2008-2009 N.J. College Newspaper Contest

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Entry Deadline for the 2008-2009 Contest is March 2, 2009

All New Jersey college newspapers are encouraged to enter the New Jersey College Newspaper Contest to honor their newspapers and the journalistic writing, photography and artistic illustrations prepared by their staff members.

The content of printed and online college newspapers published between January 1, 2008, and February 28, 2009, may be submitted. Click here for a list of the contest categories.

Every New Jersey college newspaper was sent E-mails in December and January with complete contest-entry instructions. If your newspaper didn't receive that E-mail, please call the New Jersey Press Foundation at 609-406-0600, ext. 19.

The attachment to that E-mail, titled "NJCollegeNewspaperContest," provides detailed instructions on how newspapers can place each contest entry into a digital folder on their computer and send that entry, other entries AND and the "Newspaper Summary Sheet" to NJPF by the March 2 contest deadline.

Click here for entry instructions.

There are 12 categories for individual staff members and two categories for the newspaper itself, with a maximum of 38 entries for each newspaper.

Newspapers may present three entries in each of the 12 categories for individual student work and one entry for each of the two total-newspaper categories, for a total of up to 38 entries. Each individual entry may include two examples of a student’s work. The total-newspaper categories (layout and general excellence) also may include two examples.

There is a $7 fee per entry for 1-25 entries, with a maximum fee of $180 per newspaper for 26-38 entries. The fee is for the number of entries submitted, NOT the number of examples (two examples of a student’s work are allowed for each entry).

Entries from four-year colleges and two-year colleges will be judged separately.

For the two total-newspaper categories, separate awards will be presented to daily/weekly/bi-weekly newspapers and to newspapers published 12 or fewer times during the academic year.

All individual entries must be submitted in digital form as PDFs of the entire printed or online pages on which articles, photographs and illustrations appeared. The total-newspaper entries also must be submitted as PDFs.

For details, please refer to the Contest Rules by clicking on this link.

The top editor or the faculty adviser at the newspaper must verify that each entry follows the rules of the contest and is presented as it appeared in newspapers delivered on campus.

All entry fees must be paid before the contest is judged.

Awards will be announced on this website in late March.

Award recipients will be honored at a luncheon on April 18, 2009, at the Trenton Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Click here for details.

Description of Contest Categories

Overview

Preference in the judging will be given to entries that cover local campus events and college life. Indicators of quality journalistic writing, photography, artistic illustrations and design will be the primary basis for evaluating entries.

The quality of ledes, handling of quotes, background and supporting information for articles, and smooth transition of story elements will be considered as part of a holistic appraisal of each writing-category entry.

The quality of the entire newspaper is considered for the General Excellence category. That will involve the judges' holistic appraisal of the newspaper. Judges will consider the overall "look and feel" of the newspaper and how it appeals to readers. Please read the following descriptions of the various categories for additional criteria the judges will consider.

Individual Awards

There’s a maximum of THREE entries in each category per newspaper. A student is allowed only one entry in each category. Articles written by two or more staff members working as a team will be considered as one entry. However, that doesn’t prohibit a team member from submitting a second individual entry in that category. An entry consists of only TWO writing samples, photographs or illustrations by the same student or team. A sidebar to a story may be submitted as the second writing sample in an entry.

NEWS WRITING: Coverage of a college-related event, situation or issue qualifies as hard news. To be judged on fairness, thoroughness, local interest and style. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

DEADLINE REPORTING: News coverage of a breaking news story (not sports and arts events or planned interviews and features) that happened on or near campus no more than 48 hours prior to publication. To be judged on fairness, thoroughness, style and the presentation of helpful information that kept the campus community up to date. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

FEATURE WRITING: An article on a place, object or situation that is college-related and/or of special interest to students (includes sports features). While the standards of good news writing apply, feature writing is judged on originality and human interest. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

BIOGRAPHY / PESONALITY PROFILE: An article about a person or small group of special interest to students (includes sports personalities). While the standards of good news writing apply, feature writing is judged on originality and human interest. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

EDITORIAL WRITING: Editorial entries should be on issues of special interest to the college or to students. Judging will be based on writing quality, depth of thought, courage, public service and persuasive ability. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

COLUMN / OPINION WRITING: A column or opinion article on an issue of special interest to the college or to students (includes sports columns, but does NOT include arts and entertainment/critical writing). To be judged on quality of writing, depth of thought, courage, public service and persuasive ability. Does not include editorial writing, which are articles that represent the opinion of the newspaper rather than the individual writer. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

SPORTS WRITING: A sports news story based on college-related sports activities. Sports columns must be entered in the Opinion Writing category. Sports features must be entered in the Feature Writing category. Judged on quality of writing, originality, local appeal and lack of sports clichés. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT / CRITICAL WRITING: An article that recognizes opinion writing in such areas as art, theater, movie, book and restaurant reviews. Judging will be based on technical knowledge, writing quality and local appeal to college students. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

ENTERPRISE / INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING: An investigative article or in-depth report that uncovers a newsworthy happening or series of newsworthy happenings on campus. The judges will consider enterprise, initiative and resourcefulness of the writer or team of writers. Two writing samples may be submitted with each entry.

GENERAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Any photo or photo series (picture story) of college or student activities. Entries will be evaluated primarily on composition, content and local appeal. Photographs of competitive sporting events and individuals participating in competitive sporting events must be entered in the Sports Photography category. Two photo samples may be submitted with each entry.

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY: Any photo or photo series of competitive college sports. Entries will be evaluated primarily on composition, content and local appeal. Two photo samples may be submitted in each entry.

EDITORIAL CARTOON/ARTISTIC STORY ILLUSTRATION: Entries will be judged on newsworthiness, originality and artistry. If the entry relates to other content on the page it will be evaluated on how well it illustrates that content. Two artistic samples may be submitted in each entry.

Total-Newspaper Awards

Indicate the frequency of publication on the entry form. For the two total-newspaper categories, separate awards will be presented to daily/weekly/bi-weekly newspapers and to newspapers published 12 or fewer times during the academic year.

LAYOUT AND DESIGN: The layout and design of specific pages or center-page spreads will be considered in this category. Major judging factors include overall attractiveness, excellence of makeup, headlines, typography, special visual and verbal aids to the reader and use of photos, illustrations and graphics. This category can be entered by submitting TWO PDF “tearsheets” of pages or center spreads (that counts as ONE entry for the $7 fee).

GENERAL EXCELLENCE: An overall look at the coverage, writing quality, copy editing, style use and layout in the newspaper. Judging will take local appeal, effectiveness and readability into account. This category can be entered by submitting PDFs of TWO different and complete issues of the newspaper published between January 1, 2008, and February 28, 2009. (that counts as ONE entry for the $7 fee).

PLEASE NOTE …

All entries become the property of the New Jersey Press Foundation.

The contest will be judged by active or retired professional editors and senior reporters, photographers and graphic artists at New Jersey newspapers.

The decision of the judges is final.

Awards Presentation

Awards for the 2008-2009 N.J. College Newspaper Contest will be presented at a conference of the New Jersey Collegiate Press Association to be held Saturday, April 18, 2009, at the Trenton Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Details about the conference and workshops prior to the awards luncheon will be announced later on this website.

First-place winners will receive plaques at the awards luncheon and all other award recipients will be honored with certificates. Separate awards will be presented to students attending two-year colleges and four-year colleges. Also, separate awards will be presented in the two total-newspaper categories, based on the frequency of publication.

A "Sweepstakes Award" will be presented to the four-year college newspaper and to the two-year college newspaper that accumulates the highest number of points based on the awards received in the 12 individual contest categories and the layout-and-design category. Three points will be given for each first place, two points for each second place and one point for each third place awarded.

The awards luncheon will precede two conference programs and there will be a keynote speaker at the luncheon. The keynote speaker is Frank LaMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center.

The conference and luncheon will be designed to help New Jersey college newspapers and their staffs as they strive to excel. The theme for the day be "College Newspaper Websites as a Destination for Students and the Campus Community."

All who attend the event, including award recipients, will be charged $20. The New Jersey Press Foundation will subsidize the conference in order to keep students’ fees as low as possible.