What is Creative Nonfiction?

● A genre of nonfiction writing that incorporates different creative writing techniques and
literary styles to convey truthful, non-fictional narratives.

● Emphasizes story and tone over more traditional subgenres of nonfiction.

● Creative nonfiction writers often approach their subject matter through a more emotional
lens.

4 Golden Rules of Writing Creative Nonfiction

1. Make sure everything is factually accurate.
2. Play with person.
3. Follow emotion.
4. Incorporate literary techniques.

What is Journalism?
The term "journalism" comes from the
Latin word diurnal, which means "daily"

Noah Webster defines journalism as "the

occupation of writing for publication in
newspapers and other periodicals.

Fraser F. Bon, on the other hand, defines

it as "something that embraces all forms
in which or through which the news and
comments on the news reach the public.

Journalism can be accessed via:

● Newspaper
● Television
● Magazine
● Radio

Journalism Vs. Fictional Literature

Journalism - The field of journalism is tough. Establishing the facts of the situation, confirming
the truth, and writing a clear and rational explanation for it is not an easy task. Experiential facts.

Fictional Literature - Fiction is a recreation. It reshapes

itself. It expresses a creative reaction to the world. The truths of fiction are emotional truths
rather than experiential truths.

Principles of Journalism
 ● Responsibility
● Freedom
● Independence
● Truthfulness
● Accuracy

History of Campus Journalism in the Philippines

The first campus paper (1890)
● The University of Santo Tomas published El Liliputiense. This was according to Jesus
Velenzuela in his book "History of Journalism in the Philippines Islands" (1933) and John
Lent (Philippine Mass Communication, 1964).
(1910)
● The University of the Philippines published College Folio (1910 – now, Philippine
Collegian). This was the argument of a group of Historians, Oscar Manalo, Narcizo
Matienzo, and Virgilio Monteloyola (Ang Pamahayagan 1985).

****
The least contenders for the first campus paper in the Philippines are: The Torch of the
Philippine Normal University, The Guidon of the Ateneo de Manila University, The
Varsitarian of the University of Santo Tomas (which was obviously published two years
after El Liliputiense).

(1911 - 1912)
● Whatever came first, the oldest officially recorded student publication in the Philippines
is still The Coconut by Manila High School (now Araullo High School) published in
mimeographed student paper in School Year 1911-1912.

(1923)
● After 11 years La Union High School published the first printed and regularly issued
student publication in the country, The La Union Tab (1923). After the publication of this
campus paper, pioneer papers came out one after the other.

HIGHSCHOOL CAMPUS PAPERS

Among the first campus papers are the following:
(1912)
● Circular Letter no. 34 s. 1925 was the first noted regulation to support school papers in
the country by standardizing it. It was issued by the Bureau of Education. The Circular
Letter was signed by the then Director Luther B. Bewley.

(1931)
● High schools in the Philippines reached a considerable number, 106. Since then, high
schools felt the necessity of putting up their own school papers and paper organization
 though no memoranda or circulars were issued. Only 30 schools registered their school
papers to the Bureau of Public Schools.

(1950)
● By 1950, registered school papers became 169.
(1954)
● 253 registered school papers.
(1975)
● 500 registered school papers.

Journalism during Martial Law

(1972)
● When the late ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos imposed Martial Law on September 21,
1972 via Proclamation 1081, the first casualty was the country’s free press and mass
media.
(1972)
● On September 22, 1972, Marcos issued Letter of Instruction No. 1, authorizing the
military to take over the assets of major media outlets nationwide.

Journalism post- Martial Law

(1986)
● This marked the beginning of a 14-year period of one-man rule that would effectively last
until Marcos was exiled from the country on February 25, 1986. In this year, (the rebirth
of freedom), more than 900 secondary school publications in Filipino and English
emerged.
(1991)
● The Campus Journalism Act (CJA) approved by the late former president and Icon of
Democracy, Corazon Aquino on July 5, 1991 was enacted in recognition of the vital role
the campus press played during Martial Law.

At Present
Journalism still remains a powerful element in society. Forging the balance and stability of
democracy in the country. Despite its glorious rise from the ashes of oppression and greed, still
journalists continue the fight in safeguarding the truth, for God, country, and humanity.

Sections of a Campus Paper

THE FRONT PAGE
● Local News
- Local news refers to news stories that are specific to a particular region or community.
These stories can cover a wide range of topics, including:

● Community events
● Government and politics
● Schools and education
 ● Crime and public safety
● Business and economy
● Weather and natural disasters
● Sports
● Arts and culture

● National News
- National news refers to significant events, developments, or stories that affect the entire
nation. It encompasses a wide range of topics, including:

● Community events
● Government and politics
● Schools and education
● Crime and public safety
● Business and economy
● Weather and natural disasters
● Sports
● Arts and culture

● Foreign News
- News that takes place outside the country. It encompasses a wide range of topics,
including:

● Community events
● Government and politics
● Schools and education
● Crime and public safety
● Business and economy
● Weather and natural disasters
● Sports
● Arts and culture

*************
Dateline News
- An out-of-town news story that is introduced by a dateline that states the place from
which the story was reported, the date, and the source of the material if not written by
the local staff.
Weather News
- Usually a boxed forecast of the area, sometimes including the temperature, wind
directions, and velocities. Extremes on weather are reported as more detailed news
stories.
Index
- A slug line indicating an important inside page story and the page where it is found.
OTHER THINGS FOUND IN THE FRONTPAGE:
Name Plate - The nameplate in a newspaper is typically the
newspaper’s logo or title, often printed in a distinctive font and style. It is usually located at the
top of the front page and serves as a visual identifier for the publication.

Ears - The title boxes on either side of the nameplate.

The "ears" in a newspaper refer to the small columns located on either side of the main headline
or article.
They are often used to:
● Display advertisements:
Small classified ads or promotional materials.
● Provide additional information:
News briefs, weather updates, or other short pieces of content.
● Enhance visual appeal:
Ears can help break up the layout and make the newspaper more
visually appealing.
In some newspapers, the ears may also be used for navigational purposes, such as
listing the contents of other sections or providing contact information.

Banner - The principal headline bearing the boldest and biggest

type. It is the title of the most important news of the day
which is called banner news. It may or may not run
across the page. If it does, it may also be called a
streamer. The banner in a newspaper refers to the headline across the top of the front page. It's
typically the largest and most prominent headline, highlighting the most important or significant
news story of the day.

Running Head - a head made up of two or more lines.

- The running head in a newspaper is a short, concise title that appears at the top of each
page, typically in smaller font than the main headline. serves several purposes:
Identification: The running head helps to identify the specific newspaper, section, or article
within the newspaper.
Navigation: It aids readers in navigating the publication, especially when flipping through
pages.
Branding: The running head can be used to reinforce the newspaper's brand or identity.

Headline - The title of any news story. The word headline is used only for titles of news
stories.
- A headline is a short, attention-grabbing phrase that summarizes the main content of a
news article. It is typically printed in large, bold font at the top of the article.

Deck - A subordinate headline placed immediately below the

its mother headline, also known as bank or readout.
 - A deck in a newspaper is a secondary headline or subheading that appears below the
main headline. It provides additional context or details about the story, helping to clarify
the main topic or introduce a new angle.

Lead - The beginning of a news story. It may be a word, a

group of words, a sentence, or even a paragraph.
- A lead in a newspaper is the opening paragraph of an article. It serves as an introduction
to the story and is designed to grab the reader's attention and encourage them to
continue reading.

News Story - The whole story of an event composed of

the lead and the text which is the elaboration of the lead.
- A news story is an article in a newspaper that provides information about a current event
or topic. It is typically written in an objective and informative style, using facts and
evidence to support its claims.

Columns - The horizontal division into parts

of a newspaper. Many national papers are divided into eight (8)
columns while a typical school paper is divided into five (5) of 12
ems each.
Column Rule - The vertical line that divides the page into columns. Most pages of newspapers
are divided into columns by a space usually one em wide. This space is called the sunken rule.

Fold - The imaginary horizontal line that divides the newspaper equally into two parts.
Byline - The signature of a reporter preceding a news feature.
A byline in a newspaper is the name of the author of an article. It is typically printed at the
beginning or end of the article, often in smaller font than the headline.
Box - News materials enclosed by line rules. In newspaper layout, a box refers to a framed
section of text or graphics that stands out from the main body of the article. Boxes are often
used to highlight key information, quotes, sidebars, or other elements that the editor wants to
emphasize.
Cut - A metal plate bearing a newspaper’s illustration, also known as cliche In newspaper
layout, a cut refers to a piece of artwork or
illustration that is inserted into the text.
Cutline - The text accompanying photos and other artwork, better known as a caption. If written
above the photo just like a slugline, it is called an overline.
Kicker - A tagline placed above but smaller than a headline, also known as teaser. If it is bigger
than the headline, it is called a hammer.
Credit line - A line giving the source of the story or illustration.

EDITORIAL PAGE:
Folio - Consist of the page number, date of publication, and
name of the newspaper, usually written on top of the page. This is also found in the other
pages.
Masthead - The editorial box containing the logo, names of the staff members and position in
the staff, subscription rate, the publisher, and other pertinent data about the newspaper. A logo
(a
shorter word for logotype) is a cut hich contains an identifying word or words, such as the name
of the newspaper or a section.
Editorial Proper - A commentary written by any of the editors who comments or gives the
opinion of the staff or of the whole paper on various subjects. It is the stand of the paper.
Editorial Column - A personal opinion written by the columnist himself. Like the editorial
proper, it may attack, teach, entertain,
or appeal depending upon its purpose.
Editorial Cartoon - Usually is a caricature emphasizing a simple
point. Usually humorous, it has the function of the editorial. It stand by itself and is not a
complement of the editorial proper.
Editorial Liner - A short statement or quoted saying place at the end of an editorial column or
editorial to drive home a message. An editorial liner is a short phrase or sentence that appears
above or below an editorial article. It is used to summarize the main point of the editorial or to
provide additional context.
Letter to the Editor - A letter sent in by the reader giving his personal views on certain aspects.
A letter to the editor is a written
communication from a reader to the editor of a newspaper, typically
expressing an opinion or viewpoint on a topic that has been covered in the newspaper.

Sports Page - Sports stories are classified as news stories; therefore, what may be found in the
sports page may be found in
the sports section. Other things that may be found in the sports section are the sports
commentaries and sports features
Special features - The modern newspaper has taken some special features and eliminated
some which have become irrelevant to the needs of the times. An example of this is the society
page.

Life and Leisure is typically a section in a newspaper that focuses on topics related to lifestyle,
entertainment, and leisure activities. It aims to provide readers with news, tips, and
recommendations on various aspects of their personal lives. Arts and Culture, Food and Wine,
Travel,Fashion and Beauty, Health and Wellness, Hobbies and interests.

Finance and Business is typically a section in a newspaper that covers news and information
related to the financial world and the business sector. It provides readers with insights into the
economy, investments, markets, companies, and other relevant topics. Stock Market, Company
News, Economic Indicators, Investment Advice, Personal Finance, Business Trends, Economic
Policy.

The modern campus publication is both a school and community paper. It is for this reason that
its content is similar to that of a metropolitan paper, minus the business and agricultural
sections; the shipping, movie, TV, and radio guides; the display and classified ads; and the
comics page.

News Writing
What is News?
- NEWS is an oral or written report of the past, present, or future event. It should be
factual, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and interesting.
● Information about current events printed in newspaper or broadcast by media (Encarta,
2009)
● Usually flows from most important to least important.
● Recent information

Elements of News
1. Conflict - Ex: “Pura Luka Vega declared Persona non Grata in CDO"
2. Timeliness - Ex: “Emphasizes the newest angle of the story.”
3. Proximity - Ex: “CDO to celebrate grandest Higalaay Festival in August 2024"
4. Prominence - Ex: “Nadine Lustre wins 2nd FAMAS trophy for Best Actress"
5. Significance - Ex: “P20 na kilo ng bigas, ipinangako BBM"
6. Names - Ex: “Taylor Swift" "Beyonce"
7. Drama - Ex: “Tanggapin mo, 10M. Layuan mo ang anak ko”
8. Oddity - Ex: “Man allows himself to be bitten by a black widow to become Spider Man”
9. Romance - Ex: “Vice Ganda and Ion Perez 'tie the knot' in Las Vegas"
10. Sex - Ex: “sex or chocolates?"
11. Progress - Ex: “Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Mukha!"
12. Animals - Ikaw ning baki, love?"
13. Number - Ex: “PH debt hits P14.10T as of end of May 2023"
14. Emotion - Ex: “Even after death, Kian delos Santos remains a victim of injustice"

TYPES OF NEWS STORIES

Scope or Origin
● LOCAL NEWS
● NATIONAL NEWS
● FOREIGN NEWS
● DATELINE NEWS

Chronology
ADVANCE - News published before the occurrence, sometimes called dope or
prognostication.

PUBLICATION - News that is gathered and reported on the spot. It deals with
unscheduled information demanding
immediate publication.
COVERAGE NEWS - News written from a given beat.
FOLLOW - UP NEWS - A sequel to a previous story.

STRUCTURE
A. Straight News - news that consists of facts given straight without embellishment. Its
main aim is to inform.
B. News Feature - It is also based on facts but it entertains more than it informs. In writing
a news- feature, the writer may give his impression, may describe and narrate, but
without resorting to biased opinion.

TREATMENT
FACT STORY - This is a plain exposition setting forth a
single situation or a series of closely related facts that inform.
ACTION STORY - A narrative of actions involving not mere simple facts but also of dramatic
events, perhaps testimony of witnesses,
as well as explanatory data.
SPEECH REPORT A news story usually written from a public
address, talks, and speeches.
QUOTE STORY - Speeches, statement, and letters are regarded as quote stories. All are based
on recorded information, either written or spoken.
INTERVIEW REPORT - A news report written from an interview.

CONTENT
ROUTINE STORY - celebrations, enrollment, graduation, and election stories
POLICE REPORTS - accidents, fire, calamity, crime stories , and etc.
SCIENCE NEWS - science and technology
DEVELOPMENTAL NEWS - fashion, economy, trends, and skills
SPORTS STORIES - sports stories

MINOR FORMS
● NEWS BRIEF
● NEWS BULLETIN
● NEWS-FEATURETTE
● FLASH

WRITING THE LEAD Every news story begins with an introduction called the lead.
● This may be a single word, a phrase, a clause, a brief sentence, an entire
paragraph, or a series of paragraphs. Leads tell the story in capsule form and
answer right away the questions a reader would naturally ask.

KINDS OF LEAD
Conventional or Summary Lead - This kind of lead in straight news immediately answers
all or any of the 5 Ws and the H.
WHO lead - Used when a person involved is more prominent
than what he does or what happens to him.
Example: President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo addressed April
20, the PMA graduates in Baguio City.

WHAT lead - Used when the event or what took place is more important than the person
involved in the story.
Example - The NSAT will be given on Nov. 24 to all graduating
Senior High School students desiring to enroll in the
four-year college course.

WHERE lead - Used when the place is unique and no prominent person is involved.
Example - The Philippines will be the site of the next
Miss Universe pageant.

WHEN lead - Rarely used. However, this lead is useful when speaking of deadlines, holidays,
and important dates.
Example - Today, almost to the hour, the Revolutionary Government was proclaimed by former
President Joseph Estrada.

WHY lead - Used when the reason is more prominent or unique than what happens.
Example - Because of poverty, around a hundred students dropped out of school last year. This
was learned from PNU President Nilo L. Rosas.

HOW lead - Used when the MANNER, MODE, & MEANS of achieving the story is the unnatural
way.
Example - By appealing to the school board, the
Manila Science High School was able to construct a
three-story concrete building.

Grammatical Beginning Lead - PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE lead Introduced by a

preposition.
Example - With brooms and other cleaning equipment, boy scouts from CDO public high
schools cleaned the city markets in consonance with Mayor Oscar Moreno's CLEAN and
Beautification Drive.

INFINITIVE PHRASE lead - Begins with the sign of the infinitive 'to' plus the main verb.
Example - To encourage tourism, balikbayans are given a warm welcome by their fellow
Filipinos.

PARTICIPIAL PHRASE lead - Introduced by the past or present participle form of the verb.
Example - 1.Hoping (present) to cop first place, the Liceo U Titans honed up for the Basketball
championship games.
2.Dressed (past) like priests, robbers were able to enter the
bank.

GERUNDIAL PHRASE lead - Introduced by a gerund (a verbal noun ending in -ing).

Example - Winning the development communication trophy during the national press
conference was Liceo U Senior High School's best achievement of the year.

Novelty Lead
ASTONISHER lead - Uses an
interjection or an
exclamatory sentence.
Example - Champion of Liceo U Games 2023! School of Business, Management, and
Accountancy was declared the overall champion of this year's Liceo U Games during the
event's closing program on Oct. 26.

CONTRAST lead - Describes two extreme opposites for emphasis.

Example - Four months before the Beautification and Cleanliness
Drive, Zone 3 in Carmen, CDO was the dirtiest barangay. Three months after, it won first place
in the CLEAN contest sponsored by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

EPIGRAM lead - Opens by quoting a common expression, verse, or epigram, at least familiar in
the locality.
Example - Like father, like son. Ramon Garcia Jr., graduated valedictorian this year. Ten years
ago, his father, Mr. Ramon Garcia Sr., also topped his class and delivered his valedictory
address on the same rostrum where the young Garcia delivered his.

DESCRIPTIVE lead - Uses descriptive words to vividly formulate an imagery of a person or a

setting.
Example - Dressed in maroon academic gowns, and with diplomas
in their hands, 1,500 SHS graduates marched down the stage to the tune of the Graduation
High March.

PARODY lead - Consists of a parody of a well-known song, poem, or line.

Example - "Bagong Pilipinas, bagong mukha, ang sako sa bugas,
mil-kwatro ang tunga". This was what most Filipino consumers felt to their dismay after PBBM's
promised P20 per kilo rice still hasn't seen the light of day.

PUNCH lead - a short forceful word or expression. This is rarely used.

Example - Victory Day! Magsaysay High School celebrated on March 18 its fifth victory in the
city-wide journalism contests.

ONE-WORD lead - (self- explanatory)

Example - March! Thus ordered Hi-Y president Joey Lina Jr. of Araullo High School to start the
"Walk for Health" fund- raising drive.
QUOTATION lead - Consists of the speaker's direct words which are striking and are usually
quoted from a speech, a public address, or an interview.
Example - "The youth in The New Republic have become partners of the government in its
struggle for progress and advancement, "spoke PNU Director Rene Romero to some 400
student delegates to the 2006 Hi-Y-Y=-teens Leadership Training Seminar held on Dec. 26-30
at the Edilberto Dagot Hall.

QUESTION lead - An answer to a question that is the basis of the news story.
Example - Who will reign as Miss Liceo University Games this
year? This will be known on October 24 during the coronation night to be held at the Liceo Civic
Center.

WRITING A STRAIGHT NEWS STORY

1. Write the story right away.
2. Play up with dominant points.
3. Be accurate and truthful and avoid editorializing and writing libelous materials.
4. Give the source (attribution) of the news.
5. Write the names in full when these are mentioned for the first time.
6. Identify the names mentioned.
7. Watch out for errors of fact and grammar.

The Inverted Pyramid

Generally, news stories are written using the inverted pyramid style, in which information is
presented in descending order of importance. This allows the reader to get the most crucial or
interesting details quickly so they can decide whether to stop or
continue reading the story.

Most Important - Least Important - Good to Know

Summary Lead Elaboration of a W – Elaboration of Another W – Elaboration of Another
W – Further Elaboration

** Summary leads answer the most important Ws depending on which of the Ws is the most
prominent among them. The body consists of the elaboration of the Ws and the H. **

Example:
The Torres Goldies ripped the Laurel Greenies at the Torres High
School oval last week because of better teamwork, 65-60. (LEAD)

Antonio Oropeza, captain; Rogelio Romero, forward; Seki Santos,

and Dioscoro Reyes, guards composed the team. (Elaboration of the WHO)

The game was held on Sept. 10 in connection with the celebration of Baranggay Day. The
Greenes' defeat was the first they suffered in
the current invitational games. (Elaboration of WHEN & WHO)

The Goldies played smoothly. They did not shoot for the basket
until they were near it. the cheering squads kept the players'
morale high.
(Elaboration of the HOW)

Although the final score was 65-60, there were times when
the lead of the Goldies was as much as 10 points. (Further
Elaboration).

*******
HEADLINE WRITING
What is a Headline?
- Headlines tell in capsule form what the story is all about; grade the news to importance;
and make the page look attractive. While the lead summarizes the story, the headline
summarizes the lead.

Do's in Writing HEADLINES

● Make your headline answer as many W's as possible.
● Headlines should summarize the news story. It should contain nothing that is not found
in the story.
● Positive headlines are preferable to negative ones.
———
● Put a verb expressed or implied in every deck.
● Omit articles like (a, an, and the) and all forms of the verb to be (is, are, be), unless
needed to make the meaning clearer.
EXAMPLES: Reclaimed banks are cause of recurrent floods (are before cause is not
necessary)

Barack Obama is new US President (is is necessary to make the

meaning clearer)

● Use the strongest word in the first line as much as possible.

● The active verb is better than the passive verb headlines.
EXAMPLE: Local Hi-Y aids flood victims

But, for variation, and especially when the doer is not prominent, the passive verb may be used.

EXAMPLE - Food production drive intensified RP's lost image abroad regained.

● Use the present tense for past stories and the infinitive form for future stories.
EXAMPLES: President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo bats for national reconciliation (past) Lantern
parade to cap X'mas affairs (future)

● Write numbers in figures or spell them out depending on your needs for unit counts.

● Use any of the following headline styles, but be consistent once you have adopted one.
a. ALL CAPS
CHARACTER, NATIONALISM VITAL COGS IN EDUCATION
b. Cap and Lower Case
Character, Nationalism Vital Cogs in Education
c. Down style
Character, nationalism vital cogs in education

Don'ts in Writing HEADLINES

Avoid the following kinds of headlines:
a. Fat Head - spaces between the letters/words are so crowded.
EXAMPLE: B S P L A U N C H E S D R I V E
b. Thin Head - spaces between the letters/words in a line are so wide.
EXAMPLE: B S P L A U N C H E S D R I V E
c. Label Head - an incomplete headline.
EXAMPLE: CHRISTMAS PARTY
d. Wooden hand - a very weak headline that is devoid of meaning.
EXAMPLE: TO HOLD EXCURSION
e. Mandatory head - it gives a command because it begins
with a verb.
EXAMPLE: HOLD DIALOG WITH PRINCIPAL
f. Screaming head - it is a big and bold headline of a short
and unimportant story.

● Avoid redundant expressions.

● Avoid editorializing your headlines.
● Avoid starting with a verb.

● Don't end the line with a preposition.

EXAMPLES: Students vote for - hanging preposition for - SSG officials (INCORRECT)
Principal bats for - (2-word verb) moral values (CORRECT)

● Don't break off abbreviations, names, and hyphenated words.

● Avoid repeating principal words.
● Avoid heads that carry a double meaning.
● Don't coin abbreviations of your own.
● Don't abbreviate days and months unless the figures follow, as: Mon., Jan. 23

Punctuations in Writing HEADLINE

 ● Headlines should not end with a period.
● Use a comma in place of the conjunction and.
Ex. Self-reliance, discipline up at Baguio confab
Two related thoughts should be separated with a semicolon.
Ex. School joins Operasyon Linis;
P.E. - CAT boys drain estero
● The dash may be used for smaller decks.
● Single quotation marks are used in headlines.
Ex. Cultural development: 'Linggo ng Wika' theme
Follow the other rules of punctuation.

*******
SPORTS WRITING
What is Sports writing?
- Journalism that is a creative nonfiction that focuses on sports, athletes, or other sports-
related topics is known as sports writing. A sportswriter is a journalist who covers sports.

● preparation and anticipation

● watching the actual game
● replay or highlights /after game
● team, players, coach, fun facts

** Sports reporting is basically news writing. It has the structure of an action story but with
greater freedom of style in writing. It technically tackles sports events **

ELEMENTS OF SPORTS WRITING

● highlights of the game
● the names of the teams involved
● the type of sports
● score or final outcome
● when and where the game was played

TYPES OF SPORTS STORIES

Advance Story – sometimes called ‘dope’ or ‘prognostication’ builds up enthusiasm for coming
events.

It may written as a (1) straight news story, (2)

background story, and (3) prediction story

Coverage Story – an on-the-spot coverage of an actual game or event.

Advance Coverage Story – includes information of a coming event as the first part of the story
and the information on the past event as the last part of the story.

What makes a Good Sports Writer?

 ● Must know sports.
● Must attend games or meets as a reporter.
● Must know coaches and players.
● Must observe accuracy.
● Must be able to take notes quickly without
● losing the sequence of the play.
● Must be fair and unbiased.
● Must not make unsupported comments.
● Must use the specialized language of the sport
● he’s reporting.
● Must avoid sports slang and trite expressions.
● Must tell the story in plain factual terms that
● describe the action.

How to observe Accuracy?

Take note of almost every important turn in the
sports event.

Be familiar and masterful in using the language of

sports, thus, sports lingo.

SPORTSLINGO
Basketball – quintet, shot winner, pivot, rebound, technical foul, hook shot, lay-up, dribbler
Volleyball – spikes, change court, Chinese kill, wallop, booming service, wallop, netters,
wallopers, volleybelles
Baseball and Softball – hitless inning, hit a homerun, deep center,
diamond, backstop
Swimming – tanker, naiads, aquabelle

SPORTSLINGO FOR DEFEAT

If the difference in score is big:
Overwhelms, clobbers, rips, clouts, murders, demolishes, pummels, crushes, overshoots
(basketball), outspikes (volleyball), outbats (softball, baseball).

If the difference in score is small:

Shades – PNU sluggers shade TUP batters, 18,16 Noses out – Titans five noses out Torres
cagers, 30,28

How to take notes effectively?

You may use aids or crutches when taking notes.
Example:
Basketball - FG (Field Goal), FT (Free Throw), PF (Personal foul), di (drive in), lu (lay-up)
Volleyball – p (placing), bs (booming service), bb (block ball)
WRITING THE SPORTS STORY
The Lead – serves as an attention-getter or the news in a nutshell.
The classic ‘Five Ws’ appear in the sports lead as:
● Who won?
● Against whom?
● By what score?
● Where?
● When?

Example:
The Liceo U Quintet (1) poured 10 baskets in the last three
minutes to edge out the Trailblazers (2) 65-63 (3) at the
opponent’s homeground (4) yesterday afternoon (5).

Philippines fought with steel nerves and refused to be

crushed by a giant’s 55 points might to nip favored China
87-86, in its biggest triumph yesterday in the Asian men’s
Basketball championship.

The Key Play Lead

The Red Serpent sluggers bombed the Purple Lotus batters with six runs in the third inning to
subdue a nerve-fuzzling Lakandula rally, 14-12 as they clinched the invitation game here, in
connection with the celebration of the 2022 Liceo University Games.

The Outstanding Player Lead

Jayvee King Cabana of Liceo U Senior High School, after almost four hours of battle over the
chessboard, copped the most coveted YMCA trophy after outwitting Manila High School
chesser Samantha Kate Olip in 27 moves of Sicilian defense.

Ace striker Gunther Dwight Dapanas slotted home the priceless maker that lifted that multi-titled
Northern Mindanao team to triumph over hard- fighting Cebu- Lhuillier, 1-6, to capture the fourth
Don Andres Soriano Jr. Football Cup before a big, enthusiastic crowd at the Perdices Stadium
in Dumaguete City.

Analytical Approach Lead

Riding high on sizzling spikes and tricky placing, the MLQ netters blasted the Laurel High killers
in the crucial third set to win 15-10, 11-5, 15-7 in a mini- district meet, on Sept. 21 at the Torres
High School Oval to celebrate the First Filipino Thanksgiving Day.

——
The Body – after the lead, the other elements follow in
descending order. These will include:

1. Team and/or individual standing – If the event is part of a

series of games, the story must report how the teams or
players stand in relation to their competitors.
2. Decisive Play – This is the most crucial part of the game that gives a certain team the
winning margin.
3. Best scores for the day – the scores usually appear in the headline and in the lead.
However, the writer must not neglect the top scorer of the day.
4. Play-by-play – due to limited space, play-by-play has to be condensed. In top boxing events,
a separate round-by- round account is provided, describing the progress of the fight in detail.
5. Quotation – it is customary for the hero of the day, or the coach/trainers to have their
sentiments recorded for posterity.

IMPORTANT POINTERS
1.The score or outcome.
2.Significance of the outcome.
3.Highlights of the game.
4.Comparison of the teams.
5.Individual stars.
6.Weather conditions.
7.Crowd and celebration.