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Work Samples

Below is a list of the materials you will need to complete your application:

A full curriculum vitae
A personal statement outlining i) your journalistic values, ii) the major trends in the media landscape in which you work, and iii) a summary of what you think you would contribute to the Fellowship programme (no more than 500 words in total).
A statement of up to 1,000 words explaining your proposed research project
A reference from your employer, supporting your application and granting leave of absence
A second professional reference (e.g. former employer)
A sample of your work (please see specific requirements below)

PRINT JOURNALISTS

Please provide:

Three articles or reports (more than three will not be reviewed), including dates and names of the publications
A translation into English must accompany material published in other languages
Applicants in managerial or editorial positions for whom it would be difficult to send work samples should include a statement of up to 500 words describing their work

BROADCAST JOURNALISTS

A link/URL to an example of your work via Vimeo or YouTube (maximum 10 minutes), plus a brief, written description of the material
A summary or transcription in English must accompany material in other languages
Applicants in managerial or editorial positions for whom it would be difficult to send work samples should include a statement of up to 500 words describing your work, including details of any major programmes for which you have been responsible

N.B. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT THE ABOVE WORK.

If your first language is not English, you must supply suitable evidence (an original certificate that is not more than two years old and issued by the responsible body) that you have reached the relevant standard. Please click here for more information.

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Journalism Personal Statement Examples

Your Journalism personal statement is a crucial element of your UCAS application . It is your opportunity to showcase your passion for journalism, your relevant experiences, and your potential to succeed as a journalism student. Check our journalism personal statement examples for UCAS , which can inspire and guide you in writing your successful personal statement .

Whether you are interested in broadcast journalism , print journalism , or digital and online journalism , these examples cover a range of topics and styles that can help you stand out to admissions tutors.

Journalism Personal Statement Example

As an A-level student in Business Studies, English Literature, and Religious Studies, I have always been passionate about education and learning. I have always been fascinated by the power of the written word and the impact that journalism can have on shaping public opinion and educating society. That is why I am so excited to pursue a career in journalism and continue to make a positive impact on society.

My interest in journalism was first sparked during work experience placements at my local newspaper, The South Wales Evening Post, and a local radio station. During my time at the newspaper, I was allowed to work with experienced journalists and editors, assisting them with research, conducting interviews, and writing articles for publication. This experience taught me the importance of accuracy, objectivity, and the need to present balanced viewpoints. Additionally, at the radio station, I learned about the power of broadcast media and how it can be used to reach a wider audience and engage with listeners on a more personal level.

As a great believer in education, I see the role of the journalist as an educating force, an incredibly important one. The media has a responsibility to inform the public about current affairs and provide accurate and unbiased reporting. Through my work experience, I have seen firsthand how the media can influence public opinion and shape perceptions of different issues. I believe that journalists have a responsibility to provide truthful and accurate reporting, whilst also highlighting important social issues and driving change.

Outside of my academic routine, I have several hobbies and interests that keep me grounded and motivated. One of my favourite pastimes is reading, particularly books that explore different cultures and perspectives. I also enjoy running, which I find helps me to clear my mind and think creatively. By engaging in these hobbies, I can maintain a balanced lifestyle and stay connected with the world around me.

Throughout my academic career, I have strived to excel in all of my studies. During my secondary school years, I was one of the best students in my class, achieving high grades in all subjects. This has given me a strong foundation and the skills necessary to succeed in a career in journalism. Additionally, I have travelled around the world and visited 56 countries so far. This has allowed me to gain a wider perspective on different cultures and societies, which I believe will be invaluable in my future career.

I am excited to continue my education and pursue a career in journalism. I believe that my passion for education, my experience in the media, and my diverse interests and hobbies make me an excellent candidate for this field. I am committed to using my skills and talents to make a positive impact on society, and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Personal Statement Example For Journalism

I am driven by my passion for the English language and the power it holds to inform, engage and inspire people. With a deep-rooted affection for the written word and its ability to capture the essence of life, I have always been fascinated by how language has evolved. As a student of English Literature, History and Media Studies, I have been able to explore this evolution in detail and develop my unique voice as a writer.

Studying English has allowed me to think critically, analyse the techniques used by both fiction and non-fiction writers and express my ideas and opinions through a portfolio of work. Through this, I have learnt how to craft compelling narratives, convey complex ideas with clarity and precision, and engage readers through powerful storytelling. My studies in History and Media Studies have complemented my understanding of English, allowing me to appreciate the importance of context, perspective, and the role of media in shaping our understanding of the world around us.

Outside of academics, I am involved in many creative pursuits that allow me to develop my skills as a communicator and storyteller. I participate in a drama group, where I am honing my skills in characterisation, improvisation and public speaking. I am also working towards my Bronze Arts Award, which involves creating and performing a piece of original drama. Additionally, I enjoy playing the piano, which requires a large amount of patience, creativity and dedication – skills that I believe are essential for a successful journalist.

I am proud to have received Young Writers Award from my Secondary School, recognising my talent and dedication as a writer. These accolades have encouraged me to pursue a career in journalism, where I can use my skills to inform, educate and entertain readers on a wide range of topics. I am excited about the prospect of being able to tell stories that matter, whether it is through investigative journalism, features or opinion pieces.

My passion for the English language, combined with my academic pursuits and creative pursuits, have prepared me well for a career in journalism. I am eager to continue my journey as a writer and storyteller, and I believe that a degree in journalism will provide me with the knowledge, skills and experience needed to make a meaningful contribution to the world of media.

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Advice for Students , Application Process , Application Process , Applying to University , Top Tips , UCAS Application

Personal Statement: Applying for a Journalism/Media Degree

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personal statement

A question I am frequently asked is what exactly you should write on your personal statement when applying for a journalism/media course. Putting together a great statement can be a pretty stressful task as it is difficult to gage what exactly universities are looking for. However, all graduates have been through it and there is no reason why you cannot secure a place on the course of your choosing. Here are some of my top tips on what exactly you should be writing:

Enthusiasm and passion

For me, I think this is the most crucial element to any application. Demonstrate just how passionate and enthused you are about the course. Perhaps pinpoint an element or a module that you are most excited about and why. Showing that you genuinely want to be studying that course always looks great and will put you in good stead with the admissions officer. Cardiff in particular has a fantastic student media department with its own newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV station. Make reference to these and emphasise how eager you are to get involved, maybe even mentioning that you aspire to be the editor-in-chief of the magazine, or a presenter on the radio station. Universities are always looking for people that want to get stuck in so convey this well.

Relevant experience

If you have done any kind of writing, editing, blogging etc. outside of school then absolutely put this in. This will show that you are not only able to use your initiative, but that you have the ability to work independently and have great time-management – all essential skills when studying at higher education. If you don’t already have a blog GET ONE. This is possibly the most simple and easy way to get journalism experience where you can write whatever you like, whenever you like, and wherever you like.

Even if you don’t directly have experiences like this, any part time jobs or qualifications you have will also be great for your statement as each will bring with them a useful set of skills for university.

A recent news story that has caught your interest

If you want to study journalism, you of course have to be up-to-date with all the latest happenings of the world. Writing a small paragraph on something in the news that has captured your attention and why will make your statement stand-out and show that you engage with the news. Don’t be afraid to have an opinion and articulate your feelings about something you feel strongly about.

Future goals

Why is it you want to study journalism/media? What do you hope to do with the degree you are applying for? Express that studying the course is a stepping stone for you to get into your dream career and that you truly believe the university will be able to support and facilitate that goal.

Finally, no human being is defined purely by work. Tell the admissions officer exactly who you are and show some personality. What is it you enjoy doing at the weekend? Do you have a hobby? No matter how common or unusual it is, put it in! If you play a sport then there is bound to be a society for that at Cardiff so let them know that you are desperate to get involved. You want to make it clear to the university that there is so much more to you than just academia, and that you will be an all-round great student to have study with them.

Thank you, this helped so much

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How to write a personal statement

How to approach writing your personal statement for graduate applications.

If you’re applying for a grad course that requires a personal statement (sometimes also called a ‘statement of purpose’), it can be difficult to know where to start and what to include. Read on for tips from some of our masters’ students about their process and what they found helpful.

1. Before you start

The academic work is the most important reason why we’re here, but that also translates into work experiences, internships, volunteering. I think a big part of the personal statement is crafting that narrative of academic self that fits alongside your professional experiences, to give that greater picture of who you are as an academic. Lauren (MSc Modern Middle Eastern Studies)

Start by thinking about the skills, knowledge and interests you’ve acquired over time and how the course at Oxford will take them forward.

Your statement is the story you want to tell about yourself and your academic work to the department you are applying to.

Most of your application and its supporting documents communicate plain facts about your academic career so far. Your personal statement is your best opportunity to put these facts into context and show assessors how you’ve progressed and excelled.

Make sure you highlight evidence of your achievements (a high grade in a relevant area, an award or scholarship, a research internship).

Presenting yourself

When I was writing my personal statement, I went onto my course website. I looked at what they emphasised and what kind of students they were looking for, and I wrote about my experiences based on that. Kayla (MSc in Clinical Embryology)

Make it easy for an assessor to see how you meet the entry requirements for the course (you can find these on each course page ).

Don’t make any assumptions about what Oxford is looking for!

Get to know your department

You want to study this particular subject and you want to study at Oxford (you’re applying here, so we know that!) but why is Oxford the right place for you to study this subject? What interests or qualities of the academic department and its staff make it attractive to you?

Use your academic department’s website for an overview of their research, academic staff and course information (you'll find a link to the department's own website on each course page ).

I said, ‘why do I actually want to be here? What is it about being at Oxford that’s going to get me to what I want to do? Sarah (Bachelor of Civil Law)

Talk it out

Talking to others about your statement can be a great way to gather your ideas and decide how you’d like to approach it. Sarah even managed to get benefit out of this approach by herself:

“I spent a lot of time talking out loud. My written process was actually very vocal, so I did a lot of talking about myself in my room.”

2. The writing process

Know your format.

Make sure you’ve read all the guidance on the How to Apply section of your course page , so you know what’s needed in terms of the word count of the final statement, what it should cover and what it will be assessed for. This should help you to visualise roughly what you want to end up with at the end of the process.

Make a start

When it comes to writing your personal statement, just getting started can be the hardest part.

One good way to get around writer’s block is to just put it all down on the page, like Mayur.

First - write down anything and everything. In the first round, I was just dumping everything - whatever I’ve done, anything close to computer science, that was on my personal statement. Mayur (MSc Computer Science)

You’ll be editing later anyway so don’t let the blank page intimidate you - try writing a little under each of the following headings to get started:

areas of the course at Oxford that are the most interesting to you
which areas you’ve already studied or had some experience in
what you hope to use your Oxford course experience for afterwards.

3. Finishing up

Get some feedback.

Once you’ve got a draft of about the right length, ask for feedback on what you’ve written. It might take several drafts to get it right.

This could involve getting in touch with some of your undergraduate professors to ask them to read your draft and find any areas which needed strengthening.

You could also show it to people who know you well, like family or friends.

Because they’re the first people to say, ‘Who is that person?’ You want the people around you to recognise that it really sounds like you. It can be scary telling family and friends you’re applying for Oxford, because it makes it real, but be brave enough to share it and get feedback on it. Sarah (Bachelor of Law)

Be yourself

Finally - be genuine and be yourself. Make sure your personal statement represents you, not your idea about what Oxford might be looking for.

We have thousands of students arriving every year from a huge range of subjects, backgrounds, institutions and countries (you can hear from a few more of them in our My Oxford interviews).

Get moving on your application today

To find out more about supporting documents and everything else you need to apply, read your course page and visit our Application Guide .

Applicant advice hub

This content was previously available through our Applicant advice hub . The hub contained links to articles hosted on our Graduate Study at Oxford Medium channel . We've moved the articles that support the application process into this new section of our website.

Application Guide: Statement of purpose

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Journalism Personal Essays

Cultural reporting and criticism.

The Cultural Reporting and Criticism (CRC) program in Journalism requires applicants to submit a personal essay that will be judged both as a piece of writing and as an indication of whether your aspirations, abilities, interests, and experience are suited to CRC.

The essay should be specific and detailed enough to give the admissions committee a concrete sense of who you are as a potential cultural reporter and critic. It should address the following questions: What do you expect to get from CRC? What do you think you can contribute to it? What aspects of your background and experience are most relevant to your interest in the program? What kind of writing have you done and what do you aspire to do? Which cultural issues and phenomena most engage you? What publications do you read regularly and why? Which cultural journalists do you admire, which do you dislike, and which have influenced you? Feel free to include any other ideas you consider relevant to your application.

CRC places most emphasis on letters of recommendation from professors or editors with whom you have worked directly and who can assess your intellectual abilities and the quality of your writing.

Please append to your essay a brief statement of your plans for financing your graduate work. This statement must be included, whether or not you are applying for financial aid.

Global and Joint Programs

Journalism requires applicants to write a personal essay. The essay is an extremely important part of the application, so treat it accordingly. The essay should be 1,000 to 1,500 words in length. In addition, all applicants must submit at least three samples of their work, whether published or not.

The goal of the essay is to give the Admissions Committee a concrete sense of who you are as someone who aspires to a career as a professional journalist, writing and reporting for print, online or broadcast media. It should address the following questions: What do you expect to get from the program? What aspects of your experience are most relevant to your interest in journalism? Tell us about your background--your academic degree, intellectual interests, work experience, life experience, and other sources of inspiration--and explain how this background informs what you want to do as a journalist.

Applicants should also describe their existing "body of work" as a journalist, critic or just someone who writes. We are mostly interested in published work, but if you have yet to break into print, then tell us what kind of writing you have done. What have been your major themes? What issues and phenomena most engage you? What publications do you read regularly and why? Which journalists do you admire, which do you dislike, and which have influenced you?

In addition, for the non-Journalism field of study (Africana Studies, East Asian Studies, French Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Near Eastern Studies, or Russian and Slavic Studies), please briefly describe your past and present work as it relates to your intended field of study, and your reasons for choosing your field of study.

In addition, for International Relations : the program in International Relations (IR) trains individuals who wish to make a difference on international affairs either through continued academic study or via the actual practice of international affairs in government, the non-governmental or private sectors. Please explain, in a brief and concise manner, how your past studies and work experience relate to a course of study at the graduate level in international relations at NYU. You should include how your educational objectives will help you to achieve your future career goals, and should briefly outline where you see yourself 10 years after graduating from NYU. Please also explain why you chose to apply to study in the IR Program at NYU and how NYU specifically will help you to advance your personal and professional objectives.

European and Mediterranean Studies does not not require an additional statement. Only the Journalism personal essay is required.

Please append to your essay a brief statement of your plans for financing your graduate work. This statement must be included, whether or not you are applying for financial aid.

Journalism and Religion

Journalism requires applicants to write a personal essay. The essay is an extremely important part of the application, so treat it accordingly. The essay should be 1,000 to 1,500 words in length. In addition, applicants must submit at least two samples of their work, whether published or not.

As part of your personal essay, please include a discussion that provides the Admissions Committee with a sense of who you are as someone who aspires to a career in journalism, writing and reporting about important matters in the news and analysis of religious issues.

Two different writing samples are required. One should be an example of your strongest academic writing, preferably a paper written for an undergraduate course that demonstrates your ability to construct a coherent argument. It should not exceed 25 double-spaced pages. The second should represent your aptitude for journalism. A clip from your college newspaper, a personal essay, and an academic research paper are all acceptable.

Literary Reportage

Literary Reportage requires applicants to answer the following questions. We will judge both the style and content of your writing.

Describe the project you want to pursue. Tell us about the stories you want to write, in as much detail as possible. Big ideas, themes and questions are essential, but just as essential are specific stories—real names, real places—through which you explore them. We expect your work to evolve while at NYU, so you are not committing to your agenda now.
Who/what have you read and been inspired by? What, to your mind, are the similarities and differences between creative writing and creative nonfiction? How can "literary technique" be applied to the practice of long-form journalism? What do reporters do? What do you envision “Literary Reportage” to be?
Tell us about your academic degree(s), intellectual interests, work/life experiences, and explain how they inform your project. Describe your "body of work" as a journalist, blogger, or just someone who writes. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a writer? What do you expect to get from Literary Reportage?
Describe how you plan to use the city and the university’s vast resources. We welcome projects of national or international scope, but only if they can be reported effectively from the city and its environs (with the usual extensions of email and telephone) during the school term.
You may answer the above questions separately, or in a single essay.

News and Documentary

The News and Documentary Program in Journalism requires applicants to write a personal essay. The essay is an extremely important part of the application, so treat it accordingly. The essay should be 1,000 to 1,500 words in length. In addition, all applicants must submit at least three samples of their work. This can be print or video clips or scripts.

The goal of the essay is to give the Admissions Committee a sense of who you are as someone who aspires to a career as a professional journalist/documentary filmmaker. It should address the following questions: What aspects of your experience are most relevant to your interest in journalism? Tell us about your background—your academic degree, intellectual interests, work experience, life experience, and other sources of inspiration—and explain how this background informs what you want to do as a journalist. What do you expect to get from the program?

Applicants should also describe their existing "body of work." This can be print, video, radio or documentary work you’ve already done. Video experience is not a prerequisite at all so if this is the case, your body of work might be volunteering somewhere, working with an NGO, teaching etc. We’d also like to know what publications you read and news or documentary programming you like, and why. Which journalists do you admire, and which have influenced you?

Please also address what motivates you to pursue the documentary long form in particular. In your third semester, you will be creating a capstone piece of journalism--a half-hour documentary. What might this project be about and how would you approach it? Although experience in documentary is not required, your ideas are.

Podcasting and Audio Reportage

Your personal essay is an opportunity for you to reveal more about who you are and for you to connect your goals for attending this program with your background and qualifications. The Admissions Committee will be looking for your voice in your writing style, as well as paying close attention to the evidence you provide in the case you are making for why you should be selected. While many students aim for 1,000-1500 words in length, writing for audio requires efficiency and clarity, therefore shorter essays may also be effective. In addition, applicants are asked to submit 3 work samples, which can be links to audio or multimedia work. Work samples do not need to be published work, but we suggest choosing work which demonstrates your journalism, narrative storytelling or audio production skills.

In your essay, please address the following questions:

Why are you applying to this program and what do you hope to gain from your graduate studies?
Why audio? What is it about this medium and what in your background or experience has motivated you to pursue this field of study? What is your experience with audio production? What experience do you have in journalism?
Audio Journalism is a medium that values voice. Whose voices have you been inspired by and whose voices do you imagine we would hear in your work?
Tell us about your interests and background. What life experiences, intellectual pursuits, educational or creative pursuits or other sources of inspiration inform your desire to create audio journalism?

Please append to your essay a statement of your plans for financing your graduate work. This statement must be included, regardless of any request for financial assistance.

All Other Programs

The goal of the essay is to give the Admissions Committee a concrete sense of who you are as someone who aspires to a career as a professional journalist, writing and reporting for print, online or broadcast media. It should address the following questions: What do you expect to get from the program and the specific concentration to which you are applying? What aspects of your experience are most relevant to your interest in journalism? Tell us about your background--your academic degree, intellectual interests, work experience, life experience, and other sources of inspiration--and explain how this background informs what you want to do as a journalist.

Journalism Personal Statement Examples

1 Personal Statement Example Links
2 Career Opportunities
3 UK Admission Requirements
4 UK Earnings Potential For Journalists
5 Similar Courses in UK
6 UK Curriculum
7 Alumni Network

Personal Statement Example Links

Personal Statement Example 1
Personal Statement Example 2
Personal Statement Example 3
Personal Statement Example 4

Career Opportunities

A degree in journalism can open up a wide range of career opportunities in the media and communications industries.

Journalists can work in traditional print media such as newspapers, magazines, and journals, as well as in broadcast media such as radio and television. They can also pursue careers in digital media, including web-based news outlets, blogs, and social media.

Journalism graduates can also find employment in public relations, advertising, and marketing, where their knowledge of media and communication can be put to use. They may also work in other industries, such as education, politics, and business.

Journalists may specialize in a particular field, such as politics, business, sports, or entertainment. They may also pursue a career in investigative journalism, where they uncover stories that would otherwise remain hidden.

Journalism graduates may also pursue a career in teaching, either at the college or university level or in the public school system. They may also be employed in government and non-profit organizations, where they can use their skills to communicate important information to the public.

Finally, journalism graduates may pursue a career in freelance writing, where they can write for various publications and websites. This can be a great way to gain experience and build a portfolio.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

UK Admission Requirements

In order to be accepted into a university course in journalism, applicants must typically have achieved a minimum of a 2:2 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, such as English, media or communications. Applicants may also be required to have achieved a minimum of a grade C in GCSE English and Maths.

In addition to academic qualifications, applicants may also be required to provide a portfolio of work, such as published articles, blog posts, or other writing samples. This is to demonstrate an aptitude for written communication and research skills.

In comparison to other courses, the entry requirements for a university course in journalism are generally quite high. This is due to the fact that the profession requires a high level of writing and research skills, as well as an understanding of the media industry.

UK Earnings Potential For Journalists

The average earnings for someone with a degree in journalism vary depending on the type of job they pursue and the location of the job. Generally, journalists with a degree can expect to earn an average salary of £25,000 to £35,000 per year. However, experienced journalists in major cities can earn significantly more.

In terms of trends in the job market, the demand for journalists is increasing in the digital age. With the rise of social media, the need for content creators and journalists to report on news and events is growing. Additionally, the demand for journalists in the broadcast and radio industry is also increasing.

Similar Courses in UK

Other university courses related to Journalism include Media and Communications, Creative Writing, and Media Studies.

Media and Communications focuses on the production and consumption of media, including television, radio, and digital media. It also covers topics such as public relations, advertising, and branding. Creative Writing is a course that focuses on the craft of writing, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

It also covers topics such as narrative structure, character development, and editing. Media Studies is a course that focuses on the analysis of media and its effects on society, including topics such as media representation, media regulation, and media literacy.

The key differences between Journalism and these other courses are the focus and the skillset. Journalism focuses on reporting, researching, and writing stories for news outlets, while Media and Communications, Creative Writing, and Media Studies focus on the production and consumption of media, the craft of writing, and the analysis of media, respectively.

The skillset for Journalism includes interviewing, fact-checking, and storytelling, while the skillset for Media and Communications, Creative Writing, and Media Studies includes production, writing, and analysis, respectively.

UK Curriculum

The key topics and modules covered in a university course in journalism typically include:

1. Introduction to Journalism: This module introduces students to the fundamentals of journalism, including the history and ethics of the profession, the role of the journalist, and the different types of journalism.

2. News Writing and Reporting: This module focuses on the craft of news writing and reporting, including the basics of news gathering, interviewing, and writing for different media.

3. Digital Journalism: This module covers the use of digital media in journalism, including the use of social media, web-based tools, and other digital technologies.

4. Media Law and Regulation: This module covers the legal and regulatory framework for journalism, including the laws governing libel, privacy, and freedom of information.

5. Media Industries: This module examines the media industry, including the different types of media organizations, their economic models, and the challenges of the digital age.

6. Multimedia Storytelling: This module covers the use of multimedia in journalism, including the use of video, audio, and interactive media.

7. Practical Work: Most journalism courses include practical work, such as working on a student newspaper or website, or taking part in a work placement.

8. Research Methods: This module covers the basics of research methods, including how to design a research project, collect and analyse data, and write a research report.

Alumni Network

One notable alumni from the course of journalism is Christiane Amanpour, a CNN chief international correspondent, host of CNN International’s nightly interview program Amanpour, and Global Affairs Anchor of ABC News. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and has been awarded numerous awards and honors for her work in journalism.

Christiane Amanpour has been a leader in the field of journalism, covering some of the most important news stories of our time. She has reported from war zones around the world, and has interviewed many world leaders. She has also been a strong advocate for press freedom and human rights.

The University of Rhode Island offers a variety of alumni events and networking opportunities for journalism alumni. These include the Journalism Alumni Networking Reception, which is held annually and provides alumni with the opportunity to meet and network with other alumni and faculty from the journalism program. The university also offers the Journalism Alumni Mentoring Program, which pairs current students with alumni to provide career advice and guidance.

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Journalism – Boost Your Personal Statement

Thinking about studying journalism at university but not sure what to include in your personal statement?

Journalism is a competitive industry, but if you’re considering studying a degree in this exciting discipline, it’s important that you convey your enthusiasm, capability and written communication well – your personal statement is therefore the best place to evidence these skills. Understandably, the current situation has made things very difficult for you to gain extra-curricular skills, but here are a few activities you may wish to do over the summer to research the profession more and to enhance your personal statement.

You may be undecided about the type of journalism you want to specialise in, be it newspaper, magazine, digital, TV or radio broadcast journalism, but that’s ok as a degree in journalism will give you the opportunity to explore different areas in more depth, so ensure that you check the content of your five university choices for variety. Also ensure that you research the profession – click here for further information.

After you’ve researched different careers, start researching influential journalists. You may aspire to be the next Faisal Islam or Vanessa Kingori, or it may be someone who writes or broadcasts about topics that you value such as the environment, music, fashion, travel, food, equality or human rights for example. Like artists, it’s always good to have a muse or a role model to admire from afar before you start developing your own style. So start watching TED talks, collate inspiring journalists’ work and dig a bit deeper into their backgrounds.

A sk yourself, what makes a successful journalist, influencer or campaigner?

Build upon the skills of a journalist

Check out the NCTJ Summer School , which boasts a series of video clips outlining the different attributes that make a great journalist. This has already started but you can check out the videos on YouTube and learn about a variety of journalistic skills such as news gathering, media ethics, law, sports reporting, fact checking and much more. Click here for access.

Another useful skill is touch-typing and improving the number of words-per-minute that you can type and you can take a free online course here. You may have also heard about news reporters taking notes using shorthand when interviewing people. This skill, used by many journalists is known as teeline and is great for when technology fails. Have a go at learning some of the basics here as well as brushing up on your grammar from the BBC news style archives.

For a variety of free online courses related to Journalism and Media, try Alison , Coursera, or Open Culture all delivered from universities from all over the world. This will give you a taste of learning beyond your current course and will equip you with research and independent study skills. Just ensure that you check the time commitment of the course so that it’s feasible for you to complete. It is also wise to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the industry such as new technology, tools, apps and current affairs through the Journalism website – a go-to site for many journalists where you can read about current developments as well as listen to podcasts.

If you’ve not had any work experience yet, there are some virtual opportunities currently available. Although these are not journalistic roles, you will still acquire employability skills such as time-management, planning and working to a deadline – all skills transferable to journalism. View the following platforms on Chrome for opportunities: Inside Sherpa, Barclays Lifeskills and Speakers for Schools .

For writing experience, you’ll have to be persuasive and seek out opportunities yourself, so approach your local newspaper and ask if there are any virtual tasks you can help them with or see if you can interview a journalist about their job. The worst they can do is say no! Or try writing competitions such as the BBC Young Reporter, Young Muslim Writers Award , or the Walter Scott Prize to name a few.

You could also try blogging about issues that are important to you through sites such as WordPress or Blogger – don’t worry if nobody reads them, this is a way for you to collate your writing!

Volunteering in roles such as tutoring English or campaigning for social action is also great experience, so try Vinspired . You can always blog about your volunteering experiences too! Or why not approach other volunteering organisations and offer to write for them? You could even ask your school or college if you can start a newsletter, newspaper or social media communication – this will build your personal writing portfolio. Other ideas include volunteering for hospital radio when the situation becomes safer to do so. For information on this, click here.

These are just some cost-effective ideas for you to expand upon in your personal statement, but it’s not an exhaustive list so do keep your eyes open for other opportunities too.

Remember, like a journalist, be tenacious and create opportunities!

For further advice on your personal statement, email: [email protected]

* Always be cautious and check any online forum or employer with your teacher or people at home first, as your safety is paramount!

Journalism Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

If you want to apply to study Journalism at university then it’s almost a given that you’re good at writing but all good writers suffer from writer’s block occasionally, right?

For those of you that are struggling with a personal statement to study Journalism – here is our example to help you out:

Having developed a passion for writing at an early age my writing skills have evolved over the years and I now feel that a career in journalism is right for me. However, I am not prepared to rest on my laurels and I am always striving to further develop my writing skills.

I enjoy the challenge of conveying a story, event, or thought to a reader in an interesting, engaging, and easily understood way. I write my own blog and look forward to expanding my topic range when I reach university.

To expand my knowledge and skills in journalism I undertook a work experience placement at my local newspaper, The Waterside Herald, whilst I was at school. This gave me the chance to develop my writing skills to suit a journalistic style and to gain an in-depth insight into the daily life of a journalist.

Outside of school I enjoy travelling and hope that my love of travel will enable me to gain experience working for publications in other countries during summer breaks from university.

I am also a keen sports player and regular runner. As well as my academic goals I also hope to complete the London Marathon next year, something that I have been training towards for a number of months.

I look forward to the new challenges that life at university will bring and having the chance to learn new skills and build on my already high standards of writing and communication.

I hope that by studying journalism to degree level I will be able to gain an entry level position at a national newspaper such as The Guardian or The Times. I am also interested in pursuing television journalism as a possible career choice whilst at university.

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Writing Your Personal Statements

Your personal statement must demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have considered graduate school and their specific program seriously. It’s your opportunity to summarize your academic and research experiences. You must also communicate how your experiences are relevant to preparing you for the graduate degree that you will be pursuing and explain why a given program is the right one for you.

The personal statement is where you highlight your strengths. Make your strengths absolutely clear to the reviewers, because they will often be reading many other statements. Your self-assessments and honest conversations with peers and advisors should have also revealed your strengths. But you must also address (not blame others for) weaknesses or unusual aspects of your application or academic background.

Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment.

1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many statements, it’s important to start off with your strengths and not “bury your lede.” Consider traits of successful graduate students from your informational interviews, and identify which of these traits you have. These traits could involve research skills and experiences, expertise in working with techniques or instruments, familiarity with professional networks and resources in your field, etc.

Check your responses from the exercises in the self-assessment section. You may wish to consult notes from your informational interviews and your Seven Stories . Write concise summaries and stories that demonstrate your strengths, e.g. how your strengths helped you to achieve certain goals or overcome obstacles.
Summarize your research experience(s). What were the main project goals and the “big picture” questions? What was your role in this project? What did you accomplish? What did you learn, and how did you grow as a result of the experience(s)?

My research examines the interplay between U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy during the Cold War. As a native New Yorker, I saw firsthand how dramatically my city changed after 9/11, which prompted my early interest in U.S. policy at home and abroad. As an undergraduate at the City College of New York, I planned to study international relations with a focus on U.S. foreign affairs. I also quickly became involved in student activist groups that focused on raising awareness about a wide range of human rights issues, from the Syrian refugee crisis to asylum seekers from Central America.

The more I learned about the crises in the present, the more I realized that I needed a deeper understanding of the past to fully grasp them. I decided to pursue a PhD in history in order to gain a clearer understanding of human rights issues in the present and to empower young student-activists like myself.

— Vannessa Velez, PhD candidate in History

Addressing weaknesses or unusual aspects

Identify weaknesses or unusual aspects in your application—e.g., a significant drop in your GPA during a term; weak GRE scores; changes in your academic trajectory, etc. Don’t ignore them, because ignoring them might be interpreted as blind spots for you. If you’re unsure if a particular issue is significant enough to address, seek advice from faculty mentors.
Explain how you’ll improve and strengthen those areas or work around your weakness. Determine how you will address them in a positive light, e.g., by discussing how you overcame obstacles through persistence, what you learned from challenges, and how you grew from failures. Focusing on a growth mindset or grit and this blog on weaknesses might also help.
Deal with any significant unusual aspects later in the statement to allow a positive impression to develop first.
Explain, rather than provide excuses—i.e., address the issue directly and don’t blame others (even if you believe someone else is responsible). Draft it and get feedback from others to see if the explanation is working as you want it to.
Provide supporting empirical evidence if possible. For example, “Adjusting to college was a major step for me, coming from a small high school and as a first-generation college student. My freshman GPA was not up to par with my typical achievements, as demonstrated by my improved GPA of 3.8 during my second and third years in college."
Be concise (don’t dwell on the issues), but also be complete (don’t lead to other potentially unanswered questions). For example, if a drop in grades during a term was due to a health issue, explain whether the health issue is recurring, managed now with medication, resolved, etc.

2. Explain your commitment to research and their graduate program, including your motivation for why you are applying to this graduate program at this university. Be as specific as possible. Identify several faculty members with whom you are interested in working, and explain why their research interests you.

Descriptions of your commitment should explain why you’re passionate about this particular academic field and provide demonstrations of your commitment with stories (e.g., working long hours to solve a problem, overcoming challenges in research, resilience in pursuing problems). Don’t merely assert your commitment.
Explain why you are applying to graduate school, as opposed to seeking a professional degree or a job. Discuss your interest and motivation for grad school, along with your future career aspirations.

I am definitely not your traditional graduate student. As a biracial (Native American and white), first-generation PhD student from a military family, I had very limited guidance on how best to pursue my education, especially when I decided that graduate school was a good idea. I ended up coming to this PhD in a very circuitous manner, stopping first to get a JD and, later, an MFA in Young Adult Literature. With each degree, I took time to work and apply what I’d learned, as a lawyer and as an educator. Each time, I realized that I was circling around questions that I couldn’t let go of—not just because I found them to be fascinating, but because I did (and still do!) feel that my research could help to bridge a gap that desperately needs bridging. Because my work is quite interdisciplinary, I strongly feel that I wouldn’t have been able to pursue this line of research without the degrees and life experience I gained before coming to this program.

— Jamie Fine, PhD candidate in Modern Thought and Literature

Statement of Purpose: subtle aspects

Think in terms of engaging faculty in a conversation rather than pleading with them that you should be admitted. Ask reviewers to read drafts with this concern in mind.
With later drafts, try developing an overall narrative theme. See if one emerges as you work.
Write at least 10 drafts and expect your thinking and the essay to change quite a bit over time.
Read drafts out loud to help you catch errors.
Expect the "you' that emerges in your essay to be incomplete. . . that’s OK.
You’re sharing a professional/scholarly slice of "you."
Avoid humor (do you really know what senior academics find funny?) and flashy openings and closings. Think of pitching the essay to an educated person in the field, but not necessarily in your specialty. Avoid emotionally laden words (such as "love" or "passion"). Remember, your audience is a group of professors! Overly emotional appeals might make them uncomfortable. They are looking for scholarly colleagues.

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Expert Commentary

The journalistic method: Five principles for blending analysis and narrative

Columbia Journalism School's Nicholas Lemann explains a series of rules that can help journalists successfully integrate research and reporting.

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

by The Journalist's Resource, The Journalist's Resource April 8, 2016

This <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org/media/journalistic-method-tip-sheet-blending-analysis-narrative/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org">The Journalist's Resource</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-jr-favicon-150x150.png" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;">

The intersection of knowledge and narrative, of informed journalism, is the heart of what the Journalist’s Resource project continues to explore. In the short essay below, Nicholas Lemann, a professor and dean emeritus at the Columbia Journalism School and a longtime staff writer for The New Yorker , articulates a method for journalism that integrates knowledge while preserving the art of storytelling. We reprint it here with his permission:

A central problem in the practice of journalism is that most of the time, we are trying to engage in narrative and analysis at the same time. They don’t naturally go together. Journalists more often unwittingly let the narrative distort the analysis than vice versa. What follows is an attempt at a journalistic version of the scientific method, aimed at protecting us from writing stories that are factually accurate and narratively compelling, but still fail to capture the truth of a situation.

Awareness. On any complicated subject, beware, when you set out, of overly simple conceptions of what ‘the story’ is. Often these involve your having unwittingly accepted somebody else’s frame of reference, or having been primed to see the story in a certain way, or having mistaken correlation for causation, or having succumbed to some other form of embedded misperception. As a first step, you should always stop and ask yourself what you have bought into before you have begun.
Forming a hypothesis. It’s healthier to admit to yourself that you have one than to go into a story with the idea that you have no presuppositions at all – that would be impossible. You should state a working hypothesis (to yourself, anyway), and then ask yourself what would prove the hypothesis false and what would be an alternate hypothesis to explain whatever it is you are investigating. As you report, you should try not just to prove but also to disprove your working hypothesis, and you should engage in a continuing process of revision of the hypothesis, if necessary. If you don’t design your reporting in such a way that if your hypothesis is flawed, you will find that out before you finish the story, then you are leaving yourself open to getting the story seriously wrong.
Mapping the discourse. On any important issue, there is likely to be a long-running debate with a set of established compass points. Therefore the idea that you can find ‘an expert’ who can explain the issue quickly over the phone is unrealistic, and so, probably, is the idea that you can find two experts, one on each side, who between them can do justice to the subject. Instead, you should familiarize yourself with the expert discourse on the subject. You don’t need to read everything, but you need to know what the major schools of thought are, and where the debate stands at present, and you should be able to read the primary material for yourself as a way of enriching what other people tell you about it.
Evaluating the data. Never accept a conclusion from an expert at face value. Instead, you should follow the steps that led to the conclusion, and you should make some judgment as to whether the methodology and presentation are sound. You should also find out whether somebody else has drawn a different conclusion about the same subject.
Transparency. Journalism is not scholarship and does not generally use bibliographies or footnotes, but you should use attribution in your work in such a way that readers and colleagues can see, to the greatest extent possible, where your information came from and how you have reached your conclusions. Therefore, the use of anonymous sources should be kept to a minimum – you should always try to avoid saying something important with only the testimony of an unnamed person as proof. Even your journalistic competitors should be able to tell, from your work, how to pursue your story further.

Nicholas Lemann is the Joseph Pulitzer II and Edith Pulitzer Moore Professor of Journalism and Dean Emeritus at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Keywords: reporting, style, writing

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How to Write an Amazing Personal Statement (Includes Examples!)

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

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Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

How to Write an Amazing Personal Statement (Includes Examples!)

The personal statement. It’s one of the most important parts of the entire college application process. This essay is the perfect opportunity to show admissions officers who you are and what makes you stand out from the crowd. But writing a good personal statement isn’t exactly easy. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate guide on how to nail your personal statement, complete with example essays . Each essay was reviewed and commented upon by admissions expert Bill Jack. Let’s dive in!

Related: How to write an essay about yourself

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a special type of essay that’s required when you’re applying to colleges and scholarship programs. In this essay, you’re expected to share something about who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of it as a chance to reveal a side of yourself not found in the rest of your application. Personal statements are typically around 400 – 600 words in length.

What can I write about?

Pretty much anything, as long as it’s about you . While this is liberating in the sense that your writing options are nearly unlimited, it’s also overwhelming for the same reason. The good news is that you’ll probably be responding to a specific prompt. Chances are you’re applying to a school that uses the Common App , which means you’ll have seven prompts to choose from . Reviewing these prompts can help generate some ideas, but so can asking yourself meaningful questions.

Below you’ll find a list of questions to ask yourself during the brainstorming process. For each of the following questions, spend a few minutes jotting down whatever comes to mind.

What experiences have shaped who you are?
What’s special or unique about you or your life story?
Who or what has inspired you the most?
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
What are your goals for the future? How have you arrived at those goals?
If your life was a movie, what would be the most interesting scene?
What have been some of the biggest challenges in your life? How did you respond and what did you learn?

The purpose of these questions is to prompt you to think about your life at a deeper level. Hopefully by reflecting on them, you’ll find an essay topic that is impactful and meaningful. In the next section, we’ll offer some advice on actually writing your essay.

Also see: How to write a 500 word essay

How do I write my personal statement?

Once you’ve found a topic, it’s time to start writing! Every personal statement is different, so there’s not really one formula that works for every student. That being said, the following tips should get you started in the right direction:

1. Freewrite, then rewrite

The blank page tends to get more intimidating the longer you stare at it, so it’s best to go ahead and jump right in! Don’t worry about making the first draft absolutely perfect. Instead, just get your ideas on the page and don’t spend too much time thinking about the finer details. Think of this initial writing session as a “brain dump”. Take 15-30 minutes to quickly empty all your thoughts onto the page without worrying about things like grammar, spelling, or sentence structure. You can even use bullet points if that helps. Once you have your ideas on the page, then you can go back and shape them exactly how you want.

2. Establish your theme

Now that you’ve got some basic ideas down on the page, it’s time to lock in on a theme. Your theme is a specific angle that reflects the central message of your essay. It can be summarized in a sentence or even a word. For example, let’s say you’re writing about how you had to establish a whole new group of friends when you moved to a new city. The theme for this type of essay would probably be something like “adaptation”. Having a theme will help you stay focused throughout your essay. Since you only have a limited number of words, you can’t afford to go off on tangents that don’t relate to your theme.

3. Tell a story

A lot of great essays rely on a specific scene or story. Find the personal anecdote relevant to your theme and transfer it to the page. The best way to do this is by using descriptive language. Consult the five senses as you’re setting the scene. What did you see, hear, taste, touch, or smell? How were you feeling emotionally? Using descriptive language can really help your essay come to life. According to UPchieve , a nonprofit that supports low income students, focusing on a particular moment as a “ revised version of a memoir ” is one way to keep readers engaged.

Related: College essay primer: show, don’t tell

4. Focus on your opening paragraph

Your opening paragraph should grab your reader’s attention and set the tone for the rest of your essay. In most cases, this is the best place to include your anecdote (if you have one). By leading with your personal story, you can hook your audience from the get-go. After telling your story, you can explain why it’s important to who you are.

Related: How to start a scholarship essay (with examples)

5. Use an authentic voice

Your personal statement reflects who you are, so you should use a tone that represents you. That means you shouldn’t try to sound like someone else, and you shouldn’t use fancy words just to show off. This isn’t an academic paper, so you don’t have to adopt a super formal tone. Instead, write in a way that allows room for your personality to breathe.

6. Edit, edit, edit…

Once you’re done writing, give yourself some time away from the essay. Try to allow a few days to pass before looking at the essay again with fresh eyes. This way, you’re more likely to pick up on spelling and grammatical errors. You may even get some new ideas and rethink the way you wrote some things. Once you’re satisfied, let someone else edit your essay. We recommend asking a teacher, parent, or sibling for their thoughts before submitting.

Examples of personal statements

Sometimes viewing someone else’s work is the best way to generate inspiration and get the creative juices flowing. The following essays are written in response to four different Common App prompts:

Prompt 1: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

When I was eight years old, I wanted a GameCube very badly. For weeks I hounded my dad to buy me one and finally he agreed. But there was a catch. He’d only get me a GameCube if I promised to start reading. Every day I played video games, I would have to pick up a book and read for at least one hour. At that point in my life, reading was just something I had to suffer through for school assignments. To read for pleasure seemed ludicrous. Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about this proposed agreement. But I figured anything was worth it to get my hands on that shiny new video game console, so I bit the bullet and shook my dad’s hand. Little did I know that I had just made a life-changing deal.

At first, the required hour of reading was a chore — something I had to do so I could play Mario Kart. But it quickly turned into something more than that. To my complete and utter surprise, I discovered that I actually enjoyed reading. One hour turned into two, two turned into three, and after a while I was spending more time reading than I was playing video games. I found myself captivated by the written word, and I read everything I could get my hands on. Lord of the Rings , Percy Jackson , Goosebumps — you name it. I was falling in love with literature, while my GameCube was accumulating dust in the TV stand.

Soon enough, reading led to writing. I was beginning to come up with my own stories, so I put pen to paper and let my imagination run wild. It started out small. My first effort was a rudimentary picture book about a friendly raccoon who went to the moon. But things progressed. My stories became more intricate, my characters more complex. I wrote a series of science fiction novellas. I tried my hand at poetry. I was amazed at the worlds I could create with the tip of my pen. I had dreams of becoming an author.

Then somewhere along the way my family got a subscription to Netflix, and that completely changed the way I thought about storytelling. My nose had been buried in books up until then, so I hadn’t really seen a lot of movies. That quickly changed. It seemed like every other day a pair of new DVDs would arrive in the mail (this was the early days of Netflix). Dark Knight, The Truman Show, Inception, Memento — all these great films were coming in and out of the house. And I couldn’t get enough of them. Movies brought stories to life in a way that books could not. I was head over heels for visual storytelling.

Suddenly I wasn’t writing novels and short stories anymore. I was writing scripts for movies. Now I wanted to transfer my ideas to the big screen, rather than the pages of a book. But I was still doing the same thing I had always done. I was writing, just in a different format. To help with this process, I read the screenplays of my favorite films and paid attention to the way they were crafted. I kept watching more and more movies. And I hadn’t forgotten about my first love, either. I still cherished books and looked to them for inspiration. By the end of my junior year of high school, I had completed two scripts for short films.

So why am I telling you all this? Because I want to turn my love of storytelling into a career. I’m not totally sure how to do that yet, but I know I have options. Whether it’s film production, creative writing, or even journalism, I want to find a major that suits my ambitions. Writing has taken me a long way, and I know it can take me even further. As I step into this next chapter of my life, I couldn’t be more excited to see how my craft develops. In the meantime, I should probably get rid of that dusty old GameCube.

Feedback from admissions professional Bill Jack

Essays don’t always have to reveal details about the student’s intended career path, but one thing I like about this essay is that it gives the reader a sense of the why. Why do they want to pursue storytelling. It also shows the reader that they are open to how they pursue their interest. Being open to exploration is such a vital part of college, so it’s also showing the reader that they likely will be open to new things in college. And, it’s always fun to learn a little bit more about the student’s family, especially if the reader can learn about how the students interacts with their family.

Prompt 2: “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

I remember my first impression of Irvine: weird. It was foggy, stock-full of greenery and eucalyptus trees, and reminded me of my 5th grade trip to a “science camp” which was located in the San Bernardino mountains. Besides Irvine, that was one of the few places in Southern California where you’d find so many non-palm trees.

Of course, perhaps my initial impression of Irvine was biased, motivated by a desire to stay in my hometown and a fear of the unknown. While that was true to an extent, Irvine was certainly still a little peculiar. The city itself was based on a “master plan” of sorts, with the location of each of its schools, parks, shops, and arguably its trees having been logically “picked” before the foundation was poured. Even the homes all looked roughly the same, with their beige, stucco walls almost serving as a hallmark of the city itself.

Thus, this perfectly structured, perfectly safe city seemed like a paradise of sorts to many outsiders, my parents included. I was a little more hesitant to welcome this. As I saw it, this was a phony city – believing that its uniformity stood for a lack of personality. My hometown, although not as flawlessly safe nor clean as Irvine, was where most of my dearest memories had occurred. From the many sleepovers at Cindie’s house, to trying to avoid my school’s own version of the “infamous” cheese touch, to the many laughs shared with friends and family, I shed a tear at the prospect of leaving my home.

Moving into the foreign city, remnants of the hostility I held towards Irvine remained. Still dwelling in my memories of the past, I was initially unable to see Irvine as a “home.” So, as I walked into my first-ever Irvine class, being greeted by many kind, yet unfamiliar faces around me, I was unable to recognize that some of those new faces would later become some of my dearest friends. Such negative feelings about the city were further reinforced by newer, harder classes, and more complicated homework. Sitting in the discomfort of this unfamiliar environment, it started to seem that “change” was something not only inevitable, but insurmountable.

As the years went on, however, this idea seemed to fade. I got used to my classes and bike racing through Irvine neighborhoods with my friends, watching the trees that once seemed just a “weird” green blob soon transform into one of my favorite parts of the city. While I kept my old, beloved memories stored, I made space for new ones. From carefully making our way over the narrow creek path next to our school, to the laughs we shared during chemistry class, my new memories made with friends seemed to transform a city I once disliked into one I would miss.

Through this transformation, I have come to recognize that change, although sometimes intimidating at first, can open the door to great times and meaningful connections. Although Irvine may have once seemed like a strange, “phony” place that I couldn’t wait to be rid of, the memories and laughs I had grown to share there were very real. As I move onto this next part of my life, I hope I can use this knowledge that I have gained from my time in Irvine to make the most of what’s to come. Even if the change may be frightening at first, I have learned to embrace what’s on the other side, whether green or not.

One huge plus to writing an essay that focuses on a place is that you might have it read by someone who has been there. Yet, what’s really helpful about this essay is that even if someone hasn’t been there, a picture is painted about what the place is like. Admission officers have the hard task of really understanding what the student sees, so the use of adjectives and imagery can really help. It’s also really clever to see that the green that’s mentioned at the beginning is mentioned at the end. It’s a nice way to bookend the essay and tie it all together.

Prompt 6: “Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?”

I like getting lost. Not literally, of course, but figuratively. Whether it be in the story of a love song by Taylor Swift, or in the memories brought back by listening to my favorite childhood video game’s background music, I’ve always appreciated music’s ability to transport me to another place, another time, another feeling.

Alas, I cannot sing, nor have I practiced an instrument since my middle school piano class days. So, perhaps Kurt Vonnegut was right. As he puts it, “Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musician.” While I cannot speak for others, I have certainly not debunked his theory. Writing allows many, including myself, to attempt to mimic the transformative power of music – even if our singing voices aren’t exactly “pleasant.” Just as you can get lost in music, you can do so in a story. Whether it is in George Orwell’s totalitarian Oceania, or Little Women’s Orchard House, the stories outlined in novels can provide an amazing look into the lives and worlds of others, and an escape from the worries and problems of those in your own.

While I am certainly not claiming to have the storytelling abilities of the Orwells or Alcotts before me, I’ve had fun trying to recreate such transformative feelings for others. When I was nine, I attempted to write a story about a little girl who had gotten lost in the woods, only managing to get a couple pages through. As I got older, whenever I was assigned a creative writing assignment in school, I wrote about the same pig, Phil. He was always angry: in my 8th grade science class, Phil was mad at some humans who had harbored his friend captive, and in my 9th grade English class, at a couple who robbed him.

Thus, when I heard about a writing club being opened at my school in 11th grade, I knew I had to join. I wanted to discern whether writing was just a hobby I picked up now and then, or a true passion. If it was a passion, I wanted to learn as much as possible about how I could improve. Although my high school’s writing club certainly wasn’t going to transform me into Shakespeare, I knew I could learn a lot from it – and I did. The club challenged me to do many things, from writing on the spot, to writing poetry, to even writing about myself, something that’s hopefully coming in handy right now.

From then on, I started to expand into different types of writing, storing short ideas, skits, and more in appropriately-labeled Google Drive folders. At around the same time, I became interested in classic literature, which largely stemmed from a project in English class. We had been required to choose and read a classic on our own, then present it to the class in an interesting way. While my book was certainly interesting and unique in its own right, nearly everyone else’s novels seemed more captivating to me. So, I took it upon myself to read as many classics as I could the following summer.

One of the books I read during the summer, funnily enough, was Animal Farm, which starred angry pigs, reminiscent of Phil. I had also started going over different ideas in my head, thinking about how I could translate them into words using the new skills I learned. While the writing club helped reaffirm my interest in writing and allowed me to develop new skills, my newfound affinity for classics gave me inspiration to write. Now, I am actually considering writing as part of my future. In this endeavor, I hope that Phil, and the music I inevitably listen to as I write, will accompany me every step of the way.

Admission officers might read 70 (or more!) essays in one day. It’s not uncommon for them to start to blend together and sound similar. This essay might not make you laugh out loud. But, it might make the reader chuckle while reading it thanks to the subtle humor and levity. Being able to incorporate a little humor into your essay (if it is natural for you to do… do not force it), can really be a great way to shed additional light into who you are. Remember, the essay isn’t merely about proving that you can write, but it should also reveal a little bit about your personality.

Prompt 5: “Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”

I learned a lot of things during the summer I worked at Tropical Smoothie. I discovered the value of hard work. I figured out how to save money. I even mastered the art of the Mango Magic smoothie (the secret is lots of sugar). But most importantly, I learned the power of perspective. And I have Deja to thank for that.

Deja was my shift supervisor, and one of Tropical Smoothie’s best employees. She was punctual, friendly, and always willing to lend a helping hand. She knew the store from top to bottom, and could handle pretty much any situation thrown her way. She made everyone around her better. On top of all that, she was four months pregnant! I was always impressed by Deja’s work ethic, but I gained an entirely new level of respect for her one day.

It was a Friday night, and Deja and I were working the closing shift together. It was very busy, and Deja and I were the only ones on shift. We managed to get by, but we were exhausted by the end of the evening. After wiping down the counters and mopping the floors, we closed up shop and went our separate ways. I was eager to get home.

I walked a couple blocks to where I had parked my car. Well, it wasn’t my car actually. It was my dad’s ‘98 Chevy pickup truck, and it was in rough shape. It had no heat or A/C, the leather seats were cracked beyond repair, and the driver’s side door was jammed shut. I sighed as I got in through the passenger side and scooted over to the driver’s seat. The whole reason I was working at Tropical Smoothie was to save up enough money to buy my own car. I was hoping to have something more respectable to drive during my senior year of high school.

I cranked the old thing up and started on my way home. But soon enough, I spotted Deja walking on the side of the road. There was no sidewalk here, the light was low, and she was dangerously close to the passing cars. I pulled over and offered her a ride. She got in and explained that she was on her way home. Apparently she didn’t have a car and had been walking to work every day. I couldn’t believe it. Here I was complaining about my set of wheels, while Deja didn’t have any to begin with.

We got to talking, and she confessed that she had been having a tough time. You would never know from the way she was so cheerful at work, but Deja had a lot on her plate. She was taking care of her mother, her boyfriend had just lost his job, and she was worried about making ends meet. And of course, she was expecting a baby in five months. On top of all that, she had been walking nearly a mile to and from work every day. The whole thing was a real eye opener, and made me reconsider some things in my own life.

For one, I didn’t mind driving my dad’s truck anymore. It was banged up, sure, but it was a lot better than nothing. My mindset had changed. I appreciated the truck now. I began to think about other things differently, too. I started making mental notes of all the things in my life I was thankful for — my family, my friends, my health. I became grateful for what I had, instead of obsessing over the things I didn’t.

I also gained more awareness of the world outside my own little bubble. My encounter with Deja had shown me first-hand that everyone is dealing with their own problems, some worse than others. So I started paying more attention to my friends, family members, and coworkers. I started listening more and asking how I could help. I also gave Deja a ride home for the rest of the summer.

These are all small things, of course, but I think they make a difference. I realized I’m at my best when I’m not fixated on my own life, but when I’m considerate of the lives around me. I want to keep this in mind as I continue to grow and develop as a person. I want to continue to search for ways to support the people around me. And most importantly, I want to keep things in perspective.

Too often we can be focused on our own problems that we fail to realize that everyone has their own things going on in their lives, too. This essay showcases how it’s important to put things in perspective, a skill that certainly will prove invaluable in college… and not just in the classroom. Another reason I like this essay is because it provides deeper insight into the student’s life. Sure, you might have mentioned in your activities list that you have a job. But as this essay does, you can show why you have the job in the first place, what your responsibilities are, and more.

A few last tips

We hope these essay examples gave you a bit of inspiration of what to include in your own. However, before you go, we’d like to send you off with a few (personal statement) writing tips to help you make your essays as lovely as the memories and anecdotes they’re based off of. Without further ado, here are some of our best tips for writing your personal statements:

1. Open strong

College admissions officers read many, many essays (think 50+) a day, which can sometimes cause them to start blending together and sounding alike. One way to avoid your essay from simply fading into the background is to start strong. This means opening your essay with something memorable, whether an interesting personal anecdote, a descriptive setting, or anything else that you think would catch a reader’s attention (so long as it’s not inappropriate). Not only might this help college admissions officers better remember your essay, but it will also make them curious about what the rest of your essay will entail.

2. Be authentic

Perhaps most important when it comes to writing personal statement essays is to maintain your authenticity. Ultimately, your essays should reflect your unique stories and quirks that make you who you are, and should help college admissions officers determine whether you’d truly be a good fit for their school or not. So, don’t stress trying to figure out what colleges are looking for. Be yourself, and let the colleges come to you!

3. Strong writing

This one may seem a little obvious, but strong writing will certainly appeal to colleges. Not only will it make your essay more compelling, but it may show colleges that you’re ready for college-level essay writing (that you’ll likely have to do a lot of). Just remember that good writing is not limited to grammar. Using captivating detail and descriptions are a huge part of making your essay seem more like a story than a lecture.

4. Proofread

Last but not least, remember to proofread! Make sure your essay contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. When you’re done proofreading your essay yourself, we would also recommend that you ask a teacher, parent, or other grammatically savvy person to proofread your essay as well.

Final thoughts

With those in hand, we hope you now have a better sense of how to write your personal statement. While your grades and test scores are important when it comes to college admissions, it’s really your essays that can “make” or “break” your application.

Although this may make it seem like a daunting task, writing an amazing personal statement essay is all about effort. Thus, so long as you start early, follow the advice listed above, and dedicate your time and effort to it, it’s entirely possible to write an essay that perfectly encapsulates you. Good luck, and happy writing!

Also see: Scholarships360’s free scholarships search tool

Key Takeaways

It may take some people longer than others to know what they want to write about, but remember that everyone, including you, has something unique to write about!
Personal statements should be personal, which means you should avoid being too general and really strive to show off what makes you “you”
Time and effort are two of the most important things you can put into your personal statement to ensure that it is the best representation of yourself
Don’t forget to ask people who know you to read your work before you submit; they should be able to tell you better than anyone if you are truly shining through!

Frequently asked questions about writing personal statements

How do you write a powerful personal statement, what makes an amazing personal statement, how do you start an amazing personal statement, scholarships360 recommended.

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Writing the Personal Statement

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The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories:

1. The general, comprehensive personal statement:

This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms.

2. The response to very specific questions:

Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions.

Questions to ask yourself before you write:

What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
What are your career goals?
Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?
What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?
What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?
What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?

General advice

Answer the questions that are asked

If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar.
Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked.

Tell a story

Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific

Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.

Find an angle

If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph

The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.

Tell what you know

The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects

There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed

If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly

Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichés

A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

For more information on writing a personal statement, see the personal statement vidcast .

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Journalism ethics.

Patrick Lee Plaisance Patrick Lee Plaisance Department of Journalism & Media Communication, Colorado State University
https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.89
Published online: 09 June 2016

News workers—writers, editors, videographers, bloggers, photographers, designers—regularly confront questions of potential harms and conflicting values in the course of their work, and the field of journalism ethics concerns itself with standards of behavior and the quality of justifications used to defend controversial journalistic decisions. While journalism ethics, as with the philosophy of ethics in general, is less concerned with pronouncements of the “rightness” or “wrongness” of certain acts, it relies on longstanding notions of the public-service mission of journalism. However, informing the public and serving a “watchdog” function regularly require journalists to negotiate questions of privacy, autonomy, community engagement, and the potentially damaging consequences of providing information that individuals and governments would rather withhold.

As news organizations continue to search for successful business models to support journalistic work, ethics questions over conflicts of interest and content transparency (e.g., native advertising) have gained prominence. Media technology platforms that have served to democratize and decentralize the dissemination of news have underscored the debate about who, or what type of content, should be subjected to journalism ethics standards. Media ethics scholars, most of whom are from Western democracies, also are struggling to articulate the features of a “global” journalism ethics framework that emphasizes broad internationalist ideals yet accommodates cultural pluralism. This is particularly challenging given that the very idea of “press freedom” remains an alien one in many countries of the world, and the notion is explicitly included in the constitutions of only a few of the world’s democratic societies. The global trend toward recognizing and promoting press freedom is clear, but it is occurring at different rates in different countries. Other work in the field explores the factors on the individual, organizational, and societal levels that help or hinder journalists seeking to ensure that their work is defined by widely accepted virtues and ethical principles.

minimizing harm
public service
global ethics
newsgathering standards
framing effects
journalism culture
media technology

Introduction

Potential harm posed by news accounts, the use of deceptive tactics to secure stories, and the increasing prevalence of infotainment content are all examples of journalism ethics issues. In addition to specific practices, the field of journalism ethics also addresses broader theoretical issues such as what roles the news media should play in society, whether the idea of patriotism poses a conflict of interest for journalists, and what might constitute a set of universal or global values to define good journalism across cultures. As a field, journalism ethics spans a wide range of issues from examination of specific case studies that raise questions of privacy and editorial independence, to abstract, normative arguments about how concepts from moral philosophy such as realism, relativism, and the Aristotelian notion of eudaimonia , or flourishing, should inform the work of journalism.

As the idea of journalism has evolved over the centuries, economic imperatives and the desire to be seen as performing “professionalized” work have motivated news publishers and journalists to embrace various standards of behavior. Depending on its cultural context, the idea of journalism emerged from commercial or political “hack” work, where newspapers were entertainment or party organs, to its role in most developed countries as an autonomous broker of information and “watchdog” of power centers on behalf of citizens. As a result, publishers, editors, and writers recognized the value of embracing standards of conduct to build integrity and commercial viability. Journalism ethics scholars and researchers have explored the philosophical underpinnings of these standards, the recurrent failures of news workers to meet them, and the moral obligations of journalism on a societal level.

Ethics and the Journalistic Mission

While ethics is conventionally understood as the work involved to discern “right” actions from wrong, it is more precisely a field of inquiry focused on examining the quality of our deliberations when dealing with moral dilemmas. It is about asking the “right” questions to best illuminate our duties and potential impacts on others. As such, ethics rarely provides clear answers about the best way to handle quandaries. Rather, ethics serves to help us highlight morally relevant issues and come up with optimal defensible decisions. This also describes the field of journalism ethics: while there are some clear rules and standards about how journalists should operate, more common are abstract statements of value that are intended to inform good behavior. Journalism ethics is a distinct subfield of media ethics in that it addresses behavior and dilemmas unique to the practices of gathering and presenting news content. It works within the context of journalism culture that assumes a critical public-service function of the work in a professional or semi-professional setting distinct from marketing or promotional media content. While journalism ethics scholarship draws from moral philosophy in its use of concepts such as autonomy, harm, and justice, it also represents an applied ethics approach, focusing as it often does on case studies and analyses of situations that pose dilemmas involving protection of journalistic credibility or potential harm to story subjects. Ethicists in media often call for a deontological approach in journalism practice—for journalists to be more mindful of these broad duties and less concerned about the consequences of providing the news to the public. True public service, they argue, requires journalists to report the news, as explosive, discomforting, or controversial as it may be, and let the chips fall where they may. The public must decide how that information will be utilized. These ethicists insist that journalists should resist paternalistic impulses and pressure to “sanitize” the news. Despite this general tendency, many journalism ethics codes and standards also include explicitly utilitarian concerns—a recognition that journalists must, of course, be mindful of the consequences of their work, particularly when it comes to potential harmful effects of some information. The tensions created by these two approaches often constitute the heart of many journalism ethics controversies, just as they do in other areas of applied ethics. A look at codes of ethics embraced by various journalistic organizations around the world illustrates how both approaches are invoked. These codes most often avoid clear declarations of prohibitions or required actions, and instead provide aspirational calls for journalists to report the news courageously, to be accountable to the public, and to minimize harm as much as possible. All of these imply a special covenant with the public and an obligation to act in ways that serve more than the commercial interests of individual journalists or news organizations. This includes, as one of the first publishers of the New York Times famously said, to report the news “without fear or favor”—in other words, without being cowed or intimidated by powerful people or institutions who might want to shape the news for their own interests, and also without any agenda to promote any single individual, cause, or policy in the course of reporting. In commercial media systems, the specter of corporate conflict of interest is a recurring journalism ethics issue: corporate media conglomerates use their journalism divisions to promote, in the guise of news content, products or services (such as a film or musical artist) produced by another division. Similarly, nationalized or party-owned news outlets subject to government or political control are typically perceived as lacking sufficient editorial autonomy to report news that may adversely impact those in power. Accountability in journalism most often refers to fulfilling a public-service role in the dissemination of news. It calls for journalists to respond quickly to questions about accuracy, and to acknowledge and correct mistakes. It also implies the notion that journalists wield considerable power in their ability to spotlight and scrutinize the behavior of others, and that they must use that power judiciously. Journalists, consequently, are expected to acknowledge their own ethical lapses, and to apply the same standards of behavior to themselves that they hold for news subjects. Most journalistic ethics codes also call for minimizing harm in the course of news work. Note that the call to minimize harm is distinct from imperatives to “prevent” or “avoid” harm, which are virtually non-existent in journalism. This semantic distinction is deliberate and reflects an acknowledgement that harmful effects are occasionally inevitable in the course of good journalism. Journalistic harm is most conventionally understood as materially “setting back” an important and legitimate “interest” of someone or some group that is the focus of news. Some such harms might be easily defended, such as the economic harm caused by an investigative report on the questionable or illegal practices of a company. Other such harms are more difficult to justify, such as the damage created to someone’s reputation by the disclosure of personal facts not considered very newsworthy. But harm can take many other forms. Ill-considered behavior might result in harm to the individual journalist’s reputation or that of his or her news organization. As with most other lines of work, the ethically questionable behavior of individual actors can easily reflect on—and harm—the profession or field as a whole, reducing trust. The public also can be harmed with misinformation and sensationalistic coverage or content that leaves people with an inaccurate understanding of a topic or issue. In most cases, journalists minimize potential harms by articulating the public value of published information and by considering withholding information that might be less important or relevant for a story. Journalists also consider story “play”—how images and graphics are used as well as story placement and prominence. More recently, journalism ethics discussions and scholarship have emphasized additional values. One is transparency, or being aboveboard in explaining news decisions. For example, recent efforts to revise the code of ethics of the Society for Professional Journalists in the United States resulted in adding the imperative that journalists “be transparent.” In some cases, this has meant inviting the public to observe, either personally or via streaming video, editorial meetings of news organizations. In others, it has meant allowing digital access to databases and other files that are used in building news stories. Another value that has gained in prominence in journalism ethics is community engagement. More journalistic organizations, particularly digital-only news sites, have expressed an obligation to move beyond mere reporting of the news and to make efforts to foster civic participation. At its most basic, this manifests itself through active story comment lines and forums to discuss stories and issues. But it also can include the sponsorship by news organizations of public meetings to address specific issues of concern as well as inviting audience members to “sponsor” an investigative effort, which a news organization, once receiving sufficient financial support, “pledges” to publish.

Journalism and Ethics Frameworks

Much work in journalism ethics is rooted in two predominant strains found in the philosophy of ethics. One is consequentialism , in which much of the moral weight of decisions is placed on the goodness of the outcome. In journalism, this is most clearly illustrated by the focus on possible harms resulting from newsgathering and publishing. The other predominant strain is deontology , or duty-based ethics. Many news outlets and journalism associations have embraced ethics codes that itemize the various duties that responsible journalists must carry out: duty to serve the public, duty to scrutinize centers of power, duty to be as transparent and accountable as possible. But the “third way” in ethics, virtue theory, has recently been gathering prominence in journalism practice as well. Rooted in the work of Aristotle, this approach focuses instead on identifying “virtues”—what it means to be courageous, charitable, honest, and so forth—and articulating how such virtues ought to be manifested in our lives if we are serious about the promotion of human “flourishing.” Insisting that journalists should “be virtuous” may sound like a less-than-useful platitude, but recognizing and living by virtues is far from simple. We would not still be discussing them thousands of years after Aristotle if it were. And as we have seen, ethics is rarely black and white. We must juggle competing claims, weigh various possible harms, articulate often multiple duties—all in the course of just one ethical question. In moral psychology (discussed later in this article), the idea of “moral commitment” is an important one—the degree to which individuals internalize moral principles, or virtues, into their very self-identities, so that those principles almost reflexively inform daily behavior. Moral “exemplars” are those among us who not only internalize these principles, but whose moral development has given them what might be called a highly developed skill of discrimination: the ability to make fine-grained distinctions among similar situations and to thoughtfully respond with just the right mix of appraisals, beliefs, and behavior that still reflect one’s broader moral commitments. This is the more character-driven approach that preoccupies virtue ethicists. One of them, Rosalind Hursthouse ( 1999 , p. 154), argued that the virtues “are not excellences of character, not traits that, by their very nature, make their possessors good and result in good conduct.” Rather, she said we must remember the “Aristotelian idea that each of the virtues involves practical wisdom, the ability to reason correctly about practical matters.” It is more of a “ground-up” approach, rather than the “top-down” approach of duty ethics or the “ends-focused” approach of consequentialism. And for a growing chorus of journalism ethics scholars, it may be the most useful one. “By building from our appreciation of ‘particular facts’ about how the media operate in the contemporary world, we have a more useful starting point for the tangled problems of media ethics than by relying on supposedly consensual norms, rights or obligations,” wrote media ethicist Nick Couldry ( 2013 , p. 42).

A notable example of virtue ethics applied to journalism is offered by media ethicist Sandra Borden. Borden draws on the work of philosopher Alistair MacIntyre, who argues that the ancient Greeks understood the notion of virtues as qualities that were critical to have if one were to perform well in his or her social roles. Aristotle described virtues not as ends in themselves, but as tools to achieve what he said should be our broader aim: “the good life,” or eudaimonia . As individuals, we not only contribute to our own well-being but help bring about such flourishing for all through specialized work that is often referred to as professional behavior. In his landmark book, After Virtue , MacIntyre ( 2007 , p. 187) called this type of work a practice :

By ‘practice’ I . . . mean any coherent and complex form of socially established cooperative human activity through which goods internal to that form of activity are realized in the course of trying to achieve those standards of excellence which are appropriate to, and partially definitive of, that form of activity, with the result that human powers to achieve excellence, and human conceptions of the end and good involved, are systematically extended.

Such practices, he argued, involve “standards of excellence and obedience to rules” that are aimed at attaining internal goods, or things that contribute to the common good regardless of who actually receives them. Media professionals, when deliberately informing their work with the “standards of excellence” that are attached to their “practices,” are able to deliver public goods such as providing information and analysis that enables the public to participate in a vigorous democratic life. As Borden ( 2007 , p. 16) summarized, “an occupation’s purpose provides it with moral justification, from a virtue perspective, if it can be integrated into a broader conception of what is good for humans.” In her book, Journalism as Practice , she made the compelling case that journalism should indeed be treated as a MacIntyrean practice . Another media ethicist, Victor Pickard ( 2011 , p. 76), eloquently described the “practice” of journalism having internal goods as its aim:

[Journalism] is an essential public service with social benefits that transcend its revenue stream. In its ideal form, journalism creates tremendous positive externalities. It serves as a watchdog over the powerful, covers crucial social issues, and provides a forum for diverse voices and viewpoints. As such, journalism functions as democracy’s critical infrastructure.

Implications of Specific Practices

Due to the ongoing nature and recurring tensions inherent in news work, several specific types of questions and controversies regularly surface. Yet it should be clear that ethics provides no clear-cut solution to cases of the same type; indeed, ethicists often argue for very different resolutions or optimal decisions among similar cases, depending on context and factors that may have more or less importance in different situations. It nonetheless is valuable to note several broad types of journalism ethics questions:

Conflict of interest. As noted previously, corporate and political conflicts of interest commonly raise questions of journalistic autonomy and adherence to ideals of public service. Conflict of interest can also occur at the individual level, where the interests or values of a single journalist might tempt him or her to compromise his or her news judgements. Most journalistic policies require news workers to treat potential appearances of conflict of interest as just as much a threat to credibility as actual conflicts, and, in cases of the latter, to take explicit steps to acknowledge the conflict and to either minimize or eliminate it. In most cases, journalists are expected to recuse themselves from activities that might pose a journalistic conflict. This includes policies that prohibit reporters covering politics from featuring political bumper stickers on their private vehicles.

Minimizing harm. Also as noted, the concept of harm can take many forms, and journalists are regularly called upon to justify their decisions that arguably cause harm to individuals or groups. Photojournalists in war zones and those covering sites of humanitarian tragedy have been challenged, for example, for their decisions to maintain their role as dispassionate witnesses to scenes of human suffering, rather than setting down their cameras and helping those in need. News organizations also have drawn criticism when disclosing secret or classified information that, in the course of informing the public, may arguably harm or undermine national interests.

Balancing privacy interests. Generally, theorists agree that everyone requires a degree of privacy to allow for self-development and to enable individuals to manage their multiple social roles. But with the value of privacy regularly being contested, journalists confront the dilemma of the extent to which respect for individual privacy should determine news coverage. While some scholars have argued that protecting privacy should never be considered the job of the journalist because of myriad and shifting definitions, others emphasize that journalism that respects privacy can encourage civic participation and engagement. Ethics arguments frequently flare over when disclosure of personal information is merited as well as when story subjects arguably seek to dodge accountability by invoking questionable or ill-informed privacy claims.

News frame effects. News content that may have negative effects on society frequently raises ethics questions. For example, psychologists have long warned of the “contagion” effect of coverage of suicide that focuses on the method of death and emotional state of the subject, which may prompt others in a similar emotional state to “copy” the story. Journalists have embraced media guidelines for responsible coverage of suicide as a social-health issue rather than as spectacle. The way an issue in the news is “framed” by story narratives, using factors such as sourcing, point of view, emphasis, and description, can leave audiences with a particular understanding of that issue. Framing of hot-button topics such as gun violence, gender roles, or obesity can serve to emphasize or favor one perspective over another and thus raise ethical questions.

Stereotypes. Relying on or perpetuating gender, racial, or ethnic stereotypes in news stories also can be considered a framing issue, and journalists must be mindful of inadvertent stereotyping. Expediency, narrative brevity, and the press of deadlines often discourage thoughtful considerations of the descriptions used for story subjects, be they local celebrities or police suspects. Research has suggested a consistent gender bias in news descriptions of physicality, emphasizing clothing items for women but not men, for example. Also, consistent focus on race often leaves skewed perceptions of crime patterns in the mind of the public.

Newsgathering techniques. What methods are justifiable in the collection of information valuable to the public? Classic what-ends-justify-the-means questions regularly confront journalists. While absolutist policies are rare, many news organizations refuse to pay for news or interviews, though tabloid outlets commonly do so. The concern is that sources with a financial incentive may be tempted to embellish, alter, or even fabricate facts and events, thereby undermining the journalistic enterprise. In some developing countries, such as Kenya, China, and India, money is regularly passed to individual journalists to curry favor and secure positive treatment. With celebrity periodicals, where exposure has created its own competitive market among a finite pool of public figures, payment for attention has become more removed from objective newsworthiness standards. The use of deceptive tactics, such as hidden cameras, also raises ethical questions. Several journalistic organizations have adopted policies stating that hidden cameras should be used only as a last resort and only when the information sought has high potential value for the public. Similar policies apply to journalists misrepresenting themselves to access information.

Graphic images. The publication of photos that depict gore, violence, and suffering regularly raises ethical questions for news journalists. Such questions become particularly heated during times of war or conflict, and when patriotic sentiments may bring added pressure to bear on journalists to depict the “right” story and avoid using images that audiences might perceive to be demoralizing. Claims that graphic images can be offensive, harmful, or unnecessary clash with concerns that avoiding such images risks sanitizing or propagandizing the news, which can easily undermine journalistic credibility. As with other journalistic ethics issues, the controversies over the publication of graphic images reflect diametric approaches within ethics itself: A utilitarian concern focused on minimizing harmful consequences of a decision versus a deontological ethos that calls for depicting the news with courage and relying on audiences to make their own decisions about the value of such images.

Ethics and Journalism Sociology

A variety of factors influences and even determines the behavior of journalists. The professional, cultural, and organizational environments in which journalists work have been referred to as their “moral ecology,” a recognition that news workers, like everyone else, do not operate in a self-defined vacuum, and that individual beliefs and predispositions are routinely subsumed by broader processes of socialization that can both help and hinder the exercise of ethical reasoning skills and moral autonomy. Thus, normative claims about what journalists should or should not do in the course of their work must rest not on assumptions that journalists are guided solely by personal beliefs but on an appreciation of these socialization processes. For example, journalists are criticized for advancing a “news agenda” reflecting their personal biases, but such claims often ignore how the broader constraints of the news decision-making process (e.g., the requirements of video production on deadline), organizational structure (e.g., the allocation of resources intended to produce one type of news content over another), or professional culture (e.g., the internal system of sanctions and rewards from editors based on impartiality of work) function as much greater influences. That moral ecology, of course, varies widely around the globe. Journalism sociology research over the years has identified broad “levels” or categories of factors that influence the production of news, generally distinguishing among individual-, organizational-, and societal-level spheres. For example, the ongoing “Worlds of Journalism” project examining news work across cultures has identified six levels of influence:

The individual level includes personal opinions, values, and demographic data as well as information on specific roles and occupational characteristics within a news organization.

The media routines level includes deadlines, production procedures, and standards and other constraints posed by newsgathering practices.

The organizational level includes technological imperatives, advertising or revenue considerations, and editorial decision-making.

The media structures level includes the economic model of news that entails profitability and resource allocation as realities in the relatively high costs of news production.

The systemic level includes national-level data such as regulatory policies, ideological assumptions, and degree of press freedoms.

Reference groups constitute a dimension that spans professional and personal domains to include competing news organizations, audiences, colleagues, friends, and family members.

In much research on journalism culture since the late 20th century, organizational- and societal-level factors have been found to be stronger influences on news content than individual-level factors, suggesting a hierarchical structure of influences in which the higher the level, the stronger the influence. However, no definitive model of influence has emerged.

Media Technology

The proliferation of online media has resulted in a host of new complications for journalists and news organizations. While traditional ethical concepts do not fundamentally change when information is delivered online, the ease and ubiquity of digital media provide new ways of interacting with audience members and story subjects. And everyone is tempted to do things he or she may not otherwise contemplate without the speed and ease of media technology. As one media ethics scholar noted, “Deceptive behavior in cyberspace is . . . not a new moral issue though it raises the problem of ‘moral distance’ with extra urgency . . . The speed of digital communication does not create new forms of immorality, but makes it possible to commit immoral acts so fast one hardly notices” ( 2000 , pp. 34–35). For example, the issue of corrections and retractions in digital journalism has received considerable attention.

Generally, many journalistic organizations, such as the Canadian Association of Journalists, have adopted policies against “unpublishing” erroneous reports from their archives and instead amending corrections to them. News organizations also have felt increasing pressure from story subjects who are embarrassed by content and argue that it is unfair for the news organizations to archive material long after it is no longer relevant. But allowing individuals to “scrub” the public record for their own interests raises deeper questions about the value of independently curated public information, and it also can threaten a key aspect of the journalistic mission, which is to document history. As one journalism educator has said, “Source remorse is not a reason to unpublish.” Unpublishing material also does little to eliminate the “echoes” that likely exist all over the Web on search engines, blogs, and other news sites. Better to correct or amend the existing archived material, which both preserves the integrity of the journalistic process and also fosters credibility through transparent action. For instance, editors at the Boston Globe cited the latter for their decision to correct, but not remove, a live blog post erroneously stating that an arrest had been made shortly after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 . In rare cases, a news organization may consider unpublishing a story that is judged to be unethical or even be questionable legally, or when continued accessibility of an archived story may pose a real threat to someone’s well-being. In such cases, many policies urge journalists to look for evidence of concrete harm, such a doctor’s opinion, and for any such decisions to unpublish to be made by consensus, never leaving them to a single person.

The immediacy provided by media technology has enabled journalists to increase their relevance and value and to foster new forms of interaction with audiences. It also can encourage broad collaborative efforts with non-journalists whose perspectives and information can augment journalistic efforts. But that very immediacy can threaten to become deterministic —the value of now can displace ethical concerns of credibility, verification, and care. In the rush to be a part of the conversation and buzz on breaking stories, many news organizations have fallen victim to all stripes of hoaxes. “The development of social networks for real-time news and information, and the integration of social media content in the news media, creates tensions for a profession based on a discipline of verification,” said journalism technology scholar Alfred Hermida. News sites around the world, for example, circulated what turned out to be a fake photo of Osama Bin Laden’s body soon after his death in May 2011 . The immediacy of digital technology tempts journalists to post, share, and verify later—often at the cost of their long-term credibility. This risk of compromised integrity or even partiality is a serious concern reflected in the social media policies of most news organizations. The notion of technological determinism—that values emphasized by technology such as convenience tempt us to set aside other values such as respect, conscientiousness, and even safety—has resulted in abetting the perilous impulse in a competitive media system of getting it first rather than getting it right. Critic Evgeny Morozov ( 2011 , p. xvi) calls this “cyber-centrism,” or our tendency to “prioritize the tool over the environment.” The integration of social media also has required journalists to resist the temptation for informality. Several news organizations have adopted explicit policies that reinforce how traditional concerns of ethics as well as etiquette apply to social media. For example, the Associated Press cautions its writers about the peril residing in too-informal use of Twitter:

Twitter, in particular, can present some challenges—with a tight character count and no way to modulate your body language or the volume and tone of your voice, requests that are intended to be sensitive can come across as cold or even demanding. Think about how your tweet would come across if spoken with an angry voice, because that’s just how the recipient may hear it in his head.

Media technology has collapsed time and space in the exchange of information, but it also has arguably initiated a reformation of communication structures. No longer is the news media system a “closed” one in which journalists serve a central gatekeeping function; now we have an “open” system in which the sourcing and distribution of information has been radically democratized and globalized. As many theorists have said, we now have a networked society. Journalists and journalistic brands are now just single nodes among a constellation of voices and sources, all moving in a “shared” information space. This, writes scholar Ansgard Heinrich, “sketches the evolution of an interactive sphere that, at least in theory, fosters a greater level of interaction and exchange. Connection, interaction, and collaboration are the markers of this shift.” This transformation, however, poses many questions for journalism as it has been conventionally understood, in the form of print newspapers and broadcast networks. Who do you link to? How do you distinguish between activist bloggers and more dispassionate collaborators? Do these distinctions matter anymore? And in this new “network journalism,” how are journalists to act responsibly in what is now a global sphere? Scholars have begun insisting that journalists have a responsibility to be more cosmopolitan in their outlook and their framing of news, and to work harder to transcend the “nationalistic” lenses that have traditionally dominated news narratives. As Heinrich argues, “This nationally inward looking focus of news reporting, however, does not do justice to a world (1) where events in one corner of the world might affect the other; (2) where news stories produced by one outlet are not restricted in access to ‘local,’ i.e., national audiences; and (3) in which many voices roam through the spheres of a digitally connected world that might provide an alternative take on a news story.” Globally responsible journalists, then, must break out of the tradition of foreign correspondent narratives that focus almost exclusively on elite or official sources and on how events impact a particular nation, instead engaging in the multitude of activist and “unofficial” sources that provide often competing narratives.

Global Journalism Ethics Theorizing

Much journalism ethics theorizing since the end of the 20th century has been preoccupied with the desire to establish viable ethical norms that transcend cultural boundaries and reflect what one researcher referred to as an empirical trend toward “ever-increasing globalization of journalism standards.” Some of this work calls for a media system that relies on a framework of international human rights, or a general veneration of human life, to guide news work regardless of culture. Others have called for a “modified contractualist” approach that would respect differing cultural manifestations of broad principles. Still others insist that any such global framework reject Enlightenment assumptions of the primacy of individual rights and rationality. Too often, claims of journalism standards of behavior remain rooted in Western cultural assumptions and are imperialistically imposed onto non-Western cultures in which the values of social stability and collective well-being replace individualistic models. As one scholar observed, “It is a global reality that the common concerns we have as human beings coexist with differences of ethical thinking and priorities in different cultures. This coexistence of common ground and different places plays out in the work of journalists across the world.” Notwithstanding the rarity with which the value of press freedom is enshrined in Western media systems, American and European scholars and journalistic organizations continue to dominate journalism ethics discourse. As a result, that discourse is focused on protecting journalistic functions with the rule of law and insulating them from power and identity politics. The European Federation of Journalists, for example, released a report in 2015 examining the effects of chronic corruption in 18 countries, noting how “media managers are doing ‘deals’ with advertisers to carry paid-for material disguised as news, how editors are being bribed by politicians or corporate managers and how this whole process makes it increasingly difficult to separate journalism from propaganda from public relations.” But voices from other parts of the world are joining the discourse on press freedom and journalism ethics. Many sociology and philosophy scholars on the African continent have offered critiques of postcolonial systems to promote journalism institutions (e.g., Kasoma, 1996 ; Wasserman, 2006 ). In 2015 , the Journal of Media Ethics published a special issue devoted to the notion of ubuntu as a guiding framework for media practice—the idea common among several south African cultures that individual flourishing is possible only through community belonging and social identity. The widespread practice of journalists accepting gifts and cash in exchange for favorable treatment—called “brown-envelope” journalism in Nigeria and “red-envelope” journalism in China—is receiving an increased amount of attention by journalism sociology scholars around the world (Xu, 2016 ). The practice in China was an intrinsic part of the commercialization of the media system in China beginning in the 1980s, and was actually initiated by foreign companies to entice journalists to attend press conferences (Zhao, 1998 ).

Cultural diversity notwithstanding, research worldwide has identified several key areas and concepts that concern journalists across cultures. These include truth-telling, accuracy, factualness, objectivity, credibility, balance, verification, independence, fairness, accountability, honesty, and respect. Of course, many of these overlap, and they can apply to one or more of the influence levels referred to previously. But many journalism ethics scholars agree that these are not enough. It is shared moral principles, rather than agreed-upon practices, that can bind responsible journalists around the world in ethical solidarity. As scholar Clifford Christians ( 2010 , p. 6) argues:

Without a defensible conception of the good, our practices are arbitrary. How can we condemn violent practices such as suicide bombings in the name of jihad except through widely accepted principles? We are stunned at the blatant greed and plundering of the earth, but without norms we are only elitists and hot-tempered moralists. Conflicts among people, communities, and nations need principles other than their own for their resolution. A credible ethics, as a minimum, must be transnational in character.

Christians and others argue that such a global media ethic cannot start with conventional morality that assumes a superior rationality, such as that of Kant. Instead, it must begin with a much more “naturalistic” principle: universal human solidarity, which prioritizes human dignity, truth, and nonviolence, all of which are grounded in the notion of the sacredness of life. In addition to this notion, scholars point to the fundamentally social reality of human existence—that despite the predominance of Western individualism, our realities and even our identities are arguably rooted in interaction and community belonging. In this reality, communication is central, as it is through exchange that we understand ourselves and we see the importance of “the Other”—individuals we encounter who may not share our culture or perspective, but whose existence requires respect and validation. Again, Christians, drawing on a long line of earlier philosophers, explains: “Communication is not the transference of knowledge but a dialogic encounter of subjects creating it together.” This leads us to a framework of “anthropological realism” that provides a hopeful basis for a global media ethic. It is anthropological in nature because it is rooted in the realities of human existence rather than claims about any rationalistic ideals. It is realist in that it insists morality has an explicit character that exists independently of our perceptions and judgements. For the moral realist, moral claims of rightness or wrongness are true regardless of any beliefs an individual might have about them. The casual observer, however, might see an immediate problem with such a framework, a problem wrestled with by philosophers since antiquity: what exactly is the nature of the “good” and how do we apprehend it? Is there more to a moral claim than a sort of intuition that we just know right from wrong? And how might journalists articulate this framework of moral realism in the judgements they make about news, about ethnic conflict, about graphic images? In journalism ethics scholarship, these debates continue.

Moral Psychology Research

Broad-brushed, deductive theorizing such as that discussed previously is one active area of journalism ethics research. But other researchers are increasingly acknowledging the need for more empirical work that seeks to better understand ethical reasoning processes on the ground by bringing long-established psychology measurements to bear. This moral psychology research draws on important philosophical concepts as well as instruments that assess beliefs, attitudes, and dispositions to explore possible patterns and relationships among factors in ethical decision-making. Recent cross-cultural research involving interviewing journalists around the globe, led by German researcher Thomas Hanitzsch, suggests that they perceive notions of objectivity, accuracy, and truth-telling as “core elements” of a widely accepted ethic for journalism practice. Journalists, of course, have been socialized into these norms through formal journalism education as well as through immersion in the newsroom culture, with its internal system of sanctions and rewards by peers and superiors based on the perceived quality of one’s work. Other researchers emphasize that social psychological processes resulting in bias perceptions, such as social validation and attitude stabilization, also must be recognized as evident in the work of journalists.

Moral development theory provides several models to help explain how individuals’ moral agency and sense of morality evolve over the course of a lifetime. The most widely cited moral development theory is that of Lawrence Kohlberg, who has argued that our moral development is tied largely to two factors. One is the degree to which we internalize moral principles that apply to all and move away from relativistic thinking—the notion that moral decisions regarding what is “right” are strictly “relative” to one’s own personal values rather than any broader moral principles. The other, closely related to the first, is the sophistication and scope of our understanding of the concept of justice. Our moral development, Kohlberg argues, can be assessed as existing in one of six stages. Based on Kohlberg’s theory, researchers have refined and widely used a survey instrument that measures one’s moral reasoning skills based on these two factors. By assessing the frequency with which respondents draw on higher-order justifications when presented with a moral dilemma, the Defining Issues Test (DIT) has enabled researchers to assess the moral-reasoning skills of various populations such as professional groups. Media researchers Lee Wilkins and Renita Coleman pioneered the application of the DIT to journalists and other media workers, concluding that, because journalists routinely encountered ethical questions in the course of their work, their moral reasoning skills were relatively high compared with workers in other professions.

Another moral psychology instrument that has proven useful in journalism ethics research is the Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ) developed by Donelson Forsyth. Because people’s responses to ethical dilemmas are influenced by their worldviews, understanding the basic elements of their outlooks can illuminate the thrust of their ethical judgements. Two such basic elements are key to individuals’ “ethical ideologies.” One is how idealistic they are—that is, to what extent are they optimistic about the actions of others, and to what extent are they concerned about minimizing harm or are more accepting of harmful effects if positive consequences are believed to outweigh them. Another basic element is how relativistic they are—whether they tend to make judgements based primarily on their own interests and perceptions of “rightness” that are relative to their own standing or views, or whether they tend to draw on broader, universal principles to decide what’s ethically justifiable. Using some key items from the Forsyth instrument, the “Worlds of Journalism” project found that most journalists in the 20 countries surveyed tend to embrace universal principles that should be followed regardless of situation and context. They also agreed on the importance of avoiding questionable methods of reporting, even if this means not getting the story. Much less approval—although the extent of it varied between countries—could be found regarding how much personal latitude journalists should have in solving these problems. This desire for flexibility reflects the longstanding tension in ethics between desirable ends and questionable means, as discussed. Many journalists think that in certain situations, some harm to others would be justified if the result supports a greater public good. News workers in Western countries are more likely to disapprove of a contextual and situational ethics. This attitude, however, also exists in non-Western contexts, though less strongly. Chinese, Pakistani, and Russian journalists, on the other hand, tend to be most open to situational ethical practices. Consistent with this result, interviewees in Western contexts showed little support for the idea that journalists should be allowed to set their own individual ethical standards. Similarities between journalists from Western countries also exist with regard to idealism. Although journalists in all countries agreed on the view that questionable methods of reporting should be avoided, those working in Western contexts appreciate this idea more than their colleagues in a developmental and transitional environment. Regarding the acceptance of harmful consequences of reporting for the sake of a greater public good, journalists in most Western countries—but also their colleagues in Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Uganda—tend to keep all options on the table. Journalists in Bulgaria, Chile, China, Egypt, Romania, and Russia, on the other hand, exhibit a greater willingness to accept harmful consequences in the course of newsgathering and reporting.

In a study of journalism “exemplars” in the United States—reporters and editors widely respected for their accomplishments and ethical leadership—media ethicist Patrick Plaisance used both the Defining Issues Test and the Ethics Position Questionnaire, along with several other moral psychology instruments. Regarding the journalism exemplars’ moral reasoning, Plaisance found their DIT scores were indeed higher than that of journalists on average. Regarding the EPQ, the journalism exemplars uniformly rejected relativistic thinking as well. There was also a negative relationship between the journalism exemplars’ DIT scores and their degree of idealistic thinking. That is, the higher the exemplars score on the Defining Issues Test, the less they appear to embrace idealistic thinking. This may first appear counterintuitive; it might stand to reason that people with higher DIT scores, associated as they are with greater application of universal principles in moral judgements, also would be rather idealistic in their outlooks. However, it is important to remember that all of the exemplars scored low in relativistic thinking; so the issue is not that the exemplars would be more or less Machiavellian depending on their DIT scores, but to what degree their belief in universal moral standards, and perhaps primarily their concern for harming others, could be applied rigidly or not. The negative correlation with moral-reasoning scores, then, arguably reinforces the suggestion of comparatively greater moral development in that exemplars with the higher DIT scores exhibit a greater ability to adapt their principles to best fit the often complex range of contingencies in which they find themselves having to work. In other words, they are too wise to believe they can insist on a rigid application of moral rules that can fit all circumstances and have become more adept at making the kind of carefully considered, fine-grained distinctions frequently found among moral exemplars of all walks of life.

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Plaisance, P. L. (2014b). Virtue in media: The moral psychology of excellence in news and public relations . New York: Routledge.
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The media's the most powerful entity on earth. An interesting quote from Malcolm X, who also claimed, Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world. I wish to combine these two passions and follow my ambition to become a journalist by continuing my studies into Higher Education. It is well known that power attracts and I, like many others, have become enchanted by the power of the written and spoken word. This fascination has created a deep interest in writing, and Journalism provides the perfect outlet to develop my skills.

Ive heard enough about the media industry to realise that experience is everything, and as Sixth Form Reporter on the College committee, I gain regular experience of journalistic writing and meeting deadlines. I have written for the official college Network, which is sent home to parents, and the Student Newspaper.

When selecting my A Level subjects, I seemed drawn to essay based courses. I enjoy writing and the courses undoubtedly helped my writing skills. However, I was required to make the opening of a film in Media, which was an experience to say the least! It increased my interest in Broadcast Journalism. Until that moment, I only had eyes for Print. Creative writing has always been one of my favourite aspects of English, and the coursework gave me the chance to write in whichever style I chose, one piece was a newspaper feature on Chelsea Football Club. I have always been interested in Sports Writing and I'm considering specialising in it at a later date.

I have chosen to continue four of my five AS Levels onto A2, even though it was not necessary. I have always found Psychology quite challenging as it involves deep levels of critical analysis, so I decided to carry on as I find it extremely intriguing. The different theories as to why humans do the things they do, attract me because I am interested in how people act, though one could hardly call me an anthropologist! My main priorities are English, Media and Sociology as I feel they will aid me most in my ambition, although I still find Psychology a fascinating subject.

I have often said that nothing is impossible, yet asking me to name my favourite book is asking too much. Some much-loved literature includes The Hobbit, Gone With The Wind, and Jane Eyre. In my opinion a good novel should evoke a variety of emotions from beginning to end. Music may not be my first love, but it is definitely one of my passions; I have high passes in grade 3 flute, singing, and grade 5 piano. Like my literary tastes, my choice of music is eclectic; I like anything from hip-hop to classical, soul to rock, and past to present.

I also love Black history, musicals, and icons of film and music, such as Audrey Hepburn, John Lennon, and Sinatra. Lennon once said, We all want to change the world, I empathise with this view and seek to achieve it using my chosen profession and the power of the media.

Profile info

There is no profile associated with this personal statement, as the writer has requested to remain anonymous.

Related Personal Statements

I found this interesting, a.

Fri, 16/09/2005 - 00:00

I found this interesting, a little disjointed. And full of opinion. They wouldn't want that much opinion, it's slightly too colloquial and chatty.

I prefer the other one.

Just a note:-

Sat, 17/09/2005 - 00:00

The author of this personal statement was awarded offers from all 6 Universities they applied to and is reading Multimedia Journalism at Bournemouth - obviously it was good enough for those Universities.

Sun, 20/08/2006 - 00:00

hey, they got into university didn't they?

probably on grades though as

Mon, 04/09/2006 - 00:00

probably on grades though as opose to the statement

i thought this is a brilliant

Mon, 18/09/2006 - 00:00

i thought this is a brilliant p.s. & the fact that he got 6 out of 6 offers, the universities obviously liked it too.

ironically i have done the exact same A levels as this person, this personal statement will be incredibly valuable for inspiration when writing my own.

Wed, 08/11/2006 - 22:15

what did the person get for his AS grades?

oh and also A2, his final A

Wed, 08/11/2006 - 22:17

oh and also A2, his final A-level grades, where you one of the early ones to apply?

Sun, 11/02/2007 - 15:13

Advise i have read on writing persomal statments says you shouldn't use famous quotes, and this person did in their first sentance!

I found the other statement

Sat, 01/09/2007 - 19:00

I found the other statement to busy and it was just as chatty as this one. They have not really been of much help to me, but it was nice to have had a glimpse of the personalities of other's who share the same career aims as me, as most of my friends either want to be doctors, lawyers or textile designers. They weren't too bad I would say!

Fri, 19/10/2007 - 12:58

we found this very enlightnening the malcolm x quote was wicked.

love az uk x

I suppose the thing that the

Mon, 29/10/2007 - 14:37

I suppose the thing that the other reviewers find puts them off might be that because this ps is full of opinions, other people's quotes and is very personal, it sounds a bit like a dreamer wrote it, and this makes it seem a bit unprofessional. But since a ps is the only route to express yourself, I think it works because I found I quite liked the friendly, confident attitude behind the words, and found this very helpful.

Lacks Creativity

Tue, 30/10/2007 - 19:37

First of all, well done with your PS! It has taken me 3 days to finally sit in front of the computer and actually start writing mine, but that's because I'm too perfectionist! ANYWAY, your ps is too obvious! The structure is too basic and you should have chosen a different style as you are applying for journalism! What i mean is that you have to stand out, make your life sound interesting and not only list facts events and quotes :)! But hey, come on, the ps is pretty good :)! Good luck dude :)

lacks creativity

Fri, 02/11/2007 - 21:08

are we journalists or creative writers?

I wouldn't criticise the

Mon, 05/11/2007 - 21:03

I wouldn't criticise the Personal Statements too much, seeing as you actually came to this site because you are inexperienced and need help to write your own. Just be aware that the makers of this website only publish successful personal statements.

re last comment

Wed, 07/11/2007 - 14:34

couldnt of said it better myself

"probably on grades though as

Sat, 10/11/2007 - 11:34

"probably on grades though as opose to the statement" - If you read any personal statement advice, you will clearly see that grades, although being a good indicator of a hard worker, only form part of the opinion when being chosen for a place. If it was based on high grades, then there would be no need for a statement. But I can bet that if the personal statement was that bad, whatever grades they got would not have guaranteed them a place in the university.

Wed, 28/11/2007 - 09:48

You having a laugh mate, you having a laugh?

You having a laugh mate? You

Wed, 28/11/2007 - 10:03

You having a laugh mate? You having a laugh!

Mon, 07/01/2008 - 17:25

Well obviously you and your

Tue, 09/09/2008 - 18:49

Well obviously you and your 'mates' are cpmlete idiots, what if the expirement went wrong and you got rejected huh?

Your trying to act clever, although you sound like a complete idiot.

Thu, 25/09/2008 - 15:29

too many quotes, no one cares

Thu, 16/10/2008 - 14:51

everyone needS to calm down , ur probably jus hating cos he got accepted. the guy done well and seems very intelligent which is probably why he got accepted his personal statement shows he is dedicated and has a passion for media.So i dno y some of u people are sayin bad things. dont HATE,CONGRATULATE.

the malcolm x quote was

Tue, 11/11/2008 - 14:35

the malcolm x quote was terrible, and how did they apply for 6 uni's?

Wow, there's alot of 'haters'

Tue, 27/10/2009 - 14:33

Wow, there's alot of 'haters' on this personal statement. I think it's extreamly well written, and although it goes against alot of personal statement writing tips, it's brilliant, in my opinion and obviously others seen as this person got offers from all the universities they applied for. Why would anyone want to read through the same stereotypical personal statements over and over again, this provides an entertaining read and is informative about the person. i like it.

LOL, i just typed in 'media

Fri, 30/10/2009 - 13:26

LOL, i just typed in 'media quotes' into google and tht malcolm X quote you've used on your 1st line was the 1st result that popped up! Didn't research hard for that :P

No thankyou.

Tue, 16/03/2010 - 18:25

I thought this was delightfully erotic. Reading it, I come over all giddy and weak at the knees as if he's trying to lure me into bed. I bet he has a long nose, spazzy hair, and a lisp.

wow! u people are so creul

Thu, 27/05/2010 - 13:07

wow! u people are so creul and it seems awfully jelous of this persons success. i totally agree that had u had the intellect to devise ur own personal statements without any help then u wouldnt be looking through google for inspiration. so dont hate, appreciate. and plz stop being a bunch of sour grapes. also i dont no how u can come up with a 'erotic' twist to this. alongside jelousy it seems you people are freaky and wierd!

This statement is very

Fri, 14/01/2011 - 01:14

This statement is very contradictory; its pretty much half good and half bad! You do a good job of talking about the work you've done in relation to journalism, yet you show no real committment or enthusiasm to it as you talk to generally and equally about your other passions, almost as though you'd be just as happy to do study music or literature. - Just my opinion, good on you for recieving six offers! :)

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Journalism Personal Statement Example 7. 'Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.'. Walter Elliott This epitomises my outlook on life. As a person I'm competitive, even more so when there is an end goal, and career wise for me, that goal is to educate nations on the development of the world...
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Check our journalism personal statement examples for UCAS, which can inspire and guide you in writing your successful personal statement . Whether you are interested in broadcast journalism, print journalism, or digital and online journalism, these examples cover a range of topics and styles that can help you stand out to admissions tutors.
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Here are some of my top tips on what exactly you should be writing: Enthusiasm and passion. For me, I think this is the most crucial element to any application. Demonstrate just how passionate and enthused you are about the course. Perhaps pinpoint an element or a module that you are most excited about and why.
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Make a start. When it comes to writing your personal statement, just getting started can be the hardest part. One good way to get around writer's block is to just put it all down on the page, like Mayur. First - write down anything and everything. In the first round, I was just dumping everything - whatever I've done, anything close to ...
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Journalism requires applicants to write a personal essay. The essay is an extremely important part of the application, so treat it accordingly. The essay should be 1,000 to 1,500 words in length. In addition, applicants must submit at least two samples of their work, whether published or not. As part of your personal essay, please include a ...
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The average earnings for someone with a degree in journalism vary depending on the type of job they pursue and the location of the job. Generally, journalists with a degree can expect to earn an average salary of £25,000 to £35,000 per year. However, experienced journalists in major cities can earn significantly more.
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Sample Statement. If you want to apply to study Journalism at university then it's almost a given that you're good at writing but all good writers suffer from writer's block occasionally, right? For those of you that are struggling with a personal statement to study Journalism - here is our example to help you out: Having developed a ...
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Journalism Personal StatementMy interest in journalism stems not only from my interest in writing but also my inquisitive nature: I like knowing what is happening around me. This knowledge is particularly vital with our ever-changing political, social, economic, technological, environmental and cultural climates. From the first newspaper published in 1605 to the wealth of free and paid papers ...
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Journalism Personal Statement Example 1
This personal statement was written by Danithehack for application in 2000. Danithehack's university choices Bournemouth University The London Institute London South Bank University Southampton Institute. Green: offer made Red: no offer made. Degree Journalism at The London Institute. Ratings. Statement rating: Related Personal Statements
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Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment. 1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many ...
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Introduction. Research into the roles of journalists is central to the understanding of journalism's identity and place in society. Journalists define their service to society in various ways, which ultimately helps them give meaning to their work (Aldridge & Evetts, 2003).The study of journalistic roles is more relevant than ever: in the 21st century, journalism's identity is ...
How to Write an Amazing Personal Statement (Includes Examples!)
5. Use an authentic voice. Your personal statement reflects who you are, so you should use a tone that represents you. That means you shouldn't try to sound like someone else, and you shouldn't use fancy words just to show off. This isn't an academic paper, so you don't have to adopt a super formal tone.
Media and communication personal statements
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Guidance for PhD applicants Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. The 1,500 word personal statement is an important element of your application to doctoral study, whether full-time or part-time. It is one of several elements considered during the application process, alongside your research proposal and the references you provide.
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Journalism Personal Statement Example 2
Journalism Personal Statement Example 2. The media's the most powerful entity on earth. An interesting quote from Malcolm X, who also claimed, Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world. I wish to combine these two passions and follow my ambition to become a journalist by continuing my studies into Higher Education.
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Prompt 1: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

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