Journalism: Structure and Content Analysis

Study Notes

Understanding Journalistic Content and Structure

Essential elements of news articles include the 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why) and the How, which provide a factual basis for reporting.
Opinion pieces focus on the writer's perspective, using persuasive language and personal viewpoints rather than strict factual reporting.
Feature stories delve into topics with narrative storytelling, showcasing deeper insights, human interest, and emotional connections beyond mere facts.

Comparison of Journalistic Texts

Structure of News Articles:
- Inverted pyramid style, leading with the most important information.
- Focus on clarity, objectivity, and impartial language.
Structure of Opinion Articles:
- Typically starts with a hook or argumentative statement.
- Develops viewpoints supported by evidence, concluding with a persuasive call to action.
Structure of Feature Stories:
- More flexible, often narrative-based, and can utilize a chronological or thematic approach.
- Rich in detail, character exploration, and emotional engagement.

Designing a News Spread

Organize content effectively using MS Publisher to showcase journalistic texts.
Use appropriate layouts to differentiate between types of stories (news, opinion, feature).
Maintain visual hierarchy to guide the reader through important information, using headlines, subheadings, and images.
Ensure grammatical accuracy and logical flow to enhance readability and engagement across the news spread.

Description

This quiz will test your ability to recognize essential journalistic content and the grammatical structure of news, opinion, and feature stories. You will also compare these structures through diagrams and assemble a properly constructed news spread using MS Publisher as a foundational model for your project.