Every semester, someone walks into the newsroom convinced that student journalism is for English majors and people who already know how to write a lede. It is not. Some of the best stories come from students who simply noticed something and asked about it.
Here are five things the board wishes more first-year students knew.
1. A pitch can be one sentence
You do not need a full draft to start. A pitch can be as short as: “The scholarship office moved, and nobody told the students who queue there on Mondays.” The editor will help you turn that into a reporting plan.
2. Notes are the job
Interviews are not conversations you remember later. Write things down. Record with permission. Keep a list of names, dates, and titles. The best time to check a fact is before you write the sentence, not after.
3. “I don’t know” is a valid answer
Reporters are not experts. They ask people who are. When a source gives you a number, ask where it comes from. When a document uses a term you do not understand, ask for a plain-language explanation. Admitting confusion is part of reporting.
4. Every story needs the people affected
Not every story has a villain, but every story has people who live with the outcome. A policy story is incomplete without the students, staff, or residents who have to follow it. Talk to them.
5. The editorial board is not a closed club
The board changes every year. Students who contribute regularly often become editors. If you want to learn how a publication works, the fastest way is to pitch something small and see it through.
Pitches go through the submissions page. You can also email piscatores@gmail.com with questions.
Corrections and clarifications: email piscatores@gmail.com. Piscatores follows the editorial standards in its editorial policies.
