Answer: A. Five Ws and one H. The traditional reporting checklist is who, what, when, where, why, and how.
In a news story, what is the lead?
A The final correction
B The opening paragraph
C The writer’s biography
D The source list
Answer: B. The opening paragraph. The lead, also spelled lede, is the opening paragraph of a news or feature story.
Why does hard news often use an inverted pyramid?
A Every detail gets equal space
B The story follows event chronology
C Important facts come first
D The conclusion comes first
Answer: C. Important facts come first. The inverted pyramid places the most important information near the top, followed by details in descending importance.
What does a byline tell readers?
A Where facts were gathered
B When the story was edited
C Which sources were anonymous
D Who wrote the story
Answer: D. Who wrote the story. A byline identifies the story’s writer or writers.
Which detail does a dateline commonly provide?
A Where reporting information originated
B Who edited the article
C Why a source disagreed
D How many readers responded
Answer: A. Where reporting information originated. A dateline identifies the location associated with the story or where its basic information was obtained, depending on newsroom style.
Attribution tells readers what?
A How long a story is
B Where information came from
C Which paragraph comes last
D Who owns the publication
Answer: B. Where information came from. Attribution names or describes the source of information so readers can assess its basis.
Which facts belong in a useful news lead?
A Every background detail
B The reporter’s personal opinion
C Verified, central facts
D Unconfirmed social media claims
Answer: C. Verified, central facts. A lead should foreground the most important verified information rather than overload readers with secondary details.
How should a concise hard-news lead begin?
A With a long quotation
B With routine background
C With an unrelated anecdote
D With the key development
Answer: D. With the key development. A direct news lead gets quickly to the most newsworthy development.
What does a nut graf explain?
A The story’s central significance
B The reporter’s work schedule
C A source’s full biography
D The article’s word count
Answer: A. The story’s central significance. The nut graf summarizes the story’s broader point or why it matters to readers.
When an editor must trim a story, where can the inverted pyramid usually be cut?
A From the headline only
B From the bottom
C From the middle first
D From the lead paragraph
Answer: B. From the bottom. Because details descend in importance, editors can shorten an inverted-pyramid story from the bottom while retaining its key facts.
In the five Ws and H, which prompt asks about the method?
A Who
B Where
C How
D When
Answer: C. How. “How” asks about the way an event happened or was carried out.
Which feature lead begins with a related short story?
A Summary lead
B Dateline lead
C Attribution lead
D Anecdotal lead
Answer: D. Anecdotal lead. An anecdotal or narrative lead opens with a story related to the feature’s larger theme.
Compared with hard news, what often characterizes a feature?
A More narrative detail
B No reporting or evidence
C Only a headline and lead
D A fixed five-question sequence
Answer: A. More narrative detail. Features commonly use more in-depth treatment and storytelling devices while remaining accurate and honest.
How does a straightforward hard-news lead usually present information?
A Chronologically from childhood
B Directly and concisely
C Through unsupported speculation
D By delaying the main event
Answer: B. Directly and concisely. A basic news lead gives readers the central development promptly and concisely.
What must happen when a story uses a direct quotation?
A The wording may be invented
B The source must be unnamed
C The words must be accurate
D The quote must be shortened
Answer: C. The words must be accurate. Professional standards require quotations to be accurate and precise; wording must not be fabricated.
When information comes from a written report, what should the story do?
A Present it as firsthand observation
B Remove the report’s context
C Call it an anonymous interview
D Attribute it to the report
Answer: D. Attribute it to the report. Readers should be told when information or a quotation comes from a document such as a report, email, or news release.
If a factual claim could reasonably be disputed, what is the sound practice?
A Verify and attribute it
B Publish it without context
C Replace it with a guess
D Leave out its source
Answer: A. Verify and attribute it. Verification checks whether a claim is supported, while attribution identifies its source.
Before repeating another outlet’s unverified claim, what should a reporter do?
A Copy its headline
B Confirm it independently
C Treat publication as proof
D Remove the outlet’s name
Answer: B. Confirm it independently. A claim from another outlet should be checked through original reporting or other reliable confirmation before republication.
Under AP guidance, when may anonymous-source material be considered?
A Routine opinion with no checks
B Any claim from a follower
C Vital facts unavailable otherwise
D A source’s personal speculation
Answer: C. Vital information unavailable otherwise. AP limits anonymous sourcing to vital factual information unavailable otherwise; reliability, direct knowledge, approval, and clear explanation also matter.
Before using an anonymous source under AP rules, who must vet the material?
A A social media follower
B The story’s subject
C An unrelated advertiser
D A news manager
Answer: D. A news manager. AP requires a news manager to know the source’s identity and approve and vet the material before use.
When a story alleges wrongdoing, what should the reporter seek?
A The subject’s response
B A guaranteed confession
C Only anonymous reactions
D An advertiser’s approval
Answer: A. The subject’s response. Ethical guidance calls for diligently seeking a response from people criticized or accused of wrongdoing.
What makes source attribution more useful to readers?
A A vague label alone
B Identity and relevant context
C A dramatic quotation
D The reporter’s assumption
Answer: B. Identity and relevant context. Clear identification and relevant context help readers judge a source’s reliability and possible motivations.
How should a journalist handle material taken from another person’s work?
A Publish it as original
B Change a few words
C Attribute it clearly
D Remove the author’s credit
Answer: C. Attribute it clearly. Journalists should not plagiarize; information and material from others should be properly attributed.
If an illustration or reenactment could be mistaken for documentary evidence, what should happen?
A Present it as a photograph
B Remove all context
C Attribute it to a witness
D Label it clearly
Answer: D. Label it clearly. SPJ guidance says illustrations and reenactments should be clearly labeled to avoid misleading audiences.
When a reporter has a real or perceived conflict, what is appropriate?
A Avoid or disclose it
B Hide it from editors
C Let it shape coverage
D Accept favors from sources
Answer: A. Avoid or disclose it. Ethical journalism avoids conflicts of interest and discloses unavoidable conflicts.
When a source offers a reporter an expensive gift, what best protects independence?
A Accept it privately
B Decline the gift
C Trade it for access
D Promise favorable coverage
Answer: B. Decline the gift. AP and SPJ guidance discourage gifts or special treatment that could compromise independence or credibility.
After discovering a published factual error, what should a newsroom do?
A Correct it promptly and clearly
B Quietly delete the story
C Wait for a complaint
D Blame the original source
Answer: A. Correct it promptly and clearly. Accountable journalism acknowledges mistakes and corrects them promptly, clearly, and prominently.
Why should a reporter distinguish news from sponsored material?
A To hide the sponsor
B To avoid naming sources
C To prevent audience confusion
D To make ads look independent
Answer: C. To prevent audience confusion. News and advertising should be clearly distinguished, with sponsored content prominently labeled.
When publishing private details about an ordinary person, what should a journalist weigh?
A Curiosity against headline length
B Social shares against spelling
C The reporter’s convenience alone
D Public need against harm
Answer: D. Public need against harm. Minimizing harm means weighing the public’s need for information against potential harm and respecting privacy.
Which reporting situation calls for heightened sensitivity under SPJ guidance?
A A routine weather update
B Coverage involving juveniles
C A public meeting agenda
D A published annual report
Answer: B. Coverage involving juveniles. SPJ calls for heightened sensitivity when dealing with juveniles and people who may be vulnerable or unable to give consent.
Before an interview involving anonymity, what should both sides clarify?
A Ground rules and terms
B A favorable headline
C The story’s publication date
D A guaranteed quote
Answer: A. Ground rules and terms. AP advises discussing and explicitly setting interview ground rules before an anonymity arrangement is expected.
Under AP definitions, what does “on the record” mean?
A Never publish the information
B Publish without any source
C Use with named attribution
D Use only after one year
Answer: C. Use with named attribution. On-the-record information may be used without caveats, quoting the source by name.
Under AP definitions, what does “off the record” mean?
A Publish with a headline
B Quote the source anonymously
C Use it without attribution
D Do not publish it
Answer: D. Do not publish it. AP defines off-the-record information as information that cannot be used for publication.
What is the key condition for using background information?
A Ignore the source’s conditions
B Follow agreed attribution terms
C Treat as off record
D Publish the source’s identity
Answer: B. Follow agreed attribution terms. AP says background information may be published only under conditions negotiated with the source.
Which structure combines an inverted pyramid with later narrative?
A Hourglass structure
B Dateline format
C Question lead
D Byline structure
Answer: A. Hourglass structure. The hourglass format begins with a summary and key facts, then turns into a chronological narrative.
What is a practical purpose of the 5Ws and H checklist?
A Guarantee a story’s popularity
B Replace source verification
C Find missing reporting details
D Choose the final headline
Answer: C. Find missing reporting details. The checklist helps a reporter identify key details and see what information is still missing.
When a viral video claims to show a recent event, what should happen before publication?
A Trust the caption alone
B Reuse the most-shared copy
C Assume the footage is current
D Verify source, date, and context
Answer: D. Verify source, date, and context. Verification requires checking where material came from and whether its time and context match the claim.
What should a headline do for a reported story?
A Add unsupported claim
B Represent it accurately
C Promise a guaranteed outcome
D Hide the central development
Answer: B. Represent it accurately. A headline should not distort or oversimplify the story it summarizes.
Before publishing a photograph caption, which details need checking?
A People, place, and context
B Only the photographer’s camera
C Only the image dimensions
D The editor’s personal view
Answer: A. People, place, and context. Names, location, timing, and context in captions should be verified to avoid misleading readers.
Why should an online report be updated when important facts change?
A Make the headline longer
B Avoid keeping a correction record
C Keep the account accurate
D Replace all original sourcing
Answer: C. Keep the account accurate. SPJ advises gathering, updating, and correcting information throughout a story’s life.
What does the phrase “speed does not excuse inaccuracy” mean?
A Publish rumors during breaking news
B Skip checks on deadlines
C Correct only printed stories
D Verify before publishing quickly
Answer: D. Verify before publishing quickly. Urgency or format does not remove a journalist’s responsibility to verify information.
Which role is commonly associated with journalism and public affairs?
A Publicity agent for officials
B Watchdog over government
C Private judge of guilt
D Advertiser for public agencies
Answer: B. Watchdog over government. SPJ recognizes a watchdog responsibility concerning public affairs and government transparency.
If a source requests anonymity halfway through an interview, what should the reporter do?
A Negotiate terms before using it
B Assume terms retroactively
C Publish the identity anyway
D Promise any requested wording
Answer: A. Negotiate terms before using it. AP says ground rules should be explicitly discussed when an interview’s anonymity conditions are being set.
How do a byline and a dateline differ?
A Headline versus article body
B Source list versus correction
C Writer versus reporting location
D Editor versus audience
Answer: C. Writer versus reporting location. A byline identifies who wrote the story; a dateline provides a location associated with gathering or reporting it.
Which statement best describes verification in journalism?
A Repeat claims with confidence
B Count reactions as confirmation
C Replace reporting with opinion
D Check claims against evidence
Answer: D. Check claims against evidence. Verification tests claims against evidence and reliable sources rather than relying on assertion alone.
What is the main purpose of a correction note?
A Conceal the original mistake
B Tell readers what changed
C Promote an unrelated article
D Replace the reporter’s byline
Answer: B. Tell readers what changed. A clear correction explains the mistake and the corrected information so readers understand the change.
When sources disagree about an important fact, what should a report do?
A Show the disagreement fairly
B Choose the louder source
C Erase both perspectives
D Invent a compromise
Answer: A. Show the disagreement fairly. Balanced reporting should accurately represent relevant evidence and seek responses rather than suppressing meaningful disagreement.
Which choice best protects a reporter’s credibility?
A Hidden conflicts and favors
B Unlabeled opinion and ads
C Transparent methods and corrections
D Unverified claims and speed
Answer: C. Transparent methods and corrections. Transparency, accuracy, independence, and accountability support public trust in journalism.
During editing, which detail deserves a final accuracy check?
A Paragraph spacing
B Headline capitalization
C Image dimensions
D Names and titles
Answer: D. Names and titles. Checking the spelling and titles of sources helps prevent avoidable factual errors.
Why should commentary or advocacy be labeled?
A Hide the author’s position
B Readers can distinguish formats
C Increase headline length
D Replace source attribution
Answer: B. Readers can distinguish formats. Clear labels help audiences distinguish commentary or advocacy from straightforward news reporting.