News Simulation: A Fire Scenario CCNMTL
Introduction Freeport News The Police Beat Covering the Story Lead and Story Structure About the Lead Writing the Story
Fire Resources
Fire Checklist
Freeport Fire Codes
Reporter's Tools
Mobile Phone
Digital Audio Recorder
Digital Camera
PDA
Freeport City Map
Reporter's Checklist and Notebook
Personal Computer
Background Reading
Journalism Primer
The Police Beat
Fire Coverage
Useful Math for Reporters
Grammar for Journalists
Math and Grammar Quiz
Lead and Story Structure

Two-Element Story Structure

This diagram shows how to structure a two-element story. There are three options. Option 1 is to place both story elements in paragraph one, with the remainder of the story being background and supporting materials that elaborate on those elements. Option 2 involves placing the most important element, A, in the first paragraph, with element B in the second paragraph, and the remainder of the story being background and supporting materials. Option 3 involves a brief summary of the main elements in the first paragraph, followed by the most important element, A, in the second graph, the next most important element, B, in the third graph, followed by background and supporting materials.

2 element diagram

[ Click on image to enlarge ]

Three-Element Story Structure

This diagram shows how to structure a three-element story. There are four options. Option 1 is to place all three story elements in paragraph one, with the remainder of the story being background and supporting materials that elaborate on those elements. Option 2 involves placing the most important element, A, in the first paragraph, with elements B and C in the second paragraph, and the remainder of the story being background and supporting materials. Option 3 involves a brief summary of the main elements in the first paragraph, followed by the most important element, A, in the second graph, the next most important element, B, in the third graph, and the third most important element in graph 4, followed by background and supporting materials. Option 4 begins with the most important element, A, in the first graph, the next most important element, B, in the second graph, and the third most important element in graph 3, followed by a brief summary and then background and supporting materials.

3 element diagram

[ Click on image to enlarge ]

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