Journalism for Dummies

Learn the skills you need to find sources, fact check, and write trusted articles

Since the advent of the internet and the birth of social media, it has become difficult to wade through the massive amount of information out there. Every day we see--and believe--news articles that are released then debunked the very next day. Journalism For Dummies will provide you with the tools you need to become a savvy interviewer, writer, and fact checker. If you’re a journalist, a journalist-to-be, or just someone who wants to be smarter about what you read, this book can help. You’ll learn how journalism has evolved into what it is today, how to utilize different media platforms, including social media, and how to produce work that people can trust. This book is a comprehensive and approachable entry point for anyone who wants to produce pieces with journalistic integrity.

• Consider how journalism functions in society, and why trustworthy journalism matters
• Become media literate and identify sensational or misleading stories and articles
• Learn about the reporting process, including newsworthiness, sourcing, fact-checking, and interview best practices
• Discover the ethics and laws associated with being a digital and print journalist

This is a great Dummies guide for students majoring in or taking journalism courses, freelance journalists looking to improve their sourcing abilities, and teachers hoping to increase their students’ journalistic skills.

Arionne Nettles is a professor, culture reporter, and audio aficionado who serves as the Garth C. Reeves eminent scholar chair and instructor for digital journalism at Florida A&M University. She is also host of the HBCU history podcast Bragging Rights and Is That True? A Kids Podcast About Facts. Previously, Nettles worked as a digital producer at WBEZ and a multiplatform editor at the Associated Press.