The Basics of Reporting

Interviewing is the one of the most basic - and most intimidating - tasks in journalism. Some reporters are natural-born interviewers, while others never get entirely comfortable with the idea of asking strangers nosy questions. The good news is that basic interviewing skills can be learned, starting right here.

Adopt an Easygoing Tone for Some, a Businesslike Approach for Others

The Importance of Asking Follow-up Questions in Journalism Interviews

So you want to produce your first news story, but not sure where to begin, or what to do along the way. Creating a news article is actually a series of tasks that involve both reporting and writing. Here are the things you'll need to accomplish in order to produce a story that's ready for publication.

There's nothing like covering a live, breaking news event to get those journalism juices flowing. But live events can often be chaotic and disorganized, and it's up to the reporter to bring order to the chaos. Here you'll find articles on how to cover a wide range of live news events.

Terms Used In Every Newsroom

Factors For Deciding What To Cover

There's Plenty To Write About In Your Own Hometown

Learning and Schmoozing Are Key

Getting All The Facts, And Then Double-Checking Them

You're Not in English Class Any More, So Stop Writing Essays

Getting the Facts Right on Breaking News Stories

Get the Story First, But Also Get it Right

The Basics of Conducting Interviews for News Stories

Beware Bias, Look for Expertise

Which Works Best in Most Situations?

Choosing Only The Best Quotes From The Interview

Be Accurate - But Not Stenographic

Developing Ideas For Follow-up Stories

Know What To Include in the Mainbar, and What Should Go Into the Sidebar

Developing Stories That Go Beyond Press Releases

Dig Up Stories That No One's Talking About Yet

How to Handle Sources Who Don't Want Their Names Published

A Dilemma Many Reporters Face

The Ins and Outs of Covering One of Journalism's Most Exciting & Stressful Beats

Covering One of Journalism's Most Complex & Interesting Beats

The Structure of the State and Federal Court System

Watch For The Unexpected

Keep Your Cool And Do Thorough Reporting

Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami, Journalism, Newswriting - Getting the Human Stories from the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami

Don't Be Intimidated

Find Your Focus

Ideas for Articles That You Can Do in Your Community

Finding Something Newsworthy in the Stump Speeches

Tips For Covering Political Rallies

Making Complex Topics Easy to Understand

Show Your Subject As They Really Are, Warts and All

Safety Tips for Women Journalists Working Abroad