Converting broadcast stories to print

Print conventions generally follow Associated Press style and are often different from broadcast style. Use the following guidelines for stories submitted to the Campus Press.

Leads: Can be either more comprehensive than broadcast leads or can be catchy; combine with “nut graph” in the second or third paragraph. The “nut graph” tells why the story is important.

Tense: Past tense, not present.  (Use days of the week within the last or next seven; dates otherwise.)

Quotes & Attribution: Almost always at the end of a sentence instead of the beginning. For quotes more than one sentence, put attribution at the end of the first sentence.

-- Use quotes in the same way you would use sound bites in a broadcast story.  In general, statements that would make good sound bites would also make good quotes. 

-- Use “said” instead of “says”. Use “Jones said,” not “said Jones” in most cases.

-- Always include names as well as titles.  Titles can go either before or after the name.  (Capitalize the title if before the name; lower-case if after the name.)

-- Try for several quotes in the story, at least one fairly close to the top.  If doing a story with clearly delineated sides, balance with quotes from each side near the top.

-- On second reference, use the last name for adults and no courtesy titles (Mr., Miss, etc.). For children and teens, can use first name on second reference.

Figures: Use figures such as $ instead of words: e.g., $15,000 (but spell out “percent”)

Numbers: Spell out numbers below 10; use figures for 10 and above – e.g., 20; 20,000; 200,000.  (For really big numbers, you can use a combination of numbers and words – e.g. 20 billion.) 

Note: Ages and percentages are always numeric.

-- Include ages and addresses when they are important to the story. 

-- Don’t start a sentence with a numeral. It has to be spelled out if at the beginning. Preferably, avoid starting a sentence with a number at all. Write it out if you do.

Other conventions: Contractions are ok, but avoid slang (“kids,” etc.) unless quoting someone.

-- Web site (two words), e-mail (hyphenated), Internet (capitalized)