The document, authored by Paul Vincent Java Gerano, presents an overview of journalism, emphasizing key aspects such as investigation, reporting, and audience engagement. It includes quizzes, vocabulary exercises, and practices aimed at improving journalistic writing skills by promoting clarity, conciseness, and precision. The document also discusses the importance of descriptive language and encourages writers to show rather than tell in their narratives.

1. By Mr. Paul Vincent Java Gerano, M.Ed-ESL
Faculty, Communication Arts in English Department, Assumption Iloilo
JOURNALISM LECTURE

2. What is journalism?

3. TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS
AND PHRASES
• investigation and
reporting
• events, issues, and trends
• broad audience

4. QUIZ
DIRECTIONS
Identify whether the
given situation is
journalism or not. If it is
journalism, write YES.
Otherwise, write NO.

5. 1. Vanz submits to his boss his report of the feasibility study he
conducted.
2. Elton files a flash report on TV Patrol about the UFO that is now
visible in areas around Mandurriao.
3. Christopher confides to his bestfriend that he saw the murder in the
cathedral.
4. Brian tells the whole class that the governor has accepted his project
proposal.
5. Kyle writes posts on his blog the anomalies he has discovered in the
City Hall.
6. Robert sends a series of text messages to his friends informing them
that PAGASA has issued a tsunami warning.
7. Alexis sends a letter to the manager asking him to investigate his
employee.
8. Mark makes a video documentary about the backdoor issues in
Southern Philippines.
9. Gen exposes in his Sunday column the red-tape practices in the
embassy.
10.The principal issues a circular asking all the department heads to
observe proper waste disposal in their respective offices.

6. VOCABULARY BREAK
HIDDEN WORD

7. INSTRUCTIONS
Guess the hidden word by naming
the images shown. Get the first letter
of the name of the image as order
shown to reveal the hidden word.

8. 1st
letter
CEDAR

9. C
IVORY

10. CI
TOM AND JERRY

11. CIT
IRIS

12. CITI
ZEUS

13. CITIZ
EGGS BENEDICT

14. CITIZE
NEFERTITI

15. The ABC of journalistic writing…
Accuracy
Brevity
Conciseness

16. Examine this sentence.
The ATM machine is not working.

17. Quiz : Rewrite the following sentences by removing
redundancies.
1. Kindly look at the sky above.
2. Hello, good morning! How may I help you?
3. My future plan is to build a big mansion.
4. Kindly enter your PIN number, then press
okay.
5. Her bag is red in color.

18. GRAMMAR BREAK
1. Tom is looking for his key. He can’t find it. He (lost,
has lost) his key.
2. He (studied, has studied) his lesson.
3. I (saw, have seen ) Rosa in town yesterday.
4. Ow! I (cut, have cut) my finger!
5. My mother (read, has read) the documents last night.

19. NEWSPAPER
VOCABULARY

20. Read the following sentences
• These were the sordid details about their affair.
• Ancient Celtic monks ruminated about profound
theological problems.
• The TV series was so popular that its influence on
popular culture seemed ubiquitous.
• I rusticated at Brighton-by-the Sea.
• He imagined his performance in the play would
scintillate, but he stumbled twice and forgot
many of his lines.
• Most Europeans are polyglot out of necessity.
• The evil sorcerer placed his anathema on the
town.

21. BEN JONSON
In his work entitled
‘Poetaster’, he
distinguishes a good
writer from a bad writer.
In fact, he uses the
character of Crispinus in
what he thinks good
writers should do.
In the play, Crispinus,
vomits up all pretentious
and bombastic words in his
system.

22. If you have a big
vocabulary full of
polysyllables – that is
fine. It will help you
learn. It will help you
think. It will help you
solve crossword puzzles.
But use it sparingly in
your writing.

23. If the reader finds the first
paragraph is made up of
tortuous sentences and
unfamiliar words, he will not
read any
further.
He does not have the interest
or the time to figure out what
the writer is trying to
communicate.

24. Each item contains a
sentence with an
unfamiliar word in
bold letters. Replace
this word with a
simple word in
jumbled letters.

25. eefofrd
She proffered her
hand, and the gallant
man kissed it.
OFFERED

26. dtenisre
Her remarks were
interpolated into the
official record.
INSERTED

27. aft
Charles Dickens had
a peculiar habit of
Describing corpulent
people in his books.
FAT

28. durage
An unhappy candidate
remonstrated with his
successful opponent.
ARGUED

29. rvocnet
Missionaries proselytize
and accept new members
to their religion.
CONVERT

30. DIRECTIONS
Make 10 pairs of
complex-common
words out of the
following.

32. In journalistic writing….
AVOID verbal deadwoods
an excessive amount of
unnecessary words in a
script, speech, or other
written or spoken
communication

33. PRACTICE
The following
sentences are
pretentious. Rewrite
to make them fit for
journalistic writing.

34. Sentence 1
He affixed his
signature in the
document.
He signed the
document.

35. Sentence 2
They are having a tour at
the present time.
They are having a tour
now.

36. Sentence 3
They were united in holy
matrimony in Spain.
They married in Spain.

37. Sentence 4
He told his listeners
that he was born
inside the palace.
He said that he was
born inside the
palace.

38. Sentence 5
The secretary tendered her
resignation yesterday.
The secretary resigned
yesterday.

39. In journalistic writing…
Shy away from abstract words that soar into the
blue and stand for things you can not pin down.

40. Example
The police
apprehended a criminal
at the bus station.
The police
apprehended a
kidnapper at the bus
station.

41. Activity
Make more precise
sentences by
rewriting the
following vague
sentences.
1. His head was injured
by a blunt instrument.
2. Officers removed a
gun from his clothing.
3. A large number
assembled for the
meeting.
4. The noise woke me up
last night.
5. She is now in jail
because she falsified a
document.

42. Suggested Answers
1. His skull was fractured with a hammer.
2. Police took a .32 caliber automatic from his hip
pocket.
3. Five hundred attended the caucus.
4. The thud woke me up last night.
5. She is now in jail because she falsified a college
diploma.

43. In journalism, the
art of describing
things is very
important.

44. DESCRIPTION It is a rhetorical mode.
The purpose of description
is to
re-create
Invent
visually present
a person
a place
an event,
an action
so that the reader can
picture that which is
being described.

45. The rule is….
SHOW,
DON’T
TELL!

46. How does a newborn baby’s hair feel?
DOWNY HAIR
covered in or filled
with soft fine hair or
feathers

47. How does a brand-new car look?
SLEEK
a vehicle or other
object that is sleek
has a smooth
attractive shape

48. How does a snake move?
IT SLITHERS
to slide somewhere
over a surface,
twisting or moving
from side to side

49. PRACTICE
PRACTICE
PRACTICE
PRACTICE

50. Describe this…
DOG-EARED
BOOK

51. RECEDING
HAIRLINE

52. PEELING
PAINTWORK

53. CHIPPED
CUP

54. BLOOD-SHOT
EYES

55. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PICTURE.
SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS
PICTURE.

56. HOW ABOUT THIS PICTURE?

57. LET’S GO BACK TO THE PICTURES SHOWN EARLIER

58. QUESTIONS • Which picture shows
an ordinary
situation? Why?
• Which picture shows
a shocking situation?
Why?
• Which picture is
more interesting for
you? Why?

59. WHAT IS NEWS?