To structure a story, one must select credible sources like primary witnesses, reputable news sites, and school administration. When paraphrasing sources, quotes can be shortened and corrected without plagiarism. The inverted pyramid method places the most important facts at the top of the story, with less essential details lower down. This catches the reader's attention and helps them quickly understand the key points.

1. Structuring the story
Betsy Rivera
Anahi Villacorta

2. What do you need to know to
structure the story?
• Selecting reliable/credible sources
• Know how/when to paraphrase
• Follow the inverted pyramid method

3. Sources
• Primary sources – people who witness
the event first hand.
• Credible websites.
ex/ LAUSD, LA Times, The New York
Times etc.
• Administration, school staff, students.

4. Paraphrasing
 Allows long, poorly stated quotes to be
shortened and corrected without
plagiarizing.
 Can explain facts without the direct
quote.

5. ex/ Suppose the speaker, Police Chief Jones, says
the following:
“We are doing everything in our power at police
headquarters to see to it that there is a parking
place in the school lots or on the street for
everyone who drives to school. We hope
everyone involved will be patient.”
The correct way to paraphrase that would be:
Chief Jones said that police are trying to find
parking space for everyone who drives to school.
He urged patience and promised to find a solution
for the overcrowded school lots.

6. The inverted pyramid
 Catches reader’s attention.
 The important facts that get straight to
the point go at the top fading down into
less essential facts.
 This “device” is mostly used for news-
stories.
 It helps readers get to