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LESSON 4: EVALUATING SOURCES AND NEWS WRITING VS. RESEARCH WRITING
iNTRODUCTION
iNTRODUCTION
Welcome to the fourth lesson for the Content Writing and Production module!
Now that you have familiarized yourself with the basics of news and feature writing as well as clear and effective writing, let us further enhance your content writing and production skills. In this module, we will discuss scholarly writing, and its difference from news writing/journalistic writing. This part of the module will also include laymanizing research stories as well as supplementary materials on laymanizing complex words that will help you in creating a good lay summary. Additionally, we will also start the discussion on evaluating sources when producing content.
Similar to the other three modules, this module is also equipped with an assessment quiz to evaluate your understanding of Lesson 4.
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the participants should be able to:
Identify at least three (3) guidelines for selecting sources from the UNA Center for Writing Excellence
Identify at least two (2) differences between scholarly writing and news writing;
Explain the concept of lay summarizing; and
Transform one (1) research or technical writing into a more popular form.
Study Hour/s: 1.5 hours
Lesson Assessment: Quiz via Google forms
NEWS WRITING
NEWS WRITING
News writing is a prose style used for reporting in newspapers, radio, and television. When writing journalistically, one has to take into account not only one’s audience, but also the tone in which the piece is delivered, as well as the ABCs of news writing: Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity (Northern Michigan University, n.d.).
SCHOLARLY WRITING
SCHOLARLY WRITING
Scholarly writing, also known as research writing or academic writing, is a genre of writing used in academic fields. It is a different category from journalistic writing as it assumes that the audience is knowledgeable in the academic field. Hence, scholarly writing uses a specialized vocabulary that requires the reader to have a prior understanding of the topic. (Walden University, n.d.)
Scholarly writing is characterized by complex ideas and concepts of academic disciplines or expertise delivered through a formal tone and third-person perspective. (USC Libraries, 2022)
DIFFERENCE OF NEWS WRITING AND SCHOLARLY WRITING
DIFFERENCE OF NEWS WRITING AND SCHOLARLY WRITING
Click here to see the difference between news writing and research writing.
HOW TO WRITE A LAY SUMMARY FOR YOUR RESEARCH STORY?
HOW TO WRITE A LAY SUMMARY FOR YOUR RESEARCH STORY?
A lay summary can help you explain the story of your study. And it's through stories that we all feel the most connected. In layman's terms, your research team is the hero, and your passion is the answer to why. They make it simple for those who aren't in the scientific field to grasp why your work is important. They must comprehend and engage with your study in order for it to have an impact, whether they are science journalists, practitioners or professionals, policymakers, or the general public.
Lay summaries will also increase your work's exposure and transparency. You acknowledge biases and contextualize the driving reasons behind what you're doing by describing the story of the work and why it was essential to you.
Research is not easily understood by many. Click here to know more on how we can laymanize research writing.
Think about your audience
Keep in mind that the audience of your research story are not specialists hence, it is important that the article can be clearly understood by non-experts.
Avoid jargon and technical terms
Avoid complicated or uncommon words
Use active voice rather than passive voice
Keep your sentences concise and avoid complex sentence structures
Avoid really long paragraphs and break up your text into sections
Content
Get only the key messages across such as the brief explanation of the research, the relevance of the research to the audience, and its importance or purpose.
Exercise
When laymanizing research, it's best to use more familiar words for your audience. Brush up on your vocabulary and check out some alternative words you can use when writing a research story to make it plain and simple.
When producing content, we should also know how to evaluate our sources.
EVALUATING SOURCES
EVALUATING SOURCES
Before publishing information, it is important to ensure that it is accurate. It also lessens the need for correction and editing later when the initial publication has already been distributed and spread.
Here are some areas of considerations in selecting the best sources. (Adapted from UNA Center for Writing Excellence.)
Depth
What is the depth of the coverage of information?
Objectivity
Is the information in any way biased?
Does the information come from a source that will profit from a particular point of view?
Currency
How up-to-date is the information?
When was it written?
Authority
Who is the author?
Does the author have a degree in the field?
Is the author affiliated with an unbiased reputable organization?
Purpose
What is the purpose of the source?
Is it to entertain, to change public opinion, to present research, or to teach?
Who is the intended audience?
Great job on finishing the Lesson 4 of Content Writing and Production!
Great job on finishing the Lesson 4 of Content Writing and Production!
Now, let's put your knowledge to the test. For this lesson's Assessment Activity, you will be answering a short quiz. Click the button below to start your quiz. Good luck!
Do you have any questions or comments? Share them below!
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