Preface: Introduction to Media Writing |
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xv | |
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1 Communication Theory and News Values |
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1 | (18) |
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1 | (1) |
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Media Writing as Mass Communication |
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2 | (2) |
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The Purpose of Communication |
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2 | (1) |
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3 | (1) |
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Media Research and Theory |
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4 | (3) |
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Individual Differences Theory |
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4 | (1) |
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4 | (1) |
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4 | (1) |
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4 | (1) |
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5 | (1) |
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Wants and Needs Gratification |
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5 | (1) |
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5 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
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Implications for Media Writers |
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7 | (1) |
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7 | (5) |
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8 | (1) |
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8 | (1) |
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8 | (1) |
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8 | (1) |
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9 | (1) |
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9 | (1) |
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9 | (1) |
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9 | (1) |
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10 | (1) |
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10 | (1) |
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10 | (1) |
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11 | (1) |
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12 | (1) |
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12 | (1) |
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13 | (1) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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14 | (1) |
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14 | (5) |
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2 Getting Started: In the Beginning is the Lead |
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19 | (20) |
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19 | (3) |
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20 | (1) |
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20 | (1) |
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20 | (1) |
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20 | (1) |
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20 | (1) |
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20 | (1) |
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21 | (1) |
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21 | (1) |
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21 | (1) |
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21 | (1) |
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22 | (1) |
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Why the Inverted Pyramid Story |
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22 | (1) |
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The Lead Paragraph in Print Journalism |
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23 | (3) |
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24 | (2) |
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Observing Style and Other Technicalities |
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26 | (1) |
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Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity |
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26 | (1) |
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26 | (1) |
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27 | (4) |
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27 | (1) |
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Umbrella or Comprehensive Leads |
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27 | (1) |
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Chronological Narrative Leads |
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28 | (1) |
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29 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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31 | (1) |
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31 | (5) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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36 | (3) |
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3 Legal Considerations in Media Writing |
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39 | (20) |
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How Easy it is to Make a Mistake |
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39 | (1) |
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39 | (6) |
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40 | (1) |
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The "Chilling Effect" of Lawsuits |
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40 | (1) |
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Allegations in News Stories |
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41 | (1) |
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Public and Private Figures |
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42 | (1) |
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43 | (1) |
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43 | (1) |
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44 | (1) |
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45 | (4) |
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46 | (1) |
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47 | (1) |
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Voluntary Press---Bar Guidelines |
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48 | (1) |
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48 | (1) |
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49 | (3) |
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Reporters and Their Sources |
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50 | (1) |
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Freedom of Information Act |
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50 | (1) |
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Limits to Freedom of Information |
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51 | (1) |
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Open Records, Open Meetings |
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52 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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Laws as a Guarantee of a Free Press |
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53 | (1) |
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54 | (1) |
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54 | (2) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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56 | (1) |
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56 | (3) |
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4 Ethical Considerations in Writing and Reporting |
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59 | (20) |
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59 | (1) |
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59 | (2) |
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61 | (1) |
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61 | (7) |
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Influence of the Bottom Line |
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62 | (1) |
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Public Perceptions of News and News People |
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63 | (1) |
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64 | (1) |
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Subjectivity and Objectivity |
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65 | (1) |
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66 | (1) |
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Changing Definitions of News |
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67 | (1) |
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What the Profession Should Be |
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68 | (3) |
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Reporters Look at Their Profession |
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70 | (1) |
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To Thine Own Self Be True |
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71 | (1) |
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71 | (3) |
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Steps to Avoid Inadvertent Plagiarism |
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72 | (1) |
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73 | (1) |
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74 | (1) |
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74 | (2) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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76 | (1) |
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76 | (3) |
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5 Basics of Writing and Editing |
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79 | (34) |
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79 | (1) |
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Principles of Standard Usage |
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80 | (7) |
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1 Use Technically Accurate Language |
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80 | (1) |
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2 Use the Appropriate Level of Formality |
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80 | (1) |
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3 Avoid Grammatical Myths |
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81 | (1) |
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82 | (1) |
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5 Make Sure Subjects and Verbs Agree |
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82 | (1) |
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6 Make Sure Nouns and Pronouns Agree |
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83 | (1) |
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83 | (1) |
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8 Be Moderate with Adjectives and Adverbs |
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84 | (1) |
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85 | (1) |
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10 Keep Elements Parallel |
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85 | (1) |
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11 Keep Punctuation Simple |
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86 | (1) |
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12 Stick with the Stylebook |
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87 | (1) |
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Principles of Simple Language |
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87 | (5) |
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1 Think Before You Write, Then Write Logically |
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88 | (1) |
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88 | (1) |
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3 Eliminate Unnecessary Words and Phrases |
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88 | (1) |
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88 | (1) |
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89 | (1) |
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6 Use Contractions Carefully |
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89 | (1) |
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7 Avoid Creating New Words |
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89 | (1) |
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8 Avoid Foreign Constructions |
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90 | (1) |
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9 Avoid Unwanted Rhyme and Alliteration |
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90 | (1) |
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90 | (1) |
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11 Vary Sentence Structure |
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91 | (1) |
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91 | (1) |
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Principles of Meaningful Language |
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92 | (5) |
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92 | (1) |
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93 | (1) |
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93 | (1) |
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4 Use Precise Descriptions |
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94 | (1) |
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94 | (1) |
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6 Replace Cliches with Original Words |
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94 | (1) |
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95 | (1) |
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95 | (1) |
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95 | (1) |
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10 Avoid Pretentious Words and Euphemisms |
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95 | (1) |
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96 | (1) |
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Principles of Inclusive Language |
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97 | (3) |
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1 Use Gender-Inclusive Words |
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97 | (1) |
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2 Proper Pronouns with Mixed Groups |
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97 | (1) |
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98 | (1) |
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4 Avoid Gender Stereotypes |
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98 | (1) |
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99 | (1) |
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6 Exercise Caution with Race, Religion, and Ethnicity |
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99 | (1) |
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7 Be Sensitive in Describing Age |
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100 | (1) |
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8 Describe Physical Characteristics with Care |
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100 | (1) |
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9 Avoid Using Offensive Quotes |
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100 | (1) |
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Professional Writing Style |
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100 | (1) |
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101 | (1) |
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101 | (10) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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111 | (2) |
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113 | (26) |
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The Inverted Pyramid and Beyond |
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113 | (1) |
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The Flow of the Text: Transition Words |
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114 | (1) |
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114 | (1) |
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Opportunities for Graphics |
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115 | (1) |
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Three Basic Hard News Stories |
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115 | (5) |
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115 | (2) |
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117 | (1) |
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117 | (1) |
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Using "Allegedly," "Reportedly," and "Apparently" |
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118 | (1) |
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118 | (1) |
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What about a Chronological Narrative? |
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119 | (1) |
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Moving Beyond the Inverted Pyramid |
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120 | (1) |
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120 | (5) |
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121 | (1) |
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News Judgment in Writing Obituaries |
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122 | (2) |
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124 | (1) |
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Checking Accuracy and Completeness |
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124 | (1) |
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125 | (4) |
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Rewriting News Service Stories |
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126 | (1) |
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Recycling the Story for Later or Online |
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126 | (1) |
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126 | (1) |
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127 | (1) |
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128 | (1) |
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Responsibilities of the Journalist |
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128 | (1) |
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128 | (1) |
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129 | (1) |
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130 | (1) |
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131 | (1) |
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132 | (5) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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137 | (2) |
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7 Interviewing: Gathering Information from People |
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139 | (22) |
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The Importance of Interviewing |
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139 | (1) |
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Characteristics of a Good Interviewer |
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140 | (1) |
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Kinds of Interviews and Subjects |
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141 | (1) |
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Preparing for an Interview |
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141 | (4) |
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Choosing Sources and Subjects |
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141 | (1) |
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Brainstorming and Making Contacts |
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142 | (1) |
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Persuading Reluctant Interview Subjects |
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143 | (1) |
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143 | (1) |
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Conducting Additional Research |
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144 | (1) |
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Ground Rules for the Interview |
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145 | (1) |
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Agreeing to Off-the-Record Status |
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146 | (1) |
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147 | (1) |
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Writing Interview Questions |
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147 | (4) |
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148 | (1) |
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149 | (1) |
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150 | (1) |
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Public Relations Questions |
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150 | (1) |
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150 | (1) |
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151 | (5) |
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151 | (1) |
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152 | (1) |
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Personal Conduct During the Interview |
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152 | (1) |
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Interviewing in a Professional Manner |
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152 | (1) |
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Establishing Good Communication |
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153 | (1) |
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154 | (1) |
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154 | (2) |
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156 | (1) |
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Improving Interviewing Skills |
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156 | (1) |
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157 | (1) |
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157 | (2) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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159 | (2) |
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8 Research in Communication |
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161 | (26) |
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161 | (1) |
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161 | (2) |
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162 | (1) |
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Criteria for Useful Research |
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162 | (1) |
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163 | (4) |
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Cultivating Primary Sources |
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163 | (1) |
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Using Reference Materials |
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164 | (3) |
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Computer-Assisted Reporting |
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167 | (2) |
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168 | (1) |
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169 | (6) |
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169 | (2) |
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171 | (1) |
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172 | (1) |
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172 | (1) |
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Correlation, Cause, and Common Sense |
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173 | (1) |
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173 | (1) |
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173 | (1) |
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Miscellaneous Math for Journalists |
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174 | (1) |
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174 | (1) |
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Surveys and Formal Statistics |
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175 | (1) |
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175 | (1) |
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Surveys and Questionnaires |
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175 | (4) |
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Problems with Survey Methodology |
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176 | (1) |
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Characteristics of Good Surveys |
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176 | (1) |
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Conducting Survey Research |
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177 | (1) |
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Construction of the Questionnaire |
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178 | (1) |
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Guidelines for Writing Survey Response Categories |
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179 | (1) |
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Research and the Challenge of Communication |
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179 | (1) |
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180 | (1) |
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180 | (3) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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183 | (4) |
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9 Using Quotations and Sources in News Stories |
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187 | (24) |
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Weaving Interviews into News Stories |
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187 | (1) |
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188 | (1) |
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188 | (5) |
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Direct, Partial, and Indirect Quotations |
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189 | (1) |
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189 | (4) |
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Variety in the Use of Quotations |
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193 | (1) |
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193 | (5) |
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Covering the Entire Event |
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193 | (1) |
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Challenges of Covering Speeches |
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194 | (1) |
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195 | (1) |
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Using a Quotation as a Lead for a Speech Story |
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196 | (1) |
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Structuring the Speech Story |
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196 | (2) |
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198 | (2) |
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What If the Source Misstates? |
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199 | (1) |
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Writing Interview Stories |
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199 | (1) |
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Question-and-Answer Stories |
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200 | (1) |
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201 | (1) |
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Stories from Official Documents |
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202 | (1) |
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202 | (1) |
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203 | (1) |
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Accurate and Fair Quotations |
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203 | (1) |
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Denials by Interview Subjects |
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204 | (1) |
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204 | (1) |
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205 | (1) |
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205 | (4) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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209 | (2) |
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10 Features: Alternative Story Types |
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211 | (18) |
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211 | (1) |
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Characteristics of Features |
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211 | (2) |
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213 | (1) |
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213 | (2) |
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215 | (8) |
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215 | (1) |
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Narratives as Part of Inverted Pyramid Stories |
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216 | (1) |
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216 | (1) |
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217 | (1) |
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218 | (1) |
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219 | (1) |
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220 | (1) |
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Backgrounders, Reaction, and Analysis Stories |
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220 | (1) |
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221 | (1) |
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222 | (1) |
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222 | (1) |
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Consider the Possibilities |
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223 | (1) |
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224 | (1) |
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224 | (2) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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226 | (3) |
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11 Preparing Broadcast Copy |
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229 | (20) |
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229 | (1) |
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229 | (1) |
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230 | (3) |
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Composing "Good-Sounding" Copy |
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231 | (1) |
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232 | (1) |
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232 | (1) |
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233 | (1) |
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Clarity in Broadcast Copy |
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233 | (8) |
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233 | (2) |
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235 | (1) |
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235 | (1) |
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236 | (1) |
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236 | (1) |
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Contractions and Abbreviations |
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237 | (1) |
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237 | (1) |
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238 | (1) |
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238 | (1) |
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239 | (1) |
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239 | (1) |
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240 | (1) |
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Making Newscasts Interesting |
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241 | (1) |
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News Judgment in Broadcast News |
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241 | (2) |
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242 | (1) |
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243 | (1) |
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Print or Broadcast: Which is "Better"? |
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243 | (1) |
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244 | (1) |
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244 | (2) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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246 | (1) |
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246 | (3) |
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12 Reporting for Radio and Television |
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249 | (32) |
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249 | (1) |
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TV Newsroom Organization and Responsibilities |
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249 | (3) |
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Putting the Pieces Together: The Producer |
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250 | (1) |
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251 | (1) |
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252 | (3) |
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252 | (1) |
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253 | (1) |
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253 | (1) |
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254 | (1) |
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254 | (1) |
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255 | (3) |
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256 | (1) |
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256 | (2) |
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258 | (1) |
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258 | (1) |
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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words |
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258 | (4) |
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259 | (2) |
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261 | (1) |
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When Dramatic News Develops |
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262 | (2) |
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Reporting Hard News and Features |
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264 | (3) |
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267 | (1) |
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267 | (1) |
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Don't Ask Someone to Do Something That Otherwise Wouldn't Have Happened |
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267 | (1) |
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Don't Put Anything on the Air That Can't Stand Scrutiny |
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267 | (1) |
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267 | (1) |
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268 | (2) |
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270 | (1) |
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Public Affairs Programming |
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270 | (1) |
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Editorials and Commentary |
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271 | (1) |
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Some Final Thoughts about TV News |
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272 | (3) |
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Why "If It Bleeds, It Leads" Isn't Good Journalism |
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272 | (3) |
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275 | (1) |
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275 | (2) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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277 | (4) |
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13 Writing and Reporting in the New New Media |
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281 | (16) |
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Welcome to the Social Media Information Age |
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281 | (1) |
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281 | (1) |
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Writing for Online Newspapers |
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282 | (3) |
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283 | (1) |
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284 | (1) |
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A Survey of the New New Media |
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285 | (4) |
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286 | (1) |
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286 | (1) |
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287 | (1) |
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288 | (1) |
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288 | (1) |
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Writing for the Social Media |
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289 | (1) |
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Other Forms of New New Media |
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289 | (1) |
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"The Hurriered I Go, the Behinder I Get" |
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290 | (1) |
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The End of Agenda Setting? |
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291 | (1) |
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No Signposts on the Information Highway |
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292 | (1) |
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293 | (1) |
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293 | (1) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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294 | (1) |
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295 | (2) |
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297 | (22) |
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297 | (2) |
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297 | (1) |
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Finding Newsworthy Information |
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298 | (1) |
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299 | (2) |
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Basic Elements of a News Release |
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299 | (2) |
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301 | (1) |
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Building a Better News Release |
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301 | (2) |
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301 | (1) |
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302 | (1) |
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News Release Writing Style |
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303 | (1) |
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303 | (1) |
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303 | (1) |
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Attribute Matters of Opinion |
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303 | (1) |
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Write For, But Not To, the Audience |
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303 | (1) |
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303 | (1) |
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Use Passive Voice When Appropriate |
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304 | (1) |
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304 | (1) |
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Other Formats for News Coverage |
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304 | (4) |
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305 | (1) |
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306 | (1) |
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306 | (1) |
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306 | (1) |
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307 | (1) |
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307 | (1) |
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News Conference Statement |
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|
308 | (1) |
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308 | (2) |
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|
308 | (1) |
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|
308 | (2) |
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Building an Online Newsroom |
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310 | (1) |
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Winning the Competition for Coverage |
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311 | (1) |
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312 | (1) |
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312 | (5) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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317 | (2) |
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15 Writing for Organizational Media |
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319 | (16) |
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319 | (2) |
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Public Relations and Marketing |
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320 | (1) |
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Publics, Markets, and Audiences |
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321 | (1) |
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321 | (3) |
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324 | (3) |
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325 | (1) |
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325 | (2) |
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327 | (1) |
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327 | (1) |
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328 | (1) |
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328 | (1) |
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329 | (1) |
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330 | (1) |
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|
331 | (1) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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|
332 | (3) |
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16 Advocacy and Speechwriting |
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335 | (12) |
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335 | (2) |
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Crafting Logical Arguments |
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336 | (1) |
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337 | (2) |
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Writing a Position Statement |
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338 | (1) |
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339 | (3) |
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|
340 | (1) |
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Know What Needs to Be Said |
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|
340 | (1) |
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|
340 | (1) |
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|
341 | (1) |
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|
341 | (1) |
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|
341 | (1) |
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|
342 | (1) |
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|
342 | (1) |
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|
342 | (1) |
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|
342 | (2) |
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|
342 | (1) |
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|
342 | (1) |
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|
343 | (1) |
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Use a Variety of Structural Elements |
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|
343 | (1) |
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|
343 | (1) |
|
Allude to Relevant Events |
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|
343 | (1) |
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Avoid Cliches and Stereotypes |
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|
343 | (1) |
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|
343 | (1) |
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|
344 | (1) |
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|
344 | (1) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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|
345 | (2) |
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17 Advertising Copywriting |
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347 | (16) |
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347 | (2) |
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|
348 | (1) |
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Public Relations Advertising |
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|
348 | (1) |
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|
349 | (1) |
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350 | (2) |
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|
350 | (1) |
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|
351 | (1) |
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Advertising for Social Media |
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|
352 | (3) |
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Writing Social Media Advertising |
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|
354 | (1) |
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|
355 | (3) |
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|
358 | (1) |
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|
359 | (1) |
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|
359 | (1) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
|
|
360 | (3) |
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Afterword: Communication, the Future, and You |
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|
363 | (5) |
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"May You Live in Interesting Times" |
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|
363 | (1) |
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|
364 | (2) |
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Opportunities from New Technology |
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|
366 | (1) |
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Suggestions for Further Reading |
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|
366 | (1) |
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|
367 | (1) |
Credits |
|
368 | (1) |
Index |
|
369 | |