Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: How to Become an Author and Write Various Articles
• Part 2 of 3: How to do research, interview, and gather facts
• Part 3 of 3: How to Write an Article
• Tips

Working on an article for a school newspaper can be exciting and rewarding as your name will appear on the pages of the publication! If you are not yet a member of the editorial board, then first you need to go through an interview or ask the editor how you can submit examples of your articles. You need to decide which article you want to write, check the rules for submitting articles, research the topic, talk to sources and write the text in a suitable news format.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: How to Become an Author and Write Various Articles

1. 1 Get interviewed for the school newspaper. If you have not yet become a member of the school newspaper, then you will probably have to go through an interview or other test. More often than not, you will need to submit several examples of work to show your research and writing skills. Check with the editorial chief of your school newspaper for all the details.
   • Check out the deadlines for submission of trial articles, the editor's requirements for a new team member, and ask about events where you can learn more.
2. 2 Get an assignment from the editor. When you are accepted into the team, always clarify your specific tasks with the editor. If you have an idea for an article, briefly present it to the editor and try to get approval.
   • If you have been a member of the editorial board for a long time, you may have the right to independently choose topics for articles, but at first it is better to turn to senior comrades for an assignment.
3. 3 Write feature articleto investigate an issue or event in detail. Typically, the text of an essay is in the order of 1000 words and focuses on school rules, changes in leadership, the impact of national legislation on the lives of students and other significant issues. When working on a feature, focus on the facts and strive to collect significantly more supporting information than for other types of articles.
   • The essay is the largest article in the newspaper in terms of volume, which is often not limited to listing facts and seeks to determine cause-and-effect relationships, establish the root causes of the event and its impact on the future life of students.
   • An example is an article about a new scholarship that has been established in the region. Who offers the scholarship, how to become an applicant and how much effort did it take to bring the idea to life? Great stuff can be built around these questions.
4. 4 Write news articleto share information about events or a new course of action. Typically, a news article is a little shorter than an essay, so it has 750 to 1000 words. Write about what will be interesting or useful for students to learn, focus on the facts, try to present several points of view on the situation. There is no room for emotion or personal opinion in a news article.
   • News articles are usually more straightforward than a feature or opinion article. They provide up-to-date information impartially.
5. 5 Write editorialif you want to share a general opinion. Editorial articles are also called opinion articles. They are published without specifying the name of the author. Such texts are not written in the first person. They are about 500 words long and contain comments on pressing issues.
   • For example, write an editorial about school policies, activities, creative or sports sections, programs, or teaching methods.
6. 6 Write author's columnto share your opinion and enter your name. The column is written in the first person and contains the personal opinion of the author on various topics. For example, you might maintain an advice column or a mental health column. The volume of the text is 250-750 words.
   • If you want to write a column for the school newspaper on a regular basis, tell the editor your plan for a series of articles. For example, suggest a 4-week series about starting a new school or self-help program.
7. 7 Write an instructional article to teach readers a specific skill. How-to guides and tutorials are fact-based and action-based. They can cover a wide variety of topics. Choose topics that are interesting to students and teachers to find your readers.
   • For example, write an article titled “10 Tips for Stressful Situations,” “How to Develop Good Learning Habits,” or “How to Get In Shape Before Standards.”
8. 8 Write a review to share your objective opinion with your readers. Write reviews of books, films, lessons, music, and TV series. Briefly describe the object in question, and then evaluate the advantages and disadvantages so that the reader can understand whether it is worth wasting your time or money.
   • For example, in a review of a new film, you can write who will like the picture the most. Perhaps it will appeal to fans of action films, but it will disappoint connoisseurs of comedy.

Part 2 of 3: How to do research, interview, and gather facts

1. 1 Review the requirements in advance. Check the minimum and maximum word count, deadline for submission of a draft and finished article, and other nuances regarding style, form, and production. Some newspapers have a minimum number of sources for an article or need to provide fact-checking material before approving revisions for publication.
   • Ask your editor, print manager, or consultant for more information.
2. 2 Ask simple questions to gather basic information for the article. Pick a topic and start asking questions. Who, what, where, when, why, how - examples of simple questions to help you find information for a compelling article. Write down the answers to each question and move on to other areas of research.
   • Who? Who is involved in the story? These can be students, administrators, ordinary residents.
   • What? What exactly do you want to cover? Event, personality, idea? Specificity is important here.
   • Where? Where the event took place. Does the situation affect your school, district or entire country?
   • When? Write down important dates and time frames.
   • What for? Establish the cause of the event. What was the catalyst?
   • How? Tie all the information together to reconstruct the chain of events.
3. 3 Interview reliable sources or witnesses for quotes and references. Outline the general circle of people you need to talk to. Make an appointment. Prepare questions for your interview ahead of time and bring a notebook or tape recorder. Conduct the interview in a quiet place, such as a cafeteria or an empty classroom, so that it is easier for participants to concentrate on what they are doing.
   • When you first contact the person, identify yourself and provide the topic of the article, as well as an approximate estimate of the duration of the interview.
   • After the interview, take 10 minutes to take additional notes.Record information hot on the trail so you don't forget important details.
4. 4 Talk to other students and teachers for their views. If your material affects the lives of peers, then ask their point of view. Articles often use quotes from other people, so don't be afraid to conduct polls or ask different people for comments.
   • Ask if the person's name and words can be used in the article, then write down the comment verbatim. You can use anonymous sources, but quotes add credibility and allow you to understand who owns such a point of view.
5. 5 Check the facts from the information collected. Check the words of even the most reliable sources. Of course, the opinion is not subject to such a check, but if a person names names, dates and various details that can be clarified from another source, then be sure to conduct a similar check.
   • Fact checking will make you a more credible author and show that you spare no effort and time to cover the issue as truthfully as possible.
6. 6 Keep a record of your sources and investigations. Create a consistent system for writing articles using a notepad, binder, or computer for notes. Always indicate who said specific words, where you found the fact and when the events took place, even your interviews. In the future, this will help you substantiate your claims or verify the information from the article.
   • Some reporters dictate notes or keep a regular journal of their research and interviews. Choose the best method that suits your lifestyle and work.

Part 3 of 3: How to Write an Article

1. 1 Use the inverted pyramid method to captivate readers. Include the most important details at the beginning of the article and give them the most space. Each subsequent paragraph may include general information and additional notes, but the answers to the questions "who, what, where, when, why and how" should be at the beginning of the article.
   • Often the reader decides to continue acquaintance with the material or stop reading already at the first sentences of the article.
2. 2 Come up with a catchy headline to grab the attention of your readers. So, the headline should be catchy and convey the essence of the article in a few words. Use clear, concise, active headlines. The tone of the headline should match the tone of the article.
   • Sometimes a great headline comes to mind before writing an article, but more often than not, the author cannot say for sure what the article will be until he is finished. It is better to write a title after the end of the article so that it is as close as possible to the topic considered.
3. 3 Answer all the important questions in the first two paragraphs. Each paragraph should include no more than 3-4 sentences. Provide information and share details. Attach quotes and general information for the following paragraphs.
   • If a person is interested in a topic, then he will continue to read further, but if he wants to know only general information, he will be able to find answers in the first paragraphs without having to read the entire article.
4. 4 Use clear, descriptive language and a supportive tone. Avoid florid phrases or redundant sentences. Write clearly and concisely, and also explain why the topic is so important. Use a valid voice and informative tone.
   • For example, instead of the sentence: “The new director came from rainy St. Petersburg, where he worked tirelessly in various schools for 15 years,” it is better to write: “The new director has 15 years of experience in the field of education and previously lived in St. Petersburg ".
5. 5 Use quotes that support the theses from the article. Whenever possible, express opinions or directions using quotations (if this is not the author's column). For example, in an article about the flu epidemic at school, write the words of the school nurse about preventive measures to help keep students from getting sick. Quotes should increase the credibility of the article and support the facts given.
   • During interviews, always ask permission to use quotes in the article.
6. 6 Correct mistakes and edit the article before submitting the material to the editor. Make sure that all links to sources are formatted correctly, and the text does not contain grammatical or spelling errors. Read the article out loud and notice awkward phrases and ill-considered paragraphs. You can also show the article to a friend or peer. They will tell you what you forgot to report or mention in the article.
   • The ability to find your own mistakes is an important skill for a successful member of the school newspaper team. The more you work on it, the better your articles will be.

Tips

• Be careful and careful to avoid plagiarizing other resources. Information from other works can be used, but do not forget to rephrase the text to get a unique article, and also link to sources.
• If you can't come up with an idea for an article, then contact the editor and get an assignment.