žA quote is the written form  of words that people have uttered. Sometimes it also applies to words that certain people have written down in a book or press release. Quotes are separated by single (‘) or double (“) quotes. They can be rewritten as reported speech.

žAttribution is stating who said what, that is, giving details about the person who said a certain thing.

žIf you repeat the exact words that people have used, it will reduce the risk of misreporting.

žPeople often use lively language when they speak. Quotes allow you to use that lively language without sounding inappropriate.

žQuotes lend credibility to your story.

žLet people speak for themselves since you are conveying to the masses what a certain group of people said. 

žYour copy (journalism slang for your news story document) should consist of: headline, your name, date, catchline (words by which you can categorise/identify your story) .

žUse double-spacing when typing out your news story. This makes the sub-editor’s life easier and the changes of editing mistakes become less and less.

žWrite the word ‘ends’ at the end of each story so your editor knows that the story ends here.

žIf your story is continuing on to the next page, write ‘more’ or ‘mf’ (more follows) at the end of the page.

žProof-reading  or reading your story once or twice after you have written it is extremely important. Often, reporters overlook this  important step prior to filing their story which can sometimes adversely affect the quality of your story.

žYou need to proof-read so that you can see if you’ve made any mistakes, factual or grammatical, in your story.

žReading it will also help you see whether or not you’ve maintained sequence and continuity in your story. If it reads well to you, chances are that it will read well to your reader also.

žYou will also be able to see  whether or not you’ve answered the Five Ws and an H.