Importance of Journalism

On the surface, journalism just seems like simply writing an article. However, through Journalism class, I learned that the process is so much more than that. From brainstorming, researching information, completing interviews, formatting the headline, lead and body, and then going through the editing process, there is much more going on behind the scenes.

The first takeaway that I got through journalism was my appreciation for the profession, because it is a lot of hard work. The class was also critical for improving my writing skills from the basic five paragraph writing style in most typical English classes. In the future, I’ll be able to use a variety of these techniques in writing assignments in college. The most valuable thing I learned from journalism was through the activity that I actually found the most challenging, conducting interviews. To start conversations with strangers, especially who is superior to you, such as a principal, is initially very daunting. To make it even harder, journalists are typically investigating controversial topics and must question their interviewee until they get to the bottom of their questions. What I learned from this experience was to respectfully, calmly, and confidently hold a conversation with a purpose, in this case to help with my investigative research article.

Overall, the journalism course proved to be one of the most beneficial high school classes I took, because I will be able to take so many of the lessons to college and beyond. The writing, investigative, and social skills that I gained throughout this class will help me be well rounded for any courses that I will take in the next four years.