[draft] staff handbook by Trisha Kholiya

elESTOQUE

STAFF MANUAL

c o n t e n t s 2

INTRODUCTION WELCOME COURSE GUIDELINES COURSE GUIDELINES EXPECTATIONS EDITORIAL POLICY ADVERTISING INDESIGN TUTORIAL

HELLO 2013-14 MEMBERS OF THE TALON STAFF Welcome to The Talon family. And I’m not kidding about the family thing … after hours in the computer lab after school, you will know a great deal about each other’s lives. I want to make sure that you understand that when you walk in this room, you treat each other with respect, and when you’re outside of these four walls, you should have each other’s backs, too. I’ve been working with The Talon staff for the past nine years. Over the course of these years, we have worked our way up from a bronze paper to a three-time Spartan award-winning paper. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here … Our newspaper is a member of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (M.I.P.A.), an organization for high school scholastic journalism programs. Every February we submit our paper to be judged by someone outside of the state, and we receive one of four overall ratings: bronze, silver, gold, and the highly coveted Spartan Award. Approximately 30 papers in the state win a Spartan Award, roughly five percent overall. We have received the Spartan three times in recent history. Students on The Talon staff also received 29 individual awards for everything from stories to designs to photos for last year’s paper. We have yet to hear back about awards from the other two organizations we belong to, the National Scholastic Press Association (N.S.P.A.) and the Colombia Scholastic Press Association (C.S.P.A.). Needless to say, we take journalism very seriously around here. But not everything is about awards. As I’m sure you already know, this class will challenge you in ways that you haven’t been challenged in high school before. While The Talon doesn’t really teach you new content – there will be no tests or quizzes – you will learn real world skills such as working well in a group, meeting deadlines, channeling your creative ideas into innovative graphics and designs, and interviewing with proper etiquette. As many of my former Talon kids say, it’s the most practical class offered in high school as far as preparation for the “real world” is concerned. I hope you’re planning to do three things while you’re here: * love and respect each other as Talon family members * work your tails off to come up with the best story ideas, interview the closest people to your stories, write the most organized and unbiased stories, take the coolest action photos of students and staff from RHS, design the most creative pages with informative alternative copy and get rewarded handsomely come spring award season * have fun along the way Welcome to The Talon journey. Enjoy the ride.

JULIA SATTERTHWAITE Advisor of El Estoque

HELLO FUTURE ELESTOQUE MEMBERS! !!!!!!!!!

GUIDELINES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Respect your elders/editors/the hierarchy Don’t use the Oxford comma Quotation format: “That’s what,” she said. Plan ahead – especially when it comes to technology challenges Conflict of interest = interviewing/photographing/writing about something that includes your family/ friends/teammates is not good; you can’t interview someone on staff; you can’t interview former staff members (without permission from editorial board/adviser) How the pitches and edits spreadsheet/process works (if you don’t meet the copy deadline, it gets stuck) Once you get through a cycle, you’ll better understand everything Head editors must be in both classes and meet with JSatt every Monday and Thursday for lunch Section editors must be prepared to do lots of edits and meet with JSatt every Thursday for lunch Follow the paragraph styles for print AND video Journalism terminology (lede, headline, deck, graphic, pull quote, QR code, etc.) Graphics team Photo team/editor Equipment check-out/check-in process Selling subscriptions and advertising

CLASS EXPECTATIONS/RUBRIC JOURNALISM PORTFOLIO RUBRIC

MULTIMEDIA DESIGN PORTFOLIO RUBRIC

Personal portfolio url (_____ / 15) _____/15 url is updated, visually pleasing and professional

Writing requirements (_____ / 40) _____/10 published at least one story in print _____/10 published at least one online story _____/10 published at least one beat story _____/10 met all writing deadlines

Writing requirements (_____ / 40) _____/10 published at least one story for a package or Verge content for print _____/10 published at least one online story _____/10 published at least one beat story _____/10 met all writing deadlines

Visual requirements (_____ / 20) _____/5 published at least one candid photo or graphic _____/5 designed at least one page/spread _____/10 met all design deadlines Social media requirement (_____ / 10) _____/10 published at least one Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter post from El Estoque accounts Cycle portfolio requirements (_____ / 15) _____/5 all stories are linked _____/5 responses are detailed/specific (4-5 sent.) _____/5 appropriate use of grammar and AP style Unique successes _____ Designed my first page/graphic _____ Created my first video _____ Published a story that I pitched _____ Had a story go “viral” (liked, shared 50+) _____ Covered all of my beats within a semester _____ Broke a news story _____ First page / section finished on late night _____ Did a sit-down interview with an administrator _____ Had my work shared in the Section Showcase _____ Published an immersion project _____ Sold an ad or subscription _____ Made and followed up on a FOIA request _____ Interviewed an expert from an outside agency (not FUHSD or MV) _____ Received an El Estoquito award TOTAL = _____ / 100

Visual requirements (_____ / 20) _____/5 published at least one candid photo or graphic _____/5 utilized at least one multimedia tool _____/10 met all design deadlines Social media requirement (_____ / 10) _____/10 published at least one Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter post from El Estoque accounts Cycle portfolio requirements (_____ / 15) _____/5 all stories are linked _____/5 responses are detailed/specific (4-5 sent.) _____/5 appropriate use of grammar and AP style Unique successes _____ Designed my first page/graphic _____ Created my first video _____ Published a story that I pitched _____ Had a story go “viral” (liked, shared 50+) _____ Covered all of my beats within a semester _____ Broke a news story _____ First page / section finished on late night _____ Did a sit-down interview with an administrator _____ Had my work shared in the Section Showcase _____ Published an immersion project _____ Sold an ad or subscription _____ Made and followed up on a FOIA request _____ Interviewed an expert from an outside agency (not FUHSD or MV) _____ Received an El Estoquito award TOTAL = _____ / 100

PERFOMANCE EVALUATIONS

MONDAY MEETINGS

EDITORIAL POLICY MISSION STATEMENT

El Estoque is an open forum created for and by students of Monta Vista High School. The staff of El Estoque seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas and bring news to the Monta Vista community in a manner that is professional, unbiased and thorough in order to effectively serve our readers. We strive to report accurately and will correct any significant error. If you believe such an error has been made, please contact us. Letters of any length should be submitted via e-mail or mail. They become the sole property of El Estoque and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy. Letters cannot be returned and will be published at El Estoqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discretion. El Estoque also reserves the right to reject advertising due to space limitations or decision of the Editorial Board that content of the advertisement conflicts with the mission of the publication.

ADVERTISING POLICIES

The purpose of advertising is to raise money for the newsmagazine. However, El Estoque will not accept advertising that the editorial board determines to be obscene, libelous, misleading, in poor taste or illegal to minors. Advertising for political candidates and controversial issues will be accepted as long as they conform to other sections of the advertising policy. El Estoque may not restrict space to one side of an issue or election. The editorial board has the final decision on advertising content. Permission must be obtained from any person whose picture is used in an advertisement.

PURPOSE

El Estoque serves its audience with accurate and factual reporting on significant aspects of school life and subjects of concern to its readers. El Estoque should stimulate thinking and provide leadership for the school. As an independent observer, the paper should use its unique access to news and a broad perspective to lead the school community toward constructive accomplishments. El Estoque provides readers with an open forum, as students, faculty, administrators, parents and others in the school community are encouraged to react to printed material or to comment on matters of concern through signed letters to the editor. El Estoque is on guard to entertain, inform, educate and satisfy its readers.

AUDIENCE

The primary audience for El Estoque is the student body at Monta Vista High School. However, the staff recognizes that the paper is read by the faculty, administrators, parents and the community as a whole. Accordingly, El Estoque will report about these parties.

BOARD OF EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY

REPLACE

CODE OF ETHICS

Responsible exercise of freedom of expression involves adherence to the highest standards of journalism. Students are obligated to learn and observe the legal and ethical responsibilities expected of them as practicing journalists. Accuracy is paramount. All reporters and editors will assure that stories are fair, facts are correct and information is as complete, balanced and unbiased as possible. Sources of information and ideas will be clearly stated. Anonymous sources are NOT to be used, if possible. Students are not able to get into legal trouble by admittance of any illegal activity. With that, anonymous sources will only be allowed if a majority of the editorial board votes saying it is OK. El Estoque will not publish material that attacks an individual or group in a way which might be embarrassing, except in stories dealing with public responsibility. In this case, the story will represent the person’s or group’s point of view. No article, photograph or work of art will distort or sensationalize the news, but will present it in a manner appropriate to the topic and audience. Rumor and gossip will be dealt with only when they raise an issue of concern to the school community and with the intent to clarify the truth. In case of sensitive issues, such as death, the editorial board will vote on if the paper should cover it. They will consider timeliness, relevance and overall connection to the school. Alumni will generally not be covered, but exceptions can be made. In dealing with issue-oriented content, especially when it involves the potential for controversy, staff members must demonstrate sensitivity to all components of the school community. Also, reporting must be based on specific sources representing diverse points of view, be balanced, fair and represent a full understanding of the issues involved. Controversial topics, based on the need to inform the public, may be dealt with in El Estoque and must have a minimum of three sources in order to be even considered to run in the paper. This is to insure we have all sides of the story. No exceptions. Language should be appropriate to the audience encompassing the school community. A journalist does not use inappropriate words, although the use of such words may be considered in direct quotes when they are essential to the story. Words deemed inappropriate by any editor along the editing process will be voted on by the Editorial Board if it should be used, not used, or lined out (For example: b----).

RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCURACY

Most material appearing in print is the work of individuals. However, the staff as a whole is responsible for all material which appears in El Estoque. El Estoque must always strive for the highest standards of accuracy, completeness and careful research in its presentation of material. However, material will go to press with the facts as they stand at deadline. Therefore, the staff will assume responsibility for these facts as they are printed. A correction for any significant error of fact or omission, as determined by the editorial board or adviser, may be published in the next month’s issue. The responsibility for composition of the correction lies with the editor, subject to review by the editorial board. Parties questioning board’s decisions can ask for an opportunity to be placed on the agenda of an editorial board meeting but only within 48 hours, or two class periods, after publishing (this is due to the rigorous schedule of the paper). Exceptions can be made if voted on and approved by the editorial board. Sources quoted in stories will, upon request, be presented a copy of their quotes for confirmation by the reporter assigned to the story. If a source demands that a quote placed on record be retracted, the editorial board will discuss the possible ramifications of printing the article and act accordingly, but is not obliged to comply with the source’s request. Quotes and facts will always be checked. Punishment for inaccuracy will be directed at the reporter.

BY-LINES

All full-length news, sports and feature stories, art pieces and photographs will be given by-lines. A byline contains the reporter’s name and position on the staff. Opinion columns and reviews will be given by-lines and a standing headline to indicate that the column

represents and individual opinion. Editorials, since they represent the opinion of El Estoque staff as a whole, have no by-lines. If any reporter or editor helps to reconstruct or rewrite a story (or do a major revision), they must be given credit either with a partial byline or a contribution line at the end of a story.

EDITORIALS

Editorials will be decided by the entire staff, and must connect to another important story in El Estoque, preferably the front page story. The staff editorial is assigned by the Opinion Editors, though exceptions can be made if a particular reporter is very enthusiastic or informed about an issue. The stance on the topic will be decided by a staff vote, but individual opinions may be expressed through individual quotes. Editorials critical of a policy, action or view will provide practical suggestions for alternative to the problem.

PHOTOS AND ARTWORK

Photographs and artwork are a necessary part of El Estoque. The staff is expected to have artwork or photos accompanying each of their stories. Photos and art will be graded based on the photo quality and the relevance of the photo/art to the story. Staff members should always strive to include action shots of students and staff members from MVHS, where relevant.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

El Estoque will be an open forum for the exchange of comment and criticism, open to students and others interested in Monta Vista High School. Recognizing this, El Estoque will print as many letters to the editor expressing different viewpoints as space allows. Letters to the editor must be signed. Letters must deal with issues and may not be personal vendettas. Letters to the editor will be edited for mechanics, to fit space requirements, and to prevent libel, obscenity, etc. El Estoque reserves the right to not print a letter.

EDITORIAL CRITICISM

El Estoque respects the right of an individual or group to criticize content or an opinion expressed in the newsmagazine, and is obligated to consider the argument. However, the staff will not be disciplined unless at least one aspect of the Editorial Policy has been violated.

CODE OF ETHICS Click on the image for the full code. PREAMBLE Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society’s principles and standards of practice.

SEEK TRUTH AND REPORT IT

MINIMIZE HARM

Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.

Journalists should:

Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.

Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.

Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.

Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.

Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.

X X

X X X X

Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects. Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief: Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance. Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy. Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity. Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes. Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges. Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to be informed.

Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.

ACT INDEPENDENTLY

Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.

Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story.

Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public’s right to know. Journalists should:

Never plagiarize.

Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.

Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.

Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.

X X X

X X X X

Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility. Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity. Disclose unavoidable conflicts. Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage. Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.

Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.

BE ACCOUNTABLE

Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.

Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.

Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other. Journalists should:

Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.

Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.

X X X X X

Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct. Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media. Admit mistakes and correct them promptly. Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media. Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.

The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of journalists, regardless of place or platform, and is widely used in newsrooms and classrooms as a guide for ethical behavior. The code is intended not as a set of “rules” but as a resource for ethical decision-making. It is not — nor can it be under the First Amendment — legally enforceable. The present version of the code was adopted by the 1996 SPJ National Convention, after months of study and debate among the Society’s members. Sigma Delta Chi’s first Code of Ethics was borrowed from the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1926. In 1973, Sigma Delta Chi wrote its own code, which was revised in 1984, 1987 and 1996.

ADVERTISING LETTER El Estoque is Monta Vista High School’s premier student publication. We write articles about our school and its students along with current events happening in the area. El Estoque is a well-established publication, having received awards for individual articles as well as awards for our publication as a whole. Between our print and online publications, El Estoque is the 10-time Journalism Education Association (JEA)/ National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Pacemaker Winner and the 6-time recipient of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown award. We also received the California Newspaper Publishers Association General Excellence Award in 2011 along with multiple awards from JEA/NSPA. None of these awards would’ve been possible without help from the local businesses that have kept El Estoque running since its creation in 1969. El Estoque supports an alternate learning experience by offering students the opportunity to learn skills that aren’t conventionally taught in a classroom, such as communication, teamwork and self motivation. The contribution from local businesses to El Estoque has resulted in experiences that have benefited many students not only in high school, but in their future endeavors. Interested businesses have the option of either advertising online and/or in our print magazines. Our print magazine is distributed across the entire student body and is sent out to parents who have subscribed to the magazine. As of late, there are approximately 100 magazines shipped out and or sent over email. Our online publication can be found at www.elestoque.org. El Estoque’s website has been viewed a total of 121,571 times, with 56,163 readers on the website this school year so far, making it a very valuable space for advertising along with our print publication. By advertising through El Estoque, local businesses are given the opportunity to reach out to younger members of our community and their families. El Estoque also provides the convenient option of designing your advertisement for a one-time fee of only $25. Advertisements are designed by a skilled team of talented artists that provide the backbone of our print magazine. Please take the time to review the conditions in our attached advertising contract, and thank you for considering El Estoque for your next advertisement.

ADVERTISING CONTRACT Click on the image for the full contract.

EL ESTOQUE

Advertising Contract 2016-2017 IMPORTANT NOTES

BUSINESS INFORMATION NAME:

Files for print magazine advertisements should be received by established ad deadlines (9/9, 10/10, 11/18, 1/27, 2/24, 3/24, and 5/5). Files for online advertisements of each month should be received by the 25th of the preceding month at mv.el.estoque@gmail.com. We kindly request payment in full at the time a contract is established. However, advertisers may also request a prorated invoice after each print issue is distributed. Expert graphic designers at El Estoque can design your advertisement for a one-time fee of $40. Make checks payable to: Monta Vista ASB.

BILLING ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE: FAX: CONTACT PERSON: EMAIL:

PLEASE CIRCLE THE TYPE OF AD YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE. PRINT ADS (ONLY): Type of Ad Quarter Page (1/4) Full Page (1) Double Page (2)

Size (width x height) 4.125" x 5.25" 8.25" x 10.5" 16.5" x 21"

Single 105 405 725

Two Issues 210 810 1450

Three Issues 315 1165 2175

Four Issues 350 1300 2415

Five Issues 385 1435 2655

Six Issues 420 1570 2895

Seven Issues 455 1705 3135

ONLINE ADS (ONLY): Type of Ad Rotator Footer (Static)

1 Month 50 65

2 Months 85 100

3 Months 115 130

4 Months 5 Months 140 160 155 175

6 Months 7 or More Months 185 175 200 190

PRINT+ONLINE ROTATOR AD PACKAGE (BY MONTH): Type of Package Quarter Page Full Page Double Page

1 Month 130 430 750

2 Months 255 855 1495

3 Months 375 1225 2235

4 Months 420 1370 2485

5 Months 460 1510 2730

6 Months 495 1645 2970

7 or More Months 525 1775 3205

SUBSCRIPTION LETTER (PARENTS) Dear MV Parents, El Estoque is Monta Vista High School’s premier student publication. El Estoque is a well-established publication, having received awards for individual articles as well as for our publication as a whole. Between our print and online (elestoque.org) publications, El Estoque is a 10-time Journalism Education Association (JEA)/National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Pacemaker Winner and a 5-time recipient of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown award. We also received the California Newspaper Publishers Association General Excellence Award in 2011 along with multiple awards from JEA/ NSPA. We write articles concerning the happenings of our campus and community. Not only do subscriptions to El Estoque’s print magazine support Monta Vista High School’s only student-run news source, they are a great way to stay updated on the events of our dynamic campus. Each year, there are nine issues of El Estoque. A year-long subscription costs $30. Subscriptions are particularly beneficial to parents and other relatives of Monta Vista students. El Estoque covers all major events, from exams to rallies, along with inside looks into school sports, trends, and individual students. Parents often feel out of the loop about what is happening on campus, and for parents with students heading to high school, the transition can be a nerve wracking one. Students and parents likewise are often confused before entering high school and during the start of their school year. Our publication provides parents the peace of mind that comes with knowing what is going on at school. El Estoque’s thorough coverage and representation of student life on campus can help put students and their parents’ minds at ease, making the transition between middle and high school less stressful. Regardless of whether this is a family’s first experience with MVHS’s campus life, El Estoque will keep parents and students alike updated. We hope you consider subscribing to El Estoque! Cordially, El Estoque

SUBSCRIPTION CONTRACT Click on the image for the full contract.

DON'T BE THE LAST TO KNOW. SUBCRIBE TO EL ESTOQUE TODAY. By subscribing to Monta Vista's award-winning student publication, you can read about the events, trends, changes, and happenings in your teen's world. Your tax-deductible fee helps to fund the production of a nationally-recognized student paper. If you order a hard copy subscription, you will receive each issue within one week of publication, at least six per year. If you order a digital copy, you will receive a link to the issue on the day it comes out.

Sales Representative: ___________________________________________________________________

Yes! Please begin my hard copy subscription to El Estoque. I understand I will receive six issues for just $20. I further understand that it is my responsibility to notify El Estoque of any change in address throughout the year. Please send my subscription to: Name: __________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address: _________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: __________________________________________________________________________ Yes! Please begin my digital subscription to El Estoque. I understand I will receive six digital issues for just $20. I further understand that it is my responsibility to notify El Estoque of any change in email address throughout the year. Email Address (please print legibly): _____________________________________________________ Yes! Please begin my dual subscription to El Estoque. I understand I will receive six print issues and six digital issues for just $30. I further understand that it is my responsibility to notify El Estoque of any change in home or email address throughout the year. Please fill out all the information above if you plan on purchasing the dual subscription.

Please mail this form and your check made payable to MV ASB to El Estoque, Monta Vista High School, 21840 McClellan Rd., Cupertino, CA 95014.

AP STYLE GUIDE ABBREVIATIONS

1. The full name of organizations and clubs should be written out the first time they are mentioned. There should be no abbreviation in parentheses afterwards. Subsequent times the organization or club is mentioned, an abbreviation may be used if possible: • The El Estoque Admirers club is quickly becoming the largest club on campus. EEA’s first meeting was moved from A111 to the football field due to lack of space for prospective club members. 2. The names of well-known organizations do not have to be initially written out. These include MVHS and FUHSD for our particular publication. They should always be used when referring to our school or district: • Trisha is a happy student of MVHS (from time to time). She attends school in the FUHSD district. 3. The United States must be fully written out when it is referred to as a noun. An abbreviation may be used if it is acting as a modifier or is part of an organization’s name: • The United States is the best country in the world. The U.S. Army backs these claims. 4. Abbreviate titles in front of full names: • Dr. Octopus gives wonderful prostate exams.

COLONS

1. The first word after a colon should only be capitalized if it starts an independent clause: • not like this fragment succeeding the previous colon.

COMMAS

1. When making lists, a comma should not be used before the conjunction preceding the final item in the list: • Serial commas, Oxford commas and Harvard commas do not belong in journalistic writing.

DATES

1. When referring to a specific date, months between August and April inclusive should be abbreviated. Numbers should not have a suffix such as th or st at the end: • School starts on Aug. 20 and ends June 6, 2013. 2. Names of months should not be abbreviated when not referring to a specific date: • September reminds me of my dead grandfather. 3. Never abbreviate the days of the week. 4. Never abbreviate the five months spelled with five letters or fewer: March; April 20; May 13, 2009; June 1956; July of that year. 5. Never abbreviate Christmas as Xmas, even in a headline. 6. Always write out Fourth of July. 7. Sept. 11 and 9/11 are both acceptable.

DEPARTMENTS AND CLASSES

1. Department and class names should not be capitalized unless a proper noun is in its name: • The English department is a bureaucratic mess.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. Do not capitalize all the words in a headline. • Cafeteria staff announces new menu for the 2014-2015 school year 2. All online decks must be written as complete sentences. • Senior chef Gordon Ramsey hopes to provide students with dishes from countries around the world.

HYPHENS

1. Hyphens should be used to connect words making a phrase used as an adjective: • The much-hyphenated adjective was meta.

MONEY

1. Monetary amounts should not be spelled out when referring to amounts less than a million: • Billy has $1.65. With a little time and sound investing, he can turn that into $165 million.

NARRATION

1. Unless writing in a personalized blog or column, you may not use first-person narration. There are occasional exceptions which require permission from Jsatt or editors.

NUMBERS

1. Numbers between one and nine inclusive should be spelled out if they are not referring to money, dates or ages: • Ariana has 99 problems. Iggy only has one.

PEOPLE

1. The first time a person is mentioned, their full name should be used. If it is a student, their grade should be included in front of their name as well. Subsequently, only the person’s last name should be used: • Senior Mingjie Zhong loves journalism. Sixth period is the only class during which Zhong does not sleep. 2. When two people with the same last name are introduced, they should be referred to by their full names initially, and by their first names subsequently: • Siblings Maya and Sidhu Murthy have a full-proof plan for the future. Sidhu will earn money and buy a mansion on the beach while Maya will reside in one of the hundreds of guest bedrooms.

SYMBOLS

1. Percent signs should not be used. The word “percent” should be spelled out fully, but you may you the symbol in a headline. • This AP style guide is 85 percent done. Hang in there if you’re reading the whole thing. Which you’re definitely doing, right... right? 2. Always write out & as and unless it is part of a company’s formal name. 3. Always write out cents as cent or cents: 7 cents. 4. Always use the symbol $ rather than the world dollar with any actual figure, and put the symbol before the figure: $5. Write out dollar only if you are speaking of, say, the value of the dollar on the world market.

QUOTES

1. When attributing a quote, the word “said” always comes after the person’s name. No “screams,” “murmurs” or “whispering seductively”: • “If there’s one person I want to be with right now,” senior Hannan Waliullah said, “it would be Trisha. She is the muse of my existence.” 2. Quotes should be used around the names of movies, plays, etc: • “Magic Mike” is a must-see film. 3. The names of books and other publications (like newspapers, magazines) should be italicized: • 50 Shades of Grey is a slightly disturbing book. Just slightly. 4. Punctuation at the end of a quotation must be inside the quotation marks. The exception is colons and semicolons: • Contrary to popular belief, the new film “Magic Mike,” directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Channing Tatum, does not involve two basketball players fusing together due to nuclear radiation. However, despite the misconception, viewers are still flocking to see “Magic Mike”; The general consensus is that half-naked movie stars are easier on the eyes than tall people with two heads.

SPACES

1. Only one space should be used after any punctuation mark: • Words are happy when there is only a single space after punctuation marks. It makes it easier for them to jump to the other side.

STATES

1. When writing any of the fifty U.S. states, use appropriate abbreviations. Abbreviations are not in the typical two-letter forms. View this link for the list of proper abbreviations: http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/ mediawire/249142/ap-tells-reporters-spell-out-names-of-states-in-stories/.

TEACHERS

1. The subject of a teacher should be introduced without capitalization unless it is a proper noun: • English teacher Julia Satterthwaite is very generous when it comes to grading.

MISCELLANEOUS

1. In any forms of writing, the word Internet must be capitalized: • Monta Vista students never need the Internet. We have textbooks and dictionaries instead. 2. When writing out a person’s age, if the age is used as an adjective or as a substitute for a noun, then it should be hyphenated. Don’t use apostrophes when describing an age range. • A 21-year-old student. The student is 21 years old. The girl, 8, has a brother, 11. The contest is for 18-year-olds. He is in his 20s. 3. Corrections to online stories must be accompanied by a note at the top of the article. The format for these corrections is as follows: “Updated on ((date)) at ((time)): ((description of correction))” • Updated on Aug. 9 at 10:48 am: The proper formatting for corrections to online stories was added to this document.

ONLINE TIPS

1. When writing a headline or deck, try to take out as many words as possible (such as articles and contractions) while still maintaining the original meaning. Only capitalize the first word of headlines and decks. Do not put a period at the end of your deck: • Headline: Amazing AP Style Guide ready for staff to use • Deck: The El Estoque staff excels in journalistic writing as the AP Style Guide serves as its ultimate savior. - For online, use a period after the deck. - FOR PRINT: No period needed after deck 2. The first sentence of a photo caption should be in present tense and describe what is going on in the picture. The succeeding sentences can be any tense and should describe something not immediately apparent from the photograph. Afterwards there should be a photo credit: • Senior Forest Liao glares at the AP style guide in rapt attention. Liao believes that her journalistic success depends on her ability to avoid oxford commas and vague photo captions. Photo by Forest Liao If you need more help, visit this site. If you need more help, check out this document.

VERGE CONTENT If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably been assigned convergence content. This does not apply just to people in multimedia, if a print story has an online component it also counts as convergence content (verge). The first thing you should do when assigned convergence content is to get the email, phone number, etc. of the person who is working on the story in the other class. Make sure you get in touch with them. You are not working on this story alone! The person in the other class who you’re working with on this story is your partner. Keep them updated on possible sources, interview dates, etc. so you can stay connected. Make sure that your content is related. Discuss angles together, go to interviews together, re-discuss your new, redefined angle and in general make sure that you know how the collective story (meaning the combined coverage of your part and your partner’s in the other class) is progressing. If you have any questions, please let any editor in your section know!

HOW TO PITCH WHAT YOU SHOULD DO • • • • • • • • •

Tell the pitch like you are telling a story to a friend Be passionate Tell us different types of angles for the story pitch What do you think will be the driving question behind the story? Tell us planned multimedia How will you present the story? Answer the “so what?”, why is your pitch important Sources You do not have to have specific names down; just tell us what kind of sources we should look for.

SOME COMMON MISTAKES

• Make sure to look at the spreadsheet before pitching a new story • Make sure that your pitches are relevant and timely • Try not to pitch standard school events and rely completely on schoolloop for your pitches

TIPS FOR PITCHING • • • • •

Make sure that your pitch is something practical that you would write Think about what difficulties you could come across while writing the story Stay active on social media Try to localize global events Eavesdrop on other people’s conversations, what’s new today??

SOME EXAMPLES OF PITCHES

• A baseball player quits baseball, a sport he has been playing seriously for a year, and picks up yachting. It would be really interesting to know why he decided to quit baseball, and what drove him to start a completely irrelevant sport. The story should also reveal something about passion, passion in sports. Works well online. Potential multimedia: Video • There is a bicycling club on campus! The club has only around ten people, including some staff members, but they are top-tier bicyclists, and some have been placed top three in NorCal competition. It’s interesting to know where and how they train for competitions, and why do they want to pursue this sport. Works well online. Potential multimedia: Video, map (of their training route)

LEVELS OF COVERAGE So you have to cover an event. What next? Glad you asked! Now, event coverage can take many different forms, but all of them, as do all stories, start with a question. As a reporter, it’s your job to take a pitch and find a reason to write the story: what’s the question your readers will want answered when they read your article?

FIRST LEVEL: NEWS BRIEFS

Only to be used in the most dire of circumstances, a news brief is basically 250 words, three sources and a picture. It’s a boring way to get the job done, and no one really will end up reading it. On the plus side, you covered the event. Your sources should be a club officer at the event, an attendee and another person of your choice. Take a picture of the event, slap it all together and voilà! Coverage. Questions usually answered are who, what, when, where, why and how. Basic.

SECOND LEVEL: LOWKEY MULTIMEDIA

It could be argued that certain multimedia is actually easier than even a news brief, but at least your average photo gallery is a little more interesting than just plain words. • Photo gallery • Thinglinks (a leveled up photo gallery) • Photo slideshows • Infographics • Short Video These types of stories usually involve lots of photos, and very basic interviews. Good examples might be more focused, with an angle other than “this happened and I was there.” Questions asked can range from the basic Ws, to the more interesting “how did people react,” “what was most people’s perception of the event.” The more focused your starting question, the more interesting your article will be. If you focus on the crowd, ask “why are people here?” If you focus on the officers, answer questions like “how did you plan this?”

THIRD LEVEL: WORDS + MULTIMEDIA

A little similar to the last two, but a little more work. Use your multimedia to supplement the words — infographics for data, or boring facts you don’t want to add into the article itself, a video to add the stories of people who might not have made it into the writing. These types of stories are very solid. Questions are very similar to before: look for motivations of people. Why they attend, why they help make the event happen.

FOURTH LEVEL: IN DEPTH

These are question-driven stories that really go into detail. They’re usually written, or will take the form of video: these are people’s stories that deserve more than a gallery of photographs. The thing about these types of stories, is that almost anything can become an in-depth feature, if you’ve got the time and inclination.

INTERVIEWING TIPS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Make sure to get anecdotes Don’t start with an angle Always ask the questions And how did that make you feel? What did you like most? How was that for you? What was the worst part? Why? Make sure that you have descriptions of EVERYTHING Focus on what the most interesting parts during the interviews ALWAYS ask if you can contact them later in case of a follow-up interview (it happens a lot) ALWAYS ASK FOR PICTURES If confused about what types of questions to ask, get help! Try to visualize how you want to write your stories before going into it Be respectful. Sometimes it’s hard to ask the types of deep questions that you want to hit. Make sure that any controversial questions are asked in a polite way • Useful tip: When you’re interviewing with audio, write down the times of good quotes so you don’t have to listen to the entire interview to find it again!

BEYOND INTERVIEWING BASICS Adopted from Jon Reese

EXPLOIT WHO • • • • • • •

Who does? Who doesn’t? Who pays? Who benefits? Who loses? Who deters? Who’s important?

• • • • • •

What is it like? What if…? What could/should…? What would never…? What about…? What happened?

• • • • • •

When did…? When will…? When should…? When might…? When has this ever…? When can…?

EXPLOIT WHAT

EXPLOIT WHEN

EXPLOIT WHERE • Where will...? • Where did…?

• • • •

Where could…? Where should…? Where might…? Where is…?

• • • • •

Why has…? Why hasn’t…? Why not consider....? Why should…? Why now?

• • • • • •

How has…? How hasn’t….? How could…? How should….? How many…? How important?

EXPLOIT WHY

EXPLOIT HOW

STOP BEING SUPERFICIAL

• Always start with “Tell me about…” → neutral • Questions don’t need to be sophisticated, need to draw the reader in • Don’t let your first question FRAME your interview; let your

interviewee frame your interview • You don’t have to throw bait in front of your sources; just start off neutral, and you might even be able to ditch your questions

DETERMINE QUALIFICATION

• How long have you….? • What’s your background?

SOLICIT STATISTICS • • • •

What percentage…? How much will it cost? How many will benefit? If you want numbers, don’t be afraid to ask for them

INTERVIEWING ETIQUITTE Q: How do you schedule an interview? A: Email or call/ask the source and ask when they are available. State who you are, why you are contacting them, and when you are available. It’s okay to let them know your timeline (i.e. “I’m writing a story to be published this Friday.”), but you should be considerate of their time. Your procrastination is not their problem. If you are writing a campus beat, approach students and ask them for their phone number, email, or facebook. • Ex. (If asking a student for an interview): Hi _______! My name is ________ and I am a staff writer of El Estoque. I am writing a story about _______ and I would love to interview you for my story. Would you be available on this date and this time at room A111? Thanks, (your name) • Ex. (teacher/staff/non-student email) Hi ______, My name is ________ and I am an El Estoque reporter. I’m currently working on a story about _______, and would like to interview you. If you are willing to be interviewed for this story, I’ll stop by tomorrow at brunch to set a day and time. Thanks! Name + Contact info Q: What if my source is not willing to be interviewed? A: Be respectful, and ask whether they are fine with sharing some information, but will not be quoted. If the source is important to the story and is not willing to talk to you, respect their decision and let your editors know. Q: How should I prepare for an interview? A: Have a story angle to look into (though it may be changed). Understand who your source is and prepare some questions beforehand. Q: How should I start off an interview? A: Introduce yourself, ask sources if they are willing to be recorded and be ready to take notes. Q: What should I do during an interview? A: Take notes with pen and paper or on your computer in case you lose your recording. Ask questions to clarify if you are uncertain about anything the interviewee is talking about (the interviewee is sharing their expertise, and they love questions that show you are listening!). An interview is a conversation, so spin new questions from what the interviewee’s responses. Q: What kind of questions should I ask? A: Start off with basic questions and dive deeper into more interesting/unique aspects of the interview. Ask thought-provoking questions that can contribute to a new angle. Q: How should I end an interview? A: Thank the interviewee for taking time out of their day to do the interview. Q: What if I have to get more information after the interview is done? A: Email or call/ask the source again for a follow-up interview. Q: Through which medium should I interview my source? A: Always try to interview your source in person. If the person is out of town, contact them through phone call or video call. You will need to clarify that their quotes are from phone or video. Email is only acceptable if you need to ask clarifying questions. Don’t quote sources from emails. NEVER interview through facebook chat!!!! Q: How long should my interviews be? A: Interviews can last anywhere from a couple minutes to 20 minutes for the longer ones. It depends on the information you need. More in-depth stories require longer interviews (>20 minutes). Q: What responses are quote-worthy? A: Information that is relevant to your angle or helps the story develop further. This includes compelling and sensitive responses or content that draws attention. It could reflect the opinion of your source. Other quoteworthy content includes content that deepens details and heightens a connection between the audience and the source.

LAYOUT RULES OF THUMB Adopted from Tim Harrower’s Newspaper Designer’s Handbook

LAYOUT AND DESIGN • • • • • • • • • • •

All story packages should be shaped like rectangles. Pages should consist of rectangles stacked together Avoid placing any graphic element in the middle of a leg of type. Avoid placing art at the bottom of a leg of type. Text that wraps below a photo should be at least one inch deep. In vertical layouts, stack elements in this order: photo, cutline, headline, text. Every page should have a dominant piece of art. A well-designed, well-balanced page is usually at least one-third art. Avoid dummying a photo or story directly on top of an ad. Anything within a box must be spaced one pica (.167 inches) away from every edge. All elements on the page should have one pica between them. Every page should have vertical and horizontal elements.

TEXT • • • • • •

Never change typefaces, text sizes, or column widths within a story. Type 8 point or smaller is difficult to read. Use it sparingly and never print it behind a screen. Avoid dummying legs of text more than 20 picas wide or narrower than 10 picas. The optimum depth for legs of text is 2-10 inches. Use italics, boldface, reverse, all caps or any other special effects in small doses. The body copy font is 9 point RomanSerif.

HEADLINES

• Every story must have a headline. • Headlines should be in 50 point Raleway. • (Almost) All headlines should also have a deck – (headline is the subject with a colon in and the decks is the subject+verb+object on the second line) in 18 point Roboto Thin.

PHOTOS

Directional photos should face the text they accompany. When using two or more photos, make one substantially larger than any competing photo. When in doubt, run one big photo instead of two small ones. Vary the shapes and sizes of all photos (as well as stories) on a page. People in the photo should be looking towards the inside of the paper (don’t flip images!). Use cutouts to break up text-heavy pages, but be careful of “floating” objects.

CUTLINES

• Run one cutline per photo – each should touch the photo it describes. When cutlines run beside photos, they should be at least 6 picas wide.When cutlines run below photos, they should square off as evenly as possible. • Cutlines and photo credits are in 12 point Roboto Light. • Cutlines should include as much information as possible, including possibly a quotation from someone in the story or photo.

HOW TO: INDESIGN CHANGE THE NUMBER OF COLUMNS ON THE PAGE • Click the “Layout” tab, then “Margins and Columns” and change the Number CREATE A HEADLINE/DECK/CUTLINE • Click on the box with the X in it and draw a box where you want the text to go • Click on the T tool and type your text in the box • Adjust the font to headline (50 point Railway), deck (18 point Roboto Thin) or cutline/photo credit (12 point Roboto Light) specifications in the “Character formatting” toolbar up top under the “A” option (not the backwards “P” option) PLACE A STORY IN COLUMNS WITH 1 PICA INDENTS • Copy and paste the text from the Google doc and click the first column, where you want the story to start • Click the red plus arrow in the bottom of that column and put the curser in the second column where you want the story to continue • Repeat this process for as many columns of text as you need • Once the story is on the page, highlight some of the text and then hit Command A to highlight all text • Then click on “Type” tab and “Paragraph” and find the second box down on the left and type 1 p (for 1 pica) in that box to set the indent space • Then uncheck the hyphenation box in the “Paragraph” tab to get rid of hyphenated words PLACE A PHOTO • First open the photo in Photoshop, make adjustments and save the photo - “Image” -> Auto Tone, Auto Contrast, Auto Color? - “Image” -> Image Size -> resolution 300 and normal measurements - “Image” -> Crop • Make sure you have a clear, high-resolution photo that follows many of the criteria you learned • about in the Photography Basics unit (rule of thirds, fill the frame, contrast, unique angles, leading • lines, repetition, catch action, simplicity, mood/emotion, reaction, selective focus, etc.) • Click on the box with the X in it and draw a box where you want the photo to go (which should line • up in columns) • Click the “File” tab, then “Place,” and then select the photo you edited • Click the “Options” tab, then “Fitting,” and then “Fit Content Proportionally” • If you want your photo to be bigger, click on the image with the white arrow tool, hold SHIFT while • you pull one of the corners of the photo larger (SHIFT makes sure you don’t stretch the photo!) • You can also use the white arrow tool to move the image around or crop all unnecessary • background out of the photo • When the image is the size you want it, click “Options,” then “Fitting,” then “Fit Frame to Content” • Click “Object,” “Display Performance” and “High Quality Display” INSERT A BYLINE OR PULL QUOTE (COPY AND PASTE FROM PARAGRAPH STYLES DOCUMENT) -open the Paragraph Styles page, click on the byline or pull quote and hit Command C to copy it -go back to your page (the pages will be tabs at the top of the screen) -click Command V to paste it -click on the T tool to change the byline to your name (all caps) or the pull quote to either the BEST quote from your story (with the name and grade or position of the person who said it) OR the best quote from your editorial with no attribution MAKE A FACT BOX -click on the box with the X in it and draw a box where you want the text box to go -on the right hand toolbar, click on the “Swatches” tab, then select the color for your text box NOTE: If you are using black, set the tint to 20% or less to make sure the text is legible. -click “Options,” then “Text frame options,” and then type 1 p (for 1 pica) into the first box under inset spacing, which will pull the text one pica away from all the edges of the box

MOE MEETING CHECKLIST STEP 1: Gather your whole section + whiteboard/markers _____ Make sure section editors and a head are present _____ Engage the whole section in the discussion (no one should be working on other stuff) _____ Plan who is designing each page at the beginning of the MOE meeting/ enter info. on spreadsheet STEP 2: Examine inspiration _____ Make sure that you have photos multiple pieces inspiration you may want to use (screenshot it, save it OR bring a hard copy); link a doc of the inspiration to the spreadsheet _____ Determine whether this is going to be a standalone page or part of a package _____ For packages, novelty fonts and color schemes must serve a purpose/relate to the content STEP 3: Brainstorm headline(s), subheadline(s), deck(s) _____ Five to 10 words is optimal _____ Keep them conversational _____ Use present tense, active voice (“President vetoes tax bill” instead of “Tax bill vetoed by president”) _____ If using a catchy headline or allusion, include a subheadline or deck with the subject, verb and object of what the story’s actually about _____ The headline should touch the beginning of the story; if it doesn’t, then the story also needs a subheadline or deck STEP 4: Plan multiple reader entry points _____ Candid photo? Environmental portrait? Mug shots? OR Graphic? _____ Dominant image/graphic (cutout?) vs. secondary images/graphics/pull quotes/alt. copy _____ Alt. copy options: fast-fact boc, bio box, list, glossary, checklist, quiz, Q&A, quote collection, fever chart, bar chart, pie chart, table, ratings, timeline, step-by-step guide, diagram, map, other: _______ _____ Directional photos should face the text they accompany (plan ahead!) _____ When in doubt, run one big photo instead of two small ones _____ Balance art among the section (aim for at least one candid photo per section!) _____ Run one captivating caption and photo credit with each photo _____ Complete the graphics request when you determine you need one in class (not at late night!) _____ Will you want Verge content? Podcast? Video? Interactive graphic? Photo gallery? Quiz? Other: ___ STEP 5: Plan layout _____ Use modular design (your page should be organized as a series of rectangles/squares) _____ Respect your grid (design in the column guides) _____ Design with a dominant piece of art (something 2 ½ times larger than everything else) _____ A well-designed page is usually at least ⅓ art _____ Text should appear in rectangle, L-shape or U-shape blocks _____ Avoid text-heavy pages (if you can put a dollar on the page and it doesn’t touch anything but text, it’s too text-heavy) _____ Don’t place any graphic element/art in the middle of a leg of type, between a headline and the start of the story, at the bottom of a leg of type (or the bottom of the page, in general) or directly next to an ad _____ A leg of text shouldn’t be fewer than two inches or longer than four inches

BODY TEXT r Drop cap at beginning of story r Italicized first line (see paragraph styles) r Correct size, font r Left justified text r No awkwardly narrow areas due to text wrap r Orphans and widows eliminated r Body text on a screened image, color back-

OTHER TEXT r Standard headline: follows par. styles, hyphenation off r Display headline: varies size, font, weight, arrangement of text in different text boxes r No more than one novelty font, limited use r Deck is specific to angle, spans width, hyphenation off r Byline: correct style, alpha order for multiple authors r Subheadings: if used, correct style (caps, italics) r Credits for photos, illustrations: correct style, close proximity to visual, unobtrusive. No credits on mug shots. r Captions: First sentence (present tense)

PAGE ELEMENTS r Page number, date, section are correct r Folio is for correct side (left/right page) r If opening spread of section, section header is present r Little E is at end of story, centered on text, color from page r No trapped white space

VISUALS r Page has a dominant visual (at least twice as large as next largest image on page) r Images are on server, linked correctly r Resolution of images is 300 dpi r Images cropped to correct size (not original size) r Subjects of photos do not look off page (Nev-

ALT COPY r Has own title, married to page concept in content, form r Alt copy text used, not body text r Alt copy text is standard size r Includes explanatory blurb or labels r Survey: size, method included r Survey: question included as asked, not misleading

MULTIMEDIA TOOLS Looking to integrate more multimedia on your site? Start here. We’ve compiled a list of multimedia tools available online for your staffers to integrate alternate story forms and multimedia elements into their online stories.

AGGREGATION

• Storify: Collect media from Twitter, YouTube, and other sources, then embed the collection into your story. (free) • Intersect: Create an album of stories, photos and videos that can be posted to an embeddable map. Optionally allow others’ public posts to appear on your map where they “intersect” with your story. (free) • Meograph: Select a series of “moments” to tell a story. Include photos and video on an optional map. Record narration for each “moment.” (free)

AUDIO

• SoundCloud: Record and edit audio clips to be shared publicly and embed on your site. Users can comment at specific points of audio. Mobile apps available. (free) • Audioboo:Record up to three minutes of audio and share via Twitter, Facebook or on your site. Allows creation of a channel and unlimited number of “boos” with free account. (free) • Google Audio Player: Simple Google embeddable mp3 player that is resizable and will play any uploaded .mp3 file. Requires uploading the file to a server (through WordPress Media library is okay), then inserting the URL. (free) • SoundCiteJS: A simple little gadget to integrate sound clips into text without a separate audio player. (free)

AUDIOSLIDESHOW

• Soundslides: Software that allows simple creation of audioslideshows by inserting an .mp3 file and a folder of .jpgs. Requires uploading to a server, however slideshow hosting is available for $12 annually. ($35after emailing for education discount) • Animoto: Allows 30 second web-quality videos. Select audio from a media library of tracks, and use text titles and captions to tell the story. (free) • Photopeach: Upload photos, select from a library of music, and it’s done. No customization of .mp3 or transitions without a paid subscription. Does allow quiz slides, though. (free or $3/mo for subscription)

CHARTS/GRAPHS (DATA VISUALIZATION) • • • • • •

ManyEyes: Upload a data set and choose from 17 different types of visualization to display data. (free) amCharts: Download sample files and create dynamic Javascript charts. (free) D3.js: Complex tool to create interactive and animated charts and graphs. Advanced. (free) Hohli: Web-based chart builder. (free) Google Charts: Create Javascript charts to embed directly into your site. (free) Datawrapper: Simple tool to turn data into embeddable charts. (free)

DOCUMENT HOSTING

• Issuu: Upload PDFs to share. Embed the customizable viewers on your site. (free) • DocumentCloud: Upload primary source documents and annotate them. Requires emailing to request an account, which takes up to two weeks. (free) • Scribd: Publish documents to their online library, then embed them on your site. (free) • Flipsnack: Create digital magazines with flippable pages. Upload PDFs or work from scratch. (three free)

FORUM/COMMENT

• • • • •

Nabble: Create a free, embeddable forum. (free) Tal.ki: Simple embeddable forum that allows users to comment through Facebook, Twitter and Google. (free) bbPress (WordPress): Forum created by WordPress creators. Easy to set up and moderate. (free) Disqus: Customizable comment stream that integrates Facebook, Twitter and Google. (free) Games

• Zondle: Create interactive games to embed in your site. (free)

IMAGE (INTERACTIVE)

• Thinglink: Upload an image and tage the image with rollover buttons that pop up info boxes. (free) • Clevr: Create panoramic images with “hotspots” that the user mouses over for more info. (free)

INFOGRAPHIC

• infogr.am: Select a template to create simple, visually engaging infographics. (free) • easel.ly: More advanced than infogr.am, easel.ly allows you to create infographics from scratch or using one of the preset templates. (free) • Piktochart: In the free version, choose from seven templates to create even more customizable infographics. (free or $29/yr) • Sprites: Slideshow style infographic presentation. (free) • Venngage: Use free templates to arrange graphic elements on a canvas. (free, limited)

LIVEBLOG

• CoverItLive: Moderated live blogging that allows users to join and participate without creating an account. (Education pricing) • Cbox: Embed a simple chat box into your site. Free version is not customizable. (free) • ScribbleLive: Blog live and integrate media from other sources. (free for education, email request) • Chatroll: Embeddable chat window that allows up to 10 simultaneous users free. (free)

LIVESTREAM/SCREENCASTING

• U-Stream: Record directly from a mobile device and embed the video player on your site. Pro version offers better quality and more options. (free) • Livestream: Embedded player allows streaming live to your site. Viewers have to log into Livestream to view, and no archiving is available with the free plan. (free) • Snagit/Jing: Download this screen capture tool to record what you’re doing on screen along with narration and publish it on YouTube or download as an .mp4 file. Jing is the free version, but videos can only be uploaded to their website. (free or $30 one time)

MAPS (INTERACTIVE)

• Google Maps: Collaborate with others to place markers and highlight locations with extra info, including multimedia. (free) • Google Maps Engine: Google maps with lots of added features and customization options. (free) • ZeeMaps: Create maps collaboratively, and include text, highlighting, audio, photo, and video. Maps can be saved as PDF. (free) • amMap: Create visually appealing Javascript maps with this downloadable template library. (free) • StoryMapJS: Create slideshow-style map presentations that integrate photos, video, social media. (free)

MOBILE

• Banjo: To crowdsource, use location services to find the public posts of people near you. (free)

PANORAMA

• Dermandar: Create 360 panoramas with this photo stitching tool. Works with Apple mobile devices, too. (free) • Clevr: Online photo stitcher that creates 360 panoramas and allows you to create “hotspots” that pop up a small window when the user mouses over them. Hotspots can include html. (free) • Hugin: Download the open source software to create artistic stitched panoramas and spiral images. (free) • Photosynth: Use the mobile app or desktop software to create panoramic images. (free)

PHOTO GALLERY

• Flickr: Free with storage limitations. Embeddable slideshow is clean but doesn’t show captions by default. (free) • Photosnack: Simple gallery creator that’s fully compatible with mobile devices. Optionally, add an audio file, though it won’t allow for syncing with images like the audioslideshow tools. (free) • Photobucket: Embeddable “stories” allow users to create sliding collages of images and pair with captions.

(free) • Picasa: Add captions and tags to uploaded photos. Embed slideshows in website. (free)

QUIZ/POLL

• ProProfs: Free polls for up to 50 people. Integrate images and video. (free) • QuizSnack: Create simple embeddable polls with some customization options. No data storing. (free or $16/ yr for full access to entire suite of Snack Tools) • Google Form: Create a form that populates a spreadsheet as users respond. View visualizations of collected data. (free)

SLIDESHOW

• Slideshare: Upload and share slide presentations directly from native software. (free) • Prezi: Created animated presentations that allow embedding of images and video. (free) • Hype: HTML5 animation builder for Mac OSX that creates presentations much like Flash presentation, but that will work on Apple mobile devices. ($35.99 education license) • Bunkr: Create simple HTML5 presentations online and embed directly into your site. (free) • Exposure: Create full-width photo essays in a scrolling format. Three exposures on free accounts. (free) • Steller: Combines photo, video and text into well-designed flipping page slideshow with embeddable viewer. (free)

TIMELINE (INTERACTIVE)

• Dipity: Interactive timeline creator that allows embedding of outside media. Three timelines for free accounts. (free) • Timetoast: Simple timeline creator used for text and images. (free) • TimelineJS: Clean, simple timeline creator that works through a Google spreadsheet. Outside media embeddable through URL. (free) • TikiToki: Highly visual and customizable timelines. Free account allows one timeline. Premium account is required for embedding. ($100/yr teacher account) • Timeglider: Scrollable, zoomable collaborative timeline. Free account allows three timeline, 200 views/mo. (free)

VIDEO CHAT

• Google Hangout: Include up to 10 participants in a video chat through Google. Option to go “On Air” and broadcast the hangout to the public. On Air hangouts are saved to your YouTube channel, which makes them embeddable. (free) • Interlude: Make interactive videos that allow users to make choices that alter the video. (free)

WEBSITE FORMATTING Every person in journalism has to post stories to our online website elestoque.org. Posting a story doesn’t just mean copying and pasting an article in a box and hitting publish. If you want readers and viewers to stick around and read/watch your story, you need to make it visually appealing. Make sure you have a photograph or infographic. This is so that your article isn’t just plain text; it has something to break up the text for the eye and make it easier to read.

FEATURED IMAGE:

All stories need a featured image! To set a featured image, scroll all the way down on the right sidebar and find the bar that says “Set featured image”. All images uploaded onto the website must be a part of our media library, so upload a featured image or drop it into the library and select it.

EMBED CODE

A lot of multimedia tools require an embed code. To insert these into your post, go to your draft and click “Text” and paste the embed code where you want it to go. Then go back to “Visual” and you should see a gray box that will represent your tool.

PREVIEW

If you ever want to see what your page looks like while you’re editing it in wordpress, click the “Preview” button and it leads you to what your post would look like if it was published.

SET PUBLISH TIMES

For verge content that needs to go up as soon as the magazine gets distributed, you can decide when your story is published by setting a time. Go to the publish box next to the headline and click “Edit” next to “Publish immediately”. From there, set what time you want your post to go up and click OK. Now your post will automatically publish on the website at that exact time.

POST COVER

Post cover is a setting that makes your featured image a cover on top of your actual article. This works really well for certain more visual stories or longer stories.

COLOR PICKER

Apple has a built in color picker called digital color meeter where you can pick any color from on your laptop screen and get the RGB number of Hex value of it. Chrome also has many extensions you can download for the same feature. Copy and paste that number in wordpress so that your headlines and blurbs have the same color as maybe an image or an infographic.

CATEGORIES

You must categorize your posts. Under the publish box is something called categories. Look through these and see what your story categorizes as. Check the box for the section it goes under, if it’s multimedia, beats, if there’s any other category they go under and uncheck the box that says Uncategorized.

DROPCAPS/PULL QUOTES

Dropcaps are where the first letter of the article is bigger and in a circle and pull quotes make a quote bigger to break up the text.

PHOTO GUIDES GENERAL NOTES

• Try to have the picture as sharp as possible by focusing, whether through auto or manual. Use the preview display if you want to set the settings in advance. Have the ISO low when you can since high ISO causes pixalization (noise). • Follow the rule of thirds. • For Journalism, have people and their faces if possible. Don’t awkwardly cut off faces.

PORTRAIT

• Portraits are just pictures of the person. All sections are likely to use this type. Things to aim for: sharpness, set white balance for appropriate color (don’t make their skin orange), easy identification of the person, their whole face and part of their torso. • While you could just just put them in front of a white background, Environmental Portraits are always preferred. • Environmental Portraits are pictures of the person in setting that is familiar to them. You can get them in an action characteristic of them. These are more natural than forced smiles and look more interesting.

SPORTS

• Self-explanatory. The Sports section will use this one. You want action shots where the people are in motion. Put the shutter speed high and aperture low. If needed, turn the ISO higher. The shutter speed will capture the moment but darken the image. The low aperture and high ISO will make up for this. • For most cases, you want three things: Face, ball, and foot. For track/x-country, you want the whole person. • Also try to get the faces, even if the athletes protest. The faces are candid (and hilarious)

VIDEO STYLES All videos must follow these guides.

SPLASH SCREEN

• Transition: Slide Right • Duration: 3 seconds • Image: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwOCrT-Tlf7hb3RkNHNrdXA3bFk/view?usp=sharing

SOUCE TITLES • • • • •

Gradient — black Fonts NAME + GRADE = Raleway Bold (make sure these are in caps) TITLE = Raleway Light Duration = 2-3 seconds

LAST SHOT:

• Image: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwOCrT-Tlf7hOWtlRzNET1VBaFU/view?usp=sharing • Rolling credits: Font RALEWAY BOLD, plain (deselect the standard Bold and outline options leave the standard font size), should look like:

PASSWORDS FLICKR

Username: elestoque Password: sturgmeo+1

YOUTUBE

Email: elestoqueYT@gmail.com Password: sturgmeo

THINGLINK

Username: mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Password: sturgmeo+1

PIKTOCHART

Username: elestoque / mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Password: sturgmeo

STORIFY.COM

Username: elestoque Password: newspaper

STOREHOUSE

Username: mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Password: sturgmeo POLLDADDY Username: mvelestoque Password: sturgmeo MAXPREPS Username: mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Password: givemethedetail

SOUNDCLOUD

Username: elestoqueYT@gmail.com Password: sturgmeo+2

EXPOSURE

Email: mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Password: doitforthejourno

INTERLUDE

Email: mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Password: ee4ever

COVER IT LIVE

Username: mvelestoque Password: elestoque2012

ATAVIST

Username: mvelestoque Password: ilyvq

WELCOME TO SPORTS!

In order to give you the full sports experience, the section editors of sports for 2017 have created and collected some docs that will help you transition to sports writing from whatever section you come from on staff. On this document, we will be talking about all the requirements to covering a sport that aren’t really written down anywhere. If you have any questions, ask your sports editors ASAP. We won’t get mad if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re here to learn and we want to help.

DEADLINES/EDITS In sports, the deadlines for stories usually line up with a team’s schedule. Game reviews or game coverage HAVE TO GO UP BEFORE THE NEX T HOME GAME. Our goal this year is constant, consistent coverage. That means the emphasis is on consistent stories instead of one or two really big stories per month. To achieve that, we’re planning on trying out different types of coverage and also using more of the EE sports social media accounts instead of just writing up the standard game review. Since game reviews take longer to publish and clear edits, we’re going to focus on other types of coverage this year that may garner more attention. For example, if you know the next game is going to be a blowout, you don’t have to write an entire game review on it. Just use the EE sports social media accounts to tweet out the score. In order to meet these deadlines, sports reviews skip copy 3 edits and go straight to the proofread round of edits. This means stories are published quicker, but there IS more chances for mistakes. As long as you cover your sports faithfully this won’t be an issue.

BASICS OF SPORTS COVERAGE • You’re responsible for coverage of your sport. All home games should be covered. The best and worst thing about sports is that all pieces are timely. So a game review (or any other coverage ) must go up before the next home game. If you can’t cover your game, tell your section ahead of time so we can find someone else to cover it. • When in doubt bring a camera. Game reviews are cool but you always need a visual element or unfortunately, people are unlikely to read them. A major part of sports is the photography, so arrange for either yourself or others to take pictures • We also encourage multimedia coverage. Balmeo made a cool list of tools, so explore it. But if it’s an important game in the season(ex. CCS game, senior game), it needs a game review. • Pack a notebook(or phone), voice recorder(or phone), timer(or phone) and camera (not phone). • Try to get a schedule from one of players for all of the games. Do not trust the MVHS website. The best thing is to have a go-to member of the team whom you can ask all of your questions. • Arrive at the court/field/pool 10-15 minutes before the game so you can set up your camera and maybe interview players and coaches on what they expect of the game • YOU HAVE TO STAY FOR THE WHOLE GAME! Start the timer at the beginning of the game and use it to note down when key plays are made. This adds good detail to your reviews later. • Have a roster of the players and make sure you have all names and numbers correct. • As a paircf, your team can divide and conquer. While one takes notes, the other can take pictures. • After the game, talk to the coach and at least three players and one of them cannot be team captain. This may require standing outside the locker room or waiting for them to finish a team cheer/debrief. • Whenever it may seem intimidating to ask for an interview, remember the players LOVE to get interviewed — you just have to ask. • Don’t use apostrophe in team names ex. Girls Soccer • Don’t need to write varsity because we only cover varsity

SPORTS ISSUE STORIES WHAT IS A SPORTS ISSUE STORY?

Basically, an issue story investigates a problem that’s been affecting a sport or a sports team/player. Issue stories usually have two different sides backing opposing opinions.

EASY WAYS TO FIND ISSUE STORIES TO INVESTIGATE

• Find a national sports issue • NFL players and concussions • Deflate Gate • College athletes getting money to play • Try to find a way to focus the national issue on your school. • Look at our football team and how concussions have affected the players, how parents react to their children getting concussions, school performance of concussed athletes compared to regular students • Investigate if any MVHS teams have cheated before in organized competition, history of cheating in sports at our school • How athletes are favored over regular students at our school Obviously, not all issue stories are localized from a bigger national issue. The best way to find an issue is to talk to players while you’re covering.

SOME EXAMPLES: ACL STORY Explores the danger and lasting effects of ACL tears. A different way to feature an athlete than a profile — zoom in on one important aspect of his or her playing career and find a larger issue that you can connect to. CRICKET STORY Talks about how hard it is for cricket players to pursue their dreams in America — find an issue that affects an entire group of athletes PE CREDIT STORY Explores why sports outside of school don’t count for PE credits — not all issue stories have to be about an after-school sports team

KEEP IN MIND: • • • •

Make sure to interview sources from both sides of the issue to prevent the story from being too biased Have an angle. Don’t just summarize the issue and its pros and cons. Get an expert opinion on the issue to give credibility to your angle Find a human face to the issue. Interview a person who has been affected by the issue – doesn’t matter if it is in a negative or positive way. It provides anecdotal information to the topic • Try to approach the issue in a new way. • Find an angle that hasn’t been explored yet

COVERAGE

Click on the images to get information about each sport

LIVEBLOG What is a liveblog? A live blog is a form of live coverage where a spectator/reporter will type frequent updates that provide commentary on an event. We use it a lot for sports coverage. We use a service called ScribbleLive for our liveblogs. EQUIPMENT

• A Laptop (with a wifi source) or a smartphone with the ScribbleLive App • Camera (for supplemental photos/video)

PROCEDURE 1. Login to ScribbleLive (www.client.scribblelive.com/User/Login.aspx) using the El Estoque account Username: mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Password: sturgmeo+1

2. Set up a live blog by clicking “Create a new stream” 3. Fill in the field for “Title” with the names of the teams playing each other (ex . NorCals Semifinals: Boys volleyball vs. Deer Valley HS [MVHS is implied]) 4. Fill in the field for “Description” with event details such as location, time, and restate the teams 5. Select the “Sports” category in the “Category” field Make sure you have a good headline and deck that states what is happening in the event 6. Post the link to the website post on Facebook/social media inviting viewers to come follow the stream. If there is a Facebook event, make sure to post in the event 7. Skip through the rest of the steps (unless told otherwise by an editor) until you reach “Write” 8. Hover over the “Setup” widget on the left toolbar and select “Templates” on the dropdown menu. 9. Select the “Embed” tab 10. Select “Default” settings to get the embed code (Hold on to this for now) 11. Create a new WordPress post with the proper headline (ex. Liveblog: Team takes on team in This tournament) 12. Copy the embed code from ScribbleLive and post it in the Text portion of the WordPress post 13. Make your first liveblog post stating when the game will begin (ex. The match will begin at 7 p.m.) 14. Publish the WordPress post well before the game (maybe a few hours).

COVERAGE • • • • • •

Show up to the event early because sometimes there are Wifi problems If Wi-fi doesn’t work at any time, make sure you post that there are technical difficulties Make sure you know jargon that pertains to the game/event you are covering Vary your sentence structure so that your viewers don’t get bored You can even post photos/videos that a co-reporter takes on the sidelines! When the event concludes make sure you state that it is over and thank people for joining us.

EXAMPLE:

http://www.elestoque.org/2015/05/19/sports/live-blog-boys-volleyball-vs-st-francis-hs-for-ccs-championship/

GIFS USE THEM TO CAPTURE ACTION!!! For example: • Use in sports a lot because they capture plays well: http://www.elestoque.org/2017/01/03/sports/boys-basketball-team-takes-part-lynbrook-hs-winter-tournament/ PULL A SHOT FROM A VIDEO • Like VOX and more infamously, Buzzfeed: http://www.vox.com/2015/4/29/8511055/hot-pepper-spicy • El Estoque: http://www.elestoque.org/2015/05/03/sports/game-highlights-boys-volleyball-defeats-los-gatoshigh-school-in-a-close-match/ • The great thing about this method is that your content is getting out either if they watch the video or watch the GIF!!!!! DON’T USE FOR SERIOUS STORIES, it will trivialize it…

HOW TO CREATE A GIF 1. Shoot a video, shoot multiple videos 2. Edit the video on iMovie 3. Make sure you edit the quality of the video and that the shot is centered in on a play. 4. Based on your computer, whatever is faster for you: download video as file OR upload to YouTube 5. Go to Gfycat.com 6. Click on Upload on the upper right corner 7. If you downloaded a file, go to From Computer Tab. If you uploaded to YouTube, click on From URL tab. 8. Make sure to check resize uploads automatically or else it won’t fit in the post 9. This is what happens when the video is too big: http://www.elestoque.org/2015/04/11/sports/ game-gifs-boys-volleyball-dominates-homestead-high-school/ 10. Once you upload the GIF, wait for it to load. 11. Go to the link they give to you. THEIR LINK NAMES ARE THE BEST. Example: http://gfycat.com/ WealthyImpracticalBear 12. Click on the chain icon 13. Copy/paste the iFrame code to paste into Wordpress

EXAMPLES • Basketball: http://www.elestoque.org/2017/01/03/sports/boys-basketball-team-takes-partlynbrook-hs-winter-tournament/ • Football: http://www.elestoque.org/2016/09/26/sports/football-matadors-lose-the-helmetin-upset-by-cupertino-hs/ • Volleyball: http://www.elestoque.org/2016/10/13/sports/girls-volleyball-team-takes-winhomestead-hs/

HOW TO WRITE SPORTS FEATURE STORIES Feature stories (in sports) focus on specific athletes and their history as a story. They go into specific details that make this athlete stand out from the rest (the reason you chose to write a feature on them versus the other athletes at MVHS that play this sport). Below are usual trademarks of feature stories: The lede is usually anecdotal, scene-setters, or narrative ledes. Since features are inherently personal, they tend to make the most descriptive stories and you can write in suspense. (If you need a refresher on ledes, here’s a quizlet) Although the interview with the source is a must, interviews with other sources close to the subject of the feature can give great details about your source and make for better features. Features must also have an angle. Just because a source is unique doesn’t mean that’s an angle. Connect the dots for the reader, and include the nut graf (the angle) early on in the story Visuals are also a must for any story. The type of visual, however, is up to you. In sports, we try to get action shots in all our features. If you can’t take photos, ask for photos family members or friends have taken of them. Example of a feature.

A&E 3

WELCOME TO A&E! So, WHAT IS ENT? Basically anything pop culture related or relating to one of these categories: art, music, film, food, tech (sometimes), fashion, drama, etc…is ENT! This means that now you have an excuse to try out that new restaurant or go see that new movie ;) If you still have no idea what ent is, it might be helpful to look at some of our best stories in the last year. We have quite a few recurring features — related stories that are posted regularly (once every two or three weeks) — based on these categories; some in the print magazine and some in the magazine. We also do a lot of reviews (if you’re confused on how to write one, don’t worry we gotchu: How to write a review), event coverage, and student-life stories. We gladly welcome and HIGHLY ENCOURAGE PITCHES– if you’re not sure if your pitch for a story belongs in ent, ask!! The boundaries of entertainment can sometimes get a little blurry so we are glad to help clear them up and decide whether your wonderful pitch is meant for ent or for a different section! Because our section is literally entertainment, a lot of our stories are light-hearted — but that doesn’t mean we don’t have in depth stories as well, so don’t feel discouraged! Being in ent means that there’s a lot of room for creativity and experimenting with multimedia tools and page layouts; we pride ourselves on being adventurous when it comes to how we format/cover our stories. If this all seems like a lot of information, don’t worry. It is. Journo can seem daunting, but take a deep breath and know that it’ll all be second nature very soon (+ you’ll always have us to help you!). We here at Ent love to be true to our section’s nature – fun and lighthearted <3 So don’t worry too much, have fun, and welcome to our beloved section, Ent! We are here to help whenever you need, so if you have any questions or just wanna talk, dont be afraid to contact us.

INSPIRATION

Click on the images to look at some good entertainment stories

HOW TO WRITE A REVIEW Reviews - they seem easy but when you sit down to do them, it can be a little difficult to start. So here is everything you need to know about writing a review - whether it be about a movie, restaurant, music or something else - we gotchu covered. Ok first things first – before you go to review the thing, know what aspects of the thing to take note of. There’s different stuff for each kind of item reviewed that you’ll need to include. (*NOTE: You don’t need to include every single thing listed in your review but it’s good to take notes about all the stuff listed in case you want to include it)

INTRO

• Keep it BRIEF • Describe the thing you’re reviewing (e.g. genre of book/movie, restaurant’s cuisine, etc) • Identify authors, directors, actors, etc.

THE REVIEW • • • • • •

Write full paragraphs about each aspect you want to examine Include lots of specific details Include samples (pictures, trailers, quotes from the movie/book, song clips, etc) Use descriptive language Include pros AND cons Personalize (include your personal experiences and don’t be afraid to write it in your own style)

CONCLUSION

• BRIEFLY restate the main ideas of the review • Give the Verdict: Is it good? Bad? Meh? • Give them a recommendation: Should they go (buy the album, watch the movie, etc)? Is it worth it?

REVIEW WRITING: GENERAL TIPS 1. KEEP IT BRIEF

Your readers are reading your review because they want to know whether they should try this product/service or not – they don’t wanna read a 3 page long analysis of every single detail of the product; ultimately, they just want to know if it’s good or bad. That doesn’t mean don’t be detailed, it just means you don’t need every detail. Keep it balanced between short and detailed and you’ve written a perfect review!

2. IT’S OK TO BE A NEGATIVE NANCY

If the thing you reviewed sucked, SAY SO!! A lot of the times, people are afraid that they’re being mean by saying a product was bad and that’s ok – it’s nice that you’re trying to be nice, it really is. But your readers want the TRUTH! So don’t be afraid to throw some shade and let people know what you didn’t like about the product. Just be careful to not be disrespectful or rude – we want to be critical, not mean.

3. NOTES, NOTES, NOTES

Take notes about EVERYTHING. I’m serious. Just do it. You may think you have the best memory in the world, but trust me, take notes about anything and everything you think you would need to take notes on. Because chances are you’re not gonna remember some really great details that you’ll want to include in your review later.

4. CAN YOU PICTURE IT?

You should be able to because you should always include pictures in your review! Reviews are often just a whole lot of words so make sure to include relevant pictures to break up those gigantic, ugly blocks of text.

5. TIME FLIES – FLY WITH IT.

Review your products WHEN ITS TIMELY. Nobody wants to read a review about a movie that came out two weeks ago that everyone’s already watched. And that’s it! That’s really all there is to writing a review :) So enjoy eating the food or watching the movie or listening to the music and have fun writing your review!

SO YOU’RE IN NEWS...

Congratulations! Whether you’re super excited or mildly exasperated at your fortune, the fact is that you’re going to be stuck with us for bit. Knowing that, let’s get started with some of the basics we think you should know.

WHAT IS NEWS? Good question! Sometimes, it’s hard to tell. We’ve found that it’s often easiest to define what News is by what it isn’t. • News isn’t Sports. Anything that’s about teams, or fields or players isn’t us. • News isn’t Entertainment. If you got it from TMZ, or it’s abo ut Fashion, Music, Books, Drama or Food, it’s probably not us either. Now, the line here is a little fluid so if you feel like you don’t know, ask! • News isn’t Special. Now this is a little harder, because sometimes you can make News stories Special stories by going more in depth and creating a package of the different aspects of the story. The main difference is usually depth and timeliness: Special Report stories are in depth whereas News’ stories are usually centered around the timeliness of the story. Check out special’s home page to see what their packages look like and then look at news’ home page. Everything else, is us. Which really means that News can be what you make of it! If you want hard-hitting investigative reporting, or if you just want to cover Blood Drives and Tree Plantings, News is your section. The key is timeliness. News is all about the stories that people are wondering about at that point in time! Chase the stories you want to write! This goes for any section but particularly in news. Keep your ears open for any possible pitches! If you hear some people in your class talking about how the bathrooms don’t work, if your teacher tells you about a new policy, if you see something happen that might have a potential story in it, get more information and pitch it in class!

BREAKING NEWS You probably won’t be the person who writes the story, but it’s your job to collect as much information as possible. Note the time, where you are, and start taking pictures and collecting interviews. Find out what you need to do, be it taping interviews on your iPhone or taking b-roll with your handy-dandy video camera. More importantly, DO IT. The proper tone can make or break a story. Too boring and bland, and no one will read your hard work. Too happy, and your serious story about fraud will seem crude.

FACT CHECKING Fact checking is boring and long, and to be honest you’re probably going to want to skip it. Don’t. For a couple reasons, including the fact that you could get sued for publishing something incorrect. • Make comments on anything and everything that can be fact-checked, and keep these comments there forever. You want to be able to look at the doc later and have a guarantee that you fact checked that important statistic, and this can save time in the future as well. • When possible, try to fact check using two different sources Ever come across an amazing story and just WHAT THE HECK? How did they come up with that? Well, to your luck, the journalist is most probably not a protege pitch manufacturer. It’s not far from your reach. Try to instill these habits and you will be well on your way to becoming that type of journalist.

TONE

Outside of your lit class, tone is the feeling of a piece of writing. Based on the words and flow, tone can be happier or sadder, more sober and serious or super light and fluffy. Different stories call for different tones. It’s important to think about what story you’re writing, because that determines and defines your tone. Investigative reporting, hard hitting in depth stories probably call for a serious tone. Depending on the subject, either add in a lot of detail and beautiful writing, or just go straight to the point without extra unneeded detail. Event coverage can probably be pretty light. Don’t feel like this has to be your best writing, with beautifully constructed sentences and tons of detail, especially if it’s just a news brief. Save that for your indepth coverage. This seems pretty self explanatory, but don’t be happy and goofy when writing stories that aren’t. Sad stories deserve somber tones. Happy stories can be light and humorous.

LEDE

A lede is, essentially, a hook. It’s engaging (or it should be), hints at what your story is about, and is composed of the opening paragraph or, in longer stories, paragraphs (quite obviously).

HOW DO YOU WRITE A LEDE?

There are several story parts to keep in mind as you write a lede: tone, audience, the five Ws and how, and the type of story (may it be news brief, feature, question and answer, etc). An incredibly helpful resource, which explores all of the following in depth, is this: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/05/ An anecdotal lede is when the writer eases into the topic with an engaging and meaningful anecdote. Ideally, it has a beginning, middle, and end, it’s a mini-story with symbolic resonance for the bigger story you’re about to tell. A summary lede is one or two sentences that sums up the main points of the brief, the where, who, what, when, why, etc. This fits into the inverted pyramid structure. This is just a fancy phrase for keeping the important information toward the front and less important content toward the bottom (like a pyramid that’s upside down); it’s just in case your readers don’t finish your article (which is in no way a reflection upon your ability!) And don’t forget to include a few quotes! A great source to reference for information to help you write ledes and your stories in general is Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism by Tim Harrower. This book is one of the textbooks you can find in room A111! If you can’t find it ask Jsatt or one of the editors!

EXAMPLES

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/us/politics/psychologists-approve-ban-on-role-in-national-security-interrogations.html http://www.elestoque.org/2014/09/29/news/college-essay-workshop-to-be-hosted-by-la-pluma-and-national-english-honors-society/ http://www.elestoque.org/2015/02/09/news/res-novae-aims-to-popularize-science-and-technology-through-literary-platform/

NEWS BRIEF A news brief is a short, less exploratory story to cover an event. It’s basic, informative in tone (think short and sweet, five minutes to know it all!), and gets published fast, which is why if you’re pressed for time or need that one more story to satisfy quota, this is for you. News briefs are around 250 words — concise news writing — and include a visual (a photograph of the event) and three sources. WHO SHOULD YOUR SOURCES BE? • A participant or attendee, the event organizer or holder (may be an officer, etc.), and another of your choice. WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU ASK? • Questions are more event-centric and not of the larger picture: in other words, not as investigative. So these’ll be who, what, when, where, why, and how. HOW SHOULD THE BRIEF BE STRUCTURED (ROUGHLY)? • News briefs do not necessarily follow a rigid pattern (you have flexibility, much as any story), yet these are a few ideas that you should keep in mind while writing one. Do not think that these are in any way necessary! TIPS FOR COVERING CLUB MEETINGS: • Research! Be sure to plan ahead and look into what the meeting is about. Better research makes a better story. • Go early and stay late. One-on-one interviews make for a better story • Describe the meeting. Detail the atmosphere, crowd size, mood and length • Blend in. People tend to act differently around reporters, acting with the crowd allows for more in-depth reporting. • What happens next? It helps to include information about the future of the meetings/club, so if readers want to attend they can.

EXAMPLE Students attended grade-level meetings in the auditorium during the second week of school. Principal Charles Rowland III and assistant principals Neil DeLuca and Pasquale Cusumano reviewed the code of conduct and discussed opportunities for students to get involved. “Two key terms are RESPECT and RESPONSIBILITY when it comes to student behavior in general,” Mr. Rowland said. “Take advantage of the great teachers and the great opportunities here at RHS and you’ll be prepared for college.” One of the key points of the code of conduct discussion revolved around the issue of physical fighting. The administrators stressed this motto: don’t initiate, participate or retaliate. “We have a zero tolerance fighting policy; it’s not even negotiable,” Mr. Rowland said. “You’re bright kids. There are other ways to handle disagreements than starting a physical altercation.” Another important discussion was about bullying, specifically using social media to write negative things about students or staff members. “It’s there forever,” Mr. Cusumano said. “Whatever you say can be tracked and taken to the police. Everyone has the right to a great education here. We have no tolerance for bullying.” The dress code discussion aroused student interest. “If you’re dressed inappropriately for school, you’re showing that you’re not respecting yourself,” Mr. Rowland said. “Respect yourself and you can expect others will do the same.” Regarding bringing cigarettes, lighters, marijuana, pills, weapons or other illegal substances, the administrators encouraged kids to use their brains. “We will not tolerate behavior that will compromise the safety, health and well-being of others at RHS,” Mr. Rowland said. “Make good choices.”

TIMELINESS Pitches are flying all around you! Everything everyone says to you is a possible story. If there is something you find intriguing or new write it down and share it with us. For example, a teacher once told me that every morning a person comes to our school to kill all the falcons. Surprising right? Turns out that it’s true! BOOM amazing feature story. Now that might have been an obvious example, but even pay attention to smaller things that people go on in life without even questioning. For example, in you have EVER seen professional basketball you know, I am sure you have seen that the players always high five other players on the team after they shoot a free throw EVEN IF THEY MISS. Just from that observation the New York Times wrote an amazing article about team support in basketball: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/sports/basketball/he-missed-a-shot-givethat-man-a-hand.html?ref=basketball Check Facebook! Yes! “Mom for journalism I HAVE TO go on Facebook.” Surprisingly, some of our best stories have come from trending tweet. Facebook is a great insight to what people at school are excited about. On the side of Twitter there is a Trending Tweets bar that is perfect for story ideas. Now the big thing to remember is can we localize these trending global topics. How does the football team fell about Aldon Smith’s Arrest? Any students going to Outside Lands? Don’t just write a story about a Tax Free Weekend if none of us students even pay taxes and don’t care about it. This screen was taken the day about the GOP Debate that was hella intense. VOX news came out with a series of stories on the candidates and debate right after in an extremely timely manner: http://www.vox. com/2015/8/7/9115255/first-republican-debate-gop-fox-news. Ever think about a story idea, but it just doesn’t seem timely? Well, you are probably are right. It isn’t timely right this instant. See, here’s the trick – wait for an anniversary or something along those lines and BAAM it is timely. Wanna write about how Apple changed Cupertino? Wait for Apple’s birthday or Steve Jobs birthday.

INSPIRATION

Click on the images to look at some good news stories

OPINION

WELCOME TO OPINION Hey guys! Many of you may not have ever written (or made videos for) opinion articles but fear not! Along with this document and a few others (and reading lots of op-ed articles and practice), you will definitely learn to create some strong content. We know these documents are text heavy but there are some really great tips so please take the time to go through these. If you have any questions or ideas for print or multimedia, be sure to talk to us!!

OPINION EXAMPLE

NY TIMES: A CONVERSATION WITH WHALES

MULTIMEDIA

LINKING STORIES

LOGICAL FALLICIES Opinion articles are usually more prone to logical fallacies than other sections’ articles, so it’s super important to these fallacies because they can really undermine your argument if present. These are some of the more common logical fallacies we see in opinion articles, as outlined by Purdue OWL (there are several much more comprehensive lists online that would be good to look at): Slippery Slope: A conclusion based on the premise that if one thing happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, something major will happen, too and vice versa (if we don’t want Z to occur, we shouldn’t have A). Example: If we buy shirts in China because they’re cheaper, eventually we’ll buy all our shirts in China and as a result, the American economy will fail. Hasty Generalization: This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. Example: I like this one chocolate ice cream in this new store so I know I’m going to like every flavor of chocolate ice cream that has ever existed. Post hoc ergo propter hoc: Assuming that if ‘A’ occurred after ‘B’ then ‘B’ must have caused ‘A.’ Be watchful of causation versus correlation. Example: I ate gum and then threw up, so the gum must have caused me to throw up. Either/or: This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices. Example: We can either stop buying shirts in China or destroy the American economy. Ad hominem: This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments. Example: Roy Peter Clark’s writing tips are completely ineffective because all Roys are terrible writers. Ad populum: This is an emotional appeal that speaks to positive (such as patriotism, religion, democracy) or negative (such as terrorism or fascism) concepts rather than the real issue at hand. Example: If you were a true Matador you would support the students’ right to wear whatever they want for rallies. Straw Man: This move oversimplifies an opponent’s viewpoint and then attacks that hollow argument. Example: Students who refuse to wear purple obviously hate Monta Vista.

WRITING A COLUMN Adapted from JFK School of Government

DISTINGUISH CHARACTERISTICS OF AN OP-ED OR COLUMN • • • • •

Partly, a column is defined by where it appears, but it shares some common characteristics: Typically short, between 750 and 800 words. It has a clearly defined point of view. It represents clarity of thinking. It contains the strong, unique voice of the writer.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN WRITING AN PP-ED OR COLUMN • • • •

Do I have a clear point to make? What is it? Who cares? Writing with a particular audience in mind can inform how you execute your column. Who is it that you are trying to convince? Why are you targeting that specific reader? • Is there substance to my argument?

TOPIC AND THEME

• Every successful op-ed piece or column must have a clearly defined topic and theme. • Topic: the person, place, issue, incident, or thing that is the primary focus of the column. The topic is usually stated in the first paragraph. • Theme: another level of meaning to the topic. What’s the big, overarching idea of the column? What’s your point? Why is your point important? The theme may appear early in the piece or it may appear later when it may also serve as a turning point into a deeper level of argument.

RESEARCH

• While columns and op-ed pieces allow writers to include their own voice and express an opinion, to be successful the columns must be grounded in solid research. Research involves acquiring facts, quotations, citations, or data from sources and personal observation. Research also allows a reader to include sensory data (touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight) into a column. • Field research: going to the scene, interviews, legwork, primary materials, observations, and knowledge • Library, academic, or internet research: using secondary materials, including graphs, charts, and scholarly articles

OPENINGS

• The first line of an op-ed is crucial. The opening “hook” may grab the reader’s attention with a strong claim, a surprising fact, a metaphor, a mystery, or a counter-intuitive observation that entices the reader into reading more. • The opening also briefly lays the foundation for your argument.

ENDINGS • • • • • •

Every good column or op-ed piece needs a strong ending which has some basic requirements Echoes or answers introduction Has been foreshadowed by preceding thematic statements Is the last and often most memorable detail Contains a final epiphany or calls the reader to action An “open ending” suggests rather than states a conclusion, while a “closed ending” states rather than suggests a conclusion • The closed ending in which the point of the piece is resolved is by far the most commonly used.

VOICE

• Having a strong voice is critical to a successful column or op-ed piece. Columns are most typically conversational in tone, so you can imagine yourself have a conversation with your reader as you write (a short, focused conversation). • But the range of voice used in columns can be wide: contemplative, conversational, descriptive, experienced, informative, informed, introspective, observant, plaintive, reportorial, self-effacing, sophisticated, humorous, among many other possibilities. • Sometimes what voice you use is driven by the publication for which you are writing. A good method of perfecting your voice is to get in the habit of reading your column or op-ed out loud. Doing so gives you a clear sense of how your piece might sound – what your voice may come off as – to your intended reader.

REVISION CHECKLIST • • • • • • •

Clarity Coherence and unity Simplicity Voice and tone Direct quotations and paraphrasing for accuracy Properly credit all source, though formal citations are not necessary Consistency of your opinion throughout your op-ed or column

OPINION EDITORIAL Adapted from Duke University

THE NEWS AND JUMP AT OPPORTUNITIES.

Timing is essential. When an issue is dominating the news — whether it’s a war, a stock market panic or just the latest controversy on a reality TV show — that’s what readers want to read and op-ed editors want to publish. Whenever possible, link your issue explicitly to something happening in the news. If you’re a researcher studying cancer, for instance, start off by discussing the celebrity who died yesterday. Or, look ahead to a holiday or anniversary a week from now that will provide a fresh news peg (and enable editors to plan the story in advance).

LIMIT THE ARTICLE TO 750 WORDS.

Shorter is even better. Some academic authors insist they need more room to explain their argument. Unfortunately, newspapers have limited space to offer, and editors generally won’t take the time to cut a long article down to size.

MAKE A SINGLE POINT — WELL.

You cannot solve all of the world’s problems in 750 words. Be satisfied with making a single point clearly and persuasively. If you cannot explain your message in a sentence or two, you’re trying to cover too much.

PUT YOUR MAIN POINT ON TOP.

You’re not writing for Science, The Quarterly Journal of Economics or other academic publications that typically wait until the final paragraphs to reveal their punchlines. Op-ed articles do the opposite. You have no more than 10 seconds to hook a busy reader, which means you shouldn’t “clear your throat” with a witticism or historical aside. Just get to the point and convince the reader that it’s worth his or her valuable time to continue.

TELL READERS WHY THEY SHOULD CARE.

Put yourself in the place of the busy person looking at your article. At the end of every few paragraphs, ask out loud: “So what? Who cares?” You need to answer these questions. Will your suggestions help reduce readers’ taxes? Protect them from disease? Make their children happier? Explain why. Appeals to selfinterest usually are more effective than abstract punditry.

OFFER SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.

An op-ed is not a news story that simply describes a situation; it is your opinion about how to improve matters. Don’t be satisfied, as you might be in a classroom, with mere analysis. In an op-ed article you need to offer recommendations. How exactly should your state protect its environment, or the White House change its foreign policy or parents choose healthier foods for their children? You’ll need to do more than call for “more research!” or suggest that opposing parties work out their differences.

SHOWING IS BETTER THAN DISCUSSING.

You may remember the Pentagon’s overpriced toilet seat that became a symbol of profligate federal spending. You probably don’t recall the total Pentagon budget for that year (or for that matter, for the current year). That’s because we humans remember colorful details better than dry facts. When writing an op-ed article, therefore, look for great examples that will bring your argument to life.

EMBRACE YOUR PERSONAL VOICE.

The best of these examples will come from your own experience. Academics tend to avoid first-person exposition in professional journals, which rarely begin with phrases like “You won’t believe what I found when I was working in my lab last month.” When it comes to op-eds, however, you should embrace your own voice whenever possible. If you are a physician, describe the plight of one of your patients, and then tell us how this made you feel personally. If you’ve worked with poor families, tell a story about one of them to help argue your point. In other words, come down from Mt. Olympus and share details that will reveal your humanity. In so doing, your words will ring truer and the reader will care more about what you are saying. If you are a student or someone else without a fancy degree or title, your personal voice becomes even more important.

PLAY UP YOUR PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE READERS.

Daily newspapers in many cities are struggling to survive. As they compete with national publications, television, blogs and others, they are playing up their local roots and coverage. Op-ed editors at these papers increasingly prefer authors who live locally or have other local connections. If you’re submitting an article to your local paper, this will work in your favor. If you’re submitting it in a city where you once lived or worked, be sure to mention this in your cover note and byline. Likewise, if you’re writing for a publication that serves a particular profession, ethnic group or other cohort, let them know how you connect personally to their audience.

USE SHORT SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS.

Look at some op-ed articles and count the number of words per sentence. You’ll probably find the sentences to be quite short. You should use the same style, relying mainly on simple declarative sentences. Cut long paragraphs into two or more shorter ones.

AVOID JARGON.

If a technical detail is not essential to your argument, don’t use it. When in doubt, leave it out. Simple language doesn’t mean simple thinking; it means you are being considerate of readers who lack your expertise and are sitting half-awake at their breakfast table or computer screen.

USE THE ACTIVE VOICE.

Don’t write: “It is hoped that [or: One would hope that] the government will …” Instead, say “I hope the government will …” Active voice is nearly always better than passive voice. It’s easier to read, and it leaves no doubt about who is doing the hoping, recommending or other action.

AVOID TEDIOUS REBUTTALS.

If you’ve written your article in response to an earlier piece that made your blood boil, avoid the temptation to prepare a point-by-point rebuttal. It makes you look petty. It’s likely that readers didn’t see the earlier article and, if they did, they’ve probably forgotten it. So, just take a deep breath, mention the earlier article once and argue your own case. If you really need to rebut the article, forego an op-ed article and instead write a letter to the editor, which is more appropriate for this purpose.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE OTHER SIDE.

People writing op-ed articles sometimes make the mistake of piling on one reason after another why they’re right and their opponents are wrong, if not idiots. They’d probably appear more credible, and almost certainly more humble and appealing, if they took a moment to acknowledge the ways in which their opponents are right. When you see experienced op-ed authors saying “to be sure,” that’s what they’re doing.

MAKE YOUR ENDING A WINNER.

As noted, you need a strong opening paragraph, or “lead,” to hook readers. When writing for the op-ed page, it’s also important to summarize your argument in a strong final paragraph. That’s because many casual readers scan the headline, skim the opening and then read the final paragraph and byline. In fact, one trick many columnists use is to conclude with a phrase or thought that appeared in the opening, thereby closing the circle.

OPINION EDITORIAL: TIPS An op-ed is generally 500-750 words. It must unfold quickly. Focus on one issue or idea, briefly express your opinion in your opening paragraph, and be clear and confirmed in your viewpoint. The following paragraphs should back your viewpoint with factual, researched, or first-hand information. A good op-ed is not just an opinion; it consists of fact put into well-informed context. Be timely and controversial--but not outrageous. Personal, conversational, and humorous (when appropriate) writing is important to readability, and to capturing the reader’s attention. Make sure that you educate without preaching. Near the end, clearly restate your position and issue a call to action. If you are discussing a problem, then offer a solution or a better approach; this takes the reader beyond mere criticism. Try to include a catchy title for your op-ed that emphasizes your central message. This will help the editor grasp the idea quickly, and help sell the piece. (However, be prepared for the paper to write its own headline; they will rarely use the writer’s head no matter how good it is. That’s just the way it’s done.) Here are some specific devices to keep in mind as you write. • Come down hard on one side of the argument, and never equivocate. • Identify the counter argument, and refute it with facts. • Emphasize active verbs; go easy on adjectives and adverbs. • Avoid clichés. • Avoid technical jargon and acronyms • Try to grab the reader’s attention in the first line. End with a strong or thought-provoking line. • Use specific references and easy-to-understand data rather than abstraction. • Anecdotes can sometimes help enhance understanding of an issue. • Ideally, your topic will be timely, but at the same time have a long shelf life (i.e., the problem won’t be solved in a month).

FEATURES 2

WELCOME TO FEATURES! We publish content that revolve around a theme, event or people. (That being said, pitches are SUPER IMPORTANT [We bolded, underlined and italicized it for a reason]. We live off of your pitches.) We publish multimedia, photo galleries, columns; pretty much anything can go in our section! But our limitless boundaries may make you wonder what we actually do as a section. Our content usually alternate between more fun, interactive content that we can get lots of people in (think The Story of our Stuff) and deeper topics such as mental health and cancer (think of the Domestic Abuse/Behind Closed Doors issue). We also strive to be somewhat like the site: https://medium.com/matter or http://narrative.ly/ in terms of both content and web design.

THEMES

Themes can exist in feature as guiding questions that we address in each article that is in print and verge content. The themes are not necessarily timely, though it’s great if they are. They must, however, relate to the Monta Vista community in some way.

VERGE CONTENT

We have so much more to cover than the room we’re allowed in print. So, we take the extra ideas and turn them into online stories that are published on the day of the magazine (yeah we were a bit sloppy about that last year, but an example would be the continuation of the twins story in our last issue last year). Those online stories that are related to the package are what we consider verge!

PITCHES

As mentioned before, Special lives off of pitches. As your editors, we aren’t here to give you all the ideas in the world. We really do expect you to come in with ideas and pitches. If you need help, it’s great to scroll through some of the news feeds you look through whether it be Matter or Times, just make sure that you find pitches appropriate to our section!

DEADLINES

TAKE NOTE OF YOUR DEADLINES. Make sure that anything that is coming up on the set date comes in on time or you shoot out an email.

WRITING FOR FEATURES Writing in Features is all about storytelling — in as colorful a way as possible. When you interview a source, be brave. You can ask anything. Ask the craziest things you can think of. Ask about the tiniest, most irrelevant details — what did he smell when he walked his dog after the earthquake; what color were the leather seats of the couch her parents were sitting on when they told her; what was the shape of the coffee stain on the 60-year-old map. Ask if she noticed what direction her teacher was facing. Ask if there were eye bags under her parents’ eyes when she came out. Ask if he remembers if the wall’s paint was chipped or scratched or fresh. Did it smell like chemicals or ten-year-old cheesecake or fresh strawberries dipped in Godiva chocolate? Was her T-shirt ragged and faded and musty, was it faintly reminiscent of the crisp smell of factories, were there wads of auburn cat hair lightly dusting her clothes? Solicit imagery and be fearless in evoking, capturing the strangest and wackiest details you can, because those are the details that will tell your story in its entirety. The details that will pull the reader into a story about even something as mundane as the weather. The details that make your story special and therefore worth reading. Write with a voice. Write with VERVE. If someone told you that a bunch of people were sitting in a Subway somewhere, how would you react? Youwould probably be bored. Your readers would be bored. No one would really care. But that all changes when you add voice to your story. Add color and style and verve. Add audacity. Here is an example, in the form of a quote, that describes precisely the scene above: “There is just the wind knifing down the plains, and people praying over their lunches in the yellow booths at Subway.” — Anne Hull [Washington Post] It’s essentially the same scene, but it takes on an entirely different tone. It attracts the reader’s imagination. You can almost feel the wind “knifing” through the cityscape. You can envision the bright yellow booths people are sitting and eating in. You can imagine what they are doing and what setting they are doing it in. Furthermore, if you read good journalism, it will feel like you are reading fiction. Life often seems like narrative fiction; and both fiction and journalism imitate reality. When you arrange your story as a narrative, it will take just as much imagination as completely making things up.

IMPORTANT TIPS

• Cameras and phones are extremely important! ALWAYS HAVE AN SD CARD WITH YOU. Everyone is expected to be able to take his/her own pictures for the story. For online stories, ALWAYS get a mug shot with the interview! • Mug shots for online stories can be taken with an iPod or iPhone; mugshots for print stories MUST BE TAKEN WITH A DSLR • Follow rule-of-thirds • Find the right interactive online tools: you can use multimedia for almost anything, but make sure you know when it’s not appropriate (don’t overuse the same tools, no matter how great or applicable they are) • PLAN AHEAD when it comes to pictures! • More video, more audio

EDITOR POSITIONS HEADS TEAM

They shall act as the leaders of both Journalism and Multimedia Design classes. They set the tone for the rest of the staff; they should serve the needs of El Estoque staff and attempt to keep up morale levels and a positive attitude at all times. They are responsible for attending meetings every Monday and Thursday during lunch to plan the week and meet with section editors, respectively. Also, they should read stories coming in from writers on staff, correct errors and provide feedback about structure and organization. They will act as a liaison between the staff and the adviser and will also represent the paper to the administration, community and students and be a part of both sixth and seventh period. Also, they should lead by example in not only meeting quota but also following the deadline schedule.

COPY EDITORS

They shall edit stories for the staff and provide feedback and suggestions to improve structure and organization. They should be willing to talk to the staff about edits they make and be available to make edits for sections.

WEBSITE EDITORS

The website editor is responsible for running elestoque.org. The website editor(s) must also be willing to work with the staff to package content in a more digitally appealing way and be able to work to design packages for the multimedia class. The website editor(s) must also create lectures to teach the class about website design.

NEWS EDITORS

The News Editor is responsible for editing any stories submitted by writers in the category of news. Also, he or she should be suggesting story ideas to staffers that relate to news events in the school, community, state, nation and world. It is the news editor’s job to be up to date on current events and make sure they are covered in a way that is interesting to the students at MVHS. In addition, this individual should write two stories and one brief each month, take pictures for these stories and design one to two pages of the paper.

FEATURE EDITORS

The Feature Editor is responsible for editing any stories submitted by writers in the feature section. Also, he or she should be suggesting story ideas to staffers about students’ lives - this section has endless possibilities. This person is also in charge of making sure there is a great feature story that can appear on the spread.

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS

The Entertainment Editor is responsible for editing any stories submitted by writers in the category of entertainment. Also, he or she should be suggesting story ideas related to entertainment: food/music/ movie/technology/etc. reviews, features about shows in the area that have happened or will happen and features about the band, choir and theater groups. It is important to cover a variety of forms of entertainment and this editor needs to keep track of this and be sure this section is doing it all.

OPINION EDITORS

The Opinion Editor is responsible for editing any stories submitted by writers in the category of opinion. Also, he or she should be suggesting story ideas about potential opinion stories, from editorials to columns to comics to editorial cartoons to polls. There should be a poll in each issue, and the opinion editor should make sure of this. This person is also responsible for writing a staff editorial, which includes figuring out what the front page story will be, getting an idea of how the staff feels about the issue, writing the story and providing an outlet for those who may not fully agree with the staff editorial. This person is faced with the challenge of making the opinion section visually interesting and should do so by following the hand trick: if you can place your hand on the page and it only touches body copy, it’s too text-heavy. This person must also keep in touch with other editors to make sure that all opinion articles are connected to other

stories and correctly linked to these stories.

SPORTS EDITORS

The Sports Editor is responsible for editing any stories submitted by writers in the category of sports. Also, he or she should be suggesting story ideas for the sports section. This person should also make sure there is a sports feature in every issue of the paper (i.e. sports injuries, yoga, fencing, etc.). This person should be sure there will be a sports action shot in every monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition. In addition, this individual should write two stories and one brief each month, take pictures for these stories and design one to two pages of the paper. The editor will make sure that all home games are covered for sports in some way and in a timely manner.

BEATS EDITORS

The Beats Editor is responsible for editing any story submitted by writers for beats. Also, he or she should assign beats at the beginning of the year in a fair manner and continually check in on the beats and create a spreadsheet to see how many times each beat has been covered in the year to ensure that the staff is covering all of the beats. The Beats Editor will also contact staff writers to make sure that beats are being done and help brainstorm ideas for beat coverage.

GRAPHIC EDITORS

The Graphic Editor is responsible for managing graphics in both print and online content. He or she must create a graphics team to do graphics and have a spreadsheet where graphic requests are hosted that is connected to the main spreadsheet and a link where staff members can request graphics. He or she must suggest graphic ideas and help make sure that stories arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t very text heavy. He or she should be available to do graphics, help with graphic ideas and make sure that graphic requests are being sent in a timely manner. He or she must also understand how to do graphics on both print and online medias and be able to help others on staff.

PUBLIC RELATIONS EDITORS

The Public Relations Editor is responsible for promoting El Estoque content on social media, which includes, but is not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. He or she must work with staff members to promote content and suggest ways to help El Estoque improve their viewing base. He or she is in charge of what is published on all social media platforms and must make sure that content is uploaded that is timely and that our social media platforms are continually updated with content.

VISUALS EDITORS

The Visuals Editors are responsible for ensuring that members on staff are able to check out equipment, equipment is in good condition, keeping track of equipment, members on staff know how to use the equipment and for making sure that there is a simple way for members to request photo assignments. He or she is also in charge of having back up photos in a folder to publish for Instagram.

INTERESTED IN A HEAD EDITOR POSITION? LEAD BY EXAMPLE • • • • • • • •

Be a good human being Show passion for your work Plan ahead / model good time-management Meet deadlines without excuses Do excellent reporting / writing Be independent Take Section Showcase seriously Use class time wisely

• • • • • • • • • •

Research / interviewing Writing Designing Photography Graphics Videos Podcasts Multimedia tools Social media Coding

• • • •

Be kind and smile a lot Try to diminish drama and not be involved in it Be inclusive, even with those who don’t eat/sleep/breathe journalism Don’t be rude or obnoxious on Facebook

DEMONSTRATE A DIVERSE SKILL SET AND A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN

SHOW COMPASSION / EMPATHY TO ALL

BE HUMBLE

• Don’t brag or be condescending • Invite others to share ideas / thoughts • Don’t assume you have a spot on the heads team

BE AVAILABLE

• Be present and working throughout late night • Show up at Thursday meetings and issue stacking • Demonstrate your interest in helping EE be successful

BE LEVEL-HEADED AND CALM

• Think about things from multiple perspectives • Make decisions based on what’s best for the publication and not personal biases • Know law and ethics and be able to defend your stances

KNOW YOUR STUFF

• Think about your area(s) of expertise • Prepare sample lessons that you could teach the class

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