Intro. to Media Writing Class Notes

Story Formula Notes - will be given by Sarah Gibson in class
Story Formulas in Print Journalism
Grammar and AP
Every class session we will go over a common problem in grammar and AP. The grammar examples are things not normally caught by a spell-checker. Write these down, you will be tested on them.

Grammar: passed / past
See Merriam-Webster online for more examples.

passed - verb
Example: The speeding van passed many cars during the police car chase. OR My grandmother passed away when I was young. (To reduce wordiness, it's better to say died.)

past - adjective
Having existed or taken place in a period before the present
Example: In the past, reckless driving has proven fatal. OR He is the past president.
AP: Addresses

There are AP guidelines for abbreviation and capitalization of addresses
Refer to the AP guide whenever you write an address
How do you write your address using correct AP?
(Note: Don't give an apartment number, because that doesn't matter in the news. Some newspapers might print the number. The ZIP code is never printed.)

Introduction to Story Formulas

Story Formulas: Definition: a method or basic framework to construct a story - gives elements to include.

Sarah Gibson will lead discussion on story formulas and then you'll try your hand at writing one!

I will be back on Wednesday - we'll discuss spot news coverage and complete a 50 point required assignment. I'll also ask for a progress report on your feature story. - Candace*

Professor Name: Candace Homstad
Last Updated: 3/2/00
Published by North Dakota State University