Welcome to editing: It’s all about you

Welcome to 201, Principles of Editing.

Please copy this and then answer each question below in the comment section designated for your class. Make sure you (1) put your name at the top and (2) that you pay attention to spelling and grammar. After all, this is an editing class. Don’t push the button until you flawlessly edit what you’ve written. You may want to consider writing your answers in Word so you can spellcheck. Then, copy and paste your comments. Don’t forget: Blogs are public so anyone can read what you’ve written.

Finally, if there’s something relevant about yourself that you want to add, please do so.

Your Name. Year in school.
Where are you from?
Why did you come to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
What is your major?
Career Goals?
Why are you taking this course (besides the fact it is required)? What do you hope to get out of it?
Outside interests, hobbies, avocations, things you are passionate about?
Tell me one interesting or surprising thing about you – something that makes you unique?
Are you the first person in your family to attend a university?
On a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being top-notch, how would you rate your knowledge of grammar, punctuation and AP style
What books are you reading or have read in the past three months?
What magazines, newspapers and news Web sites do you read regularly?
What is your favorite Web site?
Do you blog?
Do you have any media/communication experience? If so, what?
Are you pursuing a media- related internship or job at this time?
Do you have an updated resume in your files?

Welcome to editing, morning class

If you are in the 9:30 a.m. class (News 201, Section 001), post your bio comments here.

Welcome to Editing, afternoon class

If you are in the 3 p.m. class (News 201, Section 003), post your bio comments here.

Anonymous sources: Are they necessary?

We talked a bit this week about using anonymous sources in stories. One question editors should ask when they edit a story with an anonymous source is “what is the source’s motive for giving me this information?” The Washington Post’s media critic, Howard Kurtz, addresses that issue in his column.   Andy Bechtel, an editing professor and former editor, blogs about the use of anonymous sources in a New York Times story about John Edwards and his mistress’s baby.  And finally the editor of the Detroit Free Press defends his decision to use anonymous sources in a story about the University of Michigan football team.

Read all three of these reports and then answer the following questions in the comments section for your class. When – if ever – do you think it’s appropriate to use anonymous sources? Why? What guidelines do you think an editor should have for using anonymous sources? Do you think the anonymous source use in the U-M football story, the John Edwards story, the Afghanistan and Paterson stories (mentioned in the Kurtz column was appropriate? Why or why not? Have you read a story with anonymous sources that made you question its credibility? Tell me about it. This assignment is due at the beginning of class next Thursday, Oct. 8.

Anonymous sources, 002, 3 p.m. class

Post your comments here if you are in the 3 p.m. c lass.

Anonymous Sources, 003, 9:30 a.m. class

Post your comments here.

Fairness, Section 003, 9:30 a.m. class

Post your fairness comments here.

Fairness, Section 002, 3:30 p.m. class

Post your comments here.

Section 003, 9:30 a.m. class, What’s it take?

Answer the blog questions due Sept. 8 here if you are in the morning class.

Section 002, 3 p.m. class, What’s it take?

Answer the blog questions due Sept. 8 here if you are in the 3 p.m. class.