JRN337.W2A1.06.2015  Description​:    Total Possible Score​: 8.00  Discusses the Effectiveness of the Headline in Capturing the Readers’ Attention  Total: 0.50  Distinguished ­ Comprehensively discusses the effectiveness of the headline in capturing the readers’ attention.  Proficient ­ Discusses the effectiveness of the headline in capturing the readers’ attention. Minor details are missing.  Basic ­ Partially discusses the effectiveness of the headline in capturing the readers’ attention. Relevant details are missing.  Below Expectations ­ Attempts to discuss the effectiveness of the headline in capturing the readers’ attention; however, significant details are missing.  Non­Performance ­ The discussion of effectiveness of the headline in capturing the readers’ attention is either nonexistent or lacks the components  described in the assignment instructions.    Evaluates the Effectiveness of the Lead to the Story  Total: 0.50  Distinguished ­ Comprehensively evaluates the effectiveness of the lead to the story.  Proficient ­ Evaluates the effectiveness of the lead to the story. Minor details are missing.  Basic ­ Minimally evaluates the effectiveness of the lead to the story. Relevant details are missing.  Below Expectations ­ Attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of the lead to the story; however, significant details are missing.  Non­Performance ­ The evaluation of the effectiveness of the lead to the story is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the  assignment instructions.    Analyzes the Factual Content In the Presentation of the 5W’s and H  Total: 2.00  Distinguished ­ Clearly and comprehensively analyzes the factual content through the presentation of the 5W’s and H.  Proficient ­ Analyzes the factual content through the presentation of the 5W’s and H. Minor details are missing or unclear.  Basic ­ Minimally analyzes the factual content through the presentation of the 5W’s and H. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.  Below Expectations ­ Attempts to analyze the factual content through the presentation of the 5W’s and H.; however, significant details are missing and  unclear.  Non­Performance ­ The analysis of the factual content through the presentation of the 5W’s and H is either nonexistent or lacks the components  described in the assignment instructions.    Discusses the Writer’s Use of the Inverted Pyramid  Total: 2.00  Distinguished ­ Comprehensively discusses the writer’s use of the inverted pyramid.  Proficient ­ Discusses the writer’s use of the inverted pyramid. Minor details are missing.  Basic ­ Minimally discusses the writer’s use of the inverted pyramid. Relevant details are missing.  Below Expectations ­ Attempts to discuss the writer’s use of the inverted pyramid; however, significant details are missing.  Non­Performance ­ The discussion of the writer’s use of the inverted pyramid is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the  assignment instructions.    Identifies t ...

1. JRN337.W2A1.06.2015
Description:
Total Possible Score: 8.00
Discusses the Effectiveness of the Headline in Capturing the Re
aders’ Attention
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - Comprehensively discusses the effectiveness of
the headline in capturing the readers’ attention.
Proficient - Discusses the effectiveness of the headline in captur
ing the readers’ attention. Minor details are missing.
Basic - Partially discusses the effectiveness of the headline in c
apturing the readers’ attention. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations - Attempts to discuss the effectiveness of th
e headline in capturing the readers’ attention; however, signific
ant details are missing.
Non-Performance - The discussion of effectiveness of the headli
ne in capturing the readers’ attention is either nonexistent or lac
ks the components
described in the assignment instructions.
Evaluates the Effectiveness of the Lead to the Story
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - Comprehensively evaluates the effectiveness of
the lead to the story.
Proficient - Evaluates the effectiveness of the lead to the story.
Minor details are missing.
Basic - Minimally evaluates the effectiveness of the lead to the
story. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations - Attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of t

2. he lead to the story; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance - The evaluation of the effectiveness of the le
ad to the story is either nonexistent or lacks the components des
cribed in the
assignment instructions.
Analyzes the Factual Content In the Presentation of the 5W’s an
d H
Total: 2.00
Distinguished - Clearly and comprehensively analyzes the factu
al content through the presentation of the 5W’s and H.
Proficient - Analyzes the factual content through the presentatio
n of the 5W’s and H. Minor details are missing or unclear.
Basic - Minimally analyzes the factual content through the prese
ntation of the 5W’s and H. Relevant details are missing and/or u
nclear.
Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the factual content th
rough the presentation of the 5W’s and H.; however, significant
details are missing and
unclear.
Non-Performance - The analysis of the factual content through t
he presentation of the 5W’s and H is either nonexistent or lacks
the components
described in the assignment instructions.
Discusses the Writer’s Use of the Inverted Pyramid
Total: 2.00
Distinguished - Comprehensively discusses the writer’s use of t
he inverted pyramid.
Proficient - Discusses the writer’s use of the inverted pyramid.
Minor details are missing.
Basic - Minimally discusses the writer’s use of the inverted pyr
amid. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations - Attempts to discuss the writer’s use of the

3. inverted pyramid; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance - The discussion of the writer’s use of the inv
erted pyramid is either nonexistent or lacks the components des
cribed in the
assignment instructions.
Identifies the Writing Style Used by the Writer
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - Accurately identifies the writing style used by t
he writer.
Basic - Identifies a writing style used by the writer, but it is not
accurate.
Non-Performance - The identification of the writing style used b
y the writer is either nonexistent or lacks the components descri
bed in the assignment
instructions.
Evaluates the Effectiveness of the Conclusion of the News Story
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - Comprehensively evaluates the effectiveness of
the conclusion to the news story.
Proficient - Evaluates the effectiveness of the conclusion to the
news story. Minor details are missing.
Basic - Minimally evaluates the effectiveness of the conclusion
to the news story. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations - Attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of t
he conclusion to the news story; however, significant details are
missing.
Non-Performance - The evaluation of the effectiveness of the co
nclusion to the story is either nonexistent or lacks news the com

4. ponents described in
the assignment instructions.
Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organiz
ation of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. W
ritten work contains
no errors and is very easy to understand.
Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax
and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work con
tains only a few minor
errors and is mostly easy to understand.
Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics,
such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few erro
rs which may slightly
distract the reader.
Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of sy
ntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work
contains major errors
which distract the reader.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lack
s the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: APA Formatting
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently thr
oughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. How
ever, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting througho
ut the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requireme
nts.
Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA f

5. ormatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult
to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lack
s the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Page Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the requ
ired number of correctly formatted pages.
Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the r
equired number of correctly formatted pages.
Basic - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three qu
arters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Below Expectations - The length of the paper is equivalent to at
least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pag
es.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lack
s the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Resource Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of scholarl
y sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All s
ources on the reference
page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignm
ent.
Proficient - Uses the required number of scholarly sources to su
pport ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited
correctly within the
body of the assignment.
Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support
ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the
reference page are
used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be fo

6. rmatted correctly.
Below Expectations - Uses an inadequate number of sources tha
t provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be
scholarly. Most
sources on the reference page are not used within the body of th
e assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lack
s the components described in the instructions.
Powered by
X Company is planning to drop a department that has shown a
loss over the past few years. Its accountant estimates that the
savings from dropping the department will be $18,700 a year for
the next 6 years. The accountant also believes that the company
will be able to immediately sell some equipment that was used
in the department for $17,000. Assuming a discount rate of 5%,
what is the net present value of dropping the department?
Ashford 4: - Week 3 - Instructor Guidance
A Word of Advice on News Writing...
Writing with a specific length requirement in mind is more chall
enging than one might think. You’ve spent an entire
day researching the story both in and out of the field. You’ve wi
tnessed news, struggled to understand the forces at

7. play, and conducted hard-to-get interviews that made you proud.
How could you possibly pay tribute to all of the
energy you’ve spent in a 1500-word article, and writing the stor
y in little more than an hour at that? In broadcast, the
average story is limited to 90 seconds!
Traditional Style
Indeed, writing for a particular medium takes practice. Let the c
lassic inverted pyramid be your go-to template for
structure, if ever you find yourself in doubt. Like Stacy St. Clai
r of the Daily Herald, you can rely on it when
operating on a tight deadline (Brooks, et al., 2011, p. 147). It is
common sense for the public to find out the
information in order of relevance and importance. Naturally, the
re is more than one way to write a story. You will
notice this is a matter of personal style. Before you start to expl
ore writing styles, you must master the traditional
inverted pyramid form.
Tips on Writing in General
●
For the benefit of the audience, make the “news you can use” st
and out. Whatever you do, make sure the
essential questions—who, what, when, where, why, and how—
are answered. To take your work to that
next level, strive to answer the other two questions mentioned i
n chapter 7 of your textbook: so what? and
what’s next? Advancing these two points is the mark of a really
good story, because they serve to put the
news item into a much broader context. (Last week’s instructor
guidance touched on this.)
●
No matter what, your writing should flow well and conform to

8. AP Style. AP Style is the industry standard
for professional journalists. My handbook occupies a permanent
place by my computer, as should yours.
●
Don’t forget to include various perspectives to accurately relay
the news. There is nothing worse than a
one-sided story; it is a form of biased reporting or free publicity
.
●
Read your work out loud…as you go. This habit is invaluable fo
r grammar and style. I don’t think I’ve ever
written a news story in silence, and you probably shouldn’t eith
er! The slightest typo, spelling error, or
grammar oversight could turn off your audience and undo all yo
ur hard work! And no, the editor does not
always catch these.
●
Sufficient time is a luxury rarely afforded. To make deadline, I’
ve found that selecting the quotations I
want to use, and arranging them on the blank page in the order I
want to use them, is very helpful. I then
write in and out of each quote. In broadcast, news programs like
ENPS and Avid iNews will keep track of
the time or length of the story for you. When writing an article i
n Microsoft Word, utilize the word-count
tool. Ninety percent of the time, the quotes you remember from
your reporting are the ones that matter.
Work out a system so you can easily find the quotes you want. T
he writing you use to link each quote
should complement the words of the interviewees and include y
our verified research. I’ve used this
technique for reporting in television, radio, print, and online; th
is method of writing is handy for both

9. shorter crunch-time reporting and in-depth reporting.
●
http://www.ap.org/
Make Yourself a Sandwich
I am a fan of what I call the sandwich story, a term meaning to
end the piece like you started it. It is ideal for a
feature piece, but often works for any other kind of report. Anot
her best general practice is to include your best
quote and material at the beginning. So if writing for television
news, open with the most compelling video and
sound bite. Sandwich stories are a trusty way of getting the audi
ence emotionally involved in the report. I cherish
this form as my ideal style of writing, and of course it adheres t
o AP Style as well.
Once you’ve captivated the reader or viewer, you can proceed to
spell out the nuts and bolts of the news. This is the
“meat” of the sandwich! For example, think about how much mo
re gripping it is for the beginning of the story to
describe a family’s fight to keep their home. Compare this to m
atter-of-factly being introduced to statistics dealing
with home values and foreclosure rates. A reader will be much
more receptive to straight facts when they are paired
with an emotional element. Putting a face on the story, or huma
nizing it, goes a long way. Finally, wrap up the
sandwich story using the same element that you started with (su
ch as an interviewee, video, or wording).
SOMETHING TO PONDER
Don't be afraid to rely on interviews to help tell the story. Letti
ng the subjects, or interviewees and description, do

10. the talking as much as possible is another strategy that I employ
in broadcast reports. I figure the public should hear
the “characters” tell the story. My face should not necessarily g
et more air time than the people in the news at stake.
The news is not about the reporter, it is about the people and ab
out the issues.
THIS WEEK’S ASSIGNMENTS
The news-writing pointers discussed here and in the assigned re
ading should assist you with this week’s
assignments. To make sure you meet all requirements, review th
e criteria listed within the grading rubric. I
recommend treating this assignment as an exercise in writing a
newspaper article. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it
again—
grammar affects your credibility! Please pay attention to this as
pect of your writing. Have you reviewed the
many resources at Ashford’s Writing Center?
The transcript of the interview for your profile story, a list of at
least 3 quotations, and a list of additional sources
should be submitted by Day 7 of Week 3. (This secondary assig
nment description is located within the Week 5
assignment description section.) Essentially, a transcript is a list
of questions you pose, and each question is
followed by the answer your interviewee gave you. If your inter
view turns out to be lengthy, feel free to only submit
the highlights. (I will not be a stickler for formatting; just make
sure it is clearly organized and easy to read. You can
submit this separately from the Week 3 news writing assignment
to the dropbox.
REFERENCE
Brooks, B., Kennedy, G., Moen, D., & Ranly, D. (2011).
News reporting and writing (10th ed.). New York:

11. Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Ashford 4: - Week 3 - Assignment
Writing for a Digital News Publication
With the advancement of mediated technologies, digital news m
edia has become standard in the field of
journalism. This week, you will write a news story for the fictio
nal digital publication, The AU Champion. You
will take the same story that you used in Week One and tailor it
to the readership of the publication. The
population for the magazine are on-campus and online students,
alumni, faculty, staff, administration, and
other stakeholders. The magazine serves approximately 95,000 r
eaders. The AU Champion provides news
and information about Ashford University as well as useful info
rmation for the readers of the magazine.
Write a 450-500 word story, in which you:
1.
Formulate a summary or anecdotal lead that engages the audienc
e.
2.
Examine various perspectives through interviews and/or researc
h using quotes and attributions.
3.
Organize the story by creating logical connections and using tra
nsitions throughout the story.
4. Use a graphic image that aligns with the story.

12. The story must adhere to the Digital News Template
and must be written in Associated Press (AP Style).
You must fully identify the source of information for the story i
n a way that does not detract from it. A list of
sources must be included after the article according to the
Story Source Template.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric
for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
http://managedcourse.next.ecollege.com/pub/content/72afb999-
4232-4308-911a-
039193289cee/JRN337.W3.DigitalNewsTemplate.docx
http://managedcourse.next.ecollege.com/pub/content/6b056673-
f911-4925-9c69-
a060deb999f5/JRN337.StorySourceTemplate.docx
http://ashford.waypointoutcomes.com/assessment/9340/preview