How to complete your beat report!

By Sarah Johnson and Shannon Powers

Definition of a beat—beats are a tool for us to keep up with what is happening around us.They help us find ideas for stories to write about from the community, school, nation, and world. The Flame uses beats to come up with ideas for articles.

For Beat Reports, you will be assigned your beats and will be required to report every two weeks (check schedule for actual dates). You are responsible for making sure we don’t miss anything newsworthy, or even possibly newsworthy. Beat Reports aren’t taken lightly in this class—they are required as homework. Beats should include a contact, date of contact, and as much information as possible. An ideal beat will have one to two meaty paragraphs or the same amount of information in bullet points. An example of the layout would be:

Beat Title-

  • Information – 1 to 2 paragraphs (or bullet points)
  • Contact(s) – Name, grade level or administration title
  • Date of Contact – Date you talked to this person/these people

Along with your assigned beats, you need two additional stories. These two stories don’t have to deal with your beat, but they should be something that an article can be written about (for example, a story about what the weather is going to be this week or the job position changes at the N&O would not be acceptable). You should copy the story from the news website you got it from, give the web address, and a short paragraph summary of what the story is about.

Occasionally, these additional stories will have topic ideas. If this comes about, listen to Ms. Schmitz’s instructions on how to complete this part of your beat report.

At the beginning of the year, we will go around the class and have people report the highlights of their beats to everyone.

An example of an additional story—remember you have to do at LEAST TWO:

Summary: As decision day is fast approaching for prospective freshman college students, the N&O gives tips for making that decision easier.

Skip these reasons in your college decision

D-Day is fast approaching. May 1 is "Decision Day" or national candidate's reply date, and that means high school seniors need to notify one college of their intention to attend and submit a deposit. Missing this deadline can cost you your spot.

I've recently written that when making your decision you should consider Academic Fit, Social Fit and Financial Fit. But, if you're still at a stalemate, here are my top 10 things that don't deserve as much weight in the final evaluation:

1. The tour guide was really good and made everybody want to come. Remember that's his job!

2. The website made the campus look so appealing, and the brochure has beautiful pictures. Ditto from No. 1. Remember these are all marketing tools, Frisbee on the quad? It's everywhere!

3. The gym has a climbing wall. Colleges are struggling to "keep up with the Joneses," at least as far as amenities. Climbing walls are at almost every college, and I've rarely seen anyone using them.

4. Prestige. The honor of putting the college sticker on the rear windshield does not mean it's necessarily the right place to spend your next four years. Go beyond the brand name.

5. Your friends are headed there. This could be a great time to step out from your circle and be more independent. Take a risk if it feels right.

6. Your boyfriend/girlfriend is going there. More relationships crash and burn because teenage couples think they must be on the same campus to keep a relationship alive. It's tough, but try to look at this with a more objective perspective.

7. It's the cheapest. If that is the only factor in its favor, then you really haven't done your homework.

8. It's the most expensive. Expensive does not always equate with higher quality.

9. It has a good football team. Students frequently get caught up in the contagious school spirit and forget that there are only just a handful of home games each year.

10. They are ranked "No. 1 Party School." No explanation needed.

After you've decided

Once you've made your decision, the honorable thing to do is to politely notify all the other colleges that accepted you and tell them that you have decided to go elsewhere. Think of friends who have been wait-listed. Be careful not to be snotty. You may find yourself interested in transferring, and it would be silly to burn any bridges. It is perfectly acceptable to send an email message with an update on your final decision.

While the decision-making can be tough, understand that it is considered unethical to make deposits at two or more schools. Students often think it is "no big deal" and share their plans at school. That scuttlebutt can make its way to college admissions offices. Colleges can and do rescind offers of admission if they find out about double-depositing.

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