How to write stories that make a difference

1. “More than
Marshmallow Fluff”
Advisers Institute

2. What have we missed?
It’s not necessarily a bad thing to print or
broadcast lighthearted, fluffy stories, BUT if that’s
all your students suggest when signing up for the
next publication’s topics, they may need some
suggestions on why and how to cover stories that
make a difference. Our goal is to show you how
you can help your students so they can and will
report on issues that can change your school and
your community for the better.

3. The goal:
Show how your students, through coverage, can
help make a change in your school community.
It can be as simple as looking at a national issue
and helping your students think through the
possibilities— and finding the best format for their
work.

4. Reasons …
• The role of journalism is more than just presenting facts
from the 5 W’s and H
• The role of journalism is more than just listen, copy and
regurgitate …
• The role of journalism is more than answering the why
questions
• The role is growing: authenticator, sense maker,
investigator, witness bearer, empowerer, smart
aggregator, forum organizer and role model.
• All are still rooted in objective journalism, done
thoroughly with a belief in social responsibility.

5. What we’ll do …
We will go through a few examples, showing the
thought process along the way, and then let you
work through another topic.

6. Lakota
Spark
looks at
local
Heroin
issues
● Exceptional
range of
sources
● Background
used to clarify
● Infographic
and link use
for supporting
information
● Timely topic
with a wide
range of
expert sources
● Still could use
more students,
attribution and
solutions
approach
● How to
enhance
content and
impact if used
online?

7. Sources used for Heroin story
• Students Alex and Chris Wallace (changed names)…about use of heroin
• CDC source for national abuse
• CDC source for state abuse
• Butler County addiction expert
• Ohio Department of Health Overdose Report
• BCMHARS Julie Payton
• BCMHARS exec director Scott Rasmus
• Lakota East poll of 408 students (although should be cited in story)
• Ohio Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services Eric Wamderseben
• West Chester Pain Center physician Dr. Frank Lee
• Ohio Governor’s Cabinet Opiate Action Team Dep. Director Andrea Boxill
• West Chester Police Special Investigations Unit Det. Jason Flick
• Beckett Spring Intensive Outpatient Therapist Will Beaver
• Dr. Clifford Cabansag
• Lakota school board member Ray Murray
• Social worker and counselor Faye Barron

8. More sources
• Recovering addict Mary Allen
• Several sources without first names (design flaw?),
• Dr. Jolomi Ikomi
• Ohio State University College of Social Work Assoc. Dean for Research
Dr. John Clapp
• Parent Sandy Tate
• Hopewell Junior Personal Health teacher Lori Jones
• Schools superintendent Karen Mantia

9. Background presented
• CDC info
• Tie to national opioid epidemic, state issues, county (perspective)
• New Hampshire study
• Contributing factors to the issues (visual)-sourced
• Heroin’s effects on the body(visual)-sourced
• Local information on dealers and crime regarding addiction and drugs
• Signs of addition – CDC report
• Difficulty of recovery and difficulties of addiction
• Link to paper website for more stories
• 2014 National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health
• Group helping babies addicted to opiates
• HB 367, signed into law, requires teaching of opiate abuse
• Lakota Curriculum
• Ohio efforts to assist those impacted by opiates

10. Unanswered question/issues
• How and why did Alex know his brother was on heroin?
• Check with medical source about effects of such an injury?
• Cite poll as source of East stats
• How to tell if poll is reliable?
• Statement of opinion/value judgment as fact by reporter; reporter
presenting factual information that is non commonly known
• No source called it an epidemic….the author did
• Not enough addicts/impacted sources early in the story
• Misuse of “according to” instead of using said
• Specific recommendations for those who face opiate issues
on how to deal with them
• Hard to read reversed text

11. Temporary staff arrested
• Worked to answer student, staff
questions on safety
• Obtained arrest record, previous
arrest records
• Multiple perspectives: principal,
school spokesperson, grade level
coordinator, students
• Writers updated web coverage
• Staffers wanted to answer reader
questions and robustly cover story.

12. ● Again a wide range
of sources -- EPA,
Sheppard T. Powell
Associates LLC
Labs, WHO, Jim
Roenick, water
treatment contractor
at Georgetown
University, Brian
Mullikin, head of
public schools
maintenance
● Gathered and
tested actual water
● Let experts explain
results
● School started
flushing system
● Follow-up testing
● Follow-up reporting
plus commendation
from a state senator

13. 8 questions to sharpen a story idea
(Poynter)
● Why are we doing this story, and why will the reader
care?
● Knowing that the premise will evolve during the reporting,
what do you think this story could be about?
● What are our expectations of the story? We’ll be flexible
about the story’s scope, depending on what we find out,
but let’s start talking about story length and the amount of
time for reporting.
● What are some of the key questions to address in the
story?

14. Questions continued
◦ What sources should we consider? Who are the
stakeholders? If applicable, whom might you tell the story
through?
◦ Does the story, at least as we understand it now,
represent a larger trend? What background do we need to
understand this trend?
◦ How do we address issues of ethics and diversity?
◦ Are there any previously published stories from
newspapers, books or magazines that I can share that will
inspire the reporter?
Last, we offer how to report it, which is also an important
point; use platforms, approaches, etc.

15. How do you take this back
for your staff?
• Empower them to cover stories
• Model how to go through getting the topic and
examining how to localize the content. (Take
them through a practice)
• Remember, there’s nothing wrong with
suggesting coverage. There IS something wrong
with mandating it.
• Use the coaching model.

16. Time to practice
Let’s look at how we might cover concussions.
What’s the first step?
Can you figure out using S-V-O what your story
might be. Why does it matter?

17. Time to practice in pairs
Consider one of these possible topics or come up
with your own:
◦ Be able to explain the topic/focus in 25 words
or fewer
◦ Why would you suggest this to your staff?
What difference could it make?
◦ Where would you suggest they go for
sources?
◦ What potential problems might they find? How
could you help them solve those?

18. 8 questions to sharpen a story idea
(Poynter)
● Why are we doing this story, and why will the reader
care?
● Knowing that the premise will evolve during the reporting,
what do you think this story could be about?
● What are our expectations of the story? We’ll be flexible
about the story’s scope, depending on what we find out,
but let’s start talking about story length and the amount of
time for reporting.
● What are some of the key questions to address in the
story?

19. Questions continued
◦ What sources should we consider? Who are the
stakeholders? If applicable, whom might you tell the story
through?
◦ Does the story, at least as we understand it now,
represent a larger trend? What background do we need to
understand this trend?
◦ How do we address issues of ethics and diversity?
◦ Are there any previously published stories from
newspapers, books or magazines that I can share that will
inspire the reporter?
Last, we offer how to report it, which is also an important
point; use platforms, approaches, etc.

20. Your assignment:
Take this back to your staff.
We’d love to see what you do with this. Please
send what your students produce!
keekley@gmail.com, cbowen@kent.edu and
jabowen@kent.edu.