Communication, Film & Theatre

Now in its Sixth Edition, Writing for the Mass Media remains one of the clearest and most efficient introductions to media writing on the market.

This successful text offers a simple organization, clear writing, abundant exercises, and precise examples that give students the information about media writing and the opportunity to develop their skills as professional writers. Using a workbook-style format, it introduces and explains the major forms of media writing—inverted pyramid for print and Web, dramatic unity for broadcast, copy platforms for advertising, and the various writing structures required for public relations—and covers all major areas of media, including the Internet. Its basic and practical approach make it an excellent text for an introductory writing course.

• Abundant exercise material at the end of each chapter allows students to practice the principles of good writing and offers them the challenge of writing in a media environment.
• Simple, straightforward explanations of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style rules that provide students with the basic foundation on which to build good writing (Chs. 2 & 3).
• Exercises that deal with some of the most common writing problems, such as use of the comma and pronoun-antecedent agreement, are featured in the text.
• Numerous examples of the concepts provide students with models from which to learn.
• Information on legal aspects and problems of writing for the media gives students a complete picture of writing for publication in the media.
• A chapter on writing for the Internet (Ch. 6) details many of the recently developed structures of Web writing—such as labels, headlines, summaries, and weblogs—and discusses the implications of writing in a linking and hypertext environment.
• An emphasis in Chapter 1 on becoming a professional writer increases the professional orientation of the book to prepare students more effectively for their future careers.

• A completely rewritten chapter on writing for the Web, including numerous innovative exercises to develop writing skills, takes into account many of the structures and demands of the Web environment, helping students navigate in this medium (Ch. 6).
• Many new examples of good writing are featured in the text, against which students are encouraged to model their own writing.
• New exercises found in many of the chapters, including those involving grammar and style, allow students to put content into practice.
• An updated Companion Website (www.ablongman.com/stovall6e) and Instructor’s Manual, with additional material for lectures and discussion as well as some additional exercise material, provide supplementary material for users.
• A glossary provides easy access to definitions of terms used throughout the book.

Preface.           

1. Sit Down & Write.

         What is Good Writing? 

         Getting Ready to Write

         Basic Techniques

         Writing for the Mass Media 

         Becoming a Professional

         Text and Images

         And Finally . . .

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

2. Basic Tools of Writing. 

         Grammar

         Common Grammar Problems

         Punctuation

         Spelling

         Computer Aids

         Words, Words, Words

         Writing with Clarity

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

3. Style and the Stylebook.

        Accuracy

        Clarity

        Brevity

        Journalistic Conventions

        Journalistic Style

        Stylebooks

         The Associated Press Stylebook

         Language Sensitivity

         Conclusion

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

4. Writing in the Media Environment.

         The News Culture

         Elements of News

         Personal Sources

         Interviewing

         Observation

         Stored Sources of Information

         The Importance of Accuracy

         Deadlines

         Ethical Behavior

         Writing by Example

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

5. Writing for Print. 

         Characteristics of News Stories

         The Inverted Pyramid

         The Lead Paragraph

         Developing the Story

         Using Quotations

         Other Story Structures

         Types of News Stories

         Editing and Rewriting

         Writing Feature Stories

         Characteristics of Feature Writing

         Parts of a Feature Story

         The Challenge of Writing

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

6. Writing for the Web.

         Characteristics of the Web

         Demands of the Audience

         Characteristics of Web Writing

         Forms of Writing

         Lateral Reporting

         Wanted for the Web: Writers and Editors

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

7. Writing for Broadcast.  

         Selection of News

         Characteristics of Writing

         Story Structure

         Broadcast Writing Style

         Broadcast Copy Preparation

         Conclusion

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

8.  Writing Advertising Copy.    

         A Love—Hate Relationship

         The Field of Advertising

         Beginning the Process: Needs and Appeals

         The Audience

         The Product

         The Advertising Situation

         Copy Platforms

         Writing the Ad

         Elements of a Print Ad

         Writing Advertising for Broadcast

         Other Media

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

9. Writing for Public Relations.

         The Work of the PR Practitioner

         Characteristics of the PR Practitioner

         Writing News Releases

         Letters

         Company Publications

         Oral Presentations

         Conclusion

         Points for Consideration and Discussion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

         Exercises

 

10. Writers & the Law. 

         The First Amendment

         Defamation

         The Plaintiff’s Case

         Affirmative Defenses

         Privacy

         Copyright and Trademark

         Advertising

         Broadcast Regulation

         Conclusion

         Further Reading

         Web Sites

 

Appendix A: Copy-editing Symbols.   

Appendix B: Grammar and Diagnostic Exams.

Appendix C: Problem Words and Phrases.   

Appendix D: Advertising Copy Sheets.

Appendix E: Glossary. 

 

Index.  

           

Newswriting and Reporting  (Mass Communication / Public Relations / Film)
Media Writing  (Mass Communication / Public Relations / Film)

• 
  Writing for the Mass Media, 7/E
  Stovall
  ©2009 | Allyn & Bacon | Paper; 384 pp | Instock
  ISBN-10: 0205627846 | ISBN-13: 9780205627844
  Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

  

  Now in its Seventh Edition, Writing for the Mass Media remains one of the clearest and most effective introductions to media writing on the market.

   

  This text, which has been used at more than 450 colleges and universities during its life, offers clear writing, simple organization, abundant exercises, and precise examples that give students information about media writing and opportunities to develop their skills as professional writers. Using a text-workbook format, it introduces and explains the major forms of media writing–inverted pyramid and other story structures for print, emerging forms for the Web, dramatic unity for broadcast, copy platforms for advertising, and the various writing structures required for public relations. The basic and practical approach of Writing for the Mass Media makes it an excellent text for an introductory writing course.

   

This successful text offers a simple organization, clear writing, abundant exercises, and precise examples that give students the information about media writing and the opportunity to develop their skills as professional writers. Using a workbook-style format, it introduces and explains the major forms of media writing: inverted pyramid for print and Web, dramatic unity for broadcast, copy platforms for advertising, and the various writing structures required for public relations. Writing for the Mass Media also covers all major areas of media, including the Internet. In addition, its basic and practical approach makes this text an excellent book for any introductory writing course.

New to the Sixth Edition

• A completely rewritten chapter on writing for the Web uses innovative exercises to develop writing skills, accounts for many of the structures and demands of the web environment, and helps students navigate in this medium.
• Many new examples of good writing are featured in the text, against which students are encouraged to model their own writing.
• New exercises found in many of the chapters, including those involving grammar and style, allow students to put content into practice.
• An updated Companion Website (www.ablongman.com/stovall6e) and Instructor’s Manual, with additional material for lectures and discussion, as well as some additional exercise material, provide supplementary material for users.
• A glossary provides easy access to definitions of terms used throughout the book.

Praise for Writing for the Mass Media

“Stovall’s strengths are many. . .the book is a bargain and the inclusion of exercises for each chapter heightens its bargain status. Likewise, the back-to-basics approach makes the book accessible to a wide range of students.”

“For those who are in search of breadth, Stovall’s greatest virtue has to be the diversity of media writing tasks addressed. Not one of the competitors that I have used offers nearly the diversity of writing assignments treated by Stovall.”
Laurence W. Fennelly, Macon State College

“Stovall’s text is easy to read and the information is easy to access for any entry-level course in media writing.”
Christine Cranford, East Carolina University

Companion Website, 6/E
Stovall
©2006 | Allyn & Bacon | On-line Supplement | Instock
ISBN-10: 020547019X | ISBN-13: 9780205470198
URL:  http://www.ablongman.com/stovall6e

Companion Website, 6/E
Stovall
©2006 | Allyn & Bacon | On-line Supplement | Instock
ISBN-10: 020547019X | ISBN-13: 9780205470198
URL:  http://www.ablongman.com/stovall6e

Instructor's Manual (Download Only), 6/E
Stovall
©2006 | Allyn & Bacon | On-line Supplement; 128 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205470246 | ISBN-13: 9780205470242
  View Downloadable Files

Companion Website, 6/E
Stovall
©2006 | Allyn & Bacon | On-line Supplement | Instock
ISBN-10: 020547019X | ISBN-13: 9780205470198
URL:  http://www.ablongman.com/stovall6e

Allyn & Bacon Digital Media Archive for Communication, Version 3.0, 3/E
Allyn & Bacon
©2005 | Allyn & Bacon | CD-ROM Only; 32 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205437095 | ISBN-13: 9780205437092

InterWrite PRS RF (Personal Response System)
InterWrite PRS & Allyn & Bacon/Longman
©2005 | Allyn & Bacon | Electronic Supplement | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205436951 | ISBN-13: 9780205436958

Pearson Allyn & Bacon Film Study Site Update (open Access)
Allyn & Bacon
©2011 | Allyn & Bacon | On-line Supplement | Estimated Availability : 02/15/2010
ISBN-10: 0205737595 | ISBN-13: 9780205737598
URL:  http://www.abfilmstudies.com

ResearchNavigator.com Guide: Mass Communication, Theatre, and Film (Valuepack item only)
Roat & Barr
©2007 | Allyn & Bacon | Paper; 128 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205524141 | ISBN-13: 9780205524143

iClicker Classroom Response System
iClicker & Allyn & Bacon/Longman
©2008 | Allyn & Bacon | Electronic Supplement | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205594506 | ISBN-13: 9780205594504

For Newswriting and Reporting

Study Card for Journalism and News Writing
Aucoin
©2010 | Allyn & Bacon | Study Card; 2 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205755542 | ISBN-13: 9780205755547

For Media Writing

Study Card for Journalism and News Writing
Aucoin
©2010 | Allyn & Bacon | Study Card; 2 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205755542 | ISBN-13: 9780205755547

Companion Website, 6/E
Stovall
©2006 | Allyn & Bacon | On-line Supplement | Instock
ISBN-10: 020547019X | ISBN-13: 9780205470198
URL:  http://www.ablongman.com/stovall6e

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