A journalism student is writing an article to a newspaper or other news source that will reach their peers, the community and the rest of the world. The articles they write are influenced by their reading and writing skills, as well as by their interest in the subject matter.
They will cover topics that are relevant to their lives, and they will also be given many opportunities to generate story ideas based on their own interests. They will receive explicit instruction from a teacher and peer mentoring throughout the process.
One of the most important aspects of student journalism is that it is authentic, meaning that the processes and products are similar to those of professional journalists.
The student journalist is collaborating with other students, working in groups and under the guidance of a teacher to put together an article that will be published.
This collaboration helps the students become more invested in their work and gives them ownership over the content they produce. The student is often able to better understand what their readers want and need, and is therefore more motivated to provide quality content for that audience (Phillips).
Journalists are expected to be honest and unbiased in their reporting and research. This is important not only for their readers, but also for their employers, who are looking for people with the highest integrity.
They must also be able to communicate effectively. This includes writing clearly, using strong grammar and spelling, and avoiding the appearance of plagiarism or conflict of interest.
These are all aspects of journalism that should be taught and practiced at an early age so that they can be applied in their careers. The ability to find, evaluate and communicate information is a lifetime skill that will be useful in any field.
The student is also expected to have an understanding of how the news cycle works and what impact they can have on society. This is a necessary component of being a reporter and will help them to determine what stories are most interesting to their audience and where they can make the most impact.
A student should also be aware of the importance of a good headline for their article, and how to create it. A good headline will grab the reader’s attention and get them to read further into the article.
Developing a clear, compelling headline is one of the first things a journalist should do. A great headline should capture the reader’s attention and explain the purpose of their story.
Another essential element of a strong headline is the use of superlatives to catch a reader’s eye. These include terms such as “shocking,” “amazing” and “outrageous.”
In order to write a great headline, it is important to think about the who, what, why, where and when of your story. The who tells the reader what you are talking about, the why gives the reader an idea of how you got to that conclusion, and the where and when shows the reader what is at the core of your story.
