Official Handbook of the Marin Academy Voice ed. 3
2008-2009
begun by
Chris Ballard and Matt Weisbecker, Editors in Chief 1990-1991
with revisions by
Rana Barar, Editor in Chief 1991-1992
Janna Farren-Kresse, Editor in Chief 1992-1993
Casey Knudsen, Editor in Chief; Megan Sampson, Production Editor; Mary Gratiot, Production Editor; Gabriel Telles, Copy Editor; Dylan Clark, News Editor; and Rebecca Israel, Content Editor 1993-1994
Gabriel Telles, Editor in Chief; Hyun Chang, Design Editor; Beth Sherman, Copy Editor; David Sokolosky, Content Editor; and Christa Jennette, Business Manager 1994-1995
Christa Jennette, Editor in Chief; and Danielle Colombo, Assistant Editor in Chief 1996-1997
Erik Wong, Editor in Chief; Damon Gilkerson, Assistant Editor in Chief; Lillian Hardy, Assistant Editor in Chief, and Anthony Krackeler, Adviser 1998-1999
Mary Collie, adviser 2007-2009.
Timathea Workman, Editor, Edition One.
San Rafael, California
The Marin Academy Voice
To serve as a forum for student opinion
To present issues fairly
Statement of Purpose
Journalism in a democracy celebrates people’s noblest achievements while at the same time stands on the conviction that it is absolutely essential not to ignore the challenges of human experience. Light is brought to the darkness of human suffering whenever a community is allowed to examine its weaknesses as well and it strengths.
The Marin Academy Voice, a student run newspaper, is published eight times a year, free from faculty or administrative censorship and prior review. All staff members are involved in the writing and layout of each issue. The Voice was established in the fall of 1990 in order to serve as a forum for student opinion, and to present issues fairly. Any student enrolled at Marin Academy may contribute to The Voice. Staff members are comprised of students who are taking Journalism 540. These students receive English credit for one semester of Journalism, and elective credit for any subsequent semesters.
The purpose of the course is to teach students the basics of journalistic reporting, writing, editing and production. Students learn how to produce a professional, school-focused, and thoughtful newspaper, with coverage of issues that are not only important to the student community but for the surrounding one at large. Opinion pieces are also emphasized through thought-provoking editorials.
The adviser or teacher serves as a “coach” for the production elements, never doing the work for the students, but supporting, critiquing, and helping to structure each step of the process. Instruction is on an individual as well as group level.
Staff members are dedicated to producing as clean, professional, and ethical a publication as possible. They strive to present all sides of an issue, and represent the community’s opinion fairly, even if it differs radically from their own. Editorials are written in order to encourage thought and dialogue about controversial and timely topics. Any criticism is directed at policy, not person.
Part One: The Staff
The structure of the newspaper is set up in a hierarchical fashion in order to give the students who have experience more responsibility. Students who have not had the same amount of practice and instruction benefit from those who have. By working within a defined set of responsibilities, students know specifically who is in charge of which aspects of production, and are able to consult with the proper person. It is imperative for all staff members to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, and to respect the positions of the other students on staff.
Job Descriptions
Editor-In-Chief: In charge of overseeing the production of the entire paper from beginning to end. The Editor-In-Chief works closely with the adviser as well, and acts as a go-between between the Senior Staff, the staff and the adviser. She/he often does layout for Page 1, edits Senior Staff articles, and steps in when something needs to be completed. Final say on layout, article ideas, editing, and distribution. Expected to contribute an article to each edition.
An Editor in Chief should be persistent, flexible, and have vision. He or she should be constantly conscious of literally all that is going on. The Editor should also have a record of grammatical excellence.
The Editor in Chief should be committed to production excellence, even if this means daily scrutinizing the upcoming layouts. Flexibility is necessary simply because life seldom goes according to plan or schedule.
The vision, of course, is always excellence in presentation and writing.
— Janna Farren-Fresse, Editor in Chief 1992
Managing Editor: In charge of assigning and taking photos, creating and implementing center spreads and other detailed layout designs. Should be organized and self-motivated. Must have knowledge of not only InDesign but also Photoshop. Works closely with each editor to stylize the look of each section. Manages the creation of The Whisper. Expected to contribute an article/photos to each edition.
News Editor: Responsible for assigning, editing and laying out the news section. Determines an article’s newsworthiness. Should be tuned into the events occurring on campus. Must have knowledge of AP Stylebook, a keen sense of solid, well-structured writing, and a working knowledge of InDesign. Expected to contribute an article to each edition.
Features Editor: Responsible for assigning, editing, and laying out the features section. Should be in tune with trends at MA. Must have knowledge of AP Stylebook, a keen sense of solid, well-structured writing, and a working knowledge of InDesign. Expected to contribute an article to each edition.
Sports Editor: Responsible for assigning, editing, and laying out the sports section. Should have an interest in sports, and an understanding of sports writing. Must have knowledge of AP Stylebook, a keen sense of solid, well-structured writing, and a working knowledge of InDesign. Expected to contribute an article to each edition.
Op-Ed Editor: Responsible for assigning, editing, and laying out the op-ed section. Must have knowledge of AP Stylebook, a keen sense of solid, well-structured writing, and a working knowledge of InDesign. Expected to contribute an article to each edition.
A&E Editor: Responsible for assigning, editing, and laying out the A&E section. Should be aware of all art, drama, and music events on campus. Must have knowledge of AP Stylebook, a keen sense of solid, well-structured writing, and a working knowledge of InDesign. Expected to contribute an article to each edition.
Staff Reporters: All members of the MA Voice staff serve as reporters in some capacity for each issue of the paper. Their responsibilities include researching and writing each article they are assigned and meeting every deadline.
Photo Staff: Staff members who are part of the photo staff are responsible for taking all assigned photographs with the intent to improve their photojournalistic skills with each assignment. All photographers are responsible for meeting their deadlines, taking initiative to get extra help when needed, and critiquing their published work after each issue is printed.
Part Two: Article Creation
Interviewing
A good interview should provide you with excellent information and good quotes, and will be the basis for a solid and substantial article.
What to ask
Before you prepare your interview questions, you may need to complete a bit of investigative reporting.
Know the answers to the 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How
You should be clear as to what happened, and as a result, what is happening.
Make sure you know who is doing, who is affecting, and who is in favor and who is against it, and what their reasons are.
Know the history: why has this come about, what will change, who gains, who loses, etc.
Who to ask
The main word here is “diversity.” Ask a balanced combination of seniors, juniors, sophomores, freshmen, girls, boys, faculty, administrators, parents, trustees, and others if appropriate. Ask different people than who are usually interviewed. Ask the experts in the field. Our goal is to make the paper as representative of the community as possible; to be a voice for everyone, not just a select few. Also include sources who come from outside the MA community, if possible.
When and how to ask
If the goal of the interview is to gain specific information, get this information before you do the main interview. Do this with a previous interview, or better yet, get it from another source.
Arrive promptly, ready with questions, paper, pen, and recorder. Act interested, be friendly and courteous. The tone you set will increase or decrease the quality and substance of the interview, and will set a lasting impression that will affect (positively or negatively) future interviews with that person.
How to interview
Good articles need good interviews. Each article ticket should have 3-4 people that would be good to interview for the article.
Be prepared – know your subject, who she/he is, what he/she does.
Have 15-20 questions prepared ahead of time. While you may not use these questions, having these questions handy will add to your preparation and give you fuel for conversation.
Think of possible responses to your questions, and prepare some follow-up questions.
Don’t ask questions that can be answered with YES or NO.
Try for open-ended, neutral questions. When interviewing people associated with Acre Gourmet, don’t ask: “Why is the food so expensive?” Instead you might want to ask, “How are you balancing the increased cost of organic food with the students’ budgets?”
Try to sound conversational but don’t engage in conversation. It’s an interview.
Don’t voice your opinion.
Ask for specific examples when necessary.
Allow for silence as it gives the interviewee time to think.
Relax
Take good notes and don’t be afraid to ask the interviewee to repeat himself/herself
Always ask if a follow-up interview is possible
Thank your source for his/her time.
An interviewee’s rights
Before conducting an interview, you must make sure to identify yourself as a reporter for the Voice.
Anything said in a public forum (i.e. assemblies or any other non-private conversation) is of public domain and can be used in an article without permission from the speaker.
Always give credit (attribute) your quotes and information. However, if someone is reluctant to give information, please see the Adviser.
Writing Articles
A good reporter is curious and wants to know what’s going on. Before you even start writing or interviewing, think about what it is about the person or situation you’ve been assigned to cover that interests you. Ask yourself what the reader is going to get out of the story you write. Think about what it means for someone your age to be living in an MA setting, and consider how this particular issue affects that life. This will help you come up with an angle for your article
Choose an angle
Our stories are often written from an “after the fact” perspective because of the length of time between issues. The bare facts of a story are usually already known to most of the MA community by the time they receive the paper. So each story needs a strong angle. An angle is the side of the story that is most interesting and will engage the reader. It is necessary in order to keep the readers interested in your article.
How do you find an angle?
What about the story will have an effect on the reader?
What is unique about the person or situation that will make people want to read the story?
What is controversial about the story? Readers love controversy, but not gossip.
What don’t people know already? What is new about the issue or situation?
Questions
Once you decide what part of the story you want to emphasize, decide who should be interviewed. You may need some background information in order to become more familiar with the issue before you can choose a focus – other staff members may be able to provide background. First, ask yourself who is the expert on the subject of you article? Who is the teacher, adviser, administrator, or student expert? Next, find three or four people who are directly involved in the issue. After you have these names, brainstorm for questions.
Lead
The lead, or first paragraph, should include the most important piece of information, the nut-graf. The nut-graf includes: what happened, to whom, when, why, and how. If the basics are widely known, what is the most important and interesting fact? With the first sentence, the writer’s job is to not only give the reader the point of the story, but also to make that point as interesting and engaging as possible so that the reader will read the rest of the story. Always find a hook that relates to the students. Remember, if story doesn’t interest you, it won’t interest your reader.
Body
In the body of the article, include the more general and interesting information towards the top and the less important details towards the end. Somewhere in the article, most likely near the lead, will have to be some sort of context. The readers need to know why you are writing the article in the first place. What is important about it? Would a reader who wasn’t there know why you are writing what you are writing?
Quotes
The most interesting part of an article to the reader is usually quotes. The most important parts of quotes are making sure they are accurate. Try to take exact notes or use a recorder. Take your time. People want quotes to be accurate. It’s OK to ask someone to repeat herself. At the time of the interview, you may want to read the quote back to the person you are interviewing just to make sure you are accurate. If using a recorder, you must let the person you’re interviewing know that you are recording what she is saying.
When you write your article, use the information people gave you, but don’t use their words unless a direct quote in their words says something better than you could. Make sure to attribute the quote correctly, and triple check the spelling of the person’s name. Rule of thumb: at the start of the interview have the interviewee spell his/her name. Don’t double-up on quotes, meaning, don’t use back-to-back quotes in a story. You must string the quotes together with your own transitions and words.
Objectivity
Objectivity means keeping the writer’s opinion out of the articles. It also means including all points of view and keep articles fair and balanced.
Basic rules:
Don’t use words or a tone that supports one side or the other
Don’t ignore a different point of view, even a minor one, if it is related to your story
Don’t use subjective words or phrases that would let the reader see how you feel about an issue
Any opinion must be attributed
Bias has no business is a newspaper. Even subtle biased phrases or perspectives from a gender, racial or class bias are unacceptable. In your article, quotes and information should come from a balance of males and females, and grade levels.
Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest arises when you are asked to report on something in which you are involved. For example, a class rep should not cover a Senate story. A water polo player should not report on the water polo game. You cannot use close friends and family members as sources for your stories. If friends and family members are the only viable options for your story, you need to see either the Editor in Chief or the adviser to be reassigned.
Drafting Process
First Draft
The first draft is handed in to your section editor and returned to you by the end of the class period/school day. The section editor and adviser will review and comment on your piece. You are responsible for addressing the comments and amending your story accordingly. All first drafts must be handed in hard copy format.
Second Draft
The second draft is handed in to your section editor and returned to you by the end of the class period/school day. The section editor and adviser will review and comment on your piece. You are responsible for addressing the comments and amending your story accordingly. All second drafts must be handed in hard copy format.
Final Draft
The final draft is uploaded to the Voice server and into the appropriate folder. Each section will have a folder for each edition. Make sure your file is labeled accordingly with your name. All documents must end with .doc and must be read and write capable. You must also hand in a hard copy to the adviser.
Part Three: Layout & Production
The purpose of a good layout is to present the information to the reader in a neat, clean, and concise fashion. The cleaner the presentation, the more likely it is that the reader will read more of the information in the articles.
The most important part of layout is that each page should have a modular layout. This means that each story should be in the shape of a rectangle. Each page should consist of rectangles stacked together. If a story has a photo, then the photo and story should be grouped together in a rectangular shape.
If you have two large articles, do not divide your layout page in half by putting one large article on the top and another article beneath it. The division line between the two articles should be either a little less than half or a little more than half.
No butting headlines. If two headlines are next to one another, vary their sizes and vary the number of lines they are on.
Do not change type style, text size or column width within an article.
Headlines should get smaller as you move down the page. The articles at the bottom of the page should not have larger headlines than the articles at the top of the page. A headline should not be larger than an article. Use your best judgment when choosing headline sizes. Don’t just make something bigger so it fits. Rewrite.
Use pull quotes to break up text heavy pages. Avoid using pull quotes and subheads just to fill up space. If you do use a pull quote or a subhead, make sure that it presents information that represents the article.
Do not leave big white spaces at the end of an article, headline or subhead. Make sure each headline stretches across the entire top of the article.
Make sure that you have 1 pica (.166”) between each element of your layout page. Elements include articles, headlines, photos, and artwork. Remember, picas are our friends.
Every page should have a dominant piece of artwork. Try to avoid filling pages completely with text.
When in doubt, run one big photo instead of two small ones. Directional photos should face the text they accompany. For example, if someone in the article is pointing, they should be pointing towards the article about that photo.
On a center spread, try to arrange the elements on the page in a circular fashion. The reader’s eye should move from headline to headline in a circle around the double page spread.
Every photo, cartoon, illustration, graphic, etc MUST have a byline.
Headline Rules & Tips
Headline Function
Inform the reader in a flash
Pique the reader’s interest
Indicate relative importance (by size and placement)
Offer contrast to the gray body type
Headline Rules
Only the FIRST word and PROPER NOUNS are capitalized. This is called Down Style.
Every headline needs a verb
Keep it concise, simple, vivid
Avoid innuendo
Inform without distortion or sensationalism
Use present tense when possible
Omit a, an, the
Part Four: The Beat System
The beat system is designed to make The Voice’s coverage of the school events more comprehensive and more organized. The main purpose is for the beat reporters to let the staff know about events that aren’t otherwise publicized so that the articles are more substantial. Any information a beat reporter brings in that is news but is not incorporated into an article will be included in Community News.
Each beat will have at least one beat reporter (many will have more than one). Staff members are responsible for monitoring news and events in their area and reporting on regularly scheduled deadlines. The beat reporters will be responsible for keeping up with every event in their beat at all times.
The senior staff and adviser will be responsible for reading all beat reports.
The Beats
Academics
The Academics beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on issues of academia at MA. Changes in curriculum, and the issues being discussed and debated by the Academic Affairs Committee fall under the responsibility of this reporter. This reporter should attend AAC meetings, or read the minutes of the meetings. Also, this reporter should establish a rapport with all department heads so that following each department meeting he or she can ask them about what was discussed. Contacts include the Academic Dean, AAC members, and all department heads.
Head of School Beat
The reporter assigned to this beat is mainly concerned with establishing a rapport with the Head of School. In addition to asking her about newsworthy items for the paper, this reporter must be the The Voice’s Ambassador to the Head. He or she must convey trust, professionalism, and good faith. This is the root of a good working relationship. Contacts include the Head of School and the Assistant to the Head of School.
Clubs Beat
The Clubs beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on projects, trips, and events planned by the many affinity groups and clubs. This reporter should have a list of all clubs/groups, the adviser and student leaders of each club, and preferably a list of all members. This student will inform the Editor of any activity just begun. This reporter should visit different activities to catch up on news. Contacts include Dean of Students, club/group leaders, and Dean of Multicultural life.
Arts Beat — Performing Arts
This Arts beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice information current about the dance and drama programs at MA. This staff member should keep track of developments, special projects, and preparation for shows and performances. The Arts beat reporter is also responsible for keeping The Voice information current about the music groups and programs at MA. This staff member should keep track of developments, special projects, and preparation for shows and concerts. This reporter should try to get lists of the different student bands, actors, and other active members outside of the program. Contacts include the Music director, drama teachers, and art department head.
Arts Beat — Visual Arts
This Arts beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice information current about the fine arts and photography programs at MA. This staff member should keep track of developments, special projects, and preparation for shows and exhibitions. This reporter should be familiar enough with the students and artwork to pick out the newsworthy artists and shows. Contacts include the art teachers, and art department head.
Assemblies Beat
The Assemblies beat reporter is responsible for taking notes at assemblies when announcements seem like they could be the basis of an article. This reporter is also responsible for summarizing special assemblies and listing who appeared. This reporter is responsible for finding out topics of upcoming assemblies. Contacts include the Head and Senate president.
Trustees Beat
The Board of Trustees beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on the issues this group is grappling with. This reporter will periodically seek to gain permission to attend scheduled meetings or committee meetings, and will regularly consult with members of the Board. This reporter will also seek out the meeting minutes. Contacts include Board president, faculty representatives, board members, Head of School, director of development and advancement.
MAPA Beat
The MAPA beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on the issues this group is grappling with. This reporter will periodically seek to gain permission to attend scheduled meetings or committee meetings, and will regularly consult with members of MAPA. This reporter will also seek out the meeting minutes to learn of upcoming events MAPA is planning. Contacts include MAPA president, MAPA members.
Alumni Beat
The Alumni beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on the issues this group is grappling with. Contacts include Director of Alumni Relations, director of development and advancement.
Community Service Beat
The Community Service Beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on new and ongoing community service projects. Contacts include Community Service Coordinator and student leaders.
Outings Beat
The Outings Beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on upcoming and current outings before and after they happen. He or she is also responsible for collecting usable photographs from the different outings. Contacts include Outings Director and outings leaders.
Senate Beat
The Student Senate beat reporter attends all Senate meetings and keeps a copy of the minutes. This reporter will provide the staff with details of the Senate’s plans and deliberations. Contacts include all senators and the Dean of Students.
Senior Beat
The Senior beat reporter is responsible for keeping The Voice staff up-to-date on the year in the life of the seniors, as well as the progress of the seniors in their search for colleges and other “after-MA” lives. Contacts include all seniors, senior class dean, college counselor.
Sports Beat
The Sports beat reporters are responsible for keeping up with all of MA’s sports teams. This means keeping a team roster and getting at least the score of every game, match and met. This information must be turned in weekly. These reporters are responsible for knowing the coach’s names and contact information and having a good idea of the various moods of the teams, and the long and short term goals each has. These reporters must have a good rapport with the Athletic Director. Contacts include the Athletic Director, Assistant Athletic Director, Assistant to the Athletic Director, coaches, captains.
Part Five: Business
Circulation
All staff members are responsible for helping hand out issues on campus the day the papers arrives from the printer. The entire class is responsible for folding and putting newspapers in the envelopes, affixing postage, labels, and stamping the return address on the envelopes. There will be a rotation for taking on these roles.
Papers should be delivered to the following place:
1 small stack on the table in upstairs Bodie Hall – near main office
1 small stack on Library circulation table
20 copies to the Head of Development – upstairs Foster Hall
10 to San Rafael Library on E Street
2 to the College Counselor’s Office – upstairs Foster Hall
2 to the Dean of Students’ Office
2 to the Academic Dean’s Office
2 to the Head of School’s Office
1 small stack to the classroom closet
** All staff members have the additional responsibility of picking up any stray papers that may be left floating around campus. Don’t walk by one that has been abandoned. Our paper is for reading, not for trash.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are available at a yearly rate of $25. All subscribers will receive a note thanking them for their support and acknowledging their payment. Any subscribers who start mid-way through the year will receive all back issues of The Voice to bring them up to date. Past paid subscribers will receive a letter the following year inviting them to renew their subscriptions.
The Adviser is responsible for keeping an accurate subscription list. The staff is responsible for labeling and preparing all subscriptions. This includes sending issues to the following:
All Board of Trustee Members
All paid subscribers
All past Editors in Chief
All past Advisers
Local Professional papers
Other special gratis subscriptions
Tips for Subscriptions
Each year, there are several events which take place that require fliers about subscriptions to The Voice, the Editor in Chief is responsible for making sure that these fliers are ready for distribution at the times of the event. Listed below are some of the events for which fliers should be prepared and also some suggestions about the content of the fliers.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
The fliers for this evening tend to be aimed at parents and relatives. Your main point in the fliers would be about how The Voice keeps parents up-to-date about what’s going on in the lives of their children; parents always want the inside scoop, and that’s what The Voice will give them.
OPEN
HOUSES FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS & PARENTS
Give the Admissions
Office enough back copies so they can display The Voice on a
table during the visiting and Open House days.
ALUMNI
It’s always a good idea to send subscription fliers to alumni along with a complimentary issue. Contact the Director of Alumni Relations for ways to improve this subscriber group.
Part Six: Grading
Grading Policies
Students’ grades for the semester will be based on the following:
Ability to meet deadlines 15%
Acknowledgement of criticism from editors & adviser 20%
Final Draft Writing 40%
In-class assignments, homework & quizzes 25%
Ability to meet deadlines: Because deadlines are the most important aspect of production, deadline rules are held to strictly. All staff members should be aware that any delay of process affects every other person on the staff.
All deadlines will be graded on a 0-3 scale.
If you meet the deadline, you will receive a 3.
If the deadline is missed for any reason and the article/photo is not ready to go at the start of class, you will receive a 2 (ex: article/photo not in hardcopy form in class, article/photo not properly uploaded, etc).
If the article/photo is not ready until after the class period it is due, you will receive a 1.
If the article/photo is never turned in, you will receive a 0.
Acknowledgement of criticism from editors & adviser: With every draft you hand in, there will be comments from an editor and the adviser. You are responsible for incorporating the suggestions into the next draft. Failure to do so will result in a lowered grade. All drafts will be given a letter grade according to quality of writing, and adherence to MA and AP writing standards. Students with more years of experience will be graded proportionately.
Final Draft Writing: Your final draft will be graded by the adviser. You will receive a letter grade on this article/photo pertaining to the quality of work and the overall style of the piece.
In-class assignments, homework & quizzes: You will be given a wide array of in-class assignments to help hone your writing, design, layout and photography skills. Assignments will vary in length and structure. Homework will mainly consist of working on your article/photo, but every now and again you will receive some homework that strays from that routine. Quizzes will pertain to Voice articles and current events.
Part Seven: Ethics
Ethics are principles. In the field of journalism, ethics are vital not only to avoid lawsuits, but also to maintain the credibility that will allow a paper to flourish. Readers must trust the paper. Therefore, the staff must adhere to a code of ethics in order to make the purpose of the paper clear.
The Society of Professional Journalists outlines a code of ethics at spj.org/ethicscode.asp.
Here is a brief outline from SPJ:
1. Seek truth and report it.
The truth is the most important aspect of a newspaper. Do everything in your power to verify facts and report in a straightforward manner.
2. Minimize harm.
Be fair and cautious about what you print. If printing something will cause the subject harm or pain, make sure printing the story is essential to the public. An example is publishing a photograph portraying someone in emotional pain.
3. Act independently.
Don’t give favors and don’t take bribes. Try not to get in situations where there is a conflict of interest. For example, if a reporter is personally involved with a story, don’t assign him/her to it.
4. Be accountable.
Take responsibility for any mistakes. For example, if a reporter gets a name or fact wrong, run a correction as soon as the mistake is discovered.
Use common sense and think things through before printing.
Part Eight: Common Expectations
(adapted from Randy Swikle)
1. Allow Mistakes. The freedom to err is an inherent feature of education, for learning requires practice, and practice involves trial and error.
2. Permit Challenges. If authority were never challenged we would still be believing the world is flat. Students should be encouraged to, question authority regarding any issue. The student newspaper can be an excellent vehicle for challenging authorities in positive ways that enhance learning and build a better rapport between, students and administrators.
3. Accept Criticism. Do not feel malice toward those who gave it.
4. Assume Integrity. We must resist the temptation to question someone's integrity simply because we challenge his judgment. Avoid the simplistic idea "I don't like your ideas; therefore, I don't like you." The focus of debate should remain on the merit of ideas rather than be sidetracked by personal attacks.
5. Demonstrate Civility. In promoting one's views in the student press or in other ways responding to an article, it is important to be civil to those who assert a different perspective. Show consideration, good manners, and courtesy as you present your arguments.
6. Choose Logic. When the words of the student press ignite anger from the heart, surrender the emotion to logic from the mind. An emotional response tends to be less convincing than a rational one, and the temptation to return a hurt is less noble than the willingness to heal a wrong.
7. Invite Controversy. No one can deny that controversial topics are an inherent feature of the press. Therefore, a journalism curriculum should include teaching students to pursue and publish articles on controversial subjects. Some principals fear controversy as a threat to school discipline. But controversy should never dispirit inquiry, and discipline should never detour discovery.
8. Promote Teamwork. Teamwork means cooperative effort by the members of a group to achieve a common goal.
9. Support Freedom. A free student press does not mean students have unbridled control of their newspaper.
10. Acknowledge Value. There aren't any other courses in the curriculum that have more potential of touching so many lives beyond the classroom than journalism courses
Part Nine: Style
Here are some of the tricky items that come up often. This section will be added to on a regular basis.
effect, affect
To affect is the verb. ex: It didn’t affect me too much.
Effect is also a verb, but only when you “effect a change.”
Effect is more commonly used as the noun. ex: It had no effect.
Freshman
Case: One ninth grader is a freshman
The ninth grade class is the Freshman class
A small group of ninth graders are freshmen
Ex: Tom, a freshman, is a member of the team.
The JV team is dominated by freshmen.
The Freshman class came to see the game.
Capitalization: Capitalize the word freshman if it’s used as a title.
ex: Freshman Lill Hardy
The Freshman class won the tug-o-war
Don’t capitalize when it’s used as identification
ex: Lill, a freshman, …
The class was made up of freshman
Headlines
Down style
Capitalize the first word only and proper nouns
Junior
see Freshman
Junior Varsity/JV
A short form of Junior Varsity is JV, no periods
Marin Academy
The appropriate short form is MA – no periods. Always refer to Marin Academy as Marin Academy first, then switch to MA.
Senior
See Freshman
Sophomore
See Freshman
Sports Teams
In sports articles, when referring to a specific team, the whole name is capitalized, and the word Boys’ or Girls’ is plural and possessive
ex: the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team
Girls’ Varsity Swimmer, Beth Sherman
Student Senate
Always capitalize Student Senate, the Senate, Senate
Teachers
English teacher Timi Workman (English is a proper noun so the word is capitalized.)
science teacher Marina MacLean (science is NOT a proper noun, so the word is NOT capitalized.)