Editing
Editing is at the core of our Scot Scoop publication. This is the main component of our program that distinguishes us from other schools around the nation. We have an intricate system of editing, submitting, and grading that allows each article to go through multiple rounds of revisions before getting published.
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Writers submit their articles to an editor. This editor goes through the article, adjusting AP Style and grammar mistakes. Then, they review the overall flow of the article and make any necessary corrections. Finally, they will rearrange the elements of the article to make it most appealing to the reader
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After the editor is done revising the article, they fill out a general rubric for the writer. This rubric accounts for both the writing elements of the story and the visual, interactive elements. In the end, a final grade is given to the writer, and they have the ability to argue for more points to the journalism adviser/teacher.
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After the editor has graded and revised the article, they will assign it to a certain section on Scot Scoop. Then, the article will be published and will be live on the Scot Scoop website.
The General Rubric
The general “beat” rubric varies from year to year for the Scot Scoop publication, depending on new sections and aspects of grading. This year, the rubric has a wide variety of sections for 54 points, ranging from the feature photo to quotation usage. This rubric is linked below.
General Beat Rubric 2022
Steps to Become an Editor
Only some of the journalists for the Scot Scoop program become editors. To become an editor, there is a specific, detailed process that you go through.
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Editor interns are first-year journalists who wish to become editors the following year. They help grade many of the articles of the editor they intern under.
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First, editor interns are given a variety of fun practice articles to edit. The editor then gives them feedback on how to appropriately revise and grade the writing. Finally, the editor intern is assigned a few articles a month to revise and grade themselves.
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The following year, the editor interns become editors in the journalism elective. These editors grade and publish multiple articles each week. In addition, they work on larger editorials and feature stories together.
Editor Intern Initial Assignment
One of the first assignments that editor interns grade is linked below.
Editor Intern Critique
Another major project we had in the 2021-2022 school year as an editor intern was the critique assignment. Each editor intern was assigned another prominent, renowned student news publication from across the country. They were required to critique it and see what Scot Scoop could add to their own site. I was assigned to edit the Wayland Student Press Network, and this assignment is linked below.
Leadership
As an editor intern, I am responsible for teaching and guiding the writers whose work I grade. I have to show them the best way to make their work engaging, smooth, and thorough. This allows me to be a leader in the journalistic setting among the others in my grade who write for Scot Scoop.
Team Building
Microsoft Teams is a major resource in the team building and collaboration of the writers in the Scot Scoop publication. Multiple channels and groups are created in Microsoft Teams to organize different types of writers and coverage. This allows for the writers of Scot Scoop to always be connected with one another, a key component of the organization's effectiveness.
