Writing for the Web should be a cross between broadcast and print — tighter and punchier than print but more literate and detailed than broadcast writing. Write actively, not passively.

Good broadcast writing uses primarily tight, simple declarative sentences and sticks to one idea per sentence. It avoids the long clauses and passive writing of print. Every expressed idea flows logically into the next. Using these concepts in online writing makes the writing easier to understand and better holds readers’ attention.

Strong verbs are extremely important – no passive verbs!

Your assignment, worth 10 points, is to convert a broadcast script into an AP style news story for the Web. Apply the concepts listed in this conversion guide by Cory Bergman of LostRemote.com.

First, we’ll watch the story twice (it starts at the 7:45 mark), reading along with the script the second time:

The Daily Update: Monday, April 25 from SMU-TV on Vimeo.

Before you start writing, read through the script again to determine what holes (if any) you’ll need to fill for the written story. After that, you may need to follow up to ask about who said what, and what role/title these people have. Feel free also to insert details that you observed while watching the broadcast package that are not apparent in the broadcast script.

In your story, you do not have to follow the same order that the script does — although you can if you want. You also will need a new lead that quickly gets to the point of the story and skips the anchor intro.

Remember, accuracy is just as important for the Web as it is for the print product. The same standards of fairness, attribution, accuracy, relevance and newness still apply. And follow AP style! Here is a list of Top 10 AP Style Tips from cubreporters.org.

Happy writing!!

Postscript: Here are some Storified highlights of our scavenger hunt.

Why have a Twitter scavenger hunt? To reinforce the idea that if you have a cell phone in your pocket, you can commit an act of journalism anywhere, anytime.

Just ask:

You are hereby expected to pounce on breaking news! If news breaks on or near campus this semester, I expect #j2380 students to be all over it — post Twitter pics and alert your classmates at The Daily Campus!

• Sarah Acosta is an entertainment reporter, blogger and videographer for her hometown newspaper, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.
• Elisabeth Brubaker is a production assistant for Piers Morgan Tonight at CNN in New York City.
• Marissa O’Connor is a programming coordinator for new media at E! Online in Los Angeles.

While we’re talking jobs, here are Batsell’s favorite journalism job links …

JOB/INTERNSHIP LISTINGS:
JournalismJobs.com
Poynter.org’s searchable job database
Lost Remote (TV-related digital journalism jobs)
DFW Communicators Job Bank

JOURNALISM CAREER ADVICE/STRATEGY:
Joe Grimm’s Career Strategies for Journalists (previous version)
Joe Grimm’s “Ask The Recruiter” column for Poynter Online

I routinely add job-related links to my delicious page under the tags “jobmarket” and “jobs“

You have two assignments relating to personal branding:

• Create your own journalism portfolio site on a professional-looking template such as WordPress or Weebly. Your site needs to have a polished feel and must list your resume, contact information (e-mail only is fine), an “about me” section, and links to at least five examples of your multi-platform work. A professional-looking picture is optional. You’ll also want to replace the standard “Hello World” post with a “Welcome” post explaining that this is your journalism portfolio site. (At first, you’ll probably want to explain that it’s under construction and to come back soon.) For links to some basic HTML pointers, visit my Delicious page.Here are some example sites from previous students:
  Kassi Schmitt
  Mackenzie Warren
  Morgan Parmet
• Create a LinkedIn profile (at least 75% complete) and add me as a connection.

Your portfolio site (worth 75 points) is due at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5. Simply send me the link when you’re finished and the site is ready to go. Your LinkedIn page (worth 25 points) is due at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

The case is part of the Knight Case Studies Initiative at Columbia University‘s Graduate School of Journalism. 90-day access to the case and all its multimedia features costs $5.95.

You can print out a PDF if you’d like, but take advantage of the multimedia elements, such as video and audio interviews with the main characters and links to their bios.

The case study assignment is worth 20 points. The first part, worth 10 points, is to post a brief response (250 words or less) as a comment to this blog entry addressing these two questions:

1. Does STLtoday.com owe its readers as much accurate information as it can provide in real time, even if it means stepping ahead of the police in confirming the names of the shooter and his victims? Why or why not?

2. What information should go in the next day’s Post-Dispatch newspaper?

Your response must be posted by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 21.

The second 10 points will be awarded on the basis of your contributions to the case study discussion in class.

Enjoy the case!