Toward the integration of the process writing technique with the teaching of journalism news writing.

This research was an attempt to describe how the process writing technique might be integrated with the teaching of journalism news writing. Process writing, used successfully for two decades in English composition, can be defined as emphasizing the content and thought of the actual writing process instead of the final written product. If such a process could be applied to composition, the same process might apply to news writing, as first perceived by Pitts and Zurek. Research disclosed the teaching of news writing had not changed significantly since the turn of the century and most news writing courses were being taught in the traditional, product oriented fashion, in which students emulated models of considered good stories. A lack of research and discussion on the teaching of news writing was found among journalism educators, and a standardization of product writing was found among current journalism textbooks. This study perceived a need for and proposed an alternative to the teaching of news writing that instructors could add to their repertoires. The researcher employed a naturalistic pilot study during fall 1988 of one college news writing class where implementation of process method with news writing took place. Data collection methods included observation, interview, and reflective journal keeping. Findings reveal the process writing technique can be nearly completely integrated with the teaching of journalism news writing and can be accomplished with an interchanging of terminology. Some exercises in process writing textbooks by Flower and Murray were adaptable to this implementation, and a learner-centered environment was essential to student writers\u27 self esteem. Particularly interesting findings showed students react with increased interest in writing once their fears have been discussed and solutions presented. The researcher concluded the process writing technique coupled with a humanistic philosophical orientation can be integrated with the teaching of news writing but that exercises from journalism texts should be included. Additional research is needed on alternative teaching methodologies to journalism\u27s traditional approach to writing