Basic ways of providing information in journalism. Studying documents as a method of collecting information in journalism
Faculty of Philology and Journalism
Department of Journalism Theory
METHODOLOGICAL MANUAL ON DISCIPLINE:
JOURNALISM TECHNIQUES
According to curriculum Department of Journalism, the course “Techniques of Journalistic Work” is included in the block of general professional disciplines and is studied in the first semester. 12 hours of lectures and 24 hours of laboratory classes are allocated for its classroom study).
The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the field of journalism, to give an idea of the place and role of reporting work as a special type of journalistic activity, to teach the techniques of reporting work, and to instill reporting skills.
The course “Techniques of Journalistic Work” is a technological basis for studying journalistic genres. It gives students an idea of the ways, methods, and system of work of a journalist in collecting, processing and transmitting information through media channels mass media. Concepts such as “journalistic information, its types,” “methods of collecting and verifying information,” “sources of information and their classification” should be learned by students during a theoretical course and practiced in laboratory classes.
The course ends with a test at the end of the first semester, for which the student is allowed to pass, subject to completing all types practical work and tasks provided for in the course plan.
Reporting work is associated with the most important task of the press - to quickly cover all the most significant processes of social life, manifested in facts and events.
Every journalist must have reporting skills. Therefore, in order to successfully master the techniques of reporting, students must acquire knowledge on the following problems: journalistic information and its types, sources of information, forms and methods of cognition of reality by a reporter, principles and stages of cognition of a reporter’s work.
Thesis outline of lectures
The concept of journalistic information
The goal of any information activity is to move from a state of high initial entropy to a state of minimal entropy. Information, eliminating uncertainty, helps a person form his own model outside world, helps to take right decisions and navigate the processes and patterns of the surrounding reality.
Information has certain properties.
The first is the ability of information to be valuable and useless. The most main value information lies in its novelty. But we must take into account that any new, previously unknown information necessarily has objective value, but is not always valuable for every individual or group of individuals. Therefore, we must always remember about the subjective value of information, which depends on people’s needs. The second property of information is its redundancy. Completely new information would require DC voltage, a person would get tired quickly. Therefore, journalists often make explanations of terms, so the same news is broadcast with a given frequency.
In information theory, there are two levels of information - potential and real information. All journalistic information functioning in society, that is, social information, is potential information. Real information is the relationship between a message and its consumer: only by connecting with the consumer (listener, reader, viewer, etc.) does information become real.
Requirements for journalistic information.
Originality, not banality of information.
Availability or decodability of a message.
Relevance or appropriateness of the message.
Types of journalistic information:
Event information is facts, events published without comment.
Interpretive information is the analysis, commentary, conclusions and generalizations contained in publications.
Basic information is particularly important documentary, theoretical information of a state, moral, legal, religious and other generally significant nature.
Reporting work in the system of journalistic activity
The modern differentiation of journalistic work is a number of professional specializations: reporter, analyst, publicist. Reporters prioritize the qualities of mobility and efficiency, which ensure success in the harsh rhythm of information gathering.
News journalism is a set of genres focused on reporting current event information.
The subject of news journalism is the moment of change in reality.
News journalism is based on fact.
A fact is a real, non-fictional incident, an event of an isolated nature. This is not what happened, happens, but what happened in a certain case, what happened today, yesterday, in a specific place.
It has an internal dramaturgy - beginning, development, completion, that is, dynamics.
News materials can be divided into three categories: calendar, hot and organized.
Calendar ones are associated with the anniversaries of certain events, with what must certainly happen. This is advanced information. Breaking news reports on dramatic events at home and abroad - about major disasters, natural disasters, unpredictable actions of people or unexpected combination of circumstances. Organized news is an artificial attraction of attention to an event, an artificial sensation.
Can any fact of everyday reality be suitable for publication? What is news and how to determine the value of news?
A fact that significantly changes the situation is news.
The news should be:
Previously unknown
Close to the audience
Unusual
Personalized
Arouse general interest
The reporter's job is to collect facts about an event and present them according to classic scheme, answering the main questions WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW, and further explanation with answers to the question WHY is the task of the commentator.
3. Sources of information
The ability to obtain primary live information and exclusive information is one of the indicators of a journalist’s high professionalism.
The society has developed an extensive network of informing journalists about ongoing planned events, which includes:
briefings
presentations
press conferences
press releases
news agency reports.
The main source of information for obtaining unplanned information is a fragment of reality.
There are three types of information sources - document, person and material environment. Written sources are based on the principle of openness and freedom of information, which allow one to get acquainted with documents classified as publicly available (official papers, letters, reports, protocols, acts, orders, etc.). A person can always explain the contents of a document, comment on them, tell the background of an event, give advice, etc. Sometimes the environment that surrounds a person (objects and things) can tell more about him than he himself.
Oral sources of information are people who do not always agree with their names being included in publications. In this regard, they may be
open
anonymous
"off-the-record" sources.
There are several proven ways to check factual information:
ask the source again and, based on the text, double-check numbers, facts, names, and other important details, pronounce important statements clearly.
compare information with video, audio recordings, text documents
ask additional witnesses and eyewitnesses
have the text read by an editorial lawyer.
Observation as a method of collecting information
Observation allows a journalist to obtain information directly from current reality - primary information. What information can a journalist obtain through observation? Firstly, this is data that expresses the essence of what is happening through outside, on the basis of which one can draw conclusions about the meaning of events, about the relationships of people, about the level of their general culture or traditions, habits - about everything that can be read by the eye. Secondly, the data transmitting external characteristics one or another object. They appear in the text as a description of the signs of a real situation, which create for the reader a “presence effect” - these are details of the appearance of the characters, their speech, gestures, objects of the environment in which the events take place.
The advantages of the method include specificity and singularity. The observation method is the most operational method in journalism, and this explains its importance. It allows you to reflect reality at the moment of its development. But the journalist perceives the world around us based on your past intellectual and emotional experience, based on established logical concepts. The richer this experience, the more complete and reliable the observation results. Consequently, the observation method has a subjective perception and introduces a subjective element into the objective picture of the world.
Observation in journalism has a number of modifications. First of all, observation can be prepared or unprepared.
Prepared observation involves familiarizing the journalist with the necessary literature, archival materials, and other information about the object. The journalist knows what he has to observe, who will participate in the events, what their sequence is, etc.
Unprepared observation is based on the unpredictability, randomness, and suddenness of what is happening. A journalist works with an object without knowing anything about it in advance.
There is one-time and long-term observation.
A one-time observation is sufficient when writing short notes. One-time observation is used in news journalism, as it is associated with a strict professional necessity - efficiency.
Long-term observation in journalism is close to scientific. It is carried out according to a clearly planned program, in accordance with the set goal, the results are recorded and compared. Long-term observation has powerful advantages - it reflects the subject in development, in a highly reliable and analytical way.
Observations can be direct and indirect, open and hidden. Direct observation is carried out when the journalist has direct contact with the object. Indirect observation is needed when the object of observation is remote in time and space and direct observation is impossible.
Open observation is appropriate only when preparing positive material. Open observation forces the characters in the material to adjust their behavior, manner, style of work, etc., that is, some psychological interference arises. Therefore, a journalist needs time to “accustom” those around him to his presence.
Covert observation is a type in which a journalist examines a subject without notifying about the fact of observation, studies the behavior of people in their usual conditions, records existing relationships in a team, etc.
Covert surveillance is used both in situations where the journalist is a third-party witness to the situation, and in those when he is a participant. In the 1st case - non-involved observation, in the 2nd - included.
Participant observation is carried out by a journalist when he comes to any team or social group as a full participant in the process, social relations in this group. A look from the inside allows you to record not only external manifestations, but also the motivating reasons and motives of people’s behavior.
Particularly distinguished from a number of types of observation is experiment. This is a prepared observation that has a certain new quality. The essence of the experiment is that the journalist artificially creates circumstances in which the phenomenon appears more clearly and accurately. This ensures the utmost reliability of the information.
Interview as a method of collecting information.
Preparing and conducting interviews
The most common type of information source is a person. Firstly, a person is often a witness or participant in ongoing events, secondly, he is a carrier of information about himself and his subjective world, and thirdly, he is a transmitter of information received from others.
Using interviews, you can obtain a wide range of data, forming several segments, namely:
Factual data
Explanations
Assumptions and forecasts
Speech signs of the interlocutor that convey the characteristics of his personality.
The success or failure of the job is related to the quality of the interviewer’s preparation: studying the topic, understanding the goal, thoughtfulness of the action plan, and ingenuity in composing questions.
Questions are divided into basic and additional. The main ones are prepared in advance, as they must bring basic information. But often they do not work, because there are a number of psychological and social barriers that do not allow the establishment of friendly contact between interlocutors. And here additional questions that were not predicted come to the rescue. They are asked at a time when the main one does not work or when a twist in the topic unexpectedly occurs.
Classification of questions by form:
Open. Open questions name a topic or subject, and then the interlocutor is free to structure the answers at his own discretion. Closed ones are often used in sociology for mass surveys. In closed questions, possible answers are contained in the question itself, and the respondent must choose the position that corresponds to his opinion.
Direct and indirect. It is advisable to ask indirect questions when the topic is of a “sensitive” nature, associated with an opinion that runs counter to moral or ethical standards in a particular social group. Therefore, the question must be structured in such a way that it frees the interlocutor from the categorical nature of the statement.
Personal and impersonal. Personal question forms elicit a more individual opinion. Impersonal form gives an answer not about his own point of view, but about the opinions of others, reveals not the personality of the interlocutor, but his idea of what objective reality requires.
There are some rules that must be followed when questioning any sources of information.
The reporter must be well versed in the subject of the conversation.
When preparing for an interview, keep the task in mind. If you need to get facts, specific data, figure out numbers for a note, report, article, etc., each question should be constructed with this in mind.
Each question should consider only one aspect. By asking two questions in one, you allow the interview subject to “evade” one of the answers, giving him the opportunity to answer only the one that seems most understandable, simple or convenient to him.
The question should be asked in interrogative form, not affirmative.
Strive to ask open questions. They will help you avoid monosyllabic answers: “yes” or “no.”
Questions should be neutral.
The questions should be simple.
Listen to the answers.
Documentary method of collecting information
The skill of a journalist is associated with the ability to use reliable sources of information. The provider of such information is a way of studying reality using a document.
A document in journalism is any object created for the purpose of recording information expressed in any sign system. A document can be a letter, audio or video tape, photograph, drawing, resolution, article from a magazine...
Studying documents is a method that allows you to obtain information of a very different nature - from fundamental principles of science to diary confessions that give an idea of their author. Documents are used to verify information obtained during interviews or observations. It becomes an argument and evidence when a journalist needs to prove his case in court. Reliance on documents makes the publication sound and protected. A professional journalist uses every opportunity to provide himself with copies of the documents with which he has to work.
You need to imagine what type of documents came into your hands. In journalism, the following classification of documents is accepted:
According to the method of recording information: handwritten, printed documents, film and photographic films, magnetic and digital records.
By document status: official and unofficial
According to the degree of proximity to empirical material: primary and secondary
According to the method of obtaining the document: according to the established template and targeted.
Depending on the nature of the document and the goal of the journalist, the choice of analysis methods occurs. It could be general methods(comparison, comprehension) or special (psychological, sociological, forensic).
There are various ways document checks. Traditionally, they are divided into external and internal assessment.
Establishing the authenticity of a document. Are being considered external signs document - its form, language, style, dating. The rules that apply in forensic science are also suitable for journalism:
are there any errors in the document;
whether the institution or person on whose behalf the document was drawn up is competent to certify the information contained in it;
whether such an institution exists, whether it has been reorganized or what it was previously called at the time the document was drawn up;
does the content of the document correspond to its form;
whether the spacing between text and captions is unusual;
if the document is multi-page, are all pages numbered, is the paper the same, its quality and color.
Is the stamp or seal clearly visible?
Establishing the reliability, reliability, truth of the information contained in the document. Here it is appropriate to find out: what information was used by the author of the document, and whether the names of officials were distorted.
It is advisable to establish the date the document appeared and its number.
In addition, it is necessary to distinguish in the document from assessments, since assessments are a subjective thing and the author could be interested in his own interpretation or in silence.
Establishing the truth of the information is helped by cross-checking the document using the entire available range of documents on this issue, their comparative analysis.
When making extracts from a document, a professional journalist always:
Fixes the exact name of the document, its author, date and place of publication;
Encloses extracted text fragments in quotation marks and indicates pages;
Marks with special signs his own thoughts and assessments that arose during reading;
Upon completion of the work, he specifically checks all quotes, titles, numbers, surnames, first names and other information.
Topics and tasks laboratory work
journalistic information reporter interview
Methods for recording and accumulating information for future information messages.
Business game “From fact to rumor.”
Techniques and methods of obtaining primary information(work on site) and its recording.
Gathering operational information outside the classroom.
Ethical standards of conduct for a reporter in communicating with people.
Methods of checking and double-checking information, records and facts; collection of additional information when preparing the text of the information message.
The choice of the genre of speech in connection with the nature of the event.
Holding a press conference in the audience on a specific topic.
Organization and organization of reporting services in newspapers of various types.
Solving the creative problems of a reporter.
Description as a way of recording information.
Questions for testing
The concept of journalistic information
Types of journalistic information
Requirements for journalistic information
Specifics of reporting work
Fact and requirements for news
Main types of information sources
Observation as a method of collecting information
Types of surveillance
Interview as a method of collecting information
Interview rules
Classification of questions
Documentary method of collecting information
Document classification
Establishing the authenticity and reliability of a document
Experiment as a method of collecting information
Control test
What type of information does the statement of the President of Russia refer to:
event-based
interpretive
basic
All information circulating in society is:
real information
potential information
A message about the upcoming anniversary of something can be categorized as:
hot news
calendar
organized
What are the priority qualities of a reporter:
personal charm
efficiency
Short meetings at which journalists become familiar with the position of the meeting organizers on a particular issue are:
presentations
briefings
What information gathering method will you use when describing the opening of an art exhibition?
interview
observation
1. Observation. Based on personal knowledge of reality through sensory perception. N. is a rather complex action, predetermined both by the characteristics of the observed object and by the personal qualities, professional skills, and experience of the observer. Several types of journalistic observation:
1. Depending on the degree of direct contact of the observer with the observed object - direct (explicit contact) or indirect (mediated contact, using indirect data). 2. By time, by the amount of time spent on short-term and long-term. 3. Based on whether the observer has declared or not declared his role - open and hidden. 4. According to the degree of participation of the observer in the event, into included (the observer penetrates into the organization and sees everything that happens from the inside) and non-involved (study from the outside).
2. Interview and conversation are the most common methods of collecting information. There are 3 types of contacts: written (resume, project), oral (telephone conversation) and audiovisual (personal meeting, direct contact, exchange of business cards).
3. Processing of documents. A document is most often a written certificate of a person. But several types of documents are distinguished for different reasons: 1. By the type of recording of information (handwritten, printed, photo, film, and magnetic films, gramophone records, laser discs, etc.) d.). 2. By type of authorship - official and personal. Z. By proximity to the display object - initial and derivative. 4. By authenticity - originals and copies. 5. By purpose for printing - intentionally and unintentionally created.
Another typology of documents: state-administrative, production-administrative, social-political, scientific, normative-technical, reference-information, art, everyday documents: personal letters, notes, film and photography, diaries, etc.
When analyzing documents, it is necessary to: 1. Distinguish between descriptions of events and their interpretation (facts and opinions). 2. Determine what sources of information the author of the document used, whether it was primary or secondary. 3. Reveal the intentions that guided the author of the document, giving it life. 4. Compare, if possible, the contents of the documents under investigation with information obtained on the issue under investigation from other sources. 5.Use the chronological principle of considering facts.
Selection of information received. The significance of information is determined by its factual richness, as well as the reliability of its content. Errors: 1. Reckless trust in documents in the publication of which someone was very interested, trust in documents that do not have exact authorship or imprint. 2. Usually such materials contain compromising information against certain institutions or individual figures.
4. Experiment or provocation. The observer creates a situation that did not exist before, but an artificial one, and only then studies it using the method of observation. That is, a method of identifying the state of an object of reality by its reaction to an experimental factor (economic, legal, psychological, laboratory)
Nesterova I.A. Methods of obtaining information in journalism // Nesterov Encyclopedia
Currently, it is very important to know and adequately use the fundamental methods of obtaining information in modern journalism. Without mastering key methods, the development of a journalist as a professional is impossible.
Questioning method in journalism
In the theory of journalism, four types of surveys are considered:
- postal survey
- telephone interviewing
- Internet survey
- personal interviewing.
The most in a simple way The survey is considered to be a postal survey. However, the mail survey method is inferior in reliability to telephone and personal interviews, since the optimal volume of the questionnaire is limited and it can be filled out by another family member, and not the one to whom it is addressed. Separately, we note that from 30 to 60 percent of sent out questionnaires are returned completed. But this method is more reliable than an Internet survey.
The telephone survey is limited to households with telephones. However, the main disadvantage is that an impersonal interlocutor is not inclined to talk about his views and lifestyle. Despite the shortcomings of such a survey. This type of survey helps to quickly collect the necessary information regarding the sentiments of large and geographically dispersed groups of people.
The standard reliable method of collecting information is the method of direct interaction between the journalist and the person giving the information. It is responsive, flexible and rich in potential. This method allows you to reveal the current problem, clarify it, ask any relevant question, convince the interlocutor of the need for conversation. These qualities allow journalists to use interviews frequently. The functions of this method are varied. Mutual knowledge, relationship, interaction appear as meaningful, structural elements of a single process of communication. A journalist's communication is functional; it serves as a means of obtaining the necessary information. And at the same time, it is “suprafunctional”, since the journalist is dealing with a person who interests him not only as a performer of a typical social role, but also as a person.
The basic rule of conducting interviews is that information is always transmitted in conditions of two-way communication, that is, in conditions of mutual desire to express their views, opinions, ideas. Only by mastering the topic will a journalist be able to “talk” to his interlocutor. Often the interview method is considered in a limited way, only from the point of view of rules and techniques, and the ability to ask questions. In fact, this process of communication is a universal form of activity, included as an organic and natural component in the structure of a journalist’s creative behavior, in the creative process at many of its stages. But in order to create an atmosphere of creativity, a psychological background of communication is necessary. For this, not only emotionality is important, but also mental mobility, the ability to restructure the journalist’s behavior depending on the state of the interviewee. And it is also very important for a journalist: “before he becomes capable of reflecting other people in all the richness of their characteristics... he himself, as a person, must go through a long path of development.
The creative nature of the interview method is revealed in the ability to ask the interviewee questions that would take into account the personality traits of the interlocutor, would allow one to anticipate the logic of the interview, and would bring liveliness and spontaneity into it.
The main purpose of the questions is to implement the goals and objectives set by the journalist.
Practice has developed certain rules, following which you can skillfully use the survey method.
First rule: A journalist must have thorough knowledge of the issue being discussed.
Second rule: directly or indirectly expressed interest not only in the social status of the interlocutor, but also in his individuality, in his real human character.
Third rule: creating conditions for the interlocutor that take into account the characteristics of his character, his state of mind.
Fourth rule: a combination of unity of position with debatability, with the raising of controversial issues. Of course, the formulation of problems is dictated during the collection of information and a dispute is hardly necessary when preparing a small chronicle note, but when working on an essay or article, a dispute in communication allows us to identify the positions of the parties and reveal the essence of the matter.
Fifth rule: the ability not only to speak, but also to listen, this helps to correctly understand and correctly evaluate the bright original thought, interesting idea of the interlocutor.
Sixth rule: the journalist focuses the interview on the topic that is most significant to the interlocutor, for example, passion or positive motives for behavior.
In an interview, the object of study can be direct or indirect.
Questionnaire method involves mediation of the object of study. This is a way of obtaining information about the problems of reality, about various aspects of cultural, economic and social life using a questionnaire. Compared to an interview, a questionnaire allows a person to independently think about the answer to a question. However, sometimes being left alone with a questionnaire, a person experiences a “loneliness effect”, which has a negative effect on taking the questions posed seriously.
Let's look at the types of questionnaires. The first type is questionnaires addressed to radio listeners, television viewers and newspaper readers. They provide information about the composition of the audience, its needs, preferences, and interests. In the media system, this type serves as a kind of means feedback, allowing you to check how the system functions. Such questionnaires are thought out, discussed in advance, and published in newspapers. Incoming responses are processed, analyzed, and at the end of the year, results are usually summed up, which are then presented in one or a series of materials.
Questionnaires of the second type are designed to collect information about various phenomena both public and personal life. Such questionnaires contain questions both about objective facts” and about opinions, assessments, that is, “subjective facts.” So, the questionnaires used by journalists are of a different nature depending on the goals and objectives of collecting information.
Observation method in journalism
Observation is a complex and creative process. Its structure is determined by both external and internal conditions. External conditions are associated with the object of observation, and internal conditions are associated with the personality of the observer himself, his psychological and professional attitudes, that is, his desires, as well as the needs, goals, and objectives of the activity he carries out. Observation poses significant difficulties. One of the most common is the reaction of people who are the object of observation. The presence of an observer can cause a feeling of embarrassment and shyness in the observed, especially in cases where the situation diverges from their ideas about a normal situation.
The personal qualities of the observer and his attitude towards current events can also have a serious impact on the behavior of the observed. But it is important to know that sometimes only observation can provide the information necessary for research.
There are many different types of observation that can be classified on different grounds: by the subject of observation, by the nature of the information that interests the observer. If we consider observation as a method of collecting information, then it is necessary to classify it according to the methods of its organization and according to the position of the observer. In this regard, we will first consider open and covert observation.
Open surveillance characterized by the fact that the journalist does not hide his presence or the purpose and content of his work, and those whom he observes are aware of the fact of observation.
Covert surveillance used in research conflict situation, that is, without hiding their presence, they do not communicate the purpose and true content of the work until a certain time.
Methods of organizing observation may be determined by the degree of participation of the observer in the situation under study. On this basis, we will distinguish between included and non-involved observation.
This method of collecting information assumes that the journalist does not simply record an event, phenomenon, or processes from the outside, but performs certain functions in the team that is the object of observation.
Included And non-participant observation, in turn, can be hidden or open.
Participant observation hidden when the people being observed do not know about it. Such an observation is most often spoken of in cases where “the researcher changes profession.” By changing profession, a journalist receives important information that is not amenable to outside observation. However, psychologists believe that this type of observation suffers from a specific disadvantage: the journalist loses the ability to write objectively.
Enabled open surveillance assumes that people know about the goals of the observer because he performs a certain duty in a given team. Participant open observation seems to have all the signs of a “change of profession” technique, but this is a different technique that has its own characteristic features.
What are these features?
Non-participant observation- This is an observation from the outside.
Methods of observation
The type of observation is selected depending on the specific tasks assigned to the journalist.
Standardized observation– this is an observation associated with the preliminary selection of an observation object. Such an object can be individual acts of human behavior or a separate current problem, for example, staff turnover in a separate area of production, which is planned in advance.
Unstructured observation does not have a strict observation plan, that is, the observer does not know in advance which elements he should track. Problems are only visible in the most general outline. Such observation is necessary in exploratory research.
Depending on the regularity of observation, there are:
- Systematic observation – carried out regularly over a certain period of time.
- Non-systematic observation. This is an unplanned observation. It is associated with an unexpected event.
In practice, the choice of type of observation is dictated by the tasks assigned to the journalist, the specific conditions for collecting information, and the deadlines for completing the task. The main requirement: the journalist must deliberately consider the techniques, types of observation and ways of recording the data obtained. This method is one of the primary methods that a journalist uses at the beginning of the creative process - collecting information. However, the quality of information depends largely on the diversity and reliability of those sources that are necessary to create social information.
Depending on the conditions of the organization, observations are distinguished between “field” and “laboratory”. "Field" observations are carried out in a real, life situation.
The purpose of laboratory observation is to verify certain data constructed through an organized situation. This method is often used when preparing a staged television report.
Method of studying documents
Using the method of studying documents, a journalist obtains the information necessary to create publications and television and radio works.
The word "document" comes from the Latin "documentum" - an instructive example, a method of proof. The definition of "written document" is given in explanatory dictionary: it is “a business paper confirming some fact or right to something; or something that officially certifies the identity of the bearer or a written certificate of something.”
In his work to collect information, a journalist uses documents different types. Some researchers consider the classification of documents on the basis presented in the figure below.
Other scientists complement this classification, pointing out the features of documents related to the degree of proximity to the recorded material (primary, secondary) and to the method of obtaining naturally functioning and targeted documents.
Still others believe that it is necessary to take into account such features of documents as personal and public (type of authorship), naturally functioning and “provoked”, targeted, given and “caused” (by the method of receipt) and by the degree of proximity to the recorded empirical material. It is advisable to take into account such criteria as “the subject source of the document” (economic, legal, etc.), its spiritual, practical or scientific affiliation, the method of encoding and storage.”
Today, artisanal methods of collecting, processing and storing documents have become obsolete. Computerization and internetization make it possible to achieve the most efficient use of information.
When analyzing documents for reliability, it is important to distinguish between descriptions of events and assessments and opinions. A journalist must take into account an important condition of reliability: the information that the document confirms does not affect the interests of the author of the document, does not cause damage to him, the author treats it unkindly.
Literature
- Prokhorov E.P. Introduction to the theory of journalism - M.: Aspect Press, 2011
- Dvoretskaya G. V. Sociology Tutorial– K.: KNEU, 2002
- Shumilina T.V. Methods of collecting information in journalism - M., 1983.
- Gorokhov V.M. Components of mastery. M: Veche., 2002
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Discipline: Economy
Type of work: Report
Topic: Methods of collecting information in journalism and PR communications
St. Petersburg State Engineering and Economics University
Report on the theory and practice of public relations:
“Methods of collecting information in journalism
-communications"
Female students
1st year Faculty of Humanities
Groups 6031
Lavrova Maria
Teacher: Evseev A.Yu.
2004
In general, not only journalism and
PR communications, but also many other professions - scientist, investigator, intelligence officer, psychologist, doctor, etc. In fact, any area of activity where the key importance
has a circumstance - whether the information regarding an object, process or phenomenon is accurate, faces the problem of how to obtain and evaluate this information, with a set of implementation methods
this task.
The basis of any journalistic work (text) is information, that is, information about actually occurring processes and phenomena. A judgment not based on information may
lead to unpredictable consequences, including complete rejection or the opposite of the expected reaction. Therefore, searching, structuring and correct evaluation of information is
key stage in building any journalistic and
- material. The more confidence in the accuracy of the information received, the more likely the journalist or
achieves its goal. Selection of facts requires a thorough study of heterogeneous information, their comparison and evaluation, structuring according to the degree of relevance, according to the degree
influence of social or other significance. At the same time, excessively redundant information and its lack should be avoided.
Sciences of the humanities cycle, and journalism and
refer to such, largely proceed from conjectural information, which is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to unambiguously interpret or confirm. That's why
here there are both exact data and hypotheses that are in the nature of the most probable assumption.
In journalism and
the methodological basis of the process of collecting and information creatively compiles all the variety of methods from various disciplines. Journalist or employee
in this context, brings together such disparate factors as his own experience, personal qualities inherent in him due to personality characteristics, standard technologies
information activities and generally accepted principles and professional standards
At the same time, the collection of information for a professional is not formal in nature, but turns into an element of primary creative activity, which largely determines
all subsequent stages of its work. The role of intuition, which suggests what fact should be found and recorded, how to find this fact and where to use it in the future
will bring maximum benefit, no less important than the complex of professional skills to obtain it.
The more accurately a journalist or
the employee imagines exactly what facts are necessary for his material; the more prepared he is for the preliminary collection of information, the more effective
this process.
It is quite obvious that initial stage searching for information on a specific task is primary and as complete as possible under given conditions
preliminary acquaintance with the problem. Experienced journalists not only do not neglect the opportunity to understand the essence of the problem, to become familiar with all its aspects before they begin
practical work - be it writing a short note or preparing serious analytical material, but on the contrary, they seek every opportunity for this.
While studying the literature, I discovered that methods of collecting information are so diverse and invariant, depending on the context to such an extent, that even
an approximate, cursory description of them would take up a huge amount of text. For journalism and
there are certain professional features of the methodology, however, in a general sense, grouping them according to key characteristics - although such a classification in
to a certain extent conditional - they can be divided into three groups:
- Communication methods.
- Non-communicative (documentary and physical).
- Analytical.
Communication methods
Communicative methods of obtaining information include all types of interpersonal and technical communication that are available in the work of a journalist or
mena
.. Of course, this is, first of all, a conversation, interview and survey.
Communication methods, to a certain extent, include correspondence via postal information channels, and specific methods of computer communications,
such as teleconferences, email correspondence, etc.
Conversation,
is usually a preparatory stage before using other more precise communication methods, necessary in order to understand the emotional
background of the situation, understand the characteristics of the opponent’s personality, understand the situation as a whole.
The main communicative means of obtaining information in practical journalism is an interview (face-to-face or correspondence interview), as a result
in which the journalist realizes certain goals of obtaining certain information. It, in turn, is divided into formalized and informal. Formalized
interviewing is characterized quite a large number time or period between the collection of information and its publication. As a result, many disasters occur:
selection of words or phrases from the context, editing of material, custom material. And informal interviewing is characterized by a lack of time between collection and publication. Given
the method is typical live broadcast, as a result of this option we get publicity, because this process is unpredictable and uncontrollable. As a rule, this method is characteristic of radio and
television.
The surveys also highlight
focus groups are a method of collecting information that allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of communication at any stage, from the emergence of an idea to the specific
- product. In practice, this method consists of conducting a collective interview in the form of a group discussion during which subjective information is collected from
participants to identify problems.
Non-communicative methods (documentary and physical)
It is extremely important in the work of a journalist to use all available information arrays to obtain information. It should be noted here that familiarity with printed and
other press, primary documents related to the event (books, diaries, letters, notes, business correspondence, orders and instructions, other kinds of documents, etc.)
gives the journalist a huge information array on which he can rely in his work on the material. Others are very effective method are ways to obtain information in
as a result of using various monitoring tools. However, observation (monitoring), as a non-communicative method, even without the use of special devices gives
often invaluable information, since in this case the journalist himself can become an eyewitness to the event, observe the situation, etc. For
monitoring is the analysis of media, writing style, and manner of presentation of material. It is important to present sufficient pictures of the work of the media...