If you’re serious about journalism, you should be serious about
journalism training. News University (NewsU) is an excellent
resource for motivated
journalism students.
The site, a project of the Poynter Institute
that is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation,
offers interactive,
self-paced courses for journalists of all levels of experience. Most
courses are free and take only an hour or two to complete.
Journalism is a competitive field. Developing your
abilities could help land you a position at your college newspaper, or
an internship, or even a job with a local media outlet. So take
advantage of these resources. Who knows? Maybe you could
get your teacher to give you some extra credit for it.
This is not an exhaustive list, but includes only those courses we
think will apply to high school journalists. Check out
NewsU’s official course list for a complete rundown of what’s offered.
An introduction to AP style, including common errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation.
The “Be A Reporter” Game
An interactive and short virtual experience designed to teach you reporting basics.
News Sense: The Building Blocks of News
Explores the who, what, when, where, why and how of news coverage.
Get Me Rewrite: The Craft of Revision
Revision is key to the writing process, a skill that every good writer must learn.
The Interview
Effective interviewing can make or break a story. Learn how to prepare for and conduct a good interview.
The Writer’s Workbench: 50 Tools You Can Use
Classic writing instruction from Poynter’s vice president and senior scholar Roy Peter Clark.
The Lead Lab
Learn the basics of writing leads and what type of lead works best on different kinds of stories.
Language of the Image
An
introduction to the elements of photojournalism with plenty of
examples. This course will help you see what makes a compelling
photograph.
Community Service Photojournalism: Lessons from a Contest (2005)
and Lessons from a Contest (2006)
Examine award-winning work and hear commentary from photojournalists and judges. Make sure you read the captions.
