Distinguish yourself: Three key qualities
Curiosity. Energy. Persistence. These are the most important qualities, some would say, for any journalist. They emerge this weekend in a short Q and A in The New York Times about Aaron Levie, CEO of Box.net, a company that specializes in online file storage. In the Corner Office feature, Levie is talking about the qualities [...]
Questions — Ask and remember: Video
Asking questions. We have mentioned this before, and it comes to mind at this time in the semester. Graduating students have questions about jobs. Returning students have questions about registration for fall classes. Professors have questions about projects due now — hint, hint. Prospective employers have questions for job candidates. We all know the importance [...]
Practice patience — and politeness
Patience. It’s something we tend not to have a lot of these days, such as when we must wait a few minutes to make a bag of microwave popcorn or 45 seconds to reheat a cup of coffee. Sitting at a traffic light always seems to take up way too much of our time, as [...]
Skeptical editing: more than curiosity
In the advanced editing course that I teach at the Newhouse School, students read a story yesterday that was published in The New York Times on Feb. 7 under the headline, “Sinatra Song Often Strikes Deadly Chord.” The song? “My Way.” Students were instructed to follow the skeptical editing method as they read the story. [...]
Curiosity leads to story ideas
Every semester on the first day of class, I ask students to finish this sentence by writing on an index card: “Today, I am curious about …” Why do I do this? I’m curious myself. I like to know what the students are thinking about and what they want to know. Sometimes I read their [...]
