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Worksheets3/31 CW: Editorials & Opinions
Total questions: 40
Worksheet time: 20mins
Uses research to back up opinions
EDITORIAL
COLUMN
BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS
Often unsigned (no byline is included)
EDITORIALS
COLUMNS
BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS
Uses “we” because it is the newspaper’s opinion
EDITORIALS
COLUMNS
BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS
An opinion story
EDITORIALS
COLUMNS
BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS
Has writer’s name and often the writer’s picture near it
EDITORIALS
COLUMNS
BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS
Uses “I” because it is the writer’s opinion
EDITORIALS
COLUMNS
BOTH COLUMNS AND EDITORIALS
May use personal examples
EDITORIALS
COLUMNS
BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS
Suggesting changes to the school’s cell phone policy
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Condemning vandalism during Homecoming week
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Congratulating students who won a music competition
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Explaining how state testing impacts a student's record
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Backing a candidate in an election
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Thanking a group that volunteered at the school
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Pointing out how the school’s attendance policy is ineffective
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Analyzing how changes in state law could affect the school
EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT
EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM
EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION
EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION
Opinion/editorial writing and news/feature writing are structured the same. True or False
True
False
There is a voice in opinion writing that is more persuasive and presents a biased POV while news/feature writing presents an unbiased (non-judgmental) account of the facts (5 W's & H) in a creative voice.
True
False
Why are news/feature stories deliberately placed on different pages away from opinion/editorial pages?
Companies only like to display advertisings on pages with sensational news because that is all the public reads.
Opinion pages usually DO NOT include advertisements on the page to avoid the assertion that those advertisers are endorsing the same opinion as the writers of the OP/ED.
Consumers are not interested in reading the opinions of others.
Advertisers are not interested in endorsing the opinions of editorial writers.
As a journalist, what do news/feature writers have in common with OP/ED writers? (Check all that apply)
Journalists consider their work as a way to speak for the people who cannot speak for themselves, shedding light on dark areas of their communities
Journalists write using formal diction with a creative flair that is appealing to a wide array of readers.
Opinion writing and editorials advocate for change, but in a different way from news writers who present facts only.
Journalists typically use satire in their writing and with cartoons to ridicule or criticize political candidates, the government or any public entity to evoke opinions from the public.
Which of the following statements are elements of an editorial? (Check all that apply)
Editorials are always written to criticize, satirize and denigrate a public entity.
Editorials express the opinions of the editorial board or the newspaper as an entity; they present facts and offer a perspective for ways to solve various problems.
Written in a persuasive voice that asks readers to change their mind, consider other options or confirm their convictions.
They tell people what they should be angry about or what should be happening, but isn’t.
What are the main purposes for editorials? (Check all that apply)
Attack and Defend
Teach, Recommend, Entertain
Prod and Advocate
Question and Expose
Basic editorial guidelines for writing include: (Check all that apply)
In a personal column or a review, you can write in the first person, but an editorial is written in third person.
Write concisely editing out unnecessary words, phrases or sentences, LESS THAN 300 WORDS. Spell check and grammar check; there can be NO ERRORS.
At least 50 percent of your staff, plus one more person (a majority) approves of what is in the editorial that editorial will be the voice of your staff.
The topic is interesting, the position/stand is clear, the reader knows exactly what your position/opinion is because there are FACTS to support the stand/position/opinion and the headline grabs the readers’ attention.
Editorial cartoons can also be placed on the OP/ED page. They can either accompany an editorial or stand alone, should be investigative at some level, and should make the reader feel something and react.
True
False
What are the primary differences between featuring writing and hard news? (Check all that apply)
Hard news is intended to inform; the reader immediately knows the outcome; the reader is informed.
Featuring writing is intended to evoke emotions; it is written in the narrative; the reader is entertained.
Reporting provides the tools that a journalist needs to build a feature story; REPORTING = Interviewing, research, observation.
The rule for feature writers: 40% OF THEIR TIME DOING RESEARCH TO FIND THE STORY IDEA; 40% OF THEIR TIME DOING INTERVIEWS AND REPORTING; 20% OF THEIR TIME WRITING THE STORY.
Which of the following statements is NOT true about feature writing?
Interview in person so you can observe the person in their own environment; Record EVERYTHING, take photos, ask a lot of questions, and take a lot of notes.
Due to your approaching deadline, you fail to clarify a detail from the interview with the person and insert your own opinion based on what you think the interviewee may have meant.
Once you’ve completed research and reporting, figure out what it all means by asking: WHAT IS THE STORY REALLY ABOUT? DEVELOP THE THEME.
Develop your focus statement and write toward that focus statement.
From this information, it can best be concluded that the news media —
displayed a negative bias to the candidate from Party Y
showed little favoritism between political parties
gave more negative coverage to the candidate from Party X
showed a negative bias toward both political parties
John reads an article in the local newspaper about two candidates running for mayor. The article only mentions negative information about Candidate A and positive information about Candidate B. John decides to disregard the article and look for information about the two candidates in other sources because he -
never believes anything he reads in that publication
believes the reporter's story is biased
does not like the author of the article
does not like Candidate A
Which role of the media is being shown by the picture?
Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces
Identifying Candidates
Emphasize Selected Issues
Broadcasting Different Points of View
Which role of the media is being shown by the picture?
Broadcasting Different Points of View
Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces
Emphasize Selected Issues
Identifying Candidates
Which role of the media is being shown by the picture?
Broadcasting Different Points of View
Emphasize Selected Issues
Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces
Identifying Candidates
Which role of the media is being shown by the picture?
Identifying Candidates
Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces
Emphasize Selected Issues
Broadcasting Different Points of View
Which role of the media is being shown by the picture?
Broadcasting Different Points of View
Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces
Emphasize Selected Issues
Broadcasting Different Points of View
The mass media has an important effect on elections by -
financing a particular candidate
reporting only one candidate’s information
broadcasting different points of view
nominating candidates they support
Which role of the media is being shown by the picture?
Identifying Candidates
Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces
Emphasize Selected Issues
Broadcasting Different Points of View
A television network broadcasts a presidential debate. The host asks the candidates only questions about foreign policy, education, the environment, and healthcare. There are no questions about the economy or creating jobs. This is an example of the mass media -
emphasizing selected issues
identifying propaganda
detecting bias
recruiting and nominating candidates
Candidates for political office generally do a great deal of advertising. Which of the following is NOT a reason for candidates to advertise?
accurately show their position on issues
seek campaign donations
influence voters
become wealthy
Responsible voters in elections will do which of the following when it comes to making a decision with their vote?
believe propaganda supporting their own opinions
believe bias and opinionated advertising
separate fact from opinion, and evaluate sources
identify bias and support it
Which of the following can have the most impact on a political election?
the church
the mass media
political action committees
campaign speeches
The media play a very important role in the political process of elections. They help…
to select candidates that will be popular with voters.
highlight campaign issues and community concerns.
by broadcasting their preferred point of view.
by broadcasting jokes or publishing cartoons.
To evaluate advertisements accurately, people must…
use the scientific method.
separate fact from opinion.
read the newspaper every day.
watch many news programs.
