Report a Publish-Ready Community News Story
The capstone project for Journalism Basics — a free Creative course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.
- Free
- 6 steps
- Pass mark 65%
- Graded within minutes
- Beginner-friendly
The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.
What you will submit
A single shareable Google Doc containing a 400–600 word publish-ready news story from your community, an original captioned photo, a verification log covering every checkable claim, documented right of reply, and a pitch email to a named Nigerian outlet.
What to do, step by step
- 1. Choose one genuinely newsworthy, unreported (or under-reported) issue in your own area — a market, street, school, health centre, motor park, or estate matter — and test it against the four questions from Lesson 1: what is new, who is affected, how will I verify it, why now.
- 2. Report it on the ground: interview at least two named, on-the-record human sources (with permission to record where you record), gather at least one photo you took yourself with a full caption (who/what/where/date), and collect any documents, prices, or figures that support the story.
- 3. Build a verification log as a table in your document: every checkable claim in your story, with exactly how you verified it (e.g. 'receipt seen 14/08', 'two traders interviewed separately', 'NBS July CPI report', 'reverse image search — no earlier appearance'). If anyone is criticised in the story, contact them for comment and record your attempts (dates and channels) — include their response or your documented attempts in both the story and the log.
- 4. Write the story: 400–600 words, inverted pyramid, a lede under 30 words, a clear nut graf, at least two attributed direct quotes, short paragraphs, and correct names, titles, and figures throughout.
- 5. Below the story, write a 3–5 sentence pitch email addressed to a named Nigerian outlet (e.g. TheCable, Premium Times, HumAngle, or your state's leading paper): the story in two sentences, why now, what material you have, and one line about you.
- 6. Put everything in ONE Google Doc in this order — story, photo with caption, verification log, right-of-reply evidence, pitch email — set sharing to 'Anyone with the link can view', and submit the link.
Files to work with
Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KBHow it is graded
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Original reporting and newsworthiness: a real, specific, current local story (clear who/what/where/when, evident news values) reported first-hand — not rewritten from social media or other outlets | 25% |
| Sourcing: at least two named on-the-record human sources with accurate, attributed direct quotes, plus supporting evidence (photo, document, or figures) gathered by the learner | 25% |
| Verification and right of reply: a complete verification log covering every checkable claim, and documented right of reply (response included, or dated attempts shown) for anyone criticised | 25% |
| Writing craft: lede under 30 words carrying the newest key fact, inverted-pyramid structure, clear nut graf, plain active prose, correct names/titles/figures, 400–600 words | 15% |
| Pitch email: concise, addressed to a named Nigerian outlet, pitches the story (not a topic), states why now and what material exists | 10% |
You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.
Before you submit: make your link public
If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to finish Journalism Basics before submitting the project?
Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Journalism Basics is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.
How is the project graded?
An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.
Can I resubmit if I fail?
Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.
What do I actually submit?
A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.
Is the certificate real?
Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.
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Ready to earn this certificate?
Journalism Basics is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.
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