CONTEMPORARY JOURNALISM, FALL 2022

ASSIGNMENT 2, WRITING A STORY

TASK: Pretend you are a journalist trying to write a story about a major international event.

I will give you a list of facts and quotes. Your job is to pull out the important facts and quotes and make a story. Your story should be written in the style of a Western news article, not an academic paper.

Here are some points to keep in mind:

- Make the lead the most interesting or gripping part of the story

- Keep your sentences short

- Keep your paragraphs short

- Don’t forget to use quotes

- But some of the quotes or facts may conflict with each other. Be careful.

- Include a “nut graf” that summarizes the main point of the story and explains why readers should care

- Include “color” that helps paint a picture of the scene for readers

- You shouldn’t use all the facts and quotes. Choose the best ones.

- Don’t forget to include a “dateline” that tells where the story is happening.

- Write a “headline,” or title, that explains your story.

- When you use a fact or information from a quote, make sure to say who the source is.

The list of background facts is all fictional. I made them up, loosely based on reality. But they are similar to the details of real-life stories that international correspondents often face.