Standards for blog posts:
1. No fluffy writing or backing into leads. NO FLUFFY WRITING. If you do not have facts to back up a statement or phrase, DON'T WRITE IT.
2. Source your media. Photos should have a cut line – brief description of the photo and ends with PHOTO: Your Name. If you use photos from other sources, PHOTO: Their name. If it comes from a group or your source, Photo courtesy of ___________.
3. Audio and video clips must have a lead in. A lead in is a short paragraph with lead sentence, enough information about the clip for the reader to understand what they will get when they click on the link. Sources must be identified in the lead in. Include a cutline and runtime. AUDIO: Your Name, runs :26
4. FOLLOW THE FIVE GRAPH MODEL. It is there for you.
MUST HAVES
The blogs are meant for you to practice as long as you are striving for producing news stories along a five-graph model and with quality media that adds to the story. You can make mistakes here but you cannot make errors. The following errors will result in the stated grade deduction:
1. Repeat grammar, structure, or newsgathering errors: If I have told you that you are repeatedly making the same mistake over and over again you will receive a one-letter grade deduction on every subsequent blog post that has that same error repeated. For example, if I have told you no more fluffy leads twice now – and I have written NO more fluffy leads in your critiques – every story that begins with generalized statements (fluffy lead) will get a letter grade deduction (10% off).
2. No human sources. By its nature, the five graph calls for you to have a human dimension. That means talking to someone. News means talking to someone. If you do not talk to someone for your story you will get a 50% deduction. If you do not use the person in your story well you will receive a 25% reduction. Good sourcing means you found the right person for the story, had their full names, position and background information and used good quotes or soundbites from them.
3. Fact errors. Every fact error you have in a story will result in 50% off the grade. Find and verify your facts.
***New items:
Three sources per story, two of which have to be humans. SOURCE your sources. Titles for even passerbyers you may talk to at an event. Tell us their job, etc. For OU students, school year and degree program. EVERY story will need a sourcing sheet.
Three sources per story, two of which have to be humans. SOURCE your sources. Titles for even passerbyers you may talk to at an event. Tell us their job, etc. For OU students, school year and degree program. EVERY story will need a sourcing sheet.
Deadlines
Blog posts are due every Sunday night at midnight. Unless you have talked to me about an issue, your story is due every Sunday. Missing this deadline results in a 0 for the assignment.
