Test your basic knowledge |

Journalism Vocab

Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A collection filed according to date of newspaper clippings letters notes and other information to remind editors of stories to assign.






2. Abbreviation for 'hold for release.' Material that cannot be used until it is released by the source or at a designated time.






3. The major story on top of page one.






4. Similar to libel but spoken instead of published






5. An article expressing a newspaper or magazine owner's or editor's position on an issue






6. A feature story that focuses on the current fads directions tendencies and inclinations of society






7. An indirect quote or summary of the words the news maker said - condensing and clarifying a quotation to convey the meaning more precisely than the way the speaker expressed it.






8. The place the story was filed






9. The organization of a news story in which information is arranged in descending order of importance.






10. Narrow margin of white space in the center area in a magazine newspaper or book where two pages meet






11. Statutes under which an individual or a group can take action against another group or individual.






12. Reporting that ignores or treats lightly negative news about friends of a reporter.






13. Any overly obscure technical or bureaucratic words that would not be used in everyday language






14. Line of type at the bottom of a column which directs the reader to somewhere else in the paper where the story is completed allowing more space for stories to begin on the front page






15. A story intended to reveal the personality or character of an institution or person.






16. The opening paragraph of a story that reports two or more newsworthy elements.






17. A newspaper story beginning that uses humor or an interesting incident.






18. A story supplying further information about an item that has already been published.






19. A completed television news story on tape which is edited before a news show goes on air and contains reporter's stand-ups narration over images and an out-cue for the anchor to start speaking at the end of the tape






20. Publicity story or a story that contains unwarranted superlatives.






21. A story including a number of related events.






22. A writer's development of distinctive characteristics and idiosyncrasies of language use that make his or her writing as easily recognizable as the inflections tone and pronunciation of speech that make a person's vocalized speech pat terns distinc






23. Information that is not intended for publication






24. Legislation giving journalists the right to protect the identity of sources.






25. The opening paragraph of a story in which the 'who' is reported by name.






26. A research technique in which the reporter joins in the activity he or she wants to write about.






27. To inject the reporter's or the newspaper's opinion into a news story or headline.






28. A page in a newspaper that is opposite the editorial page and contains columns articles letters for readers and other items expressing opinions






29. An ending that finishes a story with a climax surprise or punch line






30. The caption that accompanies a newspaper or magazine photograph.






31. A story that focuses on the human side of news and often appeals to the readers' emotion - a piece valued more for its emotional impact or oddity than for its importance.






32. Lines used to separate one story from another on a newspaper page






33. A typewritten page of copy following the first page.






34. Abbreviation for paragraph






35. Stories clipped from your own or other newspapers.






36. Copy which accompanies a photograph or graphiccopy which accompanies a photograph or graphic






37. A beginning reporter.






38. To cut or mask the unwanted portions usually of a photograph.






39. A secondary story intended to be run with a major story on the same topic.






40. Short related story added to the end of a longer one






41. A person who talks to a reporter on the record for attribution in a news story






42. The person who 'edits' a story by revising and polishing






43. The term most journalists use for a newspaper article.






44. A line identifying the author of a story.






45. Stories that are interesting but less important than hard news - focusing on people as well as facts and information and including interviews reviews articles and editorials






46. Usually means 'don't quote me.'






47. A direct question designed to draw a specific response; for example 'Will you be a candidate?'






48. People or records from which a reporter gets information.






49. A column of copy and/or graphics which appears on the page of a magazine or newspaper to communicate information about the story or contents of the paper






50. The machine that prints a newspaper. Also a synonym for a journalist or journalism.