School Newspaper Adviser's Survival Guide

Acknowledgments iii

About the author iii

About this resource iv

Unit 1 Gaining Perspective, Gaining Control

1-1 Priority and progress assessment 5

1-2 Staff application 12

1-3 Application for editor and staff positions 14

1-4 Code and contract for staff members 16

1-5 Staff manual: Job descriptions 19

1-6 Reporters' special duties 26

1-7 Special duty assignment sheet 27

1-8 Portfolio contents 29

1-9 Progress report: Special duty assignments 30

1-10 Daily staff diary 32

1-11 Purpose and advantages of publishing a school paper 34

1-12 How medium affects message 39

1-13 Dialogue box: Your chance to speak out 50

1-14 Checklist for fine-tuning your paper's coverage 52

1-15 It's the law! Hazelwood School District vs. Kuhlmeier January 13, 1988 57

1-16 The student press as public forum: Right for schools and students 60

1-17 Sample policy statement 61

1-18 Mission statement 64

1-19 Ground rules for reporting sensitive and controversial issues 65

1-20 Controversial and sensitive issues: What course to take 67

Unit 2 Newswriting Workshop

2-1 Beat coverage of clubs 76

2-2 Coverage form: Department chairpersons 79

2-3 Get the essentials in every summary lead 147

2-4 Organizing straight news, inverted pyramid style 155

2-5 Copy editing via symbols 173

2-6 Steps for organizing complex news stories 178

2-7 Getting your features in focus 206

2-8 Preparation of copy 270

2-9 Tracking sheet 271

2-10 Interview evaluation request 272

2-11 Reporter's assignment sheet 273

Unit 3 Newspaper Layout: The Sense Behind the Style

3-3 Designing reader-friendly copy blocks 287

3-13 Guidelines for marking dummy layouts 295

3-14 Writing effective headlines 305

3-15 Newspaper headline schedule 306

3-16 Character count chart for writing headlines 310

3-19 Headline assignment form 314

3-21 Guidelines for avoiding layout pitfalls 318

3-39 Photo assignment sheet 341

3-40 Photo identification form 342

3-41 Guidelines for better news photos 343

3-51 Guidelines for creative cropping 349

Unit 4 Managing to Find Time, Finding Time to Manage

4-1 Ten reasons today's school newspaper is a vital tool for learning 353

4-7 Letter to potential advertisers 368

4-8 Request letter to past advertisers 369

4-9 End-of-year thank-you for support 370

4-10 Advertising contract 371

4-11 Invoice 372

4-12 Glossary of keyboard shortcuts for computer commands 381

4-13 Glossary of shortcuts for keyboard-generated icons 382

4-14 Self-checking critique: 100 points for judging school papers 384

Appendices

Appendix 1 Glossaries for Desktop Publishing and Journalism 395

Appendix 2 Style manual 399

Appendix 3 Ideas for stories, ads, money raisers 404

Appendix 4 Resources for additional information and support 407