Meeting: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Two steps forward, one step back.

That's the typical progress of a JRN 200 class, and this one is no different. And that's okay, since in journalism we learn by doing, then reviewing, and then applying new lessons going forward.

Still, it's important that we learn from our past work how we can do better in the next work. Let's go over some patterns I saw that I feel can be improved upon:

The first thing is, I need to get the assignment right! As you know, I had two different assignments listed for one practice story. Because that's my fatal, you will receive credit for whichever assignment you actually did, and we'll look at examples from both assignments.

Other points to consider include:

Translating technical terms. Like, what is Planned Unit Development rezoning? Do you know? If not, how would you expect readers to know? If you do know, is there an easier way to describe what it means to rezone form agricultural to PUD? One of you did do that, by simply noting the board "plans to rezone the land to allow for construction" of condos on traditional farmland?

Fact-checking includes checking for AP Style. I don't still have to remind you of that, do I?

So, while on first reference you have a name and title (King Omar Sofradzija) on second reference you drop the first name AND the title (just, Sofradzija).

And punctuation still goes INSIDE the quote (like "this," and "this.") and NOT outside (it's wrong to do "this", or "this".)

Plus, percent is spelled out, and we never use the percentage symbol of %. So it's 10 percent, not 10%.

And we spell out "avenue" or "street" and the street direction if not accompanied by a specific street address. So if we're referring to a specific address, then it's 123 E. Sesame St., with abbreviations for "east" and "street." But if we're talking about the street without the adderss number, then it's just East Sesame Street, with no abbreviations.

Finally, don't freak out. Oddly enough, looking at blog posts from the past few semesters after this assignment, and those classes had the EXACT SAME PROBLEMS with this assignment. Literally. I just had to cut-and-paste most problem areas and update the exact examples with your work.