Click here for LexisNexis' "Common News Assignments" research guide.
This is a valuable set of principles for any journalist, put out by the Center for Media & Social Impact.
See the library's related Communication and Media Studies guide.
Before you begin writing, you need to gather a lot of information, including background on your topic. The library has a wide array of databases to help you. To get started, look at the Databases by Subject, and choose the area that fits your subject. Some good general places to try are Current Events and General.
Web resources:
First Draft News Newsgathering and verification resources, especially useful for learning how to evaluate the trustworthiness of social media sources.
OWL: Journalism and journalistic writing
Books / eBooks:
The Associated Press stylebook and libel manual. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Pub. Co. (Reference / call number: PN4783.A8)
Butcher, J. (2006). Butcher's copy-editing: the Cambridge handbook for editors, copy-editors and proofreaders, 4th edition. New York: Cambridge U. Press. (e-book)
Colomb, G. G., Williams, J. M., & Booth, W. C. (2008). The craft of research. Chicago guides to writing, editing, and publishing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Reserve / Q180.55 .M4 B66) - Note: previous additions may be available in stacks
Hennessy, B. (2006). Writing feature articles, 4th ed. Oxford: Focal Press. (e-book)
Kershner, J. W. (2009). The elements of newswriting, 2nd ed. Boston, Mass: Allyn & bacon. (Reserve / call number: PN4775.K37)
