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Step 2: Research Your Topic
Even professional journalists must do their homework. So
once you've chosen a topic, gather information by interviewing
people and using library resources. Be sure to ask Who?
What? When? Where? Why? and How? while doing your research
to get the complete story.
When doing interviews, try not to ask questions that can
be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Instead, try to
get as many important details from your sources as possible.
Have them explain why they answered the way they did.
Don't ask: "Is your class holding a bake sale?"
Instead, ask: "Why is your class holding a bake sale?"
You may need to use your library's reference materials
to double-check certain facts or get backup information.
Encyclopedias provide a good overview of different subjects,
while almanacs have important and interesting facts about
countries around the world, sports, entertainment, and other
topics. Newspapers and the Internet offer the latest updates
on national and international events as well as newsworthy
topics in general. (Note: You may need to double-check information
you get from the Internet. Not everything you find online
is true.)
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