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. Similar to libel but spoken instead of published






2. The major story on top of page one.






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






4. The 'banner' across the front page which identifies the newspaper and the date of publication






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






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






7. Correspondent not a regular staff member who is paid by the story or by the number of words written.






8. Story that requires a great amount of research and hard work to come up with facts that might be hidden buried or obscured by people who have a vested interest in keeping those facts from being published






9. Headline across or near the top of all or most of a newspaper page. Also called a line ribbon streamer screamer






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






11. Most prestigious prize for journalists or photographers






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






13. 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






14. The process of preparing page drawings to indicate where stories and pictures are to be placed in the newspaper.






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






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






17. A worldwide news-gathering cooperative owned by its subscribers.






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






19. 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.






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






21. Stories clipped from your own or other newspapers.






22. Particular emphasis of a media presentation sometimes called a slant






23. Determination of the truth of the material the reporter gathers or is given.






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






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






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






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






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






29. 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.






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






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






32. Video images shot specifically to be used over a reporter's words to illustrate the news event or story to cover up audio edits of quotes (to avoid the jerking head effect) or to cover up bad shots (out of focus poorly lighted etc.)






33. The individual responsible for the business operations of a newspaper.






34. Shaded areas of copy in a newspaper






35. Information that is not intended for publication






36. A line identifying the author of a story.






37. A story usually short that is humorous or pleasing to the reader.






38. Newsroom library






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






40. Believability of a writer or publication






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






42. Credit given to who said what or the source of facts






43. Story a reporter has obtained to the exclusion of the competition.






44. The name of the reporter






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






46. Continuation of a story from one page to another






47. To keep abreast of significant developments on a beat or to report on a specfic event.






48. A beginning reporter.






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






50. Services that provide news from around the world to publications that subscribe for a fee (e.g. Associated Press Canadian Press Reuters and United Press International)