Cedars, March 2018

March 2018 4 CAMPUS : A Peek Behind the Stands Following the path of creating a campus newspaper Generating Ideas Story ideas come from either the editors or the writers, but ultimately the editors, specifically the Editor-in- Chief, choose which stories will actually be written. Editors find story ideas from a variety of sources, including the news, event calendars, emails and fellow students. Stories must be current and relevant to Cedarville students. Longer, more in-depth story ideas will be print articles, whereas shorter stories, such as event previews or recaps, may be made into web stories. by Hannah Day C edars, the student-run newspaper of Cedarville University, full of campus-relevant stories, appears on newsstands once a month during the school year. Students and faculty can pick up an issue from the stand or read them on the Cedars website for free. Getting the issue to the stands, however, is an arduous process that includes many people and several weeks of effort. Writing After completing all their interviews, writers begin putting together the story. This task requires a writer to piece together information in a way that is both logical and interesting for the reader. “I really enjoy taking complex topics and breaking them down so readers can understand what’s going on on a deeper level,” Beers said. The majority of the article should be paraphrased from the interviews. However, quotes are used when the interviewee says something that is unique or conveys their feelings. Assigning Stories The stories are divided by section based on the type of story it is, and the section editors assign those stories to writers. Assigning stories can be done in a number of ways. Typically if a writer suggested a story that is selected for publication, they have the first chance to claim that story. “There is a little bit of thought process of the writer’s ability and what they’re passionate about and skilled with,” said Keegan D’Alfonso, Cedars’ Editor-in-Chief. “Usually we don’t have to worry about them being interested because they’ll choose to take the articles they’re interested in.” The writers at Cedars are not under obligation to take any stories at any time, so the writers can choose to take stories as frequently or infrequently as they want. Interviewing Next, the writers go out and interview sources for their story. A story needs at least two interviews to ensure that there is enough credible information. Sources are selected based on their connection to and knowledge of the story that is being written. The majority of interviews are done in person, which generates more genuine responses than formulaic email interview responses. Interviews are often writers’ favorite part of the writing process, as it allows a writer to interact with people on campus they may not have met otherwise. “I get to meet a lot of interesting people,” Breanna Beers, a freshman reporter for Cedars, said in an email interview. “I’ve learned a lot from the interview process, including the importance of asking good questions and preparing well.” 1 3 2 4