Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Chapter 7: Basic Reporting: News That Finds You
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. The core of journalistic writing comes from ______.
A. editors’ suggestions
B. assumptions
C. reporting
D. older stories
2. You are writing a follow-up story about a case in which criminal charges against a public official were
recently dismissed. Before mentioning a document cited in a previous news story about the case, you
should ______.
A. interview the story author
B. review the source document and related materials
C. search the web for opinions on the official
D. see if the document was mentioned in any other reporting
3. While researching a story on a local sports event, you discovered an interesting fact about the
historical rivalry between the two teams on an unofficial fan blog. Before including the fact in your story,
you should make sure the fact is ______.
A. repeated by at least two other non-official sites
B. confirmed by common sense
C. confirmed by human sources
D. verified by crowd-sourced encyclopedias
4. Prior to reporting on an event, you should conduct research in order to ______.
A. decide if the event deserves positive or negative coverage
B. produce a framework for the story prior to the event
C. determine who is important to the story
D. help the editor decide if the event is worth attending
5. Before attending a newsworthy event, you should prepare by ______.
A. avoiding any information about the event
B. contacting sources to schedule an interview
C. writing a rough draft of your story
D. finding out if other reporters will be attending
6. The core value of all journalism is ______.
A. accuracy
B. profitability
C. sensationalism
D. conflict
7. Which of the following is most likely to undercut your credibility as a reporter?
A. stories without major scoops
B. overpreparation
C. asking too many questions
D. misspellings
8. The best way to avoid spelling errors in a completed story draft is to ______.
A. type slowly
B. use a spell-checker
C. read through the piece word-for-word
D. double-check words over three syllables
9. Instead of relying on spell check, you should carefully check each instance of ______ against source
material.
A. proper nouns
B. adjectives
C. action verbs
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
D. adverbs
10. Which of the following guidelines are important to keep in mind while writing a story?
A. You need to check details only the first time they appear.
B. Every element is wrong until it can be proven right.
C. Difficult or obscure facts are not worth confirming.
D. Readers care more about excitement than accuracy.
11. The easiest type of event for a beginning journalist to cover is a ______.
A. speech
B. meeting
C. sporting event
D. news conference
12. What is the most important element of the lead of a story about a speech?
A. a little-known fact about the speaker
B. details about the audience’s reaction to the speaker
C. the core message of the speech
D. the writer’s opinions about the speaker
13. Besides the speaker, who would be the most important people to interview after a speech?
A. event sponsors
B. audience members
C. opponents of the speaker
D. other journalists
14. Prior to reporting from a meeting, you should obtain ______.
A. permission to write about the meeting
B. minutes from previous meetings
C. statements from high-profile attendees
D. a copy of the agenda
15. After a meeting in which attendees cast votes on agenda items, you should ______.
A. record your own reaction to the vote
B. speculate as to the rationale behind the vote
C. ask each person why they voted the way they did
D. return to the newsroom as quickly as possible
16. When might an editor refuse to allow a quote from a public event?
A. when it is too controversial
B. when it contains complex or technical language
C. when it is not attributed to a named source
D. when it contradicts the existing narrative about a group or event
17. As you take notes at a meeting, which of the following is the best way to attribute quotes and
information to sources when you do not know who they are?
A. use placeholders in your story such as “one meeting participant”
B. label the participants with defining characteristics and ask for identifying information later
C. politely interrupt the meeting to ask for names after important announcements or speeches
D. ask other reporters around you if they know who is speaking
18. An organization that wants to deliver a single message about a topic of interest to reporters will
typically arrange a ______.
A. news conference
B. policy speech
C. public meeting
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
D. meet-and-greet
19. How do reporters benefit from news conferences?
A. They are able to secure one-on-one interviews with important figures.
B. They have access to unscripted and unpredictable statements by representatives of major
organizations.
C. They can gather the information they need and ask relevant questions all at once.
D. Readers are most interested in news conference reporting.
20. What is the biggest challenge of reporting from a news conference?
A. gathering quotes from important figures
B. producing a unique story
C. finding newsworthy material
D. deciding where to meet your sources
21. The goal of a news conference is to ______.
A. express differing opinions about a topic
B. have an open forum for participants to discuss any issue they want
C. tell one side of a story
D. give reporters one-on-one time with people of interest
22. What is the biggest challenge associated with sports reporting?
A. finding an interesting angle to the event
B. overcoming lack of reader interest
C. conveying the essence of different sports with different rules
D. finding knowledgeable or involved sources to quote
23. Which of the following types of information is most important to share in the initial paragraph of a
sports story?
A. the atmosphere
B. injuries
C. the score
D. rivalries
24. Which of the following details from a sporting event will best communicate the atmosphere to
readers?
A. the records of teams involved
B. the final score
C. injuries to players
D. the feel of the crowd
25. Which of the following details will best convey the historical importance of a sporting event?
A. team rivalries
B. final score
C. feel of the crowd
D. strategy analysis
26. The primary purpose of reporting statistics at a sporting event is to ______.
A. describe the atmosphere
B. convey the historical importance of the game
C. notify readers of any injuries to players
D. explain how one team got the better of the other
27. When an editor assigns you to report on an event, you should first ______.
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
A. check if any other reporters will be at the same event
B. sketch ideas for how you will cover the event
C. meet with the editor to determine the reason for your assignment
D. contact the event organizers to determine what you should focus on
28. The most basic question that readers want answered in a news story is, “______?”
A. What are the global implications
B. How does this matter to me
C. Why did this happen
D. Who is most affected by this
29. Which of the following stories is most likely to capture the interest of a reader?
A. a collapse in a foreign stock market
B. gas shortage driving up local gas prices
C. a major corporation declaring bankruptcy
D. new restrictions on hormones in food products
30. What is the first thing to do when you arrive on the scene of a major accident or disaster?
A. Walk to the center of the action.
B. Let your feelings be your guide.
C. Try to assist the first responders.
D. Collect your thoughts and stay calm.
31. How should you respond when rescue professionals tell you not to enter the scene of an accident,
crime, or disaster?
A. Show your press credentials and enter anyway.
B. Follow their directions.
C. Do whatever other reporters are doing.
D. Offer to help so you can be closer to the action.
32. How should you decide what to do when rescue professionals are not available to provide directions
at the scene of an accident or disaster?
A. Call your editor.
B. Use common sense.
C. Go to the heart of the action.
D. Follow other reporters.
33. What should you do when someone sustains a life-threatening injury at a breaking news story?
A. Find someone who can keep you updated on the victim’s condition.
B. Try to secure a quote from the victim if he or she is conscious.
C. Offer to assist the first responders.
D. Include your best guess about the severity of the injury in your story.
34. What is the best way to determine the cost of damages at the scene of an accident or disaster?
A. Base your estimate on similar news stories from the past.
B. Ask victims to estimate the extent of the damage.
C. Consult with fire marshals or insurance investigators on scene.
D. Use your best judgment.
35. Which of the following sources is the most reliable in determining what happened at the scene of a
crime or disaster?
A. bystanders
B. on-scene officials
C. social media accounts
D. other reporters
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Multiple Response
1. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following story types are considered “stories that find you”?
A. local government corruption
B. exciting sports events
C. unsafe school buildings
D. regional flooding
2. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. You are gathering background information on a story suggested by your
editor. Which of the following sources should you use?
A. original documents
B. previous news articles
C. crowd-sourced encyclopedias
D. official websites
3. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. You are reporting on the city council’s pledge to address a shortage of
affordable housing. Which of the following are source documents that you should consult during your
research?
A. meeting agendas
B. social media reports
C. formal emails
D. meeting minutes
4. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following are goals a reporter should have when covering an
event?
A. increase attendance at future events
B. connect readers to the event
C. cultivate friendly relationships with important figures
D. filter out unimportant or minor elements
5. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following are benefits of covering speeches?
A. plenty of advance notice
B. objective presentation of information
C. audiences available to provide responses
D. event sponsors to provide additional details
6. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Why is it important to spend individual time with a speaker before or after
a speech?
A. to understand why the speech occurred
B. to challenge the speaker on his or her beliefs
C. to get his or her opinion on topics not related to the speech
D. to understand why the speaker is important
7. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following meeting activities require journalistic attention?
A. minutes recap
B. policy enactment
C. announcements of layoffs or firings
D. spending announcements
8. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following would constitute a statistical anomaly?
A. a low-scoring game
B. a record-breaking performance
C. a game with several lead changes
D. a novel outcome
9. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. When an event you are covering changes unexpectedly, which of the
following questions will help you determine what to do next?
A. What is going on?
B. How can I maintain my original story?
C. Why does it matter?
D. How does this affect my readership?
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
10. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY: On the spectrum of work required, which of the following types of stories
fall between simple reporting and massive investigative projects?
A. speeches
B. localizations
C. news conferences
D. disaster coverage
11. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following story types are most likely to require you to filter
out irrelevant information to focus on what is most important to readers?
A. news conferences
B. crimes
C. disasters
D. meetings
1. When reporting on a speech, meeting, or news conference, you should enter the event with as little
information as possible to keep an open mind.
2. You just finished reading a story about a recent speech by a local political candidate, and you notice
that the politician’s name is misspelled. The most likely reason for this is that the writer is biased against
the speaker and intentionally misspelled the name.
3. You have written a story and your spell-checking software found no errors in it. The story is now ready
for publication.
4. To avoid misspelling the name of a speaker, it is most important to ensure that the name is spelled the
same way throughout your story.
5. Every instance of proper nouns should be checked against source documents.
6. When your story includes complex budget figures and you are not sure the math adds up, you should
ask an expert for help.
7. Meeting stories should leave out minor details in favor of the important facts so that readers
understand why the meeting should matter to them.
8. If a committee votes overwhelmingly to approve a measure, the most interesting source would be
someone who voted yes.
9. Anything worth reporting on is worth publishing.
10. A game story that describes two teams contending to avoid the worst record in the league can be
interesting to readers.
11. Fans of baseball are likely to place the same amount of value on statistics as are fans of ice skating.
12. Readers will not be interested in a sports story that discusses a minor injury to a player.
13. The important details of an event story can change at any time.
14. Well-written event stories must focus on agenda items or crucial plays during a game.
15. No matter where a story comes from, it will have a local impact.
16. The identities of those affected by crimes or disasters should be included even when the victims are
not famous.
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Learning Objective: 7-4: Understand how to report for non-event-based stories, such as localizations,
crime and natural disasters.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Identities of People Involved in the Incident
Difficulty Level: Medium
Short Answer
1. Explain front-end reporting and its benefits.
2. Give examples of common reporting errors and explain their effect on your readership.
3. Illustrate the challenges associated with reporting from a news conference.
4. Explain, with the help of an example, the role of localization and its effect on readers.
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Essay
1. Identify the types of events that rookie reporters typically cover and the reporting objectives for each.
2. You have been assigned to cover a breaking news story involving a fire at a local factory. What types
of information will you try to include in your story?