Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide To The Craft Of Journalism

by Tim Harrower

This text does for reporting what Tim Harrower's The Newspaper Designer's Handbook has previously done for make it fun and accessible to newcomers. Harrower is an award-winning editor, designer and columnist who has previously taught at Portland State University and currently conducts journalism workshops. Inside Reporting emphasizes the basics but also provides a wealth of information on online reporting and packaging stories in more visual, interactive ways. It also includes more useful information on feature writing--from stories to reviews and column-writing--than any other text in the field.

Genres: Journalism, Nonfiction, School, Writing, Textbooks, Read For School, Education

336 pages, Paperback

First published July 7, 2006

Reviews

[Wes Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

It covers the basics of everything you need to know about journalism and much more

[Erika Schoeps · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst textbooks I have ever read. The author operates on the principle that students are too stupid and lack the attention and focus to read paragraphs of normal, organizaed text, and has created a clusterfuck of a textbook in response.

Everything is separated into clearly defined boxes, and there's a million of them to a page. Sidebars of quotes, stories, recommendations, biographies, etc. There is no pattern or regularity to what will appear in the boxes for each chapter, just random shit. I often skimmed through chapters listlessly, with no idea what was important, pointless, or just filler. I took very sparse notes, and then ended up struggling with the open book final because of the terrible organization.

This textbook literally feels like my own version of hell. I had this thought every single time I needed to read it.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

buy if your field, borrow if not

[Mr. Sterner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to the basics of journalism, but horrifically overpriced. $100+ per copy? That's madness. It's good, but not solid gold. Your best bet is to find it used.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often I'll read a textbook, but I was looking for a primer on journalism and this really did the job. The magazine style layout took a bit to get used to, but it actually made it really easy to scan and skip around to get what I needed.

[Chele Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'd think a textbook on Journalism would be as black and white as newsprint, reporting 'just the facts ma'am", but Tim Harrower made it fun! Written humorously but still giving us the inverted pyramid of information, he illustrated points with punny character names such as Robin Banks. (In a story about a crook robbing banks.) They always made our class laugh, (or groan). Personally, I cracked up every time.
I regret renting this baby as I am going on to Journalism 2. Even though we won't need it, I would've enjoyed keeping it for reference and entertainment alone.

[AnnaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read and filled with interesting information, this book could serve as a instructive text for someone considering journalism or a fun read for anyone else. Brief without skipping important information, Harrower addresses broadcast news, the history of news, how the internet impacts news, reporting for disasters, ethics and laws for reporters, and much more. I would highly recommend this book to anyone if only for them to learn more about the news industry.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best journalism books I ever read in college. The easy to read magazine layout of the book was perfect. Along with the main text of the book sub sections and side bars of supplemental material added a perfect amount of various material. Quotes, lists, and interesting side stories were supplies in a great format.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome book! I wish that I'd had this when I first started teaching newspaper. Lots of great examples, easy to read format - very graphic and visual. Information is chunked into smaller, more digestible bits. I will recommend that this become our textbook at our next adoption.

[Lindsay Coppens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book as much for the visual aesthetic as for the info-packed content. It's like a Bible for new reporters. Written as a college-level text, I've found it super useful for my high school students and although a textbook, I've actually enjoyed reading it.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

We really didn't do much in this book in the class I used in in. I should probably go through and read some parts...

[Engy Fouda · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best reporting books.
It is a magazine like, very interesting indeed!

will write a complete review later ISA