Journalism Test 2015

1. What are "bumping heads"?

Answers:

• Letters to the editor that contradict one another.

• Enlarged type used to distinguish lead paragraphs.

• Two similarly-sized headlines arranged too closely to one another.

• A newspaper flag that's too close to the top.

2. True or False? Hearst and Pulitzer had a publication war.

Answers:

• True

• False

3. What is a cutline?

Answers:

• The caption that comes with a magazine/newspaper photograph

• The heading or an article

• The last sentence of an article

• The table of contents

4. What does a proofreader mean by "stet"?

Answers:

• Great word choice.

• This sentence is redundant.

• This word is spelled incorrectly.

• Disregard earlier correction.

5. What does "rag right" mean?

Answers:

• The text is justified on the left.

• The right margin of a block of type is straight.

• The text is justified on the right.

• The right margin of a block of type is uneven.

6. True or False? The Penny press was all about opinions.

Answers:

• False

• True

7. What is "the gutter"?

Answers:

• The space off the page to the left.

• The space between margins across facing pages.

• The space off the page to the right.

• The top drawer of the editor's desk.

8. Which of the following is likely to issue a press release?

Answers:

• A radio station.

• A national magazine.

• A local newspaper.

• A private organization or business.

9. True or False? Pack journalism is when reporters rely on each other for information

Answers:

• False

• True

10. True or False? A disaster is considered soft news

Answers:

• False

• True

11. Which of the following is considered soft news?

Answers:

• A set of twins in New York City robbed a bank together.

• A car was stolen in a small, local town.

• A set of twins in New York City is celebrating their 75th birthday together.

• Sochi has been selected to host the Olympics.

12. What is "beat" reporting?

Answers:

• Reporting on a regular basis.

• Poetry writing.

• Column writing.

• Reporting on a specific topic or location.

13. A jumpline should tell the reader:

Answers:

• What page a story continues on.

• The name of the photographer.

• Who presented a specific fact.

• What part of the story is most important.

14. What does it mean to "scoop" another news organization?

Answers:

• To hire away their best reporter.

• To buy their newspaper and re-name it.

• To bring a story to print first.

• To steal a story they've already printed.

15. Which of the following is NOT a news agency?

Answers:

• Reuters

• The Chicago Tribune

• Agence France-Presse

• The Associated Press

16. A "feature" story means the story:

Answers:

• Is presented in several newspapers at once.

• Is broken up into several sections.

• Will be placed prominently on the front page.

• Has news value, but is also meant to entertain a reader.

17. A "cutline" is most commonly placed:

Answers:

• Beneath the masthead.

• In the middle of a feature article.

• Under a photo or illustration.

• At the beginning of a news article.

18. What is a "column inch"?

Answers:

• The number of words in an inch of newspaper text.

• The space taken by a column of text one inch high.

• The space taken by one newspaper story.

• A recurring feature with editorial content.

19. True of False: A press release and a public service announcement (PSA) are written for exactly the same purpose. It makes no sense as to why they're called different things.

Answers:

• Depends on who is circulating the PSA or press release.

• True

• False

20. What does it mean to "dummy" a page?

Answers:

• Change the stories to be easier to read.

• Recraft the page to be more appealing to the eye.

• Build a chart that shows what goes where.

• Add more photographs.

21. True or False? A 'news hole' is the journalism space in a newspaper after advertisements.

Answers:

• True

• False

22. What does the term 'deck' mean?

Answers:

• Subhead

• Lead

• Headline

• Nutgraph

23. What information is NOT typically included in the folio?

Answers:

• Name of the reporter.

• Name of the newspaper.

• Page number.

• Date of publication.

24. Who is most likely to have a pica pole?

Answers:

• Production editors

• Advertising sales staff

• Photographers

• Crime reporters

25. What is 'Gonzo' journalism?

Answers:

• An overly exaggerated style of writing

• Writing that advocates particular views

• Writing about claims and rumors

• A highly personal style of writing

26. What is a broadcast story mainly referred to as?

Answers:

• Package

• Voiceover

• Report

• Article

27. What is a 'hard lead' ?

Answers:

• A lead that reports a new fact or development

• A lead that uses a quote or an anecdote to attract the reader

• A lead that has two or more important facts or developments

• A lead that goes straight to the results or effect on people

28. Plagiarism occurs when you:

Answers:

• Use another person's work as if it was yours.

• Take a photograph without asking.

• Quote someone incorrectly.

• Use only government sources.

29. What's the difference between broadsheet and tabloid newspapers?

Answers:

• Tabloid newspapers have fewer crime stories.

• Broadsheet newspapers are only printed in the South.

• Broadsheet newspapers focus on the financial sector.

• Tabloid newspapers are printed on narrower paper.

30. In newspaper typesetting, what are widows and orphans?

Answers:

• Short lines of text that are used to form a circle.

• Long lines of text that serve no purpose.

• Short lines of text at the beginning or end of columns that leave white space.

• Paragraphs that are used to pad stories that are too short.

31. Which best describes the term 'Muckraker' ?

Answers:

• one who spreads alleged scandals about others for political advantage

• A novice journalist reporting on small interest stories

• tabloid journalists that spread lies

• Magazine journalists that document celebrities' lives

32. Where is the lead (or "lede") located in a news story?

Answers:

• In the headline.

• Beginning of the second page.

• After the byline.

• Beginning of the first paragraph.

33. Which of the following are advantages of the "inverted pyramid" style?

Answers:

• Presents the most important facts quickly to busy readers.

• (all of these)

• Allows the story to be easily edited for length by trimming the bottom.

• Lets the headline writer understand the story quickly.

34. When a story "jumps," that means it:

Answers:

• Continues on another page.

• Is picked up by the wire services.

• Captures the reader's attention.

• Continues in a different edition.

35. Why do editors prefer to measure story length in characters, rather than words?

Answers:

• Characters are vital to a good story.

• Characters more accurately reflect physical space.

• Computers are better at counting characters.

• The numbers are larger and more impressive.

36. What is the inverted pyramid?

Answers:

• The steps of validating your references

• Illustrates the placing of the least important information first within a text

• The ladder of opportunities that a journalist can achieve

• Illustrates the placing of the most important information first within a text

37. Why is a newspaper more likely to be sued for libel than for slander?

Answers:

• Slander is no longer illegal in the US.

• Libel applies to the written word, while slander is spoken.

• A newspaper is equally likely to be sued for slander.

• Libel is better defined in US case law.

38. What is the most neutral way to end a quotation?

Answers:

• "...he said."

• "...he insisted."

• "...he noted."

• "...he argued."

39. Where should the most important part of a news story be?

Answers:

• At the end.

• It depends on the news story.

• Wherever it chronologically comes in telling the story.

• At the beginning.

40. What is hard news?

Answers:

• Serious news with a a widespread impact.

• Feature news stories.

• Quickly written stories filled with hard facts.

• News that will be difficult to comprehend.

41. Which term describes how journalism should be more devoted to finding solutions to society's problems?

Answers:

• Populist disseminator

• Yellow journalism

• Civic journalism

• Gonzo journalism

42. When a good reporter is uncertain of a fact they will...

Answers:

• flag it so the copy desk knows to double check

• assume their editor will catch

• post online and crowdsource the error

• confirm it before sending the story along

43. What is the name of the U.S. award for achievements in journalism?

Answers:

• Ivy Prize

• Columbia Prize

• Pulitzer Prize

• Hearst Prize

44. Alternative Press are:

Answers:

• All of these

• Weekly

• Local

• Free

45. It's ethical for a reporter to accept a gift from an article's subject when:

Answers:

• The subject is grateful for the story.

• It is never ethical to accept a gift from a subject.

• The subject is eager to have a story printed.

• The subject is a good friend or family member.

46. Why do news stories require multiple sources?

Answers:

• One source might give incomplete, if correct, facts.

• One source may not be trustworthy.

• One source might have the facts wrong.

• All of the above.

47. True or False? Stories about lifestyles and trends are called 'soft news'.

Answers:

• False

• True

48. What is 'Watchdog' journalism?

Answers:

• Writings about dogs

• Type of writing that warns citizens with information about those that are doing them harm

• No such thing

• Writings about new trend alerts

49. How many stories does it take to fill a news budget?

Answers:

• 5 per page

• It varies from edition to edition.

• 20 per edition

• 10 per edition

50. A common format for asking investigative questions begins with the letters WWWW and H. In journalism, these letters mean

Answers:

• Writing With Wit, Wisdom and Humor

• Who, What, When, Where and How

• Whoever, Whatever, Whenever, Wherever and However

• Wishing Words Would Write and Hypnotize

51. In journalism, a "source" is:

Answers:

• A public figure.

• All of these.

• An anonymous person.

• A specific person.

52. What are the 5 W's in news reporting?

Answers:

• why, what whom, who, when

• Who, What, When, Where, Why.

• Who, when, whatever, which, way

• When what, where, witch, way

53. Breaking news is...

Answers:

• News that is happening at that moment and may affect viewers.

• Something that Humpty Dumpty had issues with.

• Something that can wait until deadline

• Something that needs to be fixed.

• Something law enforcement needs to afddress

54. The lead is often found where?

Answers:

• Last two sentences

• After the introduction

• In the body of the writing

• First two sentences

55. Journalism ethics include the principle of "limitation of harm." This principle often involves ...

Answers:

• The withholding of names. such as names belonging to minor children or violent crime victims

• Refusing to publish a story about a respected community member when that citizen could feel embarrassed.

• Going to jail for refusing to divulge information about a serial killer, rapist or other violent criminal.

• Protecting a corrupt business owner's identity since he or she could be arrested.

56. For online editions of a newspaper, reporters should focus more on getting the news posted quickly than on getting all the facts correct.

Answers:

• False

• True

57. What does "above the fold" refer to?

Answers:

• Top half of the front page.

• An anonymous source.

• Top half of the back page.

• A perfect interview subject.

58. How does a quote differ from an attribution?

Answers:

• Quotes and attributions are the same.

• An attribution is only used for photographs.

• A quote can be anonymous; an attribution is always from a named source.

• A quote reproduces the precise words of a subject; an attribution tells a reader where information came from.

59. When a news source asks to review the reporter's story before it goes to press, most news papers:

Answers:

• Are willing to verify quotes with the source for accuracy but will not allow them to see the full story before it is published.

• Completely agree to share all of the story's content for the source's review and final approval

• Expect the source to edit the reporters work, since the news source is the one who provided the facts in the first place

• Ask the source to buy advertising first and then they will let them review the editorial copy before it goes to print

60. What is "beat" reporting?

Answers:

• Reporting on a regular basis.

• Poetry writing.

• Column writing.

• Reporting on a specific topic or location.

61. When applying for a job as a reporter, a publisher or editor (whoever is doing the hiring) may ask for what credentials

Answers:

• D. Flawless driving skills

• A, B, and C

• C. College degree in communications, English, journalism or some related field

• A. Writing samples

• B. Job references

62. A leading question used by an interviewer is designed to do what?

Answers:

• To lead the interviewee to answer a question in a particular way.

• To lead the interviewee into a different topic

• To get the interviewee to elaborate on a previous answer.

63. Which of the following represents a conflict of interest for a reporter?

Answers:

• A story whose publication will benefit the reporter.

• A story the reporter finds exceptionally interesting.

• A story the reporter does not understand.

• A story with more than two sources.

64. To compete with online and continuous news outlets, small newspapers should sensationalize the news.

Answers:

• False

• True

65. Writings that are very opinionated and expose wild claims are often described as:

Answers:

• Tabloid journalism

• Civic journalism

• Investigative journalism

• Gonzo journalism

66. True or False? Press syndicates are agencies that sell to newspapers, other special media, and artwork.

Answers:

• False

• True

67. The first obligation a journalist has is to his or her...

Answers:

• editors

• newspaper bosses

• advertisers

• sources

• readers

68. What is a "nut" graf?

Answers:

• The paragraph that ends the story.

• The paragraph that reveals the story's sources.

• The paragraph that describes the people involved.

• The paragraph that explains why the story is significant.

69. If a paper is "put to bed," it means:

Answers:

• The paper has been bought out by another company.

• The newspaper's edition has been canceled by the editor.

• Every copy of a particular issue was sold.

• The pages are all complete and headed to the printer.

70. In a democratic society, a strong premise of journalism states that access to free information plays a central role in creating a system of government ________.

Answers:

• linking mission with money

• in-kind contributions

• checks and balances

• volunteerism (information should be free so reporters should also work for free)

• linking mission with more power for the press

71. A publication's circulation is measured by:

Answers:

• The number of copies sold.

• The number of cities where it is available.

• The number of other publications who cite it.

• The number of copies distributed to subscribers.

72. A newspaper's physical archive is sometimes called a:

Answers:

• Morgue.

• Proof.

• Backup.

• Plate.

73. A sidebar story:

Answers:

• Is only printed in a narrow column.

• Supports or makes more clear a larger story.

• Wraps around a feature photograph.

• Runs as opposition to an opinion piece.

74. A "feature" story means the story:

Answers:

• Is presented in several newspapers at once.

• Is broken up into several sections.

• Will be placed prominently on the front page.

• Has news value, but is also meant to entertain a reader.

75. The NY Times wrote an article about the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor that was branded as Spanish sabotage, without providing any evidence. What type of journalism is this?

Answers:

• Propagandist journalism

• Investigative journalism

• Political journalism

• Yellow journalism

76. In broadcast journalism, what is a SOT?

Answers:

• Sound on tape

• Sign of traffic

• Sign off time

• Sound over traffic

77. What is 'Yellow' journalism?

Answers:

• Writing which emphasizes exaggerated claims or rumors

• (all of these)

• A highly personal style of writing

• Writing that advocates particular views

78. What is a "reader?"

Answers:

• A story you read in any print publication

• A broadcast story with ONLY added video elements.

• A broadcast story with NO added video or sound elements.

• A broadcast story with ONLY added sound elements.

79. A business or manufacturer who wants a story that mentions their products or services must always pay for advertising before their story makes it to editorial copy.

Answers:

• True

• Depends on how much money the company makes.

• False

80. A journalist that has a strong orientation towards the audience is often called a:

Answers:

• Populist disseminator

• Tabloid journalist

• Opportunist facilitator

• Critical change agent

81. What is involved in layer 2 of reporting?

Answers:

• Expert resources

• Proof-reading

• Opinions

• Least reliable sources

82. What is the paragraph that summarizes the background of an event?

Answers:

• Boilerplate

• Nutgraph

• Executive summary

• Closing

83. When was 'New Journalism' brought in?

Answers:

• 1960s

• 1940s

• 1990s

• 1980s

84. What is the legal term for false publication?

Answers:

• Slander

• Plagiarism

• Fabrication

• Libel

85. Which of the following protects reporters' privileges when forced to disclose confidential information?

Answers:

• Confidential law

• Shield law

• Reporters' law

• All of these

86. What information is NOT typically included in the masthead?

Answers:

• Number of pages.

• Contact information.

• Names of publisher(s).

• (all of these)

87. A term used for protective investigative journalism is:

Answers:

• None of these

• Sherlock journalism

• Propagandist journalism

• Guardian journalism

88. What is considered "copy"?

Answers:

• Written text only

• Photos and illustrations only

• Photos, illustrations, and written text

• Stories run by other newspapers

89. Avoid starting sentences with:

Answers:

• It is

• This is

• While the

• As a

90. The one amendment that most journalists concern themselves with in regards to free speech is:

Answers:

• The First Amendment

• The Second Amendment

• The Fifth Amendment

• The Third Amendment

• The Fourth Amendment

91. What is another name for the inverted pyramid?

Answers:

• BLUB

• BLUF

• FULB

• FUBL

92. An audio recording of a news maker used in a radio newscast is an

Answers:

• Sound clip

• Actuality

• News bite

• Voicer

93. Which of the following describes the social and cultural impact the media makes on society?

Answers:

• Meaning - Making Perspective

• Macro-level effects

• Mass society theory

• Magic bullet theory

94. What is the top selling newspaper in the US?

Answers:

• USA Today

• New York Times

• Los Angeles Times

• Wall Street Journal

95. Which best describes the term 'Muckraker' ?

Answers:

• one who spreads alleged scandals about others for political advantage

• A novice journalist reporting on small interest stories

• tabloid journalists that spread lies

• Magazine journalists that document celebrities' lives