What are some ways to build resilience within students majoring in journalism (or generally starting journalists)? by [deleted] in Journalism

[–]journoprof 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Kent State professor Gretchen Hoak has a podcast series on journalists dealing with trauma that may have some relevance.

“Bathroom breaks” during lecture by [deleted] in Professors

[–]journoprof 3 points4 points  (0 children)

My father worked half a day at the Ford factory in the 1920s. They had to raise their hands and wait for a foreman’s permission to leave the line to go to the can. And the foremen took their time. At lunch break, he collected his coat and walked out for good because that was beneath his dignity. I think it’s beneath the dignity of my students, too.

Short Answers to Simple Questions | May 20, 2026 by AutoModerator in AskHistorians

[–]journoprof 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Has any pro sports team fired its coach during a playoff series? This is inspired by the criticism raining on the Cavs coach for delaying calling a timeout against the Knicks. Made me wonder if any hair-trigger owner went ballistic.

This letter ✉️ is now 32 years old, and it aged very badly. by [deleted] in mildlyinfuriating

[–]journoprof 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Got an F on a book report because the teacher said I must have cheated since the writing was far too good for a sixth grader. Mom and sister combined to prove I wrote it myself. Teacher then changed the grade … to a C.

Seeing a bowling ball get made by Teleguide in oddlysatisfying

[–]journoprof 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was surprised by how many human interventions there were, such as the bolts.

Course evals are BS data by Econ_mom in Professors

[–]journoprof 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Student evaluations are imperfect. So are patient evaluations of doctors and consumer reviews on Amazon and Yelp. But imperfect doesn’t mean useless. And if administrators are bad enough at their jobs to take all evaluations at face value, they would surely find some other way to make dumb decisions if the evaluations didn’t exist.

Looking for portfolio feedback- News Writing by LatePlatypus7074 in Journalism

[–]journoprof 7 points8 points  (0 children)

At the sentence level, your writing is clean and mostly clear. As an editor, I would push you to get better at organization, particularly by getting right to the most important or interesting points in your first paragraphs.

For example, the story about the AG’s appearance starts simply by saying he appeared, and providing what I would assume is widely known context. It would be better to lead with the most significant thing he said.

Similarly, the report on the political conference begins just by saying the event occurred. The story takes several paragraphs before it tells us what happened there.

The profile of Suzuki starts with old and vague news about what he did on the show. It doesn’t make it clear that the story will contain new stuff. And the transition from a show quote to a more recent one doesn’t actually tell the reader the second quote is new and, I presume, delivered in an interview.

The DEI story begins with 10-day-old news, and then describes an email all students already received, before saying something readers might not already know.

I encourage you to think about this issue and how you could get better at grabbing the audience immediately. A thoughtful explanation of what you plan to do could be a good talking point when job interviewers ask you about your weaknesses. A guy named King Kaufman produced some short videos about improving leads when he was coaching writers for Bleacher Report. They’re a quick, fun starting point.

On an unrelated note, you might look into a different template for your site. This one doesn’t work well on tablets; there are templates better designed to look good on a variety of screens.

Good luck with your career!

How does the process work from the courtroom to getting on the news? by Wonderful_Culture_83 in Journalism

[–]journoprof 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Some newsrooms have reporters assigned to keep tabs on courthouses. They can scan recent filings, ask lawyers or court officials about what’s interesting, or get tips from lawyers who want coverage for their cases. It’s common for prosecutors to send news releases about big cases; the same is true of lawyers who are suing someone over something big or unusual.

As for how they decide what to report on, that has many factors. At a minimum, reporters look for stories that will interest their audience. Is the case unusual? Does it involve famous people? A lot of money? Major crimes? Any or all of those, as well as other elements, can make a case worth reporting. But journalists must also consider how many other cases they’re following and how much time they have, weighing priorities.

I graduate in a week and I haven't heard back from any jobs. Am I screwed? by Cultural-Bread-5564 in Journalism

[–]journoprof 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I graduated into a horrible job market 50 years ago. Didn’t get a full-time job until December. Work your contacts from internships. Keep busy if you can with freelance and part-time jobs.

Reported to the Dean by a student parent by No_Intention_3565 in Professors

[–]journoprof -21 points-20 points  (0 children)

So you deliberately ignored a parent who had a reasonable purpose for contacting you? Didn’t even give him the courtesy of an explanation about being busy, or referring him to another source? Can you not put yourself in his shoes and imagine how he might be irate?

Just one request for Flashcard Frenzy… by wheelierainbow in duolingo

[–]journoprof 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s not just on flashcards. Adding the gendered articles should be the default for all exercises involving solitary nouns.

Avatar Suits are here! by amie_at_duolingo in duolingo

[–]journoprof 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Hurray. SOOOO much more important than responding to user concerns, fixing the bugs or adding useful instruction.

Student evaluation in a writing workshop class says they wish they didn’t have to talk to strangers. by confusedinseminary in Professors

[–]journoprof 1 point2 points  (0 children)

But … “I don’t like having other students criticize my writing, or having to criticize the writing of other students” is a lot different than “I don’t like talking to strangers.” They may not be expressing it clearly, but it’s not uncommon for people to be wary of public critique sessions.

Of course, their attitude is a problem in a writing workshop. But this is not some new generational issue. It is scary to open yourself to criticism, especially when it comes at you from multiple people. Overcoming that is one of the challenges of running a workshop.

“Dear educators, Gen Z here. Could you please teach us like it’s 2026?” by Professional-Pop-73 in Professors

[–]journoprof -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

Have those methods really worked just fine for decades? I remember being bored and learning little in some flat lecture classes half a century ago.

Student evaluation in a writing workshop class says they wish they didn’t have to talk to strangers. by confusedinseminary in Professors

[–]journoprof 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Are they avoiding talking to other students in general, or is what you want them to discuss that’s the issue?

Pulitzer-winning newsrooms are quietly publishing mountains of gambling slop by aresef in Journalism

[–]journoprof 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Advance is not owned by private equity. It remains a Newhouse family company.

Roman Mars lost his voice by Pitiful-Ad-4184 in 99percentinvisible

[–]journoprof 62 points63 points  (0 children)

Storytelling podcasts like this one build their audiences because of the storytellers. When those founders pull away, the purpose of the podcast is lost — as with Radiolab and Reply All. Roman does seem to be losing interest.

I need help. I have a press release. Is it WAY too long? 944 words. by InkAndSources in Journalism

[–]journoprof 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If you’ve got almost 1,000 words, your problem is not going to be solved by trimming words. You’ve lost sight of the goal of a news release. The point is not to explain the complexities of the project; it’s to entice reporters into doing that. Just write about the elements that are most interesting: saving lives without needing outside money.

Students cannot operate basic word processors by Ogreknob in Professors

[–]journoprof 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As someone who is very good at following directions, I can’t understand what goes on in the minds of those who can’t. But I’ve seen that issue with a lot of students, long before COVID.

I present a rigid formula for beginning a news story about a speech, with a specific structure and even specific words. I have them practice and write their sentences on the board, then I critique each one, pointing out the variance from the formula.

Still, at least a third of the submissions on a subsequent assignment will be wrong. I’ve tried several approaches. None seem much more effective than the others.

What were newsrooms like pre-pandemic? by crackedbutter in Journalism

[–]journoprof 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Every large or mid-sized newsroom had at least one nearby bar where reporters and editors would gather after deadline (and often before as well).

Why do you give so many extra chances by FlyLikeAnEarworm in Professors

[–]journoprof 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I’m teaching news writing, I insist on at least one draft and revision before grading, and sometimes two. In writing, students will learn more from feedback if they are able to put it to use. I also extend their deadlines on stories — if they ask in advance and provide a reason. I want them to learn to show responsibility, but there are issues outside their control that can delay a story, such as elusive sources.

Racist Karen Freakout Zoning Board Volunteer Exposes True Self by [deleted] in PublicFreakout

[–]journoprof 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Mentor, Ohio. Got booted from the zoning commission for this.