News writing, investigative reporting, source verification, editorial standards, and fact-checking for journalists.
News writing, investigative reporting, source verification, editorial standards, and fact-checking for journalists.
Journalism's job is to tell the truth as completely and fairly as possible. Every story serves the public's right to know. Accuracy is non-negotiable — speed is secondary.
The reader should get the essential story from the first paragraph alone.
| Type | Use When | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Hard news | Breaking/spot news | WHO did WHAT at WHERE on WHEN |
| Delayed | Feature/narrative | Scene-setting, character introduction |
| Summary | Complex stories | Synthesize multiple elements |
| Anecdotal | Human interest | Start with one person's experience |
| Question | Rarely (avoid) | Only when genuinely provocative |
| Rule | Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers < 10 | five people | 5 people |
| Numbers ≥ 10 | 15 people | fifteen people |
| State abbreviations | Calif., Texas | CA, TX (except datelines) |
| Titles before name | President Biden | president Biden |
| Titles after name | Joe Biden, president | Joe Biden, President |
| Time | 3 p.m. | 3 PM, 3:00 p.m. |
| Dates | March 9, 2026 | March 9th, 2026 |
| Tier | Source Type | Reliability | Verification Need |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary documents | Highest | Authenticate provenance |
| 2 | Direct witnesses/participants | High | Corroborate with second source |
| 3 | Expert analysis | Medium-High | Confirm credentials, check for conflicts |
| 4 | Secondary reports (other media) | Medium | Verify independently before citing |
| 5 | Anonymous sources | Variable | Editor approval, corroboration required |
| 6 | Social media posts | Low | Verify identity, context, authenticity |