AP term definitions

The definitions of these terms are taken word-for-word from Associated Press’s official handbook for ethical reporting. Find them here: https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/telling-the-story/.

On the record: The information can be used with no caveats, quoting the source by name.

Off the record: The information cannot be used for publication. Background. The information can be published but only under conditions negotiated with the source. Generally, the sources do not want their names published but will agree to a description of their position. AP reporters should object vigorously when a source wants to brief a group of reporters on background and try to persuade the source to put the briefing on the record.

Deep background: The information can be used but without attribution. The source does not want to be identified in any way, even on condition of anonymity.

Plagiarism & Citations

Plagiarism

The Bi-College News strongly condemns any form of plagiarism. Reporters who are found to have plagiarized will be removed from the newspaper. For more information on the definitions of plagiarism, see the AP Style Guide in our library.

Citations

Each reporter should strive for original reporting efforts rather than relying on information that has already been printed. However, this is not always possible, especially as a small local paper. As such, please follow the guidelines below when using other newspapers reporting as sourcing.

Online articles: When using information from other articles or newspapers, each reporter must give credit to the original sourcing through the use of hyperlinks. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to publish a second-hand fact without a hyperlink.

Print articles: State where from where information is obtained (According to public police records… According to AP News)

Sources

A source is any person providing reliable information to the paper for the purpose of publication. This information must be fact based, not opinion. For references on how to use opinion-based sources (e.g., quotes from student concerning recent events) please refer to the “quotations” section.

Pennsylvania is a two-party state. This means that any time a person is recorded, they must consent to that recording if it is in a private space. This is not the case for public spaces; if someone is giving a speech, feel free to photograph, record, and quote with ease.  

Public Spaces:

All speeches made in a public space can be used for quotes with full name attribution. Examples of public spaces are Plenary, commencement, and other events which amass a large number of audience members and are open to the Bi-Co communities (note: this does not include college traditions, such as Step Sing).  

Private Spaces:

All reporters must introduce themselves to sources when requesting information. This introduction includes their full name and role for the Bi-College Newspaper (e.g., My name is Martha Gellhorn, and I am a reporter for the Bi-College Newspaper. I am currently writing a story on XYZ and was hoping you would be open to speaking with me regarding this matter). The individual which is being used as a source must be aware that what they are saying is for attribution unless they specifically state “off the record.” Ensure that your source is aware of this prior to the interview beginning.

The Bi-College News does not participate in the practice of “lying for the truth.” In order to maintain trust between our paper and the campus we serve, Bi-Co reporters must identify themselves as representatives of the Bi-College Newspaper. All individuals in private spaces must be aware that they are on the record and in the presence of a journalist.

Anonymous Sources

Anonymous sources are not encouraged. However, there are some instances where one must use an anonymous source in order to get valuable information that would not otherwise be accessible. If a reporter plans on using an anonymous source, they must inform both their respective section editor and the EICs in order to gain proper approval. The identity of the individual does not need to be revealed to the managing editor but must be revealed to the EICs, who are under oath to maintain the subject’s anonymity and cannot share this information with anyone.

Using an anonymous source is only allowed if the following standards are met:

• The source offers valuable material which are not opinion based nor hearsay/speculation.
• The only way to access this information is through an anonymous source.
• The source is credible and directly related to whatever subject you are reporting on. (e.g., if you are reporting on SJP, the anonymous source must be a member of SJP, not simply a friend of someone who is on SJP).
• The source should be able to substantiate their claims with outside material, such as email exchanges or calendars. If this is not possible, then the reporter must explicitly state that the claims of the individual could not be verified by the Bi-College Newspaper.

When using an anonymous source, a reporter should try to supplement the information they provided with other individual accounts or facts. All information provided by the informant should be corroborated with at least two other sources. If this is not possible, it is up to the discretion of the EICs whether or not the anonymous source can be used and is credible enough for publication.  

When reporting with anonymous sources, the following must be included in the final article:

• An explanation of why the source requested to remain anonymous (e.g., fear of job retribution, doxing/admin fears).
• If the anonymous source provided the Bi-Co with documents to substantiate their claims, the reporter must explain how these documents were obtained.
• An explanation as to why the source is credible.
  • Not Acceptable: “According to an anonymous source, five-hundred geese are currently living in Founders Hall.”
  • Acceptable: “A janitor employed by Haverford College claims to have witnessed five-hundred geese residing in Founders Hall. The janitor, who requested to remain anonymous due to fear of retribution from the geese, shared the following photograph with the Bi-College newspaper on Aug.15, 2027. When asked about the janitor’s accusations, Athena Hepburn, Haverford College’s Communications Director, told the Bi-Co News that no geese have ever stepped foot in Founders Hall.”

Dealing with Sources

A source may ask to see the article prior to publication. However, a reporter must never show a story to a source prior to publication. Remember that those who you are reporting on are the subjects of the news, not editors of the article. If you are reporting on the testimony of a source, you may review only their quotes and verify that the information is correct. The rest of the article must not be viewed by the source for the purpose of remaining as unbiased as possible.

Requests for comments

If you make any accusations against a person or organization, or otherwise give a platform for criticism, you must get a comment from the accused and offer them at least 24 hours to respond. If possible, a week is preferred, however if an article is time sensitive this can be altered. In your article, note the difference for “declined a request for comment” and “did not respond to a request for comment.”

Quotations

Having student input is a vital part of the Bi-Co’s archival efforts. As such, it is the responsibility of each and every reporter to get a wide range of perspectives on varying issues and events.

Reporters should not give platform to individuals who incite hatred and/or have little connection to the Bi-Co community. If there is an instance of Mainline community members coming onto campus for some sort of counter-protest, their quotes must be used as a way of reporting the events rather than putting value to their beliefs. And remember that safety always comes first: if someone seems angry or volatile, do not approach them.

Quotations must be used in full context and not altered in any way. If there is a grammatical error, a reporter may (with the permission of a managing editor) use brackets to indicate the intent of the original quote. Anonymity is highly discouraged for quotations, as if a community member speaks to us, they must be able to take full responsibility for their stated opinions. However, in situations where no person is willing to go on the record, please use other means of identification which do not endanger the request of anonymity but still provide the proper credentials (such as: A Haverford Senior, who requested to remain anonymous, said of the event “I love Wawa with Wendy, but they order the worst stuff on the menu”).

Integrity

A good newspaper balances between unbiased, fact-based reporting and opinion based long form journalistic pieces. It is the responsibility of every head editor on the newspaper to maintain this balance.

News Reporting

If you are a news reporter, you must remain distant from any event you are reporting on. Remember that people all across the community read our paper—last year we averaged at over 30,000 reads on our website per month. In order to maintain our image as a trustworthy source of information, reporters are not allowed to participate in any of the events which they report on.

Every reporter is a human; thus, every reporter is biased or partial to whatever event they are writing about. The purpose of journalism is not to deprive ourselves, nor our subjects, of a shared humanity, but rather to present information in a way which differentiates fact from emotion. It is up to the readers of our paper to critically analyze the information we provide them. In other words, the method is unbiased, not the journalist.

Opinions Reporting

The goal of the newspaper is not to dehumanize the people we report on; that is why opinion sections are valuable to any newsroom. As opinion writers and editors, it is your responsibility to follow the news and frequently read on the information you plan to synthesize in your articles. Remember that your goal is not to report on the facts as much as it is to make a critical and well-formulated argument based off of them.

Mistakes

As a student newspaper, we act as a training ground for young journalists. Therefore, it is natural that mistakes and errors in reporting may be made. When this happens, full transparency must be offered to our readership. An immediate correction should be made with (at the very least) a written transcription of the correction at the end of the article explaining the error and what has been done to rectify it. Remember that, at the end of the day, everything which is published is checked by the EICs of the newsroom. It is ultimately our responsibility to fact check and ensure that every piece is accurate.

Decency

The Bi-College Newspaper stands firmly against hate speech of any kind. It is the responsibility of each reporter to ensure that hate speech and fear mongering is not being given a platform through the Bi-College Newspaper. When reporting on instances of hate speech by specific students or during on-campus events, quotations must be used, and surrounding context given. When hyper-linking sources, the Bi-College News does not allow for reporters to attach a website which spouts propaganda and incites hatred. If there is sensitive language in a quotation an editor’s note with a warning must be attached to the article.

When reporting on victims of hate speech or hate crimes (or any crimes for that matter), anonymity must be provided unless the victim has established consent with the newspaper for publication. Otherwise, the newspaper must avoid using identifiable information (such as Art Club President) in order to protect the victim from further harm.

All articles which report on sensitive subject matters must go under special review with the EICs to ensure that journalistic ethics are in place.  

Opinion Pieces/Letters to the Editor

The Bi-Co Newspaper accepts opinion pieces from individuals outside of the newsroom staff. It is the responsibility of the opinions editor to handle these submissions and ensure a wide range of perspectives are presented in the Bi-Co Newspaper.

If there is a submission from someone outside the Bi-Co Community (e.g., a mainline community member) ensure that they have the proper credentials to be speaking on their respective subject matter. Opinion pieces should not read like Instagram comment sections; unless the writer has a valuable connection to whatever they are writing about, their work should not be carelessly published.

Media & Photography

The Bi-Co News does not allow for manipulation of photographs which are used in articles. Photographs must be properly cited using AP Style citations. E.g., “Haverford College President discussing plans with the Geese to take over Bryn Mawr College, Jan. 12, 2015. (Bi-College News Photo/Joe Momma)”

Graphics should be related to the article and professional.

The Bi-College Relationship

Our newspaper prides itself on being a key connection between Haverford and Bryn Mawr College, and as such it is important to serve each college equally. Therefore, the paper would not be successful if it were not for the combined contribution and talents of both Haverford and Bryn Mawr staffers. The diversity of all student experiences guides us to create a news source which is rooted in the core tenets of self-governance and student organization.