Journalism and Media Writing Quiz

Grade 11 · English · Quiz

Test your knowledge of journalistic writing principles, media ethics, and news structures.

Questions

1. Which term describes the journalistic practice of allowing a person who is criticized in a story to respond before publication?

   1. Source attribution
   2. Right of reply
   3. Editorial independence
   4. Prior restraint
   Show answer

   Answer: Right of reply

   The right of reply is a basic fairness principle — someone criticized in a story should be contacted and given the opportunity to respond before publication, reducing error and demonstrating fairness.

2. The Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein are famous for their investigative reporting on which major political scandal?

   1. The Iran-Contra Affair
   2. The Pentagon Papers
   3. The Watergate Scandal
   4. The Monica Lewinsky Affair
   Show answer

   Answer: The Watergate Scandal

   Woodward and Bernstein's reporting for the Washington Post on the 1972 Watergate break-in and cover-up ultimately led to President Nixon's resignation in 1974, one of journalism's greatest achievements.

3. In journalism, the term 'off the record' means which of the following?

   1. The information may be published but cannot be attributed to the source
   2. The information cannot be published or attributed in any form
   3. The information may be published with the source's name
   4. The journalist must independently verify the information before any use
   Show answer

   Answer: The information cannot be published or attributed in any form

   'Off the record' means the information is shared for the journalist's background understanding only and may not be published or attributed in any form; this is distinct from 'on background' (publishable without attribution).

4. Which of the following is the best definition of 'prior restraint' in the context of press freedom?

   1. A journalist's professional obligation to verify information before publishing
   2. Government action to prevent publication before it occurs
   3. An editor's right to modify a reporter's story before it runs
   4. Legal action taken against a journalist after a defamatory story is published
   Show answer

   Answer: Government action to prevent publication before it occurs

   Prior restraint refers to government action stopping publication before it occurs, which the Supreme Court has ruled is presumptively unconstitutional under the First Amendment — established in Near v. Minnesota (1931).

5. What distinguishes a hard news story from a feature story?

   1. Hard news uses named sources; features use anonymous sources
   2. Hard news covers breaking current events with urgency; features are longer, narrative pieces exploring depth and context
   3. Hard news is always shorter than features
   4. Features must be published weekly; hard news is published daily
   Show answer

   Answer: Hard news covers breaking current events with urgency; features are longer, narrative pieces exploring depth and context

   Hard news covers breaking or current events with immediacy and urgency; feature writing takes a longer-form, narrative approach to explore context, human interest, or complex issues in greater depth.

6. The Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics identifies which of the following as a core principle of journalism?

   1. Maximize audience engagement at all costs
   2. Seek truth and report it
   3. Protect the reputation of news organizations
   4. Prioritize speed over accuracy in breaking news
   Show answer

   Answer: Seek truth and report it

   The SPJ Code's first principle is 'Seek Truth and Report It'; others include 'Minimize Harm,' 'Act Independently,' and 'Be Accountable and Transparent.'

7. Defamation (libel for written statements) requires proving that a false statement of fact was published and caused harm to the subject's reputation.

   Show answer

   Answer: True

   Libel (written defamation) requires: a false statement of fact, publication to a third party, fault (negligence for private figures, actual malice for public figures), and resulting harm to reputation.

8. The Supreme Court case New York Times v. ________ (1971) upheld the right of newspapers to publish the Pentagon Papers despite government objections.

   Show answer

   Answer: united states

   New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) was a landmark First Amendment case in which the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the government could not prevent the Times and Washington Post from publishing the classified Pentagon Papers.

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