Stylebook says...
This is where the punctuation goes at the end of a quote.
What is inside the quotation marks?
This is what we call a lead that starts with a personal story, rather than the 5Ws and H.
What is an anecdotal lead?
This journalistic practice involves crediting the source of information for every fact.
What is attribution?
In PR, we almost always use this type of lead for a press release.
What is a summary lead?
This is the term we use for descriptive writing in journalism.
What is color?
In 2020, after widespread protests following the killing of George Floyd, the AP decided to start capitalizing this term.
What is Black?
This type of headline over-promises and under-delivers, often misleading or tricking the reader.
What is clickbait?
This step in the editorial process ensures that grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style are consistent and correct before publication.
What is copyediting? (Also accepted: editing)
A good press release should be no longer than this length.
What is one page?
This term describes a story structure that begins with the most important information, followed by supporting details and background info.
What is the inverted pyramid?
In AP style, these abbreviations for Rhode Island and Massachusetts are used in the dateline, but not in the body of the article.
What is R.I. and Mass.?
This term refers to specialized language used by a particular profession or group that can be confusing to your readers and should be avoided.
What is jargon?
This is the term used when journalists go outside and interview strangers for a story.
What is man-on-the-street? (Also accepted: MOS)
A media advisory should specifically list these two major Ws.
What is “where” and “when”?
In the movie Spotlight, reporter Sacha Pfeiffer employs this important journalism technique to get a priest to admit to molesting children.
What is door-knocking?
The Associated Press says headlines should be no longer than this length.
What is 100 characters?
This type of writing focuses on storytelling, often blending narrative techniques with factual reporting, exploring topics in greater depth.
What is feature writing?
In this grammatical construction that we use in journalism and PR, the subject carries out the action, as in: “The journalist wrote the article.”
What is active voice?
A story pitch has this key distinction from a press release.
What is a more targeted, personalized audience?
What is the Access to Public Records Act, or APRA?
In AP style, this is how you would write the date for something that happened on the fifth day of January.
What is Jan. 5?
This is what is written in the dateline of a news story.
What is the city/town and state?
In podcasting and broadcasting, this is what the audio of ambient noise in your environment is called, such as traffic sounds or cameras clicking.
What is natural sound? (Also accepted: nat sound)
This is one of the two most common ways to end a press release.
What is -30- or ###?
Descriptive writing should paint a picture without using too many of these.
What are adjectives?