aids because theyre so
noticeable and people always say, Howd you get that
COMMENT
cut or that bruise or those stitches? And I always
have to make up about how I hurt myself. When Andy
came back to school after the accident, he was
wearing a bunch of Band-Aids. At least it took the
attention away from me for a while. But Id still
eliminate Band-Aidsat least the beige ones.
Your editorial will be kind of like a personal essay.

Step 2: Understand what a personal essay is

Personal essays relate the authors intimate thoughts and

experiences to universal truths. They arent simply a
retelling of events, thoughthat falls more in the realm of
memoir or autobiography. They often present some truth or
insight that challenges the reader to draw their own
conclusions.
Your editorial will be kind of like a personal essay.

Step 3: Start with a strong hook

As with any type of writing, its essential to draw the

reader in from the very first paragraph, or even the first
sentence. Here is an example.
Your editorial will be kind of like a personal essay.
Step 4: Show, dont tell

Think of the scene youre about to write down. What were you
experiencing with your five senses? How did you feel?

Try to get your reader to feel those senses and feelings

without just saying them.

Dont say I felt cold. Say I exhaled and my breath turned

to vapor that hung in the air. I shivered and pulled the
blanket tight around my shoulders in a vain attempt to trap my
body heat. Your description should help the reader experience
the cold with you.
Your editorial will be kind of like a personal essay.

Step 5: Freshen Up Your Grammar

PLEASE!

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tips:

5 common mistakes

5 more common mistakes

top 10 student mistakes

Newspaper Evaluation

Part 2: Editorial If I could

change the world Task: Write an
editorial piece outlining your
opinion on what should be changed
in the world. Remember, Gerald
made some strong arguments on
eliminating band aids, five dollar
bills, and peanut butter.