Now that you know what a nutgraf is, share the best example from a story in your local paper. Post the nutgraf, with a link to the entire story. And explain why this nutgraf works!
"There's no evidence the case represents any new trend. Guns have long been a scourge among male teenagers in New Orleans. Yet it's at least the second gun-related incident on a city campus since the new school year opened just a few weeks ago. Police were called to Reed Elementary in eastern New Orleans last month after an eighth-grader brought a pistol to school."
==============
This nutgraf works in a negative way because tacitly tells of continuing troubles regarding the growing gun culture in NOLA. It speaks volumes that the local paper takes note -- and some satisfaction -- that there is allegedly "no evidence the case represents any new trend."
Alas, stories asserting such negatives are always on slippery logical grounds.
More importantly, the graf conveys a lack of urgency. Two cases of students bringing handguns to school in comparably-sized districts in other parts of the country would send administrators and parents into lock-down apoplexy.
And what the heck is a 13 year-old doing in elementary school?
I'm confused in looking at examples of nutgrafs. What's the policy on using quotes to make your summary or link to grander scope?: Some high level j sources say "no" or "avoid" -- others allow.
“The van driver who was supposed to deliver a 17-month-old baby to a Dorchester day care Monday failed to notice that the child was still on board at the end of the morning route, investigators now believe, leaving the boy unattended in the sweltering vehicle until midafternoon. By the time Luis Matos realized his error up to six hours later, investigators say, Gabriel Josh-Cazir Pierre was dead inside the van.” ___________________________________
The story title itself tells us already what to expect from the story; there’s a dead baby in Dorchester; this is what the story is about. The what and where are put in there already. Now you want to present some facts and details about the reason why there’s a dead baby. That’s what this nutgraf does when it gives us some details about the who, by giving us the exact age of the child, which will always make it more shocking to read that a baby is dead than an adult. The how tells us the possible reason of his death when they mention the conditions in which the boy was left; “unattended in the sweltering vehicle”. I’ve heard of dozens of babies who have died in Juarez, Mexico when left inside an unattended vehicle for a couple hours under the extremely hot weather over there. Finally, the why is not directly stated, but rather suggested and left for the reader to draw the conclusion that it was the long time the child while was left alone inside a van.
A missing component here is the date (when), which is not shown in the in the first couple paragraphs, but with a quote of the child’s mother following nutgraf I think it catches your interest to continue reading and find out more details about the accident.
My local paper is the Boston Globe. Technically, I'm in Belmont but the news in Belmont is squeaky clean. Good for me, bad for journalism assignments. Of course Sebastian Junger recently published, "A Death in Belmont," about the Boston Strangler. On to the nutgraf-
"Baez-Cruz, charged with armed robbery and assault to murder, is the second person to be apprehended in connection with the Sept. 6 heist of Musto Jewelers that sent shoppers running for cover and left DeNapoli, 51, in serious condition with several gunshot wounds, including a detached index finger."
I thought the nutgraf summed up the story in a nutshell. The reader would possibly continue to the next section for more.
The downside was that the nutgraf didn't mention the name of the other suspect, Antonio Matos. The lead was all about Matos shooting the officer, but as I read I was confused about Matos's role vs. Baez-Cruz.
Ironically, the story lined up right beside more of the day care tragedy. The van driver's name...Matos.
My "local paper" for the next three dyas happens to be in NOLA -- and so from the The Times- Picayune I offer:
ReplyDeleteNew Orleans teenager arrested after gun goes off in backpack
http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2011/09/new_orleans_teenager_arrested.htmlhttp://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2011/09/new_orleans_teenager_arrested.html
Nutgraf:
"There's no evidence the case represents any new trend. Guns have long been a scourge among male teenagers in New Orleans. Yet it's at least the second gun-related incident on a city campus since the new school year opened just a few weeks ago. Police were called to Reed Elementary in eastern New Orleans last month after an eighth-grader brought a pistol to school."
==============
This nutgraf works in a negative way because tacitly tells of continuing troubles regarding the growing gun culture in NOLA. It speaks volumes that the local paper takes note -- and some satisfaction -- that there is allegedly "no evidence the case represents any new trend."
Alas, stories asserting such negatives are always on slippery logical grounds.
More importantly, the graf conveys a lack of urgency. Two cases of students bringing handguns to school in comparably-sized districts in other parts of the country would send administrators and parents into lock-down apoplexy.
And what the heck is a 13 year-old doing in elementary school?
Cheers,
Lee
I'm confused in looking at examples of nutgrafs. What's the policy on using quotes to make your summary or link to grander scope?: Some high level j sources say "no" or "avoid" -- others allow.
ReplyDeleteAnswers sought in baby’s death in Dorchester
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2011/09/13/van-driver-believed-not-see-child/ylBYFbDwXbVjx92krE93HM/story.xml
“The van driver who was supposed to deliver a 17-month-old baby to a Dorchester day care Monday failed to notice that the child was still on board at the end of the morning route, investigators now believe, leaving the boy unattended in the sweltering vehicle until midafternoon.
By the time Luis Matos realized his error up to six hours later, investigators say, Gabriel Josh-Cazir Pierre was dead inside the van.”
___________________________________
The story title itself tells us already what to expect from the story; there’s a dead baby in Dorchester; this is what the story is about. The what and where are put in there already. Now you want to present some facts and details about the reason why there’s a dead baby. That’s what this nutgraf does when it gives us some details about the who, by giving us the exact age of the child, which will always make it more shocking to read that a baby is dead than an adult. The how tells us the possible reason of his death when they mention the conditions in which the boy was left; “unattended in the sweltering vehicle”. I’ve heard of dozens of babies who have died in Juarez, Mexico when left inside an unattended vehicle for a couple hours under the extremely hot weather over there. Finally, the why is not directly stated, but rather suggested and left for the reader to draw the conclusion that it was the long time the child while was left alone inside a van.
A missing component here is the date (when), which is not shown in the in the first couple paragraphs, but with a quote of the child’s mother following nutgraf I think it catches your interest to continue reading and find out more details about the accident.
My local paper is the Boston Globe. Technically, I'm in Belmont but the news in Belmont is squeaky clean. Good for me, bad for journalism assignments. Of course Sebastian Junger recently published, "A Death in Belmont," about the Boston Strangler. On to the nutgraf-
ReplyDeleteOfficer's shooting is detailed (Today's Metro)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2011/09/16/police-second-defendant-admitted-role-woburn-heist-shooting/e5afUQ0rjU7TpFVHQ96EoI/story.xml
"Baez-Cruz, charged with armed robbery and assault to murder, is the second person to be apprehended in connection with the Sept. 6 heist of Musto Jewelers that sent shoppers running for cover and left DeNapoli, 51, in serious condition with several gunshot wounds, including a detached index finger."
I thought the nutgraf summed up the story in a nutshell. The reader would possibly continue to the next section for more.
The downside was that the nutgraf didn't mention the name of the other suspect, Antonio Matos. The lead was all about Matos shooting the officer, but as I read I was confused about Matos's role vs. Baez-Cruz.
Ironically, the story lined up right beside more of the day care tragedy. The van driver's name...Matos.
Valerie