Resources — Journalism Mastery

📋 AP Style Quick Reference

Ages

She is 42. The 10-year-old boy. (No hyphens for standalone ages)

Dates

June 25, 2026. Not June 25th. Abbreviate: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.

Numbers

Spell out one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and above.

Titles

Capitalize before a name: President Biden. Lowercase after: Joe Biden, the president.

State names

Abbreviate in datelines (Ala., Ariz.). Spell out when standing alone.

Percent

Use %. Not per cent. "The team shot 47%."

Seasons

Lowercase: spring, summer, fall, winter. Unless part of a title.

Composition titles

Quote marks for book titles, movies, songs — no italics in AP.

Internet

Lowercase: website, internet, email, online.

Oxford comma

AP omits it: "red, white and blue" not "red, white, and blue."

Attribution verb

Said is almost always correct. "Said" over "stated," "claimed," "admitted."

Collective nouns

Teams are singular: "The Lakers is." NOT "The Lakers are." (AP)

→ For the full guide: apstylebook.com

🧠 30 Logical Fallacies Every Journalist Must Know

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person rather than their argument. "He can't be right — he got arrested once."

Straw Man

Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.

False Dilemma

Presenting only two options when more exist. "You're either with us or against us."

Slippery Slope

Assuming one event will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without evidence.

Appeal to Authority

Citing an authority who isn't expert on this topic, or outside their field.

Appeal to Popularity

"Millions believe it, so it must be true." Popularity doesn't equal truth.

Post Hoc

Assuming A caused B because B followed A. "Crime rose after the law passed, so the law caused crime."

Circular Reasoning

Using your conclusion as a premise. "He's a liar because he lies."

Hasty Generalization

Drawing a broad conclusion from a small or unrepresentative sample.

Red Herring

Introducing irrelevant information to distract from the main issue.

False Equivalence

Treating unequal things as though they're equal. The "both sides" trap.

Confirmation Bias

Seeking only evidence that confirms your existing belief.

Bandwagon Fallacy

Accepting something because "everyone is doing it."

Appeal to Emotion

Using emotional manipulation instead of logical argument.

No True Scotsman

Redefining a group to exclude counter-examples. "No REAL journalist would do that."

→ Full interactive guide: yourlogicalfallacyis.com

🎙️ Interview Toolkit

POWER QUESTIONS THAT OPEN SOURCES UP

"Walk me through exactly what happened — from the beginning."

"What do you wish people understood about this that they usually get wrong?"

"What was the hardest part of that decision?"

"Who else should I be talking to about this?"

"Is there anything you wish I had asked that I haven't?"

"What would it take for you to change your mind on this?"

"Can you give me a specific example?"

"What was going through your mind when that happened?"

"How did that make you feel?" (Then be quiet. Don't fill the silence.)

"Tell me more about that." (The most powerful 5-word follow-up.)

📚 The Essential Reading List

Craft

On Writing Well — William Zinsser

The single best book on nonfiction writing. Read it once a year.

Craft

The Elements of Style — Strunk & White

Short, permanent, essential. Every rule you need in 100 pages.

Craft

Writing Tools — Roy Peter Clark

50 strategies every journalist should internalize.

Journalism

The Elements of Journalism — Kovach & Rosenstiel

What journalism is and why it matters. The philosophical foundation.

Journalism

All the President's Men — Woodward & Bernstein

The definitive investigative journalism origin story.

Narrative

The New Journalism — Tom Wolfe

The anthology that defined literary journalism. Wolfe, Thompson, Didion, Talese.

Narrative

Storycraft — Jack Hart

Scene, character, narrative arc — for nonfiction writers.

Interviewing

The Art of the Interview — Lawrence Grobel

From a man who's interviewed everyone. Practical and specific.

Sports

Best American Sports Writing (annual)

Read every edition. These are the standards you're working toward.

Business

Never Split the Difference — Chris Voss

FBI hostage negotiator's guide. Apply to difficult sources and contracts.

Thinking

Thinking, Fast and Slow — Kahneman

How the mind works. Essential for understanding your own biases.

Media Law

Law of the Student Press

Reporter's Committee free resource. Know your rights.

⚖️ Media Law Primer

Defamation

The Defamation Standard

A statement is defamatory if it's false, published, identifies someone, is made with fault, and causes damage. Public figures must prove "actual malice" — that you knew it was false or had reckless disregard for the truth.

FOIA

Freedom of Information Act

Federal agencies must respond within 20 business days. File through agency portals or MuckRock. If denied, appeal citing improper exemption. Document everything.

foia.gov →

Copyright

Fair Use (4 Factors)

1. Purpose (commercial vs. educational). 2. Nature of the copyrighted work. 3. Amount used. 4. Effect on the market. Commentary, criticism, and news reporting often qualify — but never assume.

Shield Laws

Source Protection

49 states + DC have shield laws protecting journalists from being forced to reveal sources. Federal shield law does not exist. Know your state's law. Digital security matters — use Signal, encrypted email.

Privacy

4 Privacy Torts

1. Intrusion (illegal newsgathering). 2. Private facts (publishing private info). 3. False light (putting someone in false context). 4. Misappropriation (using name/likeness commercially).

Resources

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Free legal defense, hotline, and resources for working journalists.

rcfp.org →

🔗 Essential Websites & Databases

Sports Data

Basketball Reference

basketball-reference.com →

Sports Business

Spotrac — Salary Cap Data

spotrac.com →

Public Records