High School Journalism: A Practical Guide

Having taught high school journalism and advised an award-winning publication for 12 years, I think this is my favorite of the many all-purpose texts that are out there. Is it the most comprehensive? No. Far from it. That doesn't matter to me. Most intro courses are going to be geared toward freshmen and sophomores and this book is perfect for that group. It breaks journalism down effectively for younger students and does a nice job giving them a vocabulary they can both understand and use. From "broccoli" to "gold coins," key concepts are presented in a way that sticks well with high school students--and not just the highest level kids.Throughout, Streisel writes in a lively, approachable voice. If it is less formal and scholarly than in some textbooks, this doesn't come at the expense of dumbing down the material. I find the book to be just as effective with my senior editors as it is with freshmen who may or may not have a serious interest in journalism and that's no small feat.Bonus kudos for the many excellent examples and for chapters on design and law that are short enough to be approachable for basic-level students yet comprehensive enough to use with veterans on a publication staff.Downsides? Yeah, there are some. I think the book is a little pricey for its size (although, to be fair, it does retail for about half the price of larger, hardbound texts). Also, in places, it could be a little more visually appealing. Overall though, these are minor quibbles and this is, for the most part just what it claims to be--a very PRACTICAL guide for students and teachers alike.

Not a fan of Streisel’s metaphors and analogies. I just thought they were boring, awkward, and/or distracting. His introductions to various chapters and concepts felt like tangential detours.BUT I kept reading for the core information, which I think is solid and very helpful to a newbie journalism teacher and student newspaper adviser such as myself. I would never hand this over to students as a text—it’s too lame, the writing leaves much to be desired, and it’s outdated in many ways. But it was good foundational stuff for me. Will be using the concepts and several recommended exercises in my upcoming journalism class.

Great textbook.

I am beginning a stint as a high school newspaper adviser and purchased several of the titles on the market. This book seems geared to junior high or elementary school students; I think older kids would find the explanations and language condescending and simplistic. A chapter on interviewing begins with a story about how the author's college friend got all the girls because he was a good listener. According to this text, good stories are like pepperonis on a pizza. A discussion of "What is news?" begins with a page on who likes broccoli and who doesn't. These explanatory analogies get tiresome immediately. There is nothing per se wrong about the information presented, but the pitch underestimates the intelligence of high school students.