Accent Critique

Written and Visual Critique Accent November 09, 2009 Issue

By Matthew Connolly, Adviser

Issue Critique - Nov. 09, 2009 Issue (Modified from ACP Newspaper Guidebook)

Part One: Coverage and Content Page one content has either significant news value or provides a mix of features and news.

Very good - The SL story is exactly on target. The other three stories are informative. The Chamber of Commerce report is very well written. The success story is good but a bit thin on information. The Stimulus story could use more of a local tie-in. While feature stories are not required on every front page, always be looking for good features and feature writers.

Academic-related news and features reflect the diversity of the campuses. They are prominently displayed on page one or elsewhere in the paper, and show reporting initiative.

Excellent - Coverage choices are focused on ACC community news and academics.

Content reflects the diversity of co-curricular and extra-curricular student activities on campus. The content is given prominent display.

Excellent - Great mix of stories about student activities.

Off-campus news - city, state, regional, national, world, is included either in a capsule review form or as a stand-alone story, occasionally or regularly with an emphasis on localized angles.

Very good - Good job of localizing the legislature and book festival stories. Texas jobs story could be developed more. I could even see that story as a news peg in a features piece about someone who’s job was or wasn’t save by the stimulus. Entertainment coverage of off-campus events continues to be very strong and relevant to our audience.

Significant issues, especially social concerns, are explored as news analysis, enterprise, investigative or special topic reporting. Local or campus tie-ins are evident.

Good- Both columns deal with significant social issues, but we need to continue to push for more enterprise / investigative reporting of significant issues on the news side of things.

Features are varied, and include some or all of these types: human interest, informative, instructional, personality profile, entertainment preview, and humor.

Poor - While there are soft news and feature-type items in this issue, there are no true features outside of the Entertainment section, and those features are limited in size and scope. There ARE interesting and important people that are part of the ACC community. Let’s go out there, find them, and capture the story of what makes them so interesting. Remember that we don’t have to have a major feature in every issue, but there should always be at least one in the works.

Editorials frequently relate to events or topics reported on page one or on inside page of same edition.

Excellent - This is the best example of the editorial both relating to a page one story and directly leading the readers on an ACC issue that I have seen in the Accent.

Opinion content is diverse and significant.

Very Good - Columns and editorial are strong. Let’s keep working on getting more community voices into the opinion pages. I like the direction of the Rant and Rave box. It needs a little more development and it should be clearly labeled as “STUDENT OPINION” if it’s not on the opinion pages. Entertainment opinions / reviews continue to be strong.

Sports coverage reflects both fairness to participants in the entire athletic program and the readers’ or fans’ interests.

Very Good - Soccer package is very well done. We need to think outside of the box with cover sports and activities at ACC.

Minority groups - racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, among others - and minority opinion are represented in the stories, photos, and art.

Very Good - ACC is a diverse place, and the coverage reflects this. We should consider being deliberate in our coverage of any diversity issues that are important at ACC as opposed to simply relying on the natural diversity of the college to drive this. For an example of how this doesn’t always work, scan the stories about award winners.

Advance stories and future angles are emphasized when possible. Stories focus on telling the reader what is about to happen rather than what did happen.

Very Good - This is a huge challenge in a Biweekly paper, and the Accent staff handles it well. Keep focused on this, and keep using the web to our advantage.

Information graphics contribute facts not found elsewhere or in the same condensed form in a related story.

Excellent - YEAH! We finally got some information graphics! Keep it up. Plan for these early in the process.

The pie charts are informative and attractive on the front page. The next step would be to incorporate some art into the charts. The line graph on page 4 is a good start, but it is a bit confusing. The LARGE headline says that ACC should be able to keep up with the market, yet there is a clear gap between the blue “need” (which needs to be explained) and “total” (which needs to be explained) lines. I’m afraid this graphic may confuse more than it informs.

Part Two: Writing and Editing All writing, with the exception of editorials, opinion columns, and analysis, is free of the writer’s opinions.

Excellent - No inappropriate opinion in the writing. Remember that how something is covered (sources used, placement, etc.) is as important as how it is written in avoiding bias. Keep striving for objectivity.

Stories include a sufficient number of appropriate sources to make coverage fair and accurate.

Poor - Always strive for quotes from all relevant sources, and there should always be a student perspective / quote. Remember that we are the STUDENT VOICE of ACC. When writing about administrative decisions, you must give the administration a chance to respond. If they choose not to respond, note this in the story.

This did not happen in some of the stories: • SL Redesign - No comment from college admin or students.

• Austin has drastic need for grads - No comment from students or the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

• Success workshops -No student voice.

• Texas Jobs - No ACC perspective or quotes at all.

• Addiction counselor - No student voice.

• Mascot - No Student Voice.

• Legislature/ Syllabi - No student voice.

• Threats, fishnets - No student voice.

• Build a park / New Moon - No student voice.

• Instructors recruit at festival - No student voice.

• Space Aces - No student voice.

• ACC’s got Talent - Only one student voice.

• Atkins coaches - No student voice.

• Soccer teams - No student voice.

• Entire Life and Arts section - No Student Voice

Stories are written in an appropriate journalistic form and structure.

Very good - Good basic news and opinion style.

Writers use accepted journalistic style. Consistency is evident.

Very good -

Story leads are concise and capture the reader’s attention.

Needs improvement - Leads are concise and, for the most part, very boring. See below.

When writing a summary lead, each of the “who, what where, when, why, and how” angles in analyzed for news value. Generally, the writer begins the lead with the most important of these angles. Story leads avoid beginning with the “when” angle unless the “when” is unusual or especially important.

Needs improvement - Still too many “when” leads and “ACC - where” leads.

Good summary lead “what” choice - The first ever talent show showcased . . .

Bad summary lead “where” choice - Austin Community College is looking for a mascot . . .

The “why” aspect of the story is reported adequately.

Good - To really get at the why, reporters must do better reporting by interviewing more sources.

Stories are developed with an accurate sense of the importance of each detail. Important information is not buried in the story. Most stories are developed with the most important and timely facts reported first, and the least important facts reported last. Some stories are developed in the narrative or storytelling form. In this case, a chronological order of events is used , often delaying the most important facts until the end of the story. Even with the traditional inverted pyramid form, some significant fact or quote can be used at the end of the story to sustain and satisfy readers.

Good - There no narrative stories, but the inverted pyramid stories are acceptable.

Reporters write all news, news-features, features and sports in the third-person, impersonal. Quotes with first person pronouns do not contradict this rule. Staff editorials are written in the second person; opinion columns in the first person; analysis, clearly labeled in the first, second or third person. The narrative is an exception to this and may be written in the first person.

Excellent - No problems with person.

Copy is edited and proofed carefully to check spelling , accuracy of numbers and facts, sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, grammar, usage, syntax, and AP style.

Very good - Copy is clean.

Captions are written with a present tense verb, identify all prominent and recognizable persons, and give information that is not found an accompanying story.

Poor - All cut lines must identify people in the photo and give relevant, new information.

Recommended headline styles of either sentence or feature are used. Sentence style, the most often used, include a subject, verb, and object. The verb is usually in the present or future tense. Articles, conjunctions, and some punctuation are omitted. Feature headlines don’t follow the subject-verb-object rule, but use a reasonable phrase, question, or words and are clever or playful. Feature headlines should be followed by sentence headlines as a sub-head or deck. Passive voice is not encouraged. The style of headline should match the style of the story.

Good - Plan for more decks and sub heads so the primary head can be more playful. Headline hierarchy also still needs work. More important stories need bigger heads and the size of the heads, in general, should get smaller as you work down the page.

Part Three: Photos, Art & Graphics A variety of photos – action (unposed), mugs, groups, illustration – is published if relevant.

Overuse of mugs or posed groups is discouraged. There is evidence of on-the-spot photo coverage of news and sports events.

Good -Some nice photography for the talent show, Gaslight, and Ren Flare. There are too many posed and courtesy shots. Photographers need to be scheduled for every story, and they need to turn in a variety of good, photojournalistically sound photos for each shoot.

Photos are cropped to emphasize the center of interest in each one.

Very Good- Much Better than previous issues. Hi How Are You? photo is a little loose. Keep killing dead space.

Photo content is newsworthy, significant or unusual.

Good- We need more high interest photos that use techniques like selective focus, leading lines, dramatic angles, rule of thirds, simplicity, framing, etc.

Photos have the proper contrast, and are neither too dark nor too light.

Excellent - Levels look good. A few had to be adjusted by layout (too dark coming from photo desk) and a few were left in RGB mode.

Color photos are reproduced with accurate color values.

Excellent- Reproduction looks good.

Photos are free of scratches, dust, lint, water spots or other technical flaws.

Excellent - No technical flaws.

The center of interest in each photo is in focus.

Excellent - Everything is sharp.

Photos are not manipulated electronically to alter the reality or essential truth of the photo.

Excellent - Nothing is unethical

An information graphic includes illustrations or graphics to represent and visually interpret the accompanying facts and figures.

Very Good - Both the front page and graduate graphics can be taken further artistically and need some more explanation. Great first attempt though.

Editorial cartoons are sufficiently simple with concise text to quickly convey a message.

Excellent - This cartoon is very clear. It is unfortunate that the Fort Hood tragedy took place as the layout was being finalized. Some readers may make an unfortunate connection because of the coincidence.

Graphics support but don’t overwhelm and detract from editorial or pictorial content.

Screens placed over copy are light enough to allow for easy reading.

Excellent - Clean and readable presentation.

Column headings are consistent in design, use the same typeface to support overall newspaper design continuity. Typeface family variations, such as weight and posture are acceptable.

Excellent - Consistent throughout.

Original story art is attractive, appropriate for the content, and contributes to the reader’s comprehension of the story.

Very Good - Nice use of photos, cartoons, and infographics (although one is confusing). Illustrations / photo illustrations are also an option.

Clip art and stock photography are appropriate for the age of the readers and matches current styles, unless otherwise intended.

Very good - The soccer ball is a little cutesy for my taste. Movie and band courtesy shots are used well, but a bit too much. Entertainment coverage must be communicated to photo desk ASAP so photo desk can attempt to assign photographers to these items.

Part Four: Layout & Design Elements such as text, headlines, photos, graphics and art are balanced informally to avoid a page that is top-bottom, right-, or left-heavy or off balanced. Photos, rules, headlines, screens and art carry heavy or black weight. Text is grey weight or medium. Blank space, such as column gutters, is white space or weight. Balance is achieved by a pleasing distribution of all of these elements. Sometimes the placement of the lead and second story on a newspaper page creates a top-heavy look. That may be unavoidable, and it is acceptable.

Very Good - Balance is top heavy on page 1. Balance is a little too formal (symmetrical) on page 5.

A centerpiece (sometimes called a poster) showcases a special news feature, feature or begins in special news-feature, feature or begin in a special series, which jumps inside.

The designer takes a significant portion of the page-within-a-page design or centerpiece. It becomes a package, often with a photo (or several photos), a catch line (which is a headline exclusively for the photo), a headline (often set in a typeface that is different from the one used for headlines on the rest of the page) and the story (often jumped inside). The centerpiece package may also include some art and an information graphic. All these elements are usually set off visually from the rest of the page with rules, a screen or some other graphics. The shape is always a rectangle or a square. A centerpiece is usually presented on page one, although they can be used on inside pages or the first page of other sections.

Excellent - Good clear poster on page 1.

Ads should be placed on inside pages, building in modular blocks from the lower corners upward. The newspaper’s grid should be able to accommodate standard ad width sizes.

Excellent - Ads are all well placed.

A photo or art should not separate a story from its headline.

Excellent - All headlines lead to stories.

Photo display, especially on page one, features at least one multi-column large photo.

Very good - Photos are run large. There should be at least one (smaller) photo on page 1.

Multiple deck headlines or summary decks provide readers with more information than a single deck headline.

Poor - There are no decks in this issue.

Facing pages inside a newspaper should be designed as one unit for overall balance even though the content may not be related.

Very Good - Page 6 “ACC’s Got Talent” bumps into Page 7 “Under the Gaslight . . .”

Rules may be used for weight balance, to separate elements or to highlight an element such as a story, pulled quote or centerpiece.

Very Good - Rules are used well, but there should always be equal white space (p6 or 1p) on either side of a rule. See H rule on P. 3, both H rules on P. 5, V Rule on P.6, H Rule on P. 7, and H Rule on P. 11.

Nameplates or flags are placed on the upper half of page one. Horizontal placement is preferred.

Excellent - Properly placed.

Opinion pages vary in design from the other pages to signal the shift from objective to subjective writing.

Excellent - Section head, column standing heads, and editorial poster give this page a distinctive look.

Photo essays can be handled as posters – a related collection with accompanying text and captions placed in the center of the page, and set off by a screen, rules or color – or as a full page or spread collection. Photos of various sizes, with one clearly the focal point because of its dominant size, are grouped with consistent margins among them. A headline, some text and captions complement the photos.

Excellent- Photo essay on page 7 is well done. I would have liked to see some explanatory text if there is no story - at least a good sub headline. The captions also need more info.

A serif typeface for text is preferred by readers according to various reader studies. Headlines can be a complimentary serif or sans serif typeface. Text is often set in ether 9- or 10point type, with one or two points leading between lines. Captions are often set in either a size one point larger than text or in a contrasting bold or medium face. Headlines are often set in a point size ranging from 16 to 60 points. The paper’s format, tabloid or broadsheet, is a factor in the point size of headlines.

Excellent- use of fonts throughout is well done.

Original, student produced ads include a simple, direct and creative selling message relevant to the readers, a visual such as a photo or art, and a complete advertiser name, address, phone number, and if appropriate, hours of operation.

None

Part Five: Leadership The newspaper staff publishes responsible commentary on the editorial and opinion pages.

Excellent - Both columns are very well written, thought provoking, and about timely or important issue. The editorial is well focused on a very timely ACC issue. Make sure you always have an ACC / Student connection on these pages.

The staff demonstrates an awareness of its leadership role on campus by commenting in editorials and opinion columns on significant topics.

Excellent - This issue is the best example of this so far. The Accent editorial should be used as a platform for advocating for issues that affect ACC students.

Editorials are unsigned and represent the voice of the paper. Consensus is unnecessary among the staff regarding editorial opinion. Opposing views can be expressed in opinion columns or guest editorials, which are signed.

Excellent - Properly done.

The editors express their appreciation for extraordinary accomplishments by students, faculty and staff in others in editorials of commendation.

Not in this issue

Argumentative editorials are constructive and suggest reasonable courses of action as a solution, or offer a carefully reasoned alternative viewpoint.

Excellent - Well crafted, reasonable voice.

The staff shows their good news judgment in the selection and display of content, especially on page one.

Good - There should be more student centered content on page one.

Regular, beat and spot news reporting is augmented by in-depth, investigative or enterprise reporting or analysis.

Poor - No in-depth or investigative pieces in this issue.

Coverage is expanded or departmentalized, and specialty areas such as business, health, technology and entertainment are included on single topic pages, separate sections or supplements.

Very good - Sections are clearly departmentalized. No single topic pages in this issue. Consider doing at least one more (maybe a double truck) by the end of the semester.

Students use accepted journalistic forms and style. Deviations for the purpose of better presentation of content are acceptable.

Excellent - Good journalistic product.

Students follow ethical practices, accept professional standards and adhere to press law in all aspects of their work.

Very good - Stories need more sources, other than that, the product is professional and ethical throughout.

The staff invites submissions of opposing viewpoints and various forms of reader feedback such as guest columns and letters.

Poor - There needs to be more overt and prominent invitations made to the readers to get involved.

There may be some opportunity to do some civic journalism; invite students in other community members to forums and then report the opinions expressed during these forums.

None - Hmmm, any ideas? Any topics we should form forums around?

Front page should have at least one photo, preferably of a student.

Should have source of information and more explanation of numbers in graphs.

Tombstoned stories

Good use of varied (1 on 2) text placement.

Consider pull quote to break up large area of gray text.

Good modular design

Technically well shot, but it’s a posed shot of a non-student smiling at the camera.

Needs accents

Examine your process for jumping text. This should not happen. Is this because the pages were shared?

I like both of these. Creative and fun additions to a creative and fun topic.

Eye-catching headline. This package should have a deck.

Posed, smiling, non-student, and a courtesy shot. VERY LAME!

Headline doesn’t give much info.

Layout is too symmetrical

Combination of graphic, (misleading) information, and huge logo make this area look like an ad, and it doesn’t make sense.

Is “Got Talent” a proper noun? If not, it shouldn’t be capitalized.

Good shot

Good sub-head. We need more of these.

Good shot

OK shot, but again, why is it not of a student?

Explanatory text should be here.

Great photos. We need NAMES and cut line info for every shot

“Left” and “Right” are misleading. It shouldn’t be here, and things like this really hurt our credibility.

This package should be moved down so it doesn’t crowd the Gaslight package as much.

Nice shot of action. How about a student reaction in the same frame?

Good soccer package.

Cute for an 8th grade yearbook. We can do better.

Lots of space devoted to this feature.

Not a headline

Great shot. How about some shots this good of students.

Shot should be cropped tighter.

Yet another courtesy shot

Well laid out, but no student produced art or photos on this page.

No student produced art or photos on this page.

A little crowded between the stories.

Our ability to attract and run major ads like this that, in turn finance the paper are a result of the staff’s hard work and dedication. Keep it up, and keep improving.