Writing in upstart style
The following provides some information on best practice when it comes to aspects of writing, like how to quote and attribute quotes correctly, writing in the active voice, using Australian English, writing names and headlines.
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Attribution and quoting
Attribution
In journalism we seek authoritative sources to provide information on a topic, such as an expert, a witness, a key decision-maker, or words from a document. Attribution is the act of citing the source material in your piece. Unlike essays where referencing tools such as a bibliography or footnote is used to cite sources, journalists must attribute within the text by incorporating it into the text or broadcast.
You must attribute all information (that is not common knowledge) to the source, whether you are quoting or paraphrasing it.
e.g. “A decision will be made next week,” said Principal Lou Smith.
e.g. The school’s principal, Lou Smith, said a decision will be made next week.
The attribution should include enough information that the reader/listener understands why knowledge from that source should be trusted.
Consider the following example:
e.g. “There has been a marked increase in STIs among those aged 18 to 25 in the last few years,” Joanne Smith said.
While this attributes the speaker by telling us her name, it does not indicate why she has the authority to speak on the subject. In this case it does:
e.g. “There has been a marked increase in STI among those aged 18 to 25 in the last few years,” Dr Joanne Smith, lead researcher in a study on prevalence of STIs among young adults, said.
The same protocols are followed when information is being paraphrased.
e.g. Global temperatures will rise this summer, representatives from the United Nations World Meteorological Organisation said yesterday.
Attributing other media sources
If you are including information that was obtained by another media organisation, or using a quote they published, you must attribute both the speaker and the source to avoid plagiarism. The following is an example of how an upstart contributor might attribute a quote taken from another publication:
e.g. “We are revising the policy next month,” Turnbull told The Age yesterday.
Where possible, however, avoid using quotes taken from other news stories.
Attributing quotes
In nearly all cases the speaker should be attributed before the quote. The best way to introduce them is to paraphrase part of what they have said as a sort of ‘mini introduction’. This will help you to make a smooth transition into their quote and to ensure the reader or listener knows who is speaking and what they are speaking about before the quote begins.
And always add a speech tag (‘she/he/they said’) at the end of the quote to ensure the reader knows where it ends.
e.g.Hannah Jones, Trees Victoria’s chief arborist, says rising temperatures are already beginning to affect trees in the state.
“Park keepers are having to set watering systems on some of the older European trees all over Victoria,” she said.
In rare cases of a very short quote, the attribution may come after the quote, because the reader does not have to wait too long to see who is speaking.
e.g. “We will fight the rule,” Lea Bathari, head of the parent committee, said.
However, we’d usually see some sort of introduction to the quote. Note how the quote starts on the next line.
Parents have expressed their dismay at the principal’s new rule, and the lack of consultation.
e.g. “We will fight the rule,” Lea Bathari, head of the parent committee, said.
Avoid repeating the same words or phrasing in the introduction as in the quote. Repetition sounds clumsy. Consider the following example:
e.g. The city mayor, Casey Smith, is proud of the city’s ranking.
“We are proud of our city’s ranking in the liveability survey. We have put a lot of effort in, over a long period of time to get this result. It reflects hard work, constant improvements to infrastructure, and citizens who really care about this city,” she said.
Instead, paraphrase the first part as indirect speech, and quote the rest:
e.g. The city mayor, Casey Smith, is proud of the city’s ranking as one of the country’s most liveable.
“We have put a lot of effort in, over a long period of time to get this result. It reflects hard work, constant improvements to infrastructure, and citizens who really care about this city,” she said.
Note: When referring to a source, or attributing a quote, the preferred use in news writing is “said”. Avoid other words such as adds, continues, concludes, believes, feels.
Quoting
Quotes are vital to storytelling in journalism. They give both credence and colour to your work.
Quoting is the act of incorporating someone else’s words into your work. Quotes should always be an exact representation of what the source said, and cannot be altered except for minor changes to provide clarity.
For example, in the following case, the only words you might omit might be the “um” for clarity as it is not a word. In the case of profanity, some publications might omit all but the first letter. Consult with your editor.
e.g. He said: “I, um, never, um, said he did it. That’s a fucking lie!”
e.g.He said: “I never said he did it. That’s a f——- lie!”
Amending quotes
Sometimes a quote needs to be amended or added to for clarity. To do so, we put that information inside square brackets. They signify that anything inside them has been added by the writer or editor. In the following example, the writer wants to clarify what the it refers to:
e.g. “Our discussion about whether it [Australia Day] should be moved became quite heated.”
Partial and complete quotes
Both partial and complete quotes can be used by journalists. However, complete quotes are always preferable.
Complete quotes are quotes that can stand alone as complete expressions.
e.g. “Camera footage tells us the driver hit the cyclist, paused for a moment, and then drove away,” Constable Glenn said.
Partial quotes are quotes made from a short segment of a quote. A partial quote often needs to be incorporated into a sentence to make sense.
e.g. The school principal, Alma Nagpal, said the students were being “foolish and irresponsible” on Thursday.
Word order
When adding a speech tag (he said, they said, Smith said) the subject is the most important part of attribution so put them before the verb.
e.g. Smith said NOT said Smith
Also, avoid according to when referring to people. Only use when the source is an organisation or a report.
e.g. According to the police report
(Image: Photo: Red Records License: CC)
Writing in the active voice
Always write in active voice where it makes sense. It is a more concise and direct form of expression.
In a sentence the subject of a sentence performs an action (through a verb). In the active voice, the subject (underlined) is placed at the top of the sentence:
e.g. The police officer arrested the woman.
e.g. The witness told the court yesterday.
In passive voice the object (underlined), the thing that is the object of the action, is placed at the top of the sentence:
e.g. The woman was arrested by the police officer.
e.g. The court was told by the witness.
A tell-tale sign that you are using the passive voice is having to use the word by in your sentence. There are some common constructions where the passive voice is used, however. For example, it is common to say someone was hit by a car, and not that a car hit somebody. In a case like that, it is better to go with the more familiar form.
Using gender neutral language
Always use gender neutral language when describing professions.
e.g. police officer NOT policeman.
e.g. chairperson NOT chairman.
e.g. salesperson NOT salesman.
e.g. waiter NOT waitress.
e.g. flight attendant NOT stewardess.
US v English Spelling
There are many differences between Australian English and US English spelling. Due to our increased exposure to the US style of spelling in the media, students aren’t always sure which is correct.
Australian English follows the British tendency to retain the spelling styles of words taken from other languages. (For example, the -our at the end of words like flavour is retained from the original French spelling.) This is not the case in the USA where Noah Webster, an American language reformist made changes to many words in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to make the words look more like they sounded and thus, easier to spell. (For example, he changed dialogue to dialog.)
Here is a table that lists some of the most common spelling differences. However, it is not exhaustive. When unsure, consult with an Australian English dictionary. You should also set your word processing program to Australian English.
| Variations | Australian English | U.S. English |
| -our/-or | colour, behaviour | color, behavior |
| -re/-er | centre, theatre, metre | center,theatre, meter |
| -ogue/-og | dialogue, analogue | dialog, analog |
| -ise/ice | recognise, capitalise, analyse | recognize, capitalize, analyse |
| -ce/-se | defence, pretence. Offence
practise (verb) practice (noun) license (general) licence (formal licence) |
defense, pretense, offense
practise (both verb and noun) license (all uses) |
| -ll-/-l- | travelling, fuelling, travelled, fuelled | traveling, fueling, travelled, fueled |
| ae/oe | oestogen, paediatric, manouvre | Estrogen, maneuver, pediatric |
Note: Use the official spelling and style of proper names even if it contradicts the publication style.
e.g. Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Defense
Writing names
Always refer to people by their full name in the first instance. In following instances you can use only the second name.
Include their professional title or honorific where relevant to the story. For example, if you are referring to a medical doctor in their professional capacity, they would be referred to by full name and title.
e.g. Dr Jennifer Rowe consulted with the patient’s family.
Following the first instance, use the honorific or title, followed by the last name.
e.g. “The patient was initially stable,” Dr Rowe said.
Writing standfirsts and excerpts
Short and punchy standfirsts work best. Upstart style always uses ‘writes’ followed by the author’s name at the end of the stand first.
e.g. To declare or not to declare? It’s the dilemma our politicians face on a regular basis, writes Marie Trevithick.
Writing headlines
Style: Keep headlines short. Don’t try to summarise the article. Just try to grab the reader’s attention. However, it should give a clear indication of the subject of the article, rather than being a clever play on words.
Headlines for upstart must be in minimal capitals, capitalising only the first word and any proper nouns.
e.g. ‘Sydney and Canberra threatened by bushfires’
Concise writing
Journalistic writing should be simple, concise, and contemporary. An important part of clear writing is avoiding wasteful words. Many students become less concise when attempting to create a formal, professional tone.
Here are some common examples of this, with the preferred versions in parentheses:
e.g. A large proportion (most)
e.g. As a result (because)
e.g. At this point in time (now)
e.g. Filled to capacity (full)
e.g. In the vicinity of (near)
e.g. Prior to (before)
Always use short, simple words rather than longer words. The preferred versions are in parentheses:
e.g. Approximately (about)
e.g. Attempt, endeavour (try)
e.g. Commence (start, begin)
e.g. Facilitate (help)
e.g. Remunerate (pay)
e.g. Utilise (use)
Choose verbs over longer noun phrases. The preferred versions are in parentheses:
e.g. They held a meeting (They met)
e.g. The students held a protest (The students protested)
e.g. The placed the man under arrest (The police arrested the man)
Commonly confused words
The English language has many similarly-spelled words that often have quite different meanings. Using them incorrectly can lead to inaccuracies.
Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of commonly confused words. Remember, spellcheck won’t pick up the differences! If you are using these and are unsure of which to use, please consult an Australian English dictionary.
| Accept/except | Complement/compliment | Dying/dyeing |
| Affect/effect | Dependant/dependent | Inquire/enquire |
| Aisle/isle | Diffuse/defuse | Lose/loose |
| Assent/ascent | Discreet/discrete | Practice/practise |
| Borne/born | Disinterested/uninterested | Principal/principle |
| Breech/breach | Dual/duel | Stationary/stationery |
Photo: ‘Write without fear, edit without mercy’ by Hannah Grace and available here and used under a creative commons attribution. The image was not modified.