Study Guide

Journalism
Sample Questions

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Competency 0001
Understand types of information sources and skills, criteria, and methods for gathering and evaluating information.

1. In an article about the creative strategies a school district uses to provide students with opportunities to use new technology, a student journalist writes about a local corporation's role in providing new tablet computers to a middle school. The journalist includes information distributed by the news bureau of the corporation in the article after independently verifying the information. In this situation, the student journalist has a responsibility to:

  1. identify the information that came from the news bureau and specify that the corporation was the source of the information.
  2. include in the story a justification for using information distributed by a corporation.
  3. inform readers that they should make up their own minds about the reliability of the information provided by the news bureau.
  4. suggest that readers view the article as a business announcement rather than a news story.
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Correct Response: A. A news bureau is an office for gathering and distributing news. Media outlets, universities, government agencies, and public and private corporations use news bureaus to coordinate news and public affairs information. A corporate news bureau is likely to generate soft news that portrays the corporation in a favorable light or that links back to the corporation in some way. In this situation, the information provided to the journalist may originate from press releases written by public relations professionals working for the corporation. A journalist who plans to use or reprint such information has an ethical responsibility to verify or conduct independent research on the subject matter, as well as to specify the source of the information for the audience.

Competency 0001
Understand types of information sources and skills, criteria, and methods for gathering and evaluating information.

2. A high school journalist has spent weeks gathering information in order to develop a story on changes in graduation requirements. The student has transcripts of interviews with teachers and students, data and news releases from the state department of education, and copies of practice graduation tests. Which of the following steps is most important for the student to take first in organizing and synthesizing this information for the story?

  1. evaluating the credibility of informal and institutional sources, then verifying the accuracy of the data gathered
  2. rereading the interview transcripts and choosing the quotes with the most impact to use in the story
  3. crafting a first paragraph that highlights the strongest points of the story and presenting it to the editor for approval
  4. deciding on the story's focus and its primary points to get across, then creating an outline to support those points
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Correct Response: D. It is important for students to learn to develop coherent and focused stories that include well-researched information, appropriate journalistic structure and style, and a tightly reasoned flow of ideas. In this situation, the student has chosen a topic for a story, conducted interviews with people who will most likely be affected by the story, and gathered relevant data and information from reliable sources. The most appropriate next step to take in developing this story is to decide on the story's focus and main points, then create an outline to support those points. An appropriate story focus would be to explain the specific changes in graduation requirements, supported by information that addresses topics such as why people should care about the changes, who made the decisions, who will be affected, what will be the likely impact, and when the changes will occur.

Competency 0002
Understand principles, values, forms, and functions of journalism.

3. A television news helicopter crew is first on the scene the afternoon a tornado sweeps through a midwestern town. The crew's aerial footage is fed to its network news division, which in turn arranges to broadcast the footage during that evening's national news show. Using this footage to accompany a news story on the tornado will most significantly enhance which of the following characteristics of the coverage?

  1. prominence
  2. proximity
  3. timeliness
  4. uniqueness
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Correct Response: C. Timeliness is one of several desirable qualities or values that help enhance the newsworthiness of a story. Stories brought to the public's attention ahead of the competition are of particular value, especially in light of today's 24-hour news cycle. Using just-shot footage of a tornado's aftermath on the same day the tornado occurred lends immediacy to the news report and significantly increases the effectiveness of the report.

Competency 0003
Understand processes and conventions of writing and editing for a variety of print and digital media.

4. In which of the following sentences to be published in a school newspaper should the writer be sure to properly attribute the source of information?

  1. By midday the gray, heavy storm clouds hanging over the city finally looked ready to break the long drought.
  2. Huge crowds gathered in front of the capitol this evening in preparation for the senator's announcement.
  3. This year, the city is facing the largest budget crisis of the last decade, and cuts to education and state services are increasingly likely.
  4. As Jones left the mound, everyone in the stands rose to their feet, and the retiring pitcher exited the field to thunderous applause.
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Correct Response: C. In this question, sentence C requires attribution because it appears to be a statement of fact or probability that originated from a particular source, rather than from a firsthand observation. Journalists should make it clear to the audience where information has been obtained; attribution serves this purpose. Information from sources must be properly attributed, regardless of whether it is paraphrased, summarized, or quoted directly.

Competency 0003
Understand processes and conventions of writing and editing for a variety of print and digital media.

5. Use the excerpt below from a newspaper article to answer the question that follows.

Facing growing criticism, mayoral candidate Taliah Barenholtz today released her tax returns for the past three years. A spokesperson for Barenholtz's campaign assured reporters the newly public records would answer questions regarding the candidate's business dealings with developer Jason Mardeck.

Which of the following headlines would be most effective for a local news story with this lead?

  1. Questions about Mardeck to be answered
  2. Candidate, developer release records
  3. Returns public, Barenholtz said
  4. Barenholtz releases tax returns
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Correct Response: D. Response D conforms to standard journalistic guidelines for headlines. Effective headlines should be simple, direct, and capture the essence of a story, which should be found in the lead or introduction. Headlines typically use the active voice, a logical sentence structure, and present-tense verbs when referring to past or present events. The first word in a headline is capitalized, as are proper nouns. In most publications, all other headline words begin with lowercase letters. Terminal punctuation is not used, and other punctuation is used sparingly.

Competency 0004
Understand the history and evolution of journalism and the role of journalism and a free press in a democratic society.

6. Which of the following functions is a primary responsibility of an independent press in a free and democratic society?

  1. providing news that is fair, balanced, and accessible to all people
  2. maintaining social order by publishing stories that promote democratic values
  3. managing the way in which information is disseminated and presented to the public
  4. entertaining audiences while supplying them with timely information about their communities
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Correct Response: A. A primary function of an independent press in a democracy is to provide citizens with information that is fair, balanced, easily accessible, and free from the influence of special interests. In a democracy, people need information that is credible, reliable, and truthful, and they need to know where it comes from. Journalists have a responsibility to report news fairly; if journalists include their own views and opinions, they must state this. Balance and impartiality may be achieved by presenting multiple perspectives on a story so that readers, viewers, and listeners are fully informed and free to form their own views.

Competency 0004
Understand the history and evolution of journalism and the role of journalism and a free press in a democratic society.

7. Which of the following historical developments in journalism best illustrates how print media influences the political opinions and actions of individuals in the United States?

  1. the innovation of including literary content and humorous stories pioneered by The New-England Courant newspaper in the early 1700s
  2. the inception and evolution of The Christian Science Monitor as an international daily newspaper under the direction of Mary Baker Eddy in the early 1900s
  3. the increase in coverage of "news of the day," including information from police stations and criminal courts, in the penny press newspapers of the mid-1800s
  4. the rise of yellow journalism due to the newspaper wars between William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer in the late 1800s
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Correct Response: D. The intense newspaper rivalry between William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer in the 1890s gave rise to news writing that used stereotyping, melodrama, and hyperbole to sell millions of newspapers; the style became known as yellow journalism. Pulitzer's New York World and Hearst's New York Journal used sensationalized stories and graphic drawings and cartoons to fuel public passion over conflicts with Spain. Hearst in particular published articles about brutality, cruelty, and starvation designed to tug at the heartstrings of Americans and sway public opinion. After the sinking of the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor, the Hearst newspapers blamed the Spanish, and soon U.S. public opinion demanded intervention in what became the Spanish-American War.

Competency 0005
Understand laws, judicial decisions, and ethical principles related to journalism, mass communication, and media content.

8. According to the 1988 Supreme Court ruling in the Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier case, school officials may censor a student publication under which of the following circumstances?

  1. when the personal beliefs and values of school officials clash with the editorial policy and mission of the school publication
  2. when the school publication plans to publish articles that are critical of teachers, administrators, or school board members
  3. when school officials have a reasonable justification for censorship based on legitimate educational goals or purposes
  4. when student journalists refuse to self-censor in response to consistent complaints from students and parents/guardians about the publication's content
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Correct Response: C. In the 1988 case Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the decision of public high school administrators at Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis, Missouri to censor student stories concerning teen pregnancy and the effects of divorce on children. By a 5-3 vote, the Court held that school officials could censor school-sponsored student publications when they have purposes reasonably related to legitimate educational concerns. The ruling upset nearly two decades of law that had given student journalists extensive First Amendment protections. In Hazelwood, the court reasoned that private student speech differs from student speech that occurs in school-sponsored activities, and that educators have greater authority to control the latter because the public might reasonably believe such speech bears "the imprimatur of the school." Court decisions since Hazelwood have clarified that school officials do not have unlimited rights to censor student publications.

Competency 0006
Understand the evolution of mass media; functions, limitations, and influences of mass media in society; and skills and criteria for analyzing and evaluating mass media.

9. In a 30-minute local television news broadcast, four minutes are dedicated to a lead story about a robbery at an area business. Two- to three-minute segments report on an incident in which an individual was arrested for assault and on recent developments in a high-profile criminal trial. Shorter amounts of time are dedicated to national news, human interest features, sports news, and weather. This broadcast would most likely influence public attitudes toward crime by:

  1. building support among viewers for aggressive anticrime legislation.
  2. leading viewers to conclude that crime is a serious problem in their area.
  3. creating the perception among viewers that crime rates are historically high.
  4. encouraging viewers to report suspected criminal activity to area authorities.
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Correct Response: B. When coverage of crime stories overshadows other types of news in a local television broadcast, viewers are likely to conclude that crime is a serious problem in their area. Research suggests that public knowledge about crime and justice is largely derived from the media, and crime is often the most prominently featured subject in local media markets. Stories about crime provide the ingredients for successful marketing of newscasts—they focus on concrete events, make an impact on ordinary people, and often include drama and emotion. The ways in which the news media report on and contextualize crime help shape a shared public consciousness of crime as a widespread and urgent problem that needs to be resolved.

Competency 0006
Understand the evolution of mass media; functions, limitations, and influences of mass media in society; and skills and criteria for analyzing and evaluating mass media.

10. Which of the following statements describes a major concern associated with the increasing concentration of mass media ownership?

  1. The overall quality of broadcast media may decline.
  2. Burdensome regulation of media industries may win support.
  3. Incentives for media companies to innovate may be weakened.
  4. The range of voices available to media consumers may be limited.
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Correct Response: D. A major concern associated with the increasing concentration of mass media ownership is that the range of diverse and independent voices available to media consumers may be limited. In recent years, due to business and economic forces, many media industries have become concentrated and dominated by a small number of individuals and corporations. Critics of consolidation wonder whether tight control of a local media market by only a few can dependably serve the public interest. In addition, corporate media reliance on advertising revenue creates a climate of consumerism rather than the free exchange of ideas; the need to deliver audiences to advertisers may preclude media content that might be complex or controversial in areas of cultural expression, artistry, and scientific and sociological knowledge.

Competency 0007
Understand principles, elements, tools, and techniques of multimedia design and production.

11. An Internet service provider (ISP) informs the manager of a school television station that the station's Web site has exceeded its allocated bandwidth. Which of the following recent changes to the Web site is most likely responsible?

  1. the addition of a number of e-mail addresses in the "Contact Us" section
  2. a new section that allows visitors to download video and audio files
  3. the addition of a "Guestbook" section that allows visitors to leave comments
  4. a new photo gallery of news-related images
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Correct Response: B. When a Web site offers video and audio files that can be downloaded, adequate daily bandwidth must be available to handle the data transfer. Bandwidth is the amount of traffic, or data transfer, that is allowed to occur between a hosting Web site, in this case the school television station's site, and the rest of the Internet. Each time someone views a Web page or downloads a file, bandwidth is used; downloading audio and video clips uses a lot of bandwidth. Even when an Internet service provider (ISP) offers unlimited bandwidth, capacity is unlimited only up to the maximum allowed by the connection.

Competency 0008
Understand different types of student media and roles and responsibilities of scholastic journalists and student media advisers.

12. The student marketing team for a high school yearbook is assembling media kits for prospective yearbook advertisers in the community. The media kit includes pages from the previous year's school yearbook and an information sheet that describes the yearbook's theme, audience, and release date, as well as the number of yearbooks that will be printed. Which of the following additional items would be most important to include in the media kits?

  1. examples of print ads used by business competitors in other communities
  2. the number of yearbooks that have been presold to students
  3. samples and costs of quarter-page, half-page, and full-page ads
  4. a list of the seniors who will appear in the yearbook
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Correct Response: C. Including samples and costs of quarter-page, half-page, and full-page ads in the media kits will ensure that the student sales staff members are well-prepared to call on individuals and businesses and sell advertising space in the yearbook. Having readily available samples and rates for different sizes and types of ads will allow students to provide concrete examples of various options to potential advertisers.

Competency 0008
Understand different types of student media and roles and responsibilities of scholastic journalists and student media advisers.

13. To help avoid the possibility of prior restraint or censorship from public school officials, a high school student news publication's editorial policy should include a formal statement that communicates which of the following ideas?

  1. The publication is a forum for student expression in which student journalists determine, generate, and edit content.
  2. Student journalists should use social media only to communicate with individuals or consult with experts, rather than in news reporting.
  3. The publication will accept paid advertising only from educational, government, public, or nonprofit organizations.
  4. Student journalists' use of information from anonymous sources is prohibited, even when a source is reliable and the information is factual.
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Correct Response: A. According to guidelines endorsed by scholastic journalism associations, including the Student Press Law Center (SPLC), school-sanctioned student publications should develop or adopt editorial policies that make it clear that such publications are forums for student expression in which content is determined by students, typically by student editorial boards. Essentially, the idea of a "forum" implies that the school gives control of content, in whole or in part, to school community members other than administrators, in this case, student editors. In the 1988 Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier decision, the U.S. Supreme Court noted that if a school had "by policy or practice" opened a student publication as a "forum" for student expression, then school administrators would not be allowed to censor the publication on the basis that the censorship was "reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns." Instead, school administrators would have to demonstrate that the publication would cause substantial disruption before they could censor, as was the case prior to the Hazelwood decision.

Competency 0009
Understand journalism instruction and assessment.

14. To best promote student progress and career skills in media production classes, a journalism teacher should place the greatest emphasis on students' production of high-quality work and their ability to:

  1. articulate the value of classwork in preparing them to be professional journalists.
  2. work collaboratively and efficiently in using technology and meeting deadlines.
  3. critique the work of peers in a constructive way and accept criticism of their own work.
  4. use a variety of learning strategies and best practices in meeting curriculum goals.
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Correct Response: B. Journalism students benefit from understanding the organization and management of media staffs, as well as the technical skills and leadership qualities valued by media organizations. Students in media production and publication programs thrive when a knowledgeable, supportive journalism teacher develops a culture of responsible journalism within the classroom. To help ensure student progress and attainment of important career skills in this context, a journalism teacher should promote students' ability to produce high-quality media products and work collaboratively and efficiently with others in using technology and meeting deadlines.

Competency 0009
Understand journalism instruction and assessment.

15. Use the evaluation form and the information below to answer the question that follows.

EVALUATION FORM
Questions Responses
Who sponsors the ad? What product or service is being advertised?

What type of audience or population is the ad targeting (e.g., individuals in a certain age group or with particular interests or backgrounds)?		  
What type of attention-grabbing elements are used in the ad (e.g., music, a voice-over, a story, a slogan, a humurous situation or dialgue, an interesting visual or graphic)?

Describe the elements and explain why they may have been used.		  
What does the ad want people to do?

What emotions or values does the ad try to appeal to? How can you tell?		  

A journalism teacher asks students to use this form to evaluate five advertisements or marketing messages from social media, television, radio, or the Internet. After the students complete a copy of the form for each ad or message, the teacher asks them to share their responses in small groups. This type of activity is most likely to be effective in promoting students':

  1. ability to recognize media methods and tools that can be used for persuasion or propaganda.
  2. understanding of the professional standards and criteria by which advertisers are judged.
  3. ability to recognize ways in which the media manipulates and misleads young consumers.
  4. understanding of the skills and aptitudes needed for careers in marketing and public relations.
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Correct Response: A. In this activity, students analyze and evaluate five different media advertisements or marketing messages in terms of various criteria, including the type of product or service being advertised, the intended audience and message, and the ways in which persuasive elements and appeals are used. Through this activity, students develop an awareness of the techniques that advertisers and others use to persuade people to buy, do, or believe in something. By sharing their responses in small groups, students are likely to recognize common methods and tools used by different media, as well as their intended effects. By applying these media literacy skills, students can learn to resist persuasive techniques and make more fully informed decisions about products and ideas.