Name: 
 

Oklahoma State Agricultural Newswriting Sample Test



True/False
Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false.
 

 1. 

The ABC’s of journalism stand for Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity.
 

 2. 

Abbreviate “association” when it is part of a club or organization name.
 

 3. 

Quoting an authority helps make the information credible to your readers.
 

 4. 

The correct way to write the following address is 1200 south 10th St.
 

 5. 

When writing a news story you should try to use big words that will impress your readers.
 

 6. 

Asking someone else to read your story to check for errors is a good practice.
 

 7. 

On second reference in a news story you should use a person’s first name.
 

 8. 

You should always assume that your readers have basic knowledge of the subject about which you are writing.
 

Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 9. 

News stories are generally written in
a.
third person, but sometimes in first person
b.
first person, but sometimes in second person
c.
third person, but sometimes in second person
d.
second person, but sometimes in third person
 

 10. 

Which is the correct way to mark a two-page story?
a.
write “more” at the bottom of the first page and -30- on the second
b.
write -1- on the bottom of the first page and -2- on the second
c.
write “page one” on the bottom of the first page and ### on the second
d.
write “more” on the bottom of the first page and “end” on the second
 

 11. 

objectivity refers to
a.
interviewing only one source for a story and writing in third person
b.
reporting details that are not important to the reader
c.
reporting facts by interviewing several sources and reporting in third person
d.
having a very narrow focus within the story
 

 12. 

Numerals should NOT be spelled out (instead of written as figures) if
a.
you are writing an exact measurement
c.
it is less than ten
b.
they are at the beginning of a sentence
d.
none of the above
 

 13. 

Which of the following is an INCORRECT abbreviation to stylebook guidelines?
a.
Miss.
b.
Fla.
c.
Ks.
d.
La.
 

 14. 

Commas should always be used
a.
before Jr. and Sr. in a name
c.
in numbers
b.
after every item in a series
d.
none of the above
 

 15. 

You should capitalize a title such as president or governor
a.
always
c.
when it stands alone
b.
when it precedes
d.
when it follows a name
 

 16. 

The “inverted pyramid arrangement” refers to the techniques of
a.
putting the smallest details in the beginning of your story
b.
putting the facts first and adding your opinion to the end
c.
putting the most important facts first and the least important last
d.
putting the longest sentence first and the shortest sentence last
 

Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.
 

 17. 

Please correct the misspelled words in the following sentence:
Jane hopes to recieve a metal for her achievements in mucular physics.                  _______________, __________________, ____________________     

(place a comma after each word with one space after the comma
 

 

 18. 

List two errors from the following sentences:
John Doe, Payne County Extension Specialist, says Okla, farmers grow the highest quality wheat, sorghum and sunflowers.

__________________, _____________________

(place a comma after the first word followed by a space)
 

 



 
Check Your Work     Reset Help