TRICKS OF THE TRADE: Newspaper Reporting Techniques by Lindsay Barton

Written By: Lindsay Barton, Blog Contributor

Newspaper reporting is one of the most interesting professions around. Although it is rapidly changing due to the ever-increasing presence of the Web, many people are still loyal newspaper readers. This section offers tips dealing with the formation of the lead, supporting the lead, and interviewing techniques.

The news lead is an objective sentence that does not exceed 35 words and has no more than one comma. It is imperative that the lead contain all necessary information in order for the reader to grasp the main idea and continue to the next article. The lead should be interesting; the reader should want to keep reading the article. This sentence should be declarative, and active voice should be used; it is more powerful. Adjectives and adverbs must not dominate the lead. Writing consisting of excess modifiers is not as forceful as writing containing descriptive verbs. Also, unfamiliar names should not be used in the lead. It is easier for readers to understand the story if they are first presented with recognizable information.

The next paragraph of the article is the explanation of the lead, or “backing up the lead.” It is in this section where details are inserted, names are given, and the significance of the article is explained. Questions posed by the lead are answered here. Depending on the length of the article, this paragraph sums up the story with a conclusion. The conclusion should be clear and succinct, as well as provide a strong closing for the story.

Interviewing is one of the most common methods of obtaining information. When interviewing, it is important that you have a goal in mind, in addition to a focused commentary. The reporter should keep a conversational tone throughout the interview. Research on the interviewee prior to the interview is significant; the reporter is more prepared and knows which type of questions to ask. In order for the interview to be successful, do not move on to the next question until you are satisfied that the previous question was answered completely and thoroughly. More importantly, keep questions short and simple. It is easier for the interviewee to answer questions that are more direct.

Once the reporter is finished writing the article, a number of steps must be adhered to before the article is ready for publication. In order to ensure accuracy, facts cited in the story must be verified. It is also important to eliminate spelling and grammatical errors, as they can be a distraction to the reader. News writers should be familiar with the journalistic style when creating a piece, and should reference The Associated Press Stylebook, the industry standard for journalistic writing style.