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what do you guys think about results in a quote...

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by JD Canon, Jun 23, 2007.

  1. JD Canon

    JD Canon Guest

    like giving the score or a finishing time, ect., in a quote.

    ex: "i ran a good race," said john smith, who finished in 3 minutes, 45.7 seconds. "i ran hard and did my thing, etc., etc."

    or

    "we blasted the ball all over the field today," said coach drummond, who guided team jerkface to a 22-3 win. "i found a ball in the parking lot out in center."
     
  2. Clever username

    Clever username Active Member

    Re: what do ou guys think about results in a quote...

    Depends on the circumstances. Sometimes the way the first few paragraphs are linked together the only place to put the result that isn't incredibly jarring is right there in the quote.
     
  3. WazzuGrad00

    WazzuGrad00 Guest

    I think it had better be a dynamite quote to come before (or with) the score.
     
  4. chazp

    chazp Active Member

    Person opinion, but I'm not crazy about it. The score should be in the nut graph. Most of the time, quotes won't be in your nut graph.
     
  5. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    I don't think the score *neccesarily* has to be in your nut graph. It just needs to be high. I've written gamers that read more feature-y and slipped the score in one of the first three grafs, almost in passing:

    Smith, who went 3 for 5 and hit a home run in Saturday's 11-4 victory over West Bumblebuck, yada yada yada
     
  6. Bucknutty

    Bucknutty Member

    To me, though, a story that had that high up would be a feature on Smith and not about the victory. That's how it sounds as read.
     
  7. In Cold Blood

    In Cold Blood Member

    personally, I don't like a score mixed into a quote like that... the quote would have to be overwhelmingly dynamite to mix in a score in passing like that...

    I like the idea of gamers that read more featurish, because straight gamers get boring, but even those, IMHO, should have a quick nut graph type paragraph that says the score...
     
  8. chazp

    chazp Active Member

    Sometimes the nut graph shouldn't come until the third graph. Example - Lede, quote, nut graph.
     
  9. TyWebb

    TyWebb Well-Known Member

    I think the result, like a score or the winning time/height/etc, should be in the nut graph or lede. Other statistics can fit in the quotes nicely, like "blah blah blah," said John Baseballguy, who went 4-for-4.
     
  10. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Yes, exactly. There are oftentimes that the hows and the whys -- and sometimes, the whos -- are more important than the victory. You get the score in, the reader knows who won. He knew anyway, because he was there. Or he watched on TV. Or read it on the Internet. Or followed a game thread in a chat room.

    Now, I'm telling him something he didn't know. That Johnny Dimwit, the star of the game, had his appendix removed the night before or something.
     
  11. statrat

    statrat Member

    I agree with Ty. Team results should be in the nut graf. However, individual performances can be put in with the quotes later.
     
  12. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    I have no problem with it under the right circumstances... for example, a PM lead describing a situation like "I don't see how we gave up three in the ninth with two out," said Jones, staring at the floor aznd searching for words following the Hammers' 5-4 loss in the semifinals....
     
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