Standards and Practices

Rationale

The GTCC Student Handbook states: “Students have the right to sponsor and produce publications free from undue censorship provided proper journalism techniques and general college publication guidelines are followed.”

The following list of standards and practices ensures that “proper journalism techniques” are followed.

Titan Shout Contributors

Titan Shout is open to contributions from current GTCC students. Any student may offer content suggestions; however, only content that has been approved during the club’s planning meetings will be assigned and included for publication. Any current GTCC student may take part in the club’s organizational planning meetings.

A Titan Shout contributor is hereby defined as any GTCC student who provides content for publication in Titan Shout including but not limited to articles, illustrations, photographs, recipes, and games.

Expectations

All Titan Shout contributors SHALL:

1. Abide by all GTCC policies. Contributors are asked to familiarize themselves with the Student Handbook and the college’s Freedom of Expression policy in particular.

2. Identify themselves as representing Titan Shout to any interview or photography subjects.

3. Obtain the verbal consent of any interview or photography subjects prior to recording or photographing.

4. Take notes when interviews, meetings, or events are not recorded.

5. Present information accurately whether it is summarized/paraphrased or directly quoted.

6. Verify name spellings, job titles, and other pertinent information.

7. Attribute information derived from secondary sources

a. A Titan Shout article that references information discovered in a News and Record story would, for example, include The News and Record reports…

8. When writing news articles, avoid editorialization or undue speculation/conjecture

9. Contribute original (that is, not created by another party) cartoons, memes, and games only.

10. Meet Titan Shout Standards

Standards and Practices: Interviews

Titan Shout contributors shall:

· Identify themselves as representing Titan Shout prior to conducting any interviews.

· Identify the subject/subject of their article prior to conducting any interviews.

· Confirm the spellings of names.

· Verify job titles (for faculty/staff) and degree programs (for students).

· Prepare questions in advance when possible.

· Write down and/or record responses given.

· Obtain verbal consent if the interview is to be recorded.

Titan Shout contributors shall NOT:

· Mislead interviewees about the subject/purpose of the article for the purpose of getting them to agree to the interview.

· Consent to take remarks “off the record” AFTER the remarks were made.

· Consent to allowing interviewees to view articles prior to publication.

· Promise interviewees that particular words/phrases will (or will not) appear in the article.

Standards and Practices: Meetings and Events

Titan Shout contributors may attend any college event or meeting that is open to students or to the general public.

When covering meetings and events, Titan Shout contributors shall:

· Silence their cell phones

· Obtain agendas, programs, or other materials when such are made available.

· Observe and take notes.

· Confirm the spellings of names.

· Approach involved parties for follow-up questions after the meeting/event as needed (if possible)

· Abide by reasonable requests for privacy (should a government body go into a closed session to discuss personnel matters, contributors should leave the room).

Titan Shout contributors shall NOT:

· Disrupt the event or call attention to themselves during the event.

· Abide by unreasonable requests for privacy (someone speaking at a public forum cannot ask to have remarks excluded from an article about the event inasmuch as those remarks were made to the public).

Standards and Practices: Articles

Titan Shout articles shall meet the following standards:

Format

Articles should be typed in 12-pt font, double-spaced, and include appropriate paragraph breaks.

Style

Articles shall follow the conventions of Standard Written English unless there is a valid stylistic reason not to do so.

Audience

The Titan Shout’s audience includes GTCC students as well as faculty, staff, and other members of the GTCC and surrounding local communities.

Contributors should consider what this audience already knows as well as what this audience might not know (and need to know) about a given issue or topic.

News Articles

News articles are written to inform and should emphasize factual information. Contributors should use journalistic questions (Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?) to determine which information to gather and present. Reactions and perspectives from affected parties should also be included when relevant and possible.

News articles should avoid the use of first-person (I/me/my) aside from direct quotations from sources. When writing news articles, contributors should not make themselves part of the story.

News articles may use inverted pyramid structure (most important/pressing information first) or feature leads (anecdotal openings grounded in one person’s experience).

News articles shall be accompanied by photos or infographics when possible.

Advice Articles

Advice and encouragement articles are written to advise or suggest. Advice should be practically applicable to the target audience as well as trustworthy. If suggestions offered are the contributor’s own, they should be backed by individuals or organizations with relevant expertise. For example, while contributors may draw from their own experience in discussing mental health issues, unless the contributor is a mental health professional, that contributor is not qualified to offer mental health advice. Thus, any suggestions offered should be in accordance with guidance provided or suggested by mental health professionals.

Profiles

Profiles are articles written to help audiences learn more about notable individuals. A profile should include biographical facts (such as the subject’s name, age, place of birth, educational and professional background) and also capture what is notable or unique about the subject. Others’ perspectives of the subject may be included as well. Profiles shall be written in article rather than Q and A format and shall include multiple quotations. Profiles shall be accompanied by a photo of the profile subject.

Reviews

(pending)

Opinions/Editorials

(pending)