Category 1: NEWS STORY
- Sharp, attention-getting lead that underscores news story importance
- Uses inverted pyramid
- Emphasizes news elements, i.e. timeliness, nearness, impact, and prominence
- Shows thorough reporting skills
- Effective use of facts/quotes from both primary and secondary sources
- Avoids opinion unless properly attributed
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely, and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar; use of third person
Category 2: NEWS ANALYSIS
- Sharp, attention-getting lead that underscore the why/how elements of the news
- Clarifies the news elements, i.e. timeliness, nearness, impact and prominence
- Clarifies through research the background necessary to understand current news
- Develops an understanding of the issues/problems through interviews with varied and balanced sources
- Avoids personal opinion unless properly attributed
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length, written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Effective use of facts/quotes from both primary and secondary sources
- Proper diction/grammar; use of third person
Category 3: EDITORIAL
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Wins reader interest with impelling lead
- Presents evidence/interpretation in logical sequence
- States issue; uses effective examples, facts, and comparisons to clarify
- Deals with specific issue: avoids preaching, rhetoric, and cliches
- Shows sufficient thought and research
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly,concisely, and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 4: BY-LINED OPINION ARTICLE
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Wins reader interest with impelling lead
- Presents evidence/interpretation in logical sequence
- States issue; uses effective examples, facts and comparisons to clarify
- Deals with specific issue; avoids preaching, rhetoric and cliches
- Shows sufficient thought and knowledge of subject, developed with personal style
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 5: REVIEW
- Sharp, attention-getting lead that clarifies subject
- Gives a short summary or adequate information about subject
- Discusses strengths and weaknesses of subject
- Uses specific examples to support opinion
- Displays knowledge of subject
- Shows thought and research
- Colorful, lively presentation; effective form/style
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 6: FEATURE COLUMN
- Entry consists of two columns from different editions of the newspaper
- Sharp attention-getting leads
- Expresses personal opinions; uses consistent style
- Reflects thought/research, freshness, individuality
- Effective use of facts/quotes or supporting material
- Informative, interesting, entertaining
- Upholds journalistic integrity
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 7: PRO/CON EDITORIAL COLUMNS
- Topics relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Two pieces, while offering opposing views, are consistent in style and tone
- Both pieces win reader interest with impelling leads
- Present evidence/interpretation in logical sequence
- State issue; uses effective examples, facts and comparisons to clarify
- Deal with specific issue; avoids preaching, rhetoric and clichés
- Show sufficient thought and knowledge of subject, developed with personal style
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 8: IN-DEPTH FEATURE
- Lead captures attention, arouses curiosity
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Extensive, intensive and thorough investigation
- Effectively combines basics of good news and feature writing
- Effectively organized with smooth transitions; carefully outlined
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
- Balanced and fair presentation
Category 9: INFORMATIVE FEATURE
- Leads capture attention, arouses curiosity
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Thorough investigation through research and interviews
- Combines basics of good news and feature writing
- Organized with smooth transitions
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Uses proper diction and grammar
- Balanced and fair presentation
Category 10: HUMAN INTEREST FEATURE
- Lead captures attention, arouses curiosity
- Emphasizes new element, fresh angle
- Colorful, lively presentation;effective form/style
- Reflects adequate research, sound interviewing techniques
- Avoids summaries of published materials
- Effective use of facts/quotes
- Interesting; appeals to the emotions
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 11: PERSONAL NARRATIVE
- A first-person account depicting a personal experience
- Lead captures attention, arouses curiosity
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Effectively combines basics of good news and feature writing
- Effectively organized with smooth transitions; carefully outlined
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
- Should have byline, which could include mug shot of writer
Category 12: PERSONALITY PROFILE
- Lead captures attention, arouses curiosity; reason for sketch is made clear early in story
- Emphasizes fresh angle; individualizes person
- Colorful, lively presentation; effective form/style
- Reflects adequate research, sound interviewing techniques from a variety of sources
- Avoids encyclopedic listing of subject’s accomplishments
- Effective use of quotes
- Interesting; appeals to the emotions
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 13: DIVERSITY COVERAGE
- Topic relevant to the school or students and reflects lifestyles, challenges and potentials of those from a diverse background
- Sharp, attention-getting lead grabs reader and arouses curiosity
- Shows thorough reporting skills through research and interviewing
- Effective use of facts/quotes from both primary and secondary sources
- Balanced, fair and sensitive presentation
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar; use of third person
Category 14: ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH OR SCIENCE STORY
- Topic relevant to the school or students and covers health, science or environmental story that is informative
- Sharp, attention-getting lead grabs reader and arouses curiosity
- Shows thorough reporting skills through research and interviewing
- Effective use of facts/quotes from both primary and secondary sources
- Balanced, fair and sensitive presentation
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar; use of third person
Category 15: ALTERNATIVE STORY FORM
- Should be a story told in a unique, alternative way.
- This is not a traditional story as in inverted pyramid, news,
- anecdotal, analysis or feature narrative.
- Story is told with quick facts—it’s a quick read that provides
- readers with a unique approach to a story.
- While the read is quick, ASF should provide reader with complete
- information. Readers should not be left asking questions.
- Organization is such that story is easy to follow and logical, even
- though it’s in an alternative way.
- ASF is visually engrossing, bringing readers in through strong use of
- typography and other types of visuals.
- Should not be packaged with another story or part of another story.
- Stands totally alone as a storytelling device.
- Submission only considered if submitted with entire page on which it was featured.
Category 16: SPORTS FEATURE STORY
- Lead captures attention, arouses curiosity
- Emphasizes new element,fresh angle
- Colorful, lively presentation; effective form/style
- Reflects adequate research,sound interviewing techniques
- Avoids summaries of published materials
- Effective use of facts/quotes
- Interesting; appeals to the emotions
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 17: SPORTS COLUMN
- Sharp attention-getting lead
- Expresses personal opinion; uses consistent style; demonstrates knowledge of sports
- Reflects thought/research, freshness, individuality; avoids cliches
- Effective use of facts/quotes or supportive material
- Informative, interesting, entertaining
- Upholds journalistic integrity
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
Category 18: SPORTS NEWS STORY
- Lead features interesting, important angle
- Uses colorful, lively style
- Avoids cliches, editorializing
- Displays knowledge of sports; uses understandable terms
- Shows research/interviewing skills; emphasizes how & why
- Effective use of facts/quotes
- Proper diction/grammar; use of the third person
- Unity/coherence
Category 19: SPORTS ACTION PHOTO
- Effective cropping to center of interest
- Clear, sharp details
- Good, sharp contrast with varied levels of grays, black, and white or colors
- Attracts, holds reader’s attention
- Avoids distracting back/foreground
- All elements in photo combine with caption to tell story
- Action, rather than posed photo
- Captures dramatic moment
Category 20: SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO
- Effective cropping to center of interest
- Clear, sharp details
- Good, sharp contrast with varied levels of grays, black, and white or colors
- Attracts, holds reader’s attention
- Avoids distracting back/foreground
- All elements in photo combine with caption to tell story
- Action, rather than posed photo
- Visually tells another side of a sports story, rather than game action
- Is not posed
Category 21: NEWS/FEATURE PHOTOGRAPH
- Effective cropping to center of interest
- Clear, sharp details
- Good, sharp contrast with varied levels of grays, black, and white or colors
- Attracts, holds reader’s attention
- Avoids distracting back/foreground
- All elements in photo combine with caption to tell story
- Action, rather than posed photo
- Underscores news/feature importance
Category 22: ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT
- Effective cropping to center of interest
- Clear, sharp details
- Good, sharp contrast with varied levels of grays, black, and white or colors
- Attracts, holds reader’s attention
- Avoids distracting back/foreground
- Setting and props used for portrait gives insight into the subject(s)
- Emphasizes personality of subject(s) (no more than two in photo)
- While photo is posed, subject(s) have a natural appearance
Category 23: EDITORIAL CARTOON
- Appears on editorial page
- Simple in design
- Shows high technical quality
- Centered on one topic
- Timely
- Subject familiar to reader in his everyday life
- Displays artistic talent
- Message succinctly stated
Category 24: COMIC STRIP
- Entertaining
- Simple in design
- Shows high technical quality
- Centered on one topic
- Timely
- Subject familiar to reader in his everyday life
- Displays artistic talent
- Message succinctly stated
Category 25: ILLUSTRATION
- Clearly develops a theme or mood to enhance story
- Displays artistic talent within potential for expression using art, photography or computer
- Photos offer good, sharp contrast with varied levels of grays, black and white. Art shows knowledge of composition, line and shading
- Attracts, holds reader’s attention
- Uses color, screens, typography and detail effectively
- Sizes and placement draw reader’s attention to story without overwhelming content
- Shows thought and creativity
Category 26: INFORMATION GRAPHIC
- Clearly enhances the story
- Visuals help clarify, simplify or visualize information
- Visually attractive
- Avoids excessive lines and/or illustrations that might confuse the reader but shows effective detail
- Entertaining and/or informative
- Clear lines and even strokes as opposed to retraced or broken lines
- Takes advantage of art or computer technology
- Uses color, screens, typography and placement effectively
Category 27: ADVERTISING LAYOUT
- Copy provides desired information
- Copy appropriate; concise, specific, and fast moving
- Copy attempts to motivate the reader
- Illustrations/photos clear
- Parts of the ad assembled to give interesting appearance (balance)
- Gaze motion or eye movement arranged properly
- Distinctive: simplicity, action, emphasis, color, photography
- Standing details attractively arranged (trademark, name, address)
Category 28: FRONT PAGE/NEWSMAGAZINE STYLE
(REGARDLESS OF SIZE)
- Attractive nameplate, harmonizes with design, includes date, issue, volume, school, city, and state
- Cover should be considered work of art
- Strongly relate to the inside contents
- Maintains visual interest
- Cover illustration (if used) may be compelling in size with a possible teaser headline depicting the mood of the story
- Photos effectively cropped, of varied size, shape, emphasizing action
- Cover can refer readers to inside pages
Category 29: FRONT PAGE/NEWSPAPER STYLE
(REGARDLESS OF SIZE)
- Attractive nameplate, harmonizes with design, includes date, issue, volume, school, city, and state
- Page generates reader interest; showcases important content
- Sound, journalistic style of writing
- Maintains visual interest in lower half of page
- Consistent use of headline styles/type faces
- Photos effectively cropped, of varied size, shape, emphasizing action
- Demonstrates effective graphic style, with graphic devices contributing to impact of page
- Clear relationships demonstrated between story and related pictures/art
- Cutlines stand out from body copy; effective lead-ins used for longer cutlines
Category 30: STORY PACKAGE
- Package generates reader interest; showcases strongest content
- One dominant story element and graphic element, packaged with secondary elements in the form of stories and graphics
- Visual elements tie package together to create cohesiveness, even if package extends to another non-consecutive page or does not fill an entire page.
- Graphic devices, if used, contribute to overall impact of package
- Design reflects effective graphic style, personality of publication
- Consistent use of headline styles/type faces
- Content covers appropriate, timely issues/topics
- Stories written in sound, journalistic style
- Headlines get smaller in relation to importance of elements in package
Category 31: EDITORIAL-OPINION PAGE/SPREAD
- If editorial page, includes masthead with statement of responsibility for publication
- Graphic devices, if used, contribute to overall impact of page
- Cartoon, illustrations are attractive, understandable, using shadings/screenings
- Design reflects effective graphic style, personality of publication
- Ads not included on editorial page
- Strong visual center of interest
- Consistent use of headline styles/type faces
- Editorial should be unsigned but clearly identifiable through standing heads and page I.D., column width and/or type size
- Content covers appropriate, timely issues/topics
- Stories written in sound, journalistic style
- Opinions supported by facts, research and examples
Category 32: FEATURE PAGE/SPREAD
- Page generates reader interest; showcases strongest content
- Strong visual center of interest; page maintains visual interest throughout
- Consistent use of headline styles/typefaces; special types restricted to unique packaging of a single element
- Photos effectively cropped, of varied size, shape, emphasizing action
- Demonstrates effective graphic style with graphic devices contributing to impact of page
- Clear relationships demonstrated between story and related pictures, art
- Cutlines stand out from body copy; effective lead-ins used for longer cutlines
- Content reflects student interests
- Stories written according to sound journalistic style
Category 33: SPORTS PAGE/SPREAD
- Avoids sports jargon, cliches
- Strong visual center of interest; visually attractive top and bottom
- Demonstrates knowledge of subject
- Consistent use of headline styles/type faces; head sizes indicate importance of story
- Cutlines stand out from body copy; effective lead-ins used for longer cutlines
- Graphic devices and ads, if used, contribute to impact of page, are attractively packaged, and encourage readership
- Clear relationship between story and related pictures/art; potential for each story to draw readers
- Photos effectively cropped, of varied size, shape, and emphasizing action
- Page design reflects personality, contributes to attractiveness of page
Category 34: NEWS PAGE/SPREAD
- Most important story is in top half of page
- Graphic devices, if used, contribute to overall impact of page
- Design reflects effective graphic style, personality of publication
- Strong visual center of interest
- Consistent use of headline styles/typefaces
- Strong visual center of interest
- Content covers appropriate, timely issues/topics
- Stories written in sound, journalistic style
- Headlines get smaller as they go down the page
Category 35: ENTERTAINMENT PAGE/SPREAD
- Page generates reader interest; showcases strongest content
- Strong visual center of interest; page maintains visual interest throughout
- Includes logos/labels to separate types of entertainment (books, videos, music, etc)
- Consistent use of headline styles/typefaces; special types restricted to unique packaging of a single element
- Photos effectively cropped, of varied size, shape, emphasizing action
- Demonstrates effective graphic style with graphic devices contributing to impact of page
- Clear relationships demonstrated between story and related pictures, art
- Cutlines stand out from body copy; effective lead-ins used for longer cutlines
- Content reflects student interests
- Stories written according to sound journalistic style
Category 36: PHOTO STORY
- Page includes at least three or four photos on related theme
- Headline and cutlines are evident
- Byline is included
- Copy, if used, is well-written and appropriate
- Photos are of good quality
- Dominant photo is evident
- Pictures work together to tell the story
Category 37: PROFESSIONALLY PUBLISHED PAGE
- Shows balance of news, sports, feature, opinion, in-depth
- Presents evidence of good design (modular, dominant element, visually appealing, etc.)
- Page is clearly identified as school/student page
- Flag is evident with name of school, address, date, etc.
- Distinctive style is apparent
- Editorial is placed in a distinctive location on page
- Consideration of audience is evident (relevant topics, issues covered)