Week 12: Journalism 2001Week 12: Journalism 2001

April 21, 2008April 21, 2008

AnnouncementsAnnouncements

WDIO TourWDIO Tour– Carpool? Who can drive?Carpool? Who can drive?

Community Journalism Community Journalism ReviewReview

Overall excellent stories!Overall excellent stories!– You’re all good writers now – we’ll work on being stronger You’re all good writers now – we’ll work on being stronger

reporters!reporters!– Remember the basics: 5Ws and HRemember the basics: 5Ws and H– You might know a topic – assume this is new to the readerYou might know a topic – assume this is new to the reader

Need attributionNeed attribution– Strongest after direct quoteStrongest after direct quote– ,” he said, she said.,” he said, she said.

Comma inside quote marksComma inside quote marks Stick to third person: Not we, us, I, youStick to third person: Not we, us, I, you Style errors:Style errors:

– DatesDates– MonthsMonths– NumeralsNumerals– Need first nameNeed first name

Red Lake CartoonRed Lake Cartoon

Strong summariesStrong summaries Need to be careful with the detailsNeed to be careful with the details

– What was Jim Heffernan’s role?What was Jim Heffernan’s role?

Upcoming storiesUpcoming stories

Feature Story AssignmentFeature Story Assignment– Final article due: May 5Final article due: May 5

Final eportfolio project: Due May 12Final eportfolio project: Due May 12

Chapter 12: By the NumbersChapter 12: By the Numbers

Journalists often dread using “math Journalists often dread using “math skills”skills”

Numbers can help illustrate a story, Numbers can help illustrate a story, make comparisonsmake comparisons

Basic math skillsBasic math skills

Percentages:Percentages:– 10 percent, 40 percent10 percent, 40 percent– Budget increase/decrease:Budget increase/decrease:

(Year 2 – Year 1)/Year 1(Year 2 – Year 1)/Year 1

– Percentage of a wholePercentage of a whole (subgroup/entire group)(subgroup/entire group)

– Percent or percentage pointsPercent or percentage points (1 percent difference/5 percent base = .20 (1 percent difference/5 percent base = .20

or a 20 percent increase)or a 20 percent increase)

Ask for helpAsk for help

Journalists often have big egos!Journalists often have big egos!– OK to ask for helpOK to ask for help

Where to turn online:Where to turn online:– Robert Niles’ Journalism Help:Robert Niles’ Journalism Help:

http://nilesonline.com/stats/http://nilesonline.com/stats/

– Math test for journalists:Math test for journalists: http://www.ire.org/education/math_test.htmlhttp://www.ire.org/education/math_test.html

– Looking for a calculator?Looking for a calculator? http://www.refdesk.comhttp://www.refdesk.com

SurveysSurveys

Conducting a surveyConducting a survey– Formulating the questionsFormulating the questions

– Usually closed-end question: yes or no, one of two Usually closed-end question: yes or no, one of two choiceschoices

– Open-ended questions: tough to tabulateOpen-ended questions: tough to tabulate

– Testing the questionsTesting the questions– Developing the sampleDeveloping the sample

Identifying respondentsIdentifying respondents Selecting a random sampleSelecting a random sample Determining the sampling errorDetermining the sampling error

Gathering dataGathering data– Face-to-face interviewsFace-to-face interviews– Mailed questionnairesMailed questionnaires– Telephone interviewsTelephone interviews

Analyzing the dataAnalyzing the data– Hand-tabulateHand-tabulate– Computer programsComputer programs

Writing the storyWriting the story– Don’t overstate results in the leadDon’t overstate results in the lead– Must explain survey methodologyMust explain survey methodology

When are surveys used?When are surveys used?

Election campaignsElection campaigns– Harris pollHarris poll– Media pollsMedia polls

http://www.startribune.comhttp://www.startribune.com

– Political party pollsPolitical party polls Local issues:Local issues:

– Price of gasoline, price of beerPrice of gasoline, price of beer Pew Research Center:Pew Research Center:

– http://www.people-press.orghttp://www.people-press.org

Survey rules and guidelinesSurvey rules and guidelines Analyze the data carefullyAnalyze the data carefully Carefully interpret statistics correctlyCarefully interpret statistics correctly Lead with survey’s most significant findingsLead with survey’s most significant findings Strive to humanize the statisticsStrive to humanize the statistics Organize the story to help readersOrganize the story to help readers

– Use bullets for key statisticsUse bullets for key statistics Make comparisons among subgroupsMake comparisons among subgroups

– Gender, sex, ageGender, sex, age Consider using charts for statisticsConsider using charts for statistics Don’t forget to explain survey methodologyDon’t forget to explain survey methodology

Avoiding distortionsAvoiding distortions

James Simon’s Top-10 FactorsJames Simon’s Top-10 Factors1.1. Reflection versus Prediction: Polls as Reflection versus Prediction: Polls as

snapshotssnapshots

2.2. Sponsors: Are they credible?Sponsors: Are they credible?

3.3. Samples: Who was polled?Samples: Who was polled?

4.4. Neutrality and Accuracy: How were the Neutrality and Accuracy: How were the questions phrased?questions phrased?

5.5. Context: In what order were the Context: In what order were the questions presented?questions presented?

6.6. Respondents’ answers: Giving the Respondents’ answers: Giving the “right” answer.“right” answer.

7.7. Attitudes and non-attitudes: Measuring Attitudes and non-attitudes: Measuring intensityintensity

8.8. Interpretations: Evaluating Pollsters’ Interpretations: Evaluating Pollsters’ conclusionsconclusions

9.9. Statistical Significance: Are the results Statistical Significance: Are the results meaningful?meaningful?

10.10.Consistency: Comparing results across Consistency: Comparing results across pollspolls

Out-of-class Assignment: April Out-of-class Assignment: April 2828

GLBTA Panel StoryGLBTA Panel Story No more than 400 wordsNo more than 400 words Email to lkragnes@d.umn.eduEmail to lkragnes@d.umn.edu

Community Journalism Community Journalism RewriteRewrite

Peer review and rewrite of Peer review and rewrite of community journalism stories for community journalism stories for Web siteWeb site

Review of feature story Review of feature story draftsdrafts

While doing editing/rewrite of While doing editing/rewrite of community journalism storiescommunity journalism stories

Let’s revisit portfolioLet’s revisit portfolio

https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jspindex.jsp

PortfolioPortfolio

Store academic information on your Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage.100 mb of storage.

Access Electronic Portfolio at: Access Electronic Portfolio at: https://https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jspportfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jsp