CJE CJE News Writing & Reporting Fundamentals 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which AP Style rule applies when referring to a person's title before their name?
- Always capitalize formal titles before a name
- Capitalize formal titles only when they directly precede the name (Correct answer)
- Never capitalize any titles
- Capitalize titles only for government officials
Correct answer: Capitalize formal titles only when they directly precede the name
AP Style capitalizes formal titles only when they appear directly before a person's name, treating them as part of the name.
Question 2: What is the difference between on-the-record and off-the-record source agreements?
- On-the-record allows quoting with attribution; off-the-record means information cannot be used at all (Correct answer)
- On-the-record hides the source; off-the-record allows full attribution
- Both allow direct quotes but differ in photo usage
- They refer to digital vs. print publication
Correct answer: On-the-record allows quoting with attribution; off-the-record means information cannot be used at all
On-the-record allows direct quotation with the source's name, while off-the-record information generally cannot be published.
Question 3: Which element is NOT typically part of a news story's Five Ws?
- Who
- Where
- Why
- Worth (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Worth
The Five Ws are Who, What, When, Where, and Why — 'Worth' is not part of this foundational journalism framework.
Question 4: When teaching interview techniques, which practice should student journalists be taught to avoid?
- Preparing questions in advance
- Asking yes/no questions exclusively (Correct answer)
- Recording the interview with permission
- Following up on vague answers
Correct answer: Asking yes/no questions exclusively
Closed yes/no questions limit responses; students should ask open-ended questions to elicit detailed, quotable answers.
Question 5: What does 'attribution' mean in news writing?
- Giving credit to the original source of information or quotes (Correct answer)
- The length of a quote used in a story
- The headline format for attributed stories
- A type of lead paragraph
Correct answer: Giving credit to the original source of information or quotes
Attribution identifies who said something or where information came from, establishing credibility and accountability.
Question 6: In journalism education, what is the 'Wall Street Journal formula' story structure?
- A style guide specific to financial reporting
- A feature structure that opens with an anecdote, broadens to a larger issue, then returns to the opening subject (Correct answer)
- A method for sourcing economic data
- A hard news format with only numerical leads
Correct answer: A feature structure that opens with an anecdote, broadens to a larger issue, then returns to the opening subject
The WSJ formula uses an individual anecdote to humanize a broader trend, ending with a 'kicker' that returns to the opening person.
CJE CJE News Writing & Reporting Fundamentals 2
Which AP Style rule applies when referring to a person's title before their name?