Plagiarism Test

Item 1

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Whereas Gauguin was an iconoclast, caustic in speech, cynical, indifferent, and at times brutal to others, Vincent van Gogh (1853-90) was filled with a spirit of enthusiasm for his fellow artists and overwhelming love for humanity.

References:
Arnason, H. H. (2003). History of modern art: painting, sculpture, architecture, photography (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

The personalities of Gauguin and van Gogh were drastically different. A spirit of enthusiasm for his fellow artists and overwhelming love for humanity filled Vincent van Gogh. The personality of Gauguin on the other hand was often described more negatively.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 2

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Remember the Grudgers of Chapter 10. These were birds that helped each other in an apparently altruistic way, but refused to help – bore a grudge against – individuals that had previously refused to help them. Grudgers came to dominate the population because they passed on more genes to future generations than either Suckers (who helped others indiscriminately, and were exploited) or Cheats (who tried ruthlessly to exploit everybody and ended up doing each other down).

References:
Dawkins, R. (1989). The selfish gene (3rd ed.). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Dawkins (1989) provides the example of the Grudgers where three unique approaches to helping played out to ensure that “Grudgers”, those birds that helped each other in an apparently altruistic way, but refused to help individuals that had previously refused to help them, came to outnumber both the so called “Cheats” or “Suckers”.

References:
Dawkins, R. (1989). The selfish gene (3rd ed.). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 3

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Merck, in fact, epitomizes the ideological nature–the pragmatic idealism–of highly visionary companies. Our research showed that a fundamental element in the “ticking clock” of a visionary company is a core ideology–core values and a sense of purpose beyond just making money–that guides and inspires people throughout the organization and remains relatively fixed for long periods of time.

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

Several factors can contribute to long-term organizational success. One is the establishment of a core ideology that Collins and Porras (2002) describe as “core values and sense of purpose beyond just making money” (p. 48). Also, the importance of a visionary leader that guides and inspires people throughout the organization and remains relatively fixed for long periods of time is hard to over emphasize.

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 4

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

But what are reasonable outcomes of the influence of global processes on education? While the question of how global processes influence all aspects of education (and who controls these forces) is multidimensional and not completely testable, there appear to be some theories of globalization as it relates to education that can be empirically examined.

References:
Rutkowski, L., & Rutkowski, D. (2009). Trends in TIMSS responses over time: Evidence of global forces in education? Educational Research and Evaluation, 15(2), 137-152.

The question of “how global processes influence all aspects of education (and who controls these forces) is multidimensional and not completely testable but there appear to be some theories of globalization as it relates to education that can be empirically examined” (Rutkowski and Rutkowski, 2009, p.138).

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 5

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

In examining the history of the visionary companies, we were struck by how often they made some of their best moves not by detailed strategic planning, but rather by experimentation, trial and error, opportunism, and–quite literally–accident. What looks in hindsight like a brilliant strategy was often the residual result of opportunistic experimentation and “purposeful accidents.”

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

The variety of projects that Google undertakes, from Internet search to cars that drive themselves, could be considered lack of focus. However, perhaps Google recognizes that successful moves that looked like the result of “a brilliant strategy was often the residual result of opportunistic experimentation” (Collins & Porras, 2002, p. 141).

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 6

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Murdoch’s own moral philosophy has a great deal in common with the work of philosophers like Richard Rorty, Stanley Cavell and Martha Nussbaum. She shares with them not only the attempt to work out a chastened, usable, non-metaphysical discourse and vocabulary for a qualified humanist ethics but also their conception of the novel as an embodiment of moral philosophy.

References:
Bényei, T. (2003). Angelic omissions: Iris Murdoch’s angels and ethical criticism. European Journal of English Studies, 7(2), 151-163.

Murdoch tried to work out a chastened, usable, non-metaphysical discourse and vocabulary for a qualified humanist ethics. In this regard, it has been suggested that she shared a great deal with other philosophers (e.g., Rorty, Cavell, and Nussbaum) (Bényei, 2003, p. 151).

References:
Bényei, T. (2003). Angelic omissions: Iris Murdoch’s angels and ethical criticism. European Journal of English Studies, 7(2), 151-163.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 7

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

It is not expected that the aspects of a design case which excite the authors are precisely what reviewers see as the case’s true points of merit. I was excited to write my design case because I felt it was novel, but novelty is not necessarily an asset to a design case. A design that is unusual or new forces the author to explain its complexity with more precision.

References:
Howard, C. D. (2011). Writing and rewriting the instructional design case: A view from two sides. International Journal of Designs for Learning, 2(1), 40-55.

Coming up with a novel solution is often a good way of getting attention, “but novelty is not necessarily an asset to a design case” that describes in detail how the design solution was arrived at (Howard, 2011). A novel solution to a problem may also meet with resistance from those who are invested in the old ways of doing things.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 8

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Suppose you study a group of successful companies and you find that they emphasize customer focus, or quality improvement, or empowerment; how do you know that you haven’t merely discovered the management practice equivalent of having buildings? How do you know that you’ve discovered something that distinguishes the successful companies from other companies? You don’t know. You can’t know–not unless you have a control set, a comparison group.

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

Attributes of rigorous research can be shared across subjects of study. For example, Collins and Porras (2002) highlight the importance of having a control group when comparing companies in any effort to identify what specific company characteristics are able to distinguish the successful from the ordinary.

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 9

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version

While solitary negative reactions or unjustified suggestions for change have the potential to dissipate discourse rather than build it, the pattern analysis shows that the anonymous condition seemed to provide a safe explorative space for learners to try out more reasons for their multiple solutions. Teachers will rarely give anonymous feedback, but the experience of giving anonymous feedback may open a social space where learners can try out the reasons for their suggestions.

References:
Howard, C. D., Barrett, A. F., & Frick, T. W. (2010). Anonymity to promote peer feedback: Pre-service teachers’ comments in asynchronous computer-mediated communication. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 43(1), 89-112.

Teachers don’t often provide feedback anonymously, but the ability to provide feedback anonymously may create a context where the rationale associated with specific suggestions can be more safely explored (Howard, Barrett, & Frick, 2010). However, we cannot assume that all anonymous online spaces will serve as safe social spaces.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

Item 10

In the case below, the original source material is given along with a sample of student work. Determine the type of plagiarism by clicking the appropriate radio button.

Original Source Material

Student Version (written in 2002)

The technological tools available today for creating computer-based learning materials are incredibly more powerful than those introduced just a few years ago. We can make our own movies with camcorders in our homes; we can publish our own books. Soon teachers and students will be able to use computer-video technology to produce their own learning materials. All it takes is time, know-how, and some funds.

References:
Frick, T. (1991). Restructuring education through technology.Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Frick (1991) suggested that teachers and students would be capable of using computer-video technology to make learning resources. Furthermore, Frick’s observation regarding tools for creating learning materials that leverage computers that are a lot more powerful than technology used just a few years back remains true over a decade later.

References:
Frick, T. (1991). Restructuring education through technology.Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Which of the following is true for the Student Version above?

Word-for-Word plagiarism
Paraphrasing plagiarism
This is not plagiarism

Hints

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Fragments, Run-Ons, Comma Splices

1-20 its either correct sentence, fragment, run-ons, comma splices.

 

A.      Select the ALL fragments from 1-20 write number of the fragment, followed by a complete sentence to correct the fragment.

 

B.      Select the ALL run-ons and ALL comma splices from 1-20. Write the item number, and then correct each one by either separating or correctly connecting the independent part.

 

 

 

1.       About an hour later the CEO arrived

 

2.       Anthony is the new accountant in our office he is not CPA.

 

3.       Here’s the truth, the difference between achieving and not achieving is goal setting.

 

4.       Wal-Mart’s employees must recite and practice founder Sam Walton’s “10-foot rule.”

 

5.       The “10-foot rule” is explained in otem22, it is good advice for anyone working in retail sales.

 

6.       The carpenter is working very hard, nevertheless, we dont think she can finish by one.

 

7.       While the carpenter is working hard, we don’t think she can finish by one.

 

8.       The carpenter is working hard, we don’t think she can finish the job on time,

 

9.       Although Macy’s first efforts at the dry goods business in Boston failed miserably.

 

10.   After trying his luck with six other doomed retailing ventures.

 

11.   It is the weak who are cruel, gentleness can be expected only from the strong.

 

12.   Leaders have different styles, they all need, however, to be skilled in handling people

 

13.   Meeting must proceed according to rules furthermore, business must be conducted fairly.

 

14.   Because many informal meeting occur.

 

15.   Stay calm and don’t blame or name-call.

 

16.   Service can come in many forms, for example, it can mean having the right merchandise at the right time.

 

17.   The word business originally meant the state if being busy with anything.

 

18.   Ms. Scott flew to Spain last year then she took a Mediterranean cruise.

 

19.   A characteristic of high achievers is that they believe they are responsible for most of what is good or not good in their lives.-Charles Garfield.

 

20.   Mrs. Powell, carrying the coffer in one hand and the keys in the other.

Why We Hate The Smart Kids

Read GRANT PENROD “Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids,”p. 754 

RR+R= Reader Response plus Research papers due          

Read this essay to write the Reader Response plus Research papers. The Reader Response plus Research papers should be approximately 400-450 words long. For each entry, include the author’s name, the title of the work, and the date assigned for class. Also include full citation information for additional sources. Use proper in-text citations. A thoughtful reflection on your reading of the piece—evidence that you have “engaged” the text. The avoidance of gratuitous plot summary or condensation. Research to support your reflection/argument. Each entry should be typewritten, double-spaced, and free from excessive mechanical and technical errors. Follow MLA 2009 guidelines regarding format. Do not skip lines between paragraphs. Include a running head which always includes the page number.

Rogers 6

Rogers 1

Engl 130

Rogers

Reader Response + Research

An important part of your academic writing experience is developing your skills as a critical reader and researcher. A critical reader isn’t someone who has a negative opinion about everything; by “critical” we mean rigorously thoughtful—a reader who engages each text with an open, curious mind. A critical reader takes notes as she reads; she asks questions of the text; she challenges the assertions made by an author; she questions the source of any claim. In short, a critical reader “tests” a text; the act of reading becomes a dialogue, or exchange, between text and reader. A critical reader takes these active learning skills with her to the desk when she writes, and becomes a more thoughtful, engaged, and rigorous writer of texts.

A critical researcher looks for current material with which to further discuss, emphasize, and/or argue his assertion. This self-directed inquiry is paramount to critical learning as evidence in one’s writing.

For most class periods devoted to a reading (or readings) from The Norton Field Guide to Writing, or the readings on Blackboard, you are either required to typewrite an entry for your Reader’s Journal, (RJE) or a Reader Response + Research short paper. Each RR+R should be approximately 400-500 words long (about a full page and a half of typewritten, double-spaced pages).

On RR+R days when two readings are assigned, select one reading from those listed on the schedule for your response. You are, of course, still required to read, and be able to discuss, both assigned readings.

In each RR+R, record a thoughtful response to the essay, addressing an issue of substance. This might have to do with the particular rhetorical mode we are studying (e.g., narration and description, definition, argument, and so on). Or it might be a considered reflection on what you liked or disliked about the text, what questions it raised, or what the text made you think of, and why. Please, avoid mere plot summary or simplistic condensation. Select one or maybe two interesting elements of the text in question and record your thoughts and responses.

Research a current (within the last two years for a pop culture source, ten years for a scholarly article) issue that is relevant to the essay at hand. Link this material critically to your journal response.

Given the length of the entry, it is important to focus on a specific, selected element of interest; don’t try to account for the entire reading.

That having been said, your RR+R should reflect your own reading and research practices; it is a space for you to express your own personality and opinions. Feel free to use the first person and to adopt a personal, perhaps slightly more informal tone in your entries.

I will be looking for the following:

· A 400-500 word entry for each day of RR+R assigned reading; read both essays but choose only one essay for your response.

· For each entry, include the author’s name, the title of the work, and the date assigned for class. Also include full citation information for additional sources. Use proper in-text citations.

· A thoughtful reflection on your reading of the piece—evidence that you have “engaged” the text.

· The avoidance of gratuitous plot summary or condensation.

· Research to support your reflection/argument.

· Each entry should be typewritten, double-spaced, and free from excessive mechanical and technical errors. Follow MLA 2009 guidelines regarding format. Do not skip lines between paragraphs. Include a running head which always includes the page number.

Please also read the following material for further suggestions and examples for writing reader responses:

http://trccwritingcenter.pbworks.com/w/page/9356011/Reader-Response-Papers

http://www.ehow.com/info_8644592_rules-writing-reading-response-essay.html

Pay close attention especially to the material in the CAUTION box on this page:

http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

Here is a link that shows you sample first sentences—some do’s and don’ts:

http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/Sample%20first%20sentences.htm

The following is a sample Reader Response + Research paper, which will be double-spaced, in Times New Roman, font size 12. Please note that no extra lines are skipped. No bold. Title of reading is in quotes. The comma is inside the quote. The date is in MLA 2009 format. There will be a running head. (COPY the structure for your own RR+R. I have a shredder and am not afraid to make bedding for the hamster cage out of any RR+Rs that are not ready for me to assess.)

NOTE: Make sure your header has your last name, not mine, and that it lists page 1 as page 1, etc…

Also: We are using a different textbook than the one included here. Make sure that you use the NFG citation example for your own RR+R, (double-spaced).

In-text citations (itc)

· When citing from our text, use the author’s name, not NFG.

· “Romance, not marriage, is the woman’s goal” in advertising just a decade later, highlighting the author’s point that emancipation has altered the emphasis in the marketing of women’s toiletries (Lantry 44).

Works Cited (You will have at least two entries, one from the original essay in our text and one from the source you find that supports/counters the argument of the assigned essay.)

· When citing from our text, use the following format, inserting the author’s name, essay title, and correct pages, (it will be double-spaced in your paper).

· Noe, Denise. “Parallel Worlds: The Surprising Similarities (and Differences) of Country-and- Western and Rap.” Ed. Richard C. Bullock. Norton Field Guide to Writing. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 2010. 598-603. Print.

Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Essay.” Ed. Richard C. Bullock. Norton Field Guide to Writing. 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 2013. 598-603. Print.

Sample based on: http://owl.cuny.edu:7778/portal/page/portal/oira/Assessment/Faculty%20Handbook%20CATW.pdf

Firstname Lastname

Instructor Linda Rogers

English 130

RR+R1

12 September 2013

Kalle Lasn, “Hype,” 13 September 2013

I was hooked from the opening sentence of Kalle Lasn’s, “Hype,” and as I finished, I couldn’t resist a small internal cheer. I believe most of us would agree with the author’s sentiments, in that advertisements are truly the “most…toxic of the mental pollutants” (217). Who doesn’t fly through the channels when there is a break in the televised program to escape this garbage; who wants to be clobbered with the endless commercials or even infomercials?

The statistics that Lasn quotes are staggering: in North America, we are exposed to more than two-, or some say, three-thousand marketing ads/messages each day. It means that our minds are continually bombarded with messages of consumerism, courtesy of corporate America.

Our lives are saturated with ads occupying not only T.V., radio, and online, but every square inch of viewing space. When I flew home over break, I was not pleased when I flipped down the seatback tray table on the airplane only to see an ad for Yoplait yogurt. All I wanted was a clear space to set my notebook while I jotted some thoughts. I ended up closing the tray table and balancing the notebook on my knee because the thought of strawberry yogurt kept infiltrating my mind. It is enough to make one scream.

“The increase in commercial advertising,” according to Lasn, “has happened so steadily and relentlessly that we haven’t quite woken up to the absurdity of it all” (218). Yet I believe the tide is turning. Journalist Gary Stroller writes in USA Today that even though ads “add up for airlines,…some fliers say it’s too much.” Deemed a captive audience by the airline industry, passengers are growing more intolerant of the excessive advertisements that seem to fill every available space and flashing screen. Most travelers, whether flying for business or pleasure, believe that the only suitable location for ads onboard the airplane is the in-flight magazines—individuals can then choose whether or not to peruse these commercial advertisements. Frequent fliers may not be able to avoid this new barrage of ads in-flight, but can certainly boycott the offending companies. Marketing consultant Bruce Silverman, a former creative director at three of the largest ad agencies insists, “There is already too much advertising clutter in the world.” Silverman “truly believe[s] advertisers who choose to intrude on airline passengers are likely to lose — not gain — customers” (qtd. in Stoller). More ads equal less patience on the part of consumers.

Kalle Lasn fears that “there is nowhere to run. No one is exempt and no one will be spared” (221). I flipped up that airplane tray to avert my eyes and will do the same every time I cruise the yogurt aisle at the supermarket. Please tell the powers-that-be that I might not be able to avoid seeing their ads “in the friendly skies” but I will let my wallet do the talking every time I skip over the Yoplait.

Works Cited

Lasn, Halle. “Hype.” Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003. 217-20. Print.

Stoller, Gary. “Ads Add up for Airlines, but Some Fliers Say It’s Too Much.” Usatoday.com. USA Today, 17 Oct. 2011. Web. 16 Jan. 2012.

AGAIN: Make sure that you use our actual textbook’s citation, listing the essayist’s name as the author.

Make sure the pages are the pages for that particular essay. See the beginning of this requirements document to see the NFG citation.

MORE TIPS FOR A HYPOTHETICAL RR+R:

Let’s say that one of the two essays we read for the RR+Rs is an article comparing country and western music with rap, saying that the two types of music are more similar than they are different. If you choose to write about that essay and not the other essay (which you still must read), you could then choose to:

1. agree with the author, (Denise Noe), that these two types of music are indeed similar and then find another article or book that supports this

or

2. disagree with the author and find another article or book that counters this by saying that rap and country/western music are not alike at all.

But know that she is not just talking about the music—her essay touches on some deep social issues. You would read the essay closely before you made your decision on supporting her claim or countering her position. Then you’d go look for others to assist you as experts/authorities to cite in your argument.

Look for reputable, reliable, and current sources, (we’ll cover that in class). Introduce the author and his/her expertise in a signal phrase. Remember to include how/why this person gets to support/counter this argument. And always explain again in your own words how it all ties in to the big picture. P.I.E.

Sample paragraph from a longer RR+R on this music topic. This is just a small piece of a larger essay:

Acclaimed writer and journalist, Denise Noe believes that one of the major reasons that causes mainstream U.S.A. to reject rap is race. Whites expect angry messages when they listen to rap music. They believe that years of oppression and inner-city life will be reflected in artists’ rap (Noe 600). And many blacks listen to the songs, hoping for an uplifting message but are also discouraged when black artists glorify drugs, sex, and violence. Unfortunately, as political blogger Jeff Mendelman so accurately paraphrased rapper Mos Def for Policy-mic, “Rap music will reflect and analyze wherever we’re at in America. If we’re virtuous, so too will rap. If we remain a misogynistic, malevolent, materialistic society, so too will rap.” Rap music will continue to receive negative publicity as long as it reflects the harsh realities of street life for a huge portion of this country. When inner city life is no longer a fight for daily survival, perhaps rap will evolve into something wholly different than what it is now, a mirror we’re too afraid to acknowledge that reflects our own image—black, white, or other.

Works Cited

Mendelman, Jeff. “From Jay-Z to Kanye West: Does Rap Music Promote Bad Values?” PolicyMic.com. N.p., 12 Feb. 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Noe, Denise. “Parallel Worlds: The Surprising Similarities (and Differences) of Country-and- Western and Rap.” Ed. Richard C. Bullock. Norton Field Guide to Writing. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 2010. 598-603. Print.

Your last name, not

mine.

 

 

 

Use the actual page numbers of the essay..

 

Again, do not use my opening line or sentiment. Get your own hook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the citation for the 2nd edition of our textbook. Just replace: 2nd with 3rd, 2010 with 2013, the author’s name, essay title, and page numbers.

Romeo And Juliet Newspaper Assignment

Unit 4: Writing Assignment

Romeo and Juliet Newspaper Assignment
*This assignment is worth 30 points

news

You are a journalist who is sent to report on the death of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. You should include background information on the conflict between the two families, and describe the fighting and the rioting that has taken place recently on the city streets. Explain who Romeo & Juliet are, include brief interviews with Benvolio, Friar Lawrence (who maybe claims to know nothing?!), or any other characters you wish.

This will be a front-page news article. You will need to include the following:

  1. A catchy newspaper title at uses alliteration. For example: The Trojan Times.
  2. Accurate date and volume in the header
  3. Headline that catches the reader’s attention
  4. 12 point serif font for the body of the story and single spaced
  5. Headlines slightly larger than the story text and bold
  6. At least one image to accompany your story
  7. Lead sentence to catch the reader’s attention
  8. 5 W’s: who, what, when, where, and how
  9. Accurate events and characters
  10. Proof read for typos and grammar errors
  11. Column format
  12. Look like a front-page

Remember to submit your work by clicking on the “Unit 4: Writing Assignment” link above.

Please make sure you are submitting your assignment as an attachment in either .doc or PDF format.  Assignments typed into the textbox will not be graded until they are attached.

Common newspaper names to create your alliteration:

  • Advocate
  • Beacon
  • Bee Bulletin
  • Chronicle
  • Citizen
  • Daily
  • Eagle
  • Enquire
  • Examiner
  • Guardian
  • Gazette
  • Herald
  • Informer
  • Inquirer
  • Inquisitor
  • Journal
  • Ledger
  • Life
  • Messenger
  • Mirror
  • Monitor
  • News
  • Observer
  • Post
  • Press
  • Recorder
  • Register
  • Report
  • Reporter
  • Review
  • Standard
  • Star
  • Sun Times
  • Tribune
  • Voice
  • Weekly World

News Writing Example

Wild pig causes two-hour traffic delay on I-94

By Joe Student

January 24

St. Paul– A 15-minute operation involving a forklift, 20 firefighters, seven police officers and one scared pig ended a two-hour traffic delay on Interstate 94 Sunday morning. The wild pig, whom the fireman affectionately nicknamed “Tailgate,” apparently wandered onto 1-94 around 8 a.m. and fell asleep in the middle of the two-lane freeway.

St. Paul resident Geoffrey Saint was the first to come upon the 200-pound animal. “He practically took up the whole road,” Saint said. “I barely slammed on my brakes in time.” Saint said the cars behind him followed suit, each stopping short after reaching speeds of up to 70 mph. Saint stayed in his car and phoned area police, who responded at 8:20 a.m.

Lieutenant Terry Frank was the first officer on the scene. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Frank said. “Here was this huge, sloppy pig, just napping in the middle of the road, oblivious to what was going on around him.” Frank said she attempted to rouse the pig by poking him with a stick. “He just kept on snoring,” she said.

By 9 a.m., three fire trucks and four patrol cars had responded to the “sleeping pig” call. “We just sat there and wondered what in the world we could do,” Frank said.

News Writing Instructions

Hard news articles are written so that the reader can stop reading at any time, and still come away with the whole story. This is very different from an essay, which presumes that the audience will stick around to the end, and can therefore build to a finish. There is no need to put a “conclusion” on a news story. Each individual reader will “end” the story whenever he or she gets bored. A particularly interested reader (and your teacher) will keep reading to the end.

The Headline: Convey the general message in as many words as will fit (usually quite a small space). A headline should be informational, and can be clever, as long as the cleverness does not interfere with the information or earn groans from readers.

The Lead: The lead, or the first sentence of the story, is arguably the most important part of the article. Based on the content of that first sentence, a reader will either look deeper into the story, or move on to the next one.

· The who, what, when, where, how, why lead.

· Experimental leads. If you answer the “5 w’s and one h” on the second or third sentences, you can be more creative with the first. The results can flounder and die, or have a great impact. Some examples for the pig story:

Tailgate the pig lay snoring in the middle of Interstate 94, oblivious to the fire trucks and squad cars that had gathered around him.

Geoffrey Saint never could have imagined what he’d meet in the middle of Interstate 94 during his drive to church Sunday morning.

Direct Quotes: Quotes breathe life into a story, but can be abused. Don’t quote material that isn’t quote worthy. For instance, if Frank had said, “Officers arrived on the scene at about 9:00 a.m.,” you wouldn’t quote that. If she had said, “That huge pig just sat there with tears running down his face and I thought my heart would burst,” well, that’s far more quote worthy.

Paraphrased Quotes: Here is where you could use what Frank had said and rewrite it: Officers arrived on the scene around 9:00 a.m., Frank said. No quotes needed, but the information still needs to be attributed to Frank– she’s the one who said it.

Inverted Pyramid: In a straight news story, it’s best to get the most important information in your story up to the top. Readers will often stop reading after the first few paragraphs, so it’s important that they have a good grasp of the story. Follow with the older or less important information. Omit unnecessary information.

Length of Paragraphs: This is different from a term paper for English class. Keep your paragraphs short (one to four sentences) and make each of your points concise. Readers grow tired of big blocks of text, so it’s best to break it up a bit.

Romeo  and  Juliet  Newspaper  Article  Rubric

Total  out  of  50  points:  _____________________

CATEGORY   10-­8   7-­5   4-­2   1-­0   Use  of  the   Play

Student shows understanding of play by using ample background information and character overview in the creation of their news article. Student uses these facts to support their argument. Score:

Student shows understanding of play by using some background information and character overview creation of their news article. Student uses these facts to support their argument. Score:

Student shows understanding of play by using background information or character overview in the creation of their news story, and is weak in using these facts to support their argument. Score:

Student shows understanding of play but does not use background information and character overview in the creation of their news story, but is unable to use these facts to support their argument.   Score:

Organization   &  Purpose

Story is an excellent example of the inverted pyramid. Lead sentence/paragraph clearly establishes the purpose of the article and indicates understanding of the topic with many supporting details.       Score:

Story is a good example of the inverted pyramid, with minor organizational problems. Lead sentence/paragraph indicates an understanding of the topic with several supporting details.     Score:

Story contains the pyramid format, but has some organizational problems. The lead sentence/paragraph establishes the purpose of the article and demonstrates some understanding of the topic with some supporting details. Score:

Inverted pyramid is not present and there are multiple organizational problems. Lead sentence/paragraph does not establish purpose or understanding with little or no supporting details.       Score:

Style  &   Transitions

Active voice is used throughout the article. Writing is clear, concise, and professional. Transitions between quotes are smooth. Paragraphs are appropriate length.     Score:

Active voice is used in most of the story. The writing is relatively clear, concise and professional. Transitions between quotes are adequate. Paragraphs are appropriate length.   Score:

Little active voice is used in the story. The writing is acceptable, but not as clear as it could be. Transitions between quotes are choppy. Paragraphs are appropriate length.     Score:

No active voice is used in the story. The writing is unclear and unacceptable.               Score:

5  W’s   Article addresses the 5W’s (who, what, when, where, and how).   Score:

Article addresses the 5W’s, but leaves one out.     Score:

Article addresses the 5W’s, but leaves two out. Score:

Article leaves more than two of the 5 W’s out.     Score:

Grammar  &   Mechanics

News article uses correct grammar, mechanics, and spelling throughout.     Score:

News article uses correct grammar, mechanics, and spelling throughout. Few errors made. Score:

There are three-four errors in grammar, mechanics, and spelling.   Score:

There are more than five errors in grammar, mechanics, and spelling.   Score: