Rules of the Road

Welcome to Baruch's programs in Journalism/Creative Writing and Business Journalism. These programs thrive because of their high standards and commitment to principles of professionalism and sound journalistic ethics. We hope that the following statement of principles and program guidelines will help you throughout your study of Journalism — and beyond.

1. Be curious. Observe carefully. Ask questions. A good journalist finds stories and reports them well by noticing things and listening openly to people from all walks of life. Give yourself little exercises to sharpen your antennae. For example, while riding the subway, read the advertisements and come up with 10 questions about each of them. Attend the community board meetings in your neighborhood to find out what issues are current there. Talk to folks — community leaders to neighborhood gossips — to learn about what concerns people in your community.
2. Deadlines count. In the real world, a missed deadline means that a story does not get published or aired, and journalists who miss their deadlines soon find themselves without a job. In our courses, deadlines are firm. Your assignments must be handed in on or before deadline.
3. Stories should be fair, balanced, thorough, and accurate. In reporting and writing your assignments, strive to consult diverse sources that represent a range of opinions on your subject. Your story should honestly represent what you find through your reporting and the points of view expressed should be those that emerge from the sources you read, listen to, and analyze. Always check your facts.
4. Your stories must be original. NEVER PLAGIARIZE. You must not copy another writer's language nor present information another reporter has gathered as though you have gathered it yourself. This is a serious offense that professors are required to report to the Dean of Students and it may result in suspension or other severe punishment.


INSTEAD:


1. Do your own original reporting. Choose story subjects related to the communities where you live, work, socialize, or study — that is, where you can find people who would be willing to be interviewed by you. Don't choose story subjects that require you to get interviews with, say, the Mayor of New York or CEO of General Motors, but subjects whose sources are more local and accessible. All stories should quote a minimum of three sources you have interviewed yourself. Getting three usable interviews usually entails interviewing at least five to 10 sources.
2. If you cite statistics or other data from a study or report, give the title, publishing organization, and date of the report within the body of your story. (Journalism does not use footnotes, but cites sources gracefully within the text of the story.)
3. Avoid quoting from other journalistic publications. If you must do so, give the name of the publication you are quoting from with the date in the main body of your article. (For example, "The Mayor's office did not return calls requesting a comment, but the Mayor told the New York Times on November 18, ".)
4. Use the Web judiciously. Internet searches can provide useful resources, but the Web should never be your primary sources of information. Nothing beats talking to sources directly, either in person or by phone. If you do use a source on the Web, call to verify that e-mail communications and Website reports are from legitimate sources.
5. Identify your sources. Give their full names and, where appropriate, their titles. If you agree to quote someone without attribution — that is, without using her/his full name — be sure to agree with that source on some relevant way of identifying her/him (for instance, "Jaime, a Baruch Accountancy major" or "a busboy active in the union organizing efforts, who requested anonymity for fear of losing his job"). Be prepared to tell your editor/professor the names of such sources.



5. Read. The first step to becoming a good writer is reading. Every Journalism student should read The New York Times EVERY DAY and at least two other publications, including a weekly magazine. Business Journalism students should ALSO read the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times and Business Week. Reading the news keeps you up to date on what is happening in the world; regardless of your area of interest or specialty, as a journalist, you must be generally knowledgeable of world events. What is more, reading journalism will help you absorb the sounds and structures of standard journalistic writing. If you have questions about how to express attribution, say — or even about how to punctuate something — it's generally a good rule of thumb to follow the format you see daily in the New York Times.
6. Carefully proofread your stories before handing them in. In all Journalism courses, it is assumed that you are comfortable and competent with the rules of grammar, punctuation, and usage in standard American English. If you are not yet adept in these areas, avail yourself of the various resources available at Baruch to improve your skills before you sign up for Journalism classes. Students who consistently commit basic errors in their Journalism assignments may earn a failing grade and certainly will not earn better than a C.
7. When in doubt, ask questions. If you are unclear about anything or have special concerns, meet with your professor. The Journalism faculty is always happy to meet with students and talk things over, and your professor holds regular office hours for this purpose. If you have questions about the Journalism programs generally or about majoring in Journalism, get in touch with Professor Christopher Hallowell, the director of the program, at 646-312-3926.

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