Subskill Performance Objective

Terminal
Goal
New staff members at a collegiate newspaper
will demonstrate proper interviewing
procedures, recognize typical journalistic
writing considerations and AP Style rules, and
distinguish between ethical and unethical
journalistic behaviors to prepare for their future
writing assignments through their online
introductory course at the Collegiate Times.
Through discussion with the instructional coordinator, new
staff members at a collegiate newspaper will:
-Respond to scenario-based questions to develop an
interview plan which addresses the article type, interview
focus, relevant topic background information, necessary
tools and resources, and interviewee information.
- Describe the purpose of AP style.
- List the common writing conditions they need to take into
account when developing an article.
- Identify the six types of leads, describe the characteristics
of those leads, and identify how often those leads are used.
- Identify behaviors that are considered ethical, or unethical.

Given written examples, the new staff member will be able
to:
- Revise a list of words and terms not in the correct format
to the correct form abiding to AP style guidelines.
- Determine word count.
- Determine the tense used.
- Rank sources based on quality.

The entity of the responses (both verbal discussion and
written) should be completed with 100% accuracy, as per
the rubric (i.e., all three sections receive the final check).
1 Demonstrate proper interviewing procedures ----------------------------
1-1 Plan for interview Given an example scenario, new writers will develop an
interview plan, addressing the article type, interview focus,
relevant topic background information, necessary tools and
resources, and interviewee information. The interview plan
must meet 100% of a rubrics requirements.
1-1.1.1 Know article type When questioned, new writers will be able to identify the
type of article they intend to write (e.g., opinion, sports,
politics, etc.), with certainty.
1-1.1.2 Decide interview focus Given an example interview topic, when questioned, new
writers will be able to describe the focus of the article they
intend to write (e.g., covering the details of a specific event,
collecting general opinions on a topic, etc.), with certainty.
1-1.1.3 Familiarize with topic background Given an example interview topic and focus, when
questioned, the new writers will be able to identify the key
background information which would be important to the
interview focus, with at least 90% accuracy
1-1.2 Identify tools and available resources that may
be needed
Given an example interview topic and focus, and a list of
possible resources, new writers will be able to identify all
the tools and resources they will need to conduct the
interview. All essential tools (note taking device, recording
device, and questions) must be identified.
1-1.3.1 Choose who will be interviewed Given an example interview topic, focus, and profile list of
potential interviewees, new writers will be able to rank the
interviewees in order of who they would like to interview
first and explain their reasoning behind doing so. 90% of a
rubrics requirements must be met.
1-1.3.2 Research/familiarize with who will be
interviewed
Given an example scenario, interviewee profile, and list of
possible sources where information on the interviewee
could be located, new writers will be able to identify which
sources would be appropriate to use (both professionally
appropriate, and appropriate to the topic and focus of the
article), and explain their reasoning. 100% of a rubrics
requirements must be met.
1-2 Choose the type of interview you will use Given an example scenario, interviewee profile, and list of
possible sources where information on the interviewee
could be located, new writers will be able to identify which
sources would be appropriate to use (both professionally
appropriate, and appropriate to the topic and focus of the
article), and explain their reasoning. 100% of a rubrics
requirements must be met.
1-2.1.1 Unstructured ------------------------------------------------------
1-2.1.2 Identify all essential questions Given an example scenario, new writers must identify the
questions essential to writing their article, and explain their
reasoning. 100% of a rubrics requirements must be met.
1-2.2.1 Structured ------------------------------------------------------
1-2.2.2 Identify all essential questions Given an example scenario, new writers must identify the
questions essential to writing their article, and explain their
reasoning. 100% of a rubrics requirements must be met.
1-2.2.3 List all relevant questions Given an example scenario, new writers must identify their
intent for their article and all the questions that would be
needed to write their article. The writers must explain their
reasoning for including those questions. 90% of a rubrics
requirements must be met.
1-2.2.4 Write agenda or script for the interview Given an example scenario, and example questions that
need to be asked, new writers create an agenda for
conducting the interview. 90% of a rubrics requirements
must be met.
1-3 Set up interview time and place ------------------------------------------------------
1-4 Implement interview ------------------------------------------------------
1-4.1.1 Introduce self and topic ------------------------------------------------------
1-4.1.2 Ask questions based on chosen interview
structure
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1-4.1.3 Record interview ------------------------------------------------------
1-5 Write up interview Given an interview recording, new writers will be able to
compose a transcript that matches the recording with 95%
accuracy.
2 Recognize typical journalistic writing
considerations and AP style rules
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2.1 AP Style ------------------------------------------------------
2.1 1.1 State the purpose of AP style. In a verbal answer, new writers will state the purpose of AP
style, with 85% accuracy.
2.1 1.2 Identify common style guidelines, such as:
abbreviations and acronyms; addresses;
ages; books; periodicals; reference works
and other type of compositions; dates,
months, years, days of the week; dimensions;
miles; names; numerals; punctuation; states
and cities; time; titles; technological terms
Given a list of common style guidelines, new writers will
revise a list of words and terms not in the correct format to
the correct form abiding to AP style guidelines, with 80%
accuracy.
2.2 Writing Considerations ------------------------------------------------------
2.2 1.1 Identify common writing considerations for
new newspaper journalists
With 83% accuracy, new writers should list the common
writing conditions they need to take into account when
developing an article.
2.2 1.2 Determine article word count Given sample article topics, new writers will be able to
determine the appropriate word count with a 75% accuracy.
2.2 1.3 Identify types of leads, and their characteristics In a verbal answer, new writers will be able to identify the
six types of leads, describe the characteristics of those leads,
and identify how often those leads are used, with 89%
accuracy.
2.2 1.4 Identify a variety of words and descriptive
language that can be used in the article
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2.2 1.5 Determine the article tense Given a number of example phrases, new writers will be
able to determine the tense used, with 80% accuracy.
2.1 1.6 Identify what qualifies as a quality source of
information
Given a list of sources, new writers will rank them based on
quality, with 63% accuracy.

3 Distinguish between ethical and unethical
journalistic behaviors
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3.1 Define ethical behaviors. Given a list of journalistic behaviors, new writers will be
able to identify all of those behaviors that are considered
ethical.
3.2 Define unethical behaviors. Given a list of journalistic behaviors, new writers will be
able to identify all of those behaviors that are considered
unethical.