← BackHow to Contribute to the Tech
Looking for interview tips? ⇒⇒⇒⇒ REPORTING PRINCIPLES.
<aside> <img src="/icons/pencil_lightgray.svg" alt="/icons/pencil_lightgray.svg" width="40px" /> TL;DR — Read through your story and ask yourself:
This needs no explanation, but the source of information should always be clearly identified.
Whenever possible, on the record attribution should be made. It should be the standard. When there are reasons for withholding the name of a source, it should be made as clear as possible what those reasons are.
Someone’s opinion is just that — an opinion. Expert opinion (police, fire, a scientist offering information) is certainly given more weight, as is witness opinion. But whenever possible, strive for FACT. A reporter’s observations at a scene are considered FACTS for the purposes of a story.
No one has to read a journalist’s story. If it’s badly constructed, no one will. Strive to write clearly, logically. Where possible, avoid jargon, even campus jargon.
Again, no one needs to read what you write. But good storytelling draws a reader into a story. Pay attention to how you tell your story.
Bring a critical eye to the story. Assume the reader knows nothing, or little — you are offering new information, or a new take on old information. Read the story — whether your own or another writer’s — like you are the reader, not the writer, not the editor. It’s all about communicating with the reader.
As stated above, all stories should feel fair. They should be bulletproof to the accusation of bias. You are not against the administration. You are not against members of the faculty. You are not against Student Government. You are reporting as accurately as possible on campus life at Caltech.
Use the Associated Press Styleguide, except for Caltech specific exceptions noted here.
House When referring to any of the 8 Houses, even unspecifically, capitalize. Spell with ‘v’ for South Houses.
Blacker Hovse, Venerable House, the Houses, Tom Mannion’s house
Follow AP style guide for non-Caltech usage, including legislative bodies:
U.S. House of Representatives, House of Commons
Room picks: two words
Course titles: Include the course name italicized on first reference.
First reference: Ch 213 a Advanced Ligand Field Theory ****
Second reference: Ch 213 a
Faculty: always use titles on first reference, field is optional. Keep title of “Professor” and last name on subsequent references for all ranks of at least assistant professor or higher. If alumnus, follow alumni guidelines (see alumni).
First reference (all acceptable): Professor of Mathematics Nets H. Katz; Professor Nets H. Katz; Nets H. Katz, Professor of Mathematics; Adam Blank, Lecturer in Computing and Mathematical Sciences; President Emeritus David Baltimore; Jeffrey M. Mendez (BS ‘99, Fleming, PhD ‘08), Lecturer in Chemistry
Second Reference: Professor Katz; Blank; Professor Baltimore; Mendez
Alumni: On first reference note degree in parentheses and year. For undergraduate alumni follow by House(s).
Stephen Wolfram (PhD ‘80); Fred Hameetman (BS ‘62, Page)
Students (current): On first reference for undergrads use option abbreviation as it appears in the catalog and graduation year, followed by House(s). Omit House, year, or option where obvious or if mentioned in text (for example if you mention a House office they hold or in a story about a specific department). On first reference for grad students use option and Gn.
Devin Hartzell (CS ‘23, Blacker); Dylan Freas (Ch G2)
Interhouse: one word always. On first reference to Interhouse Sports include the word ‘sports’ or ‘athletics’, etc, unless obvious from context. When referring to parties, the word ‘party’ is redundant if it can be inferred from context. Spell with ‘v’ for South Hovse parties. Acceptable to abbreviate ‘IH’ on second reference. Do not capitalize unless proper noun
Blacker Interhovse, Lloyd Interhouse, interhouse parties, interhouse diplomacy
ASCIT: Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology, inc., the parent corporation of The California Tech. Do not use to refer solely to the BoD. Abbreviation acceptable on first reference.
Rotation: always capitalized.
Residence: capitalize only if proper noun
undergraduate residences, Bechtel Residence
Committees and other bodies: On first reference spell out the full name and precede by the abbreviation of the corresponding parent organization if applicable. For Faculty committees precede by the word ‘Faculty’ (Faculty committees are only those listed in the Faculty by-laws)
First reference: Interhouse Committee, ASCIT Board of Directors, ASCIT Academics and Research Committee, ASCIT Board of Control, ASCIT Review Committee, Conduct Review Committee, IHC Stewardship Committee, Faculty Curriculum Committee, Advisory Committee on Residential Life, Avery House Executive Committee
Second reference: IHC, ASCIT BoD or BoD, ARC, BoC, RevComm, CRC, StewComm, CC, ACRL, ExComm
California Institute of Technology: Caltech acceptable for all references (always capitalize), spelling out the official name is unecessary. ‘Tech’ acceptable in less formal pieces. Also ok to use ‘the institute’ for an improper noun but generally avoid ‘university’ unless referring to several universities collectively (eg, Caltech and other California universities are planning to build a new telescope...) MIT, Georgia Tech, etc. should also be referred to as ‘institutes’.
ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE: Cal Tech, CalTech
→ it’s the reader, stupid!
→ what is the story?
→ print is not enough
→ if it’s not useful, it’s useless