P4- Article Plan

The story I would like to cover relates to mental health and its relationship with school. In it, I will be discussing the correlation between school and mental health as a way of finding out whether students from Deyes High are being positively or negatively affected.

Even though my planned article does not cover all of Galtung and Ruge’s news values, it will cover a few. The first of these is ‘proximity’, this refers to the relevance it has to the people it’s being distributed to. In this case, it is about the UK and more specifically about Deyes at times, so it is relevant to my audience as they not only live in the UK, but also go to Deyes. It should also cover the news value of ‘ordinary people’. This is because it is just about students and what they’re potentially going through. As they might be able to relate, the story will be of human interest and may be able to provoke sympathy from people who do not struggle from mental illnesses. The article will also cover ‘ordinary people’ as it represents a large issue forming in our society.

I will present my information in article form as this is suitable for a school newspaper. The article will consist of shot paragraphs as I have noticed this to be a very common convention for newspapers of all types. I will keep my article to a limit of 600 words, as a longer article may increase the chance of a loss of interest. The main body of my article will consist of quotes from the Head of sixth form in my school, these will then be explained and then used to try and engage the reader. For example, if my Head of sixth form makes a point, I will explain it and then give the reader something to think about or relate to, such as a rhetorical question or a statement of my own.

Even though my article has good intentions, it could cause moral panic. One way it could do this is by causing readers to think that they have a mental illness, even if they don’t. It could make students paranoid about their mental health and cause for some of the possible side effects to occur (e.g. the quality of their work begins to drop). This could be done through sensationalist language and hyperbole that describes the extreme of the situation, which may cause people to think that the extreme cases are quite common. Another form of moral panic it could create is by turning people against school, as they might read a sensationalist headline indicating that school can have a detrimental effect on mental health and then suddenly blame all their relevant problems on Deyes High. To avoid causing any moral panic, I will make sure to not sensationalise such a serious topic. I believe this is important to do so as the subject can be very sensitive, therefore I will make it more factual than dramatic, so that no situations are blown out of proportion. An example of something I will not say but could do to cause moral panic is; ‘Students are going mental; could it be you?’


In terms of language, I will use sensible adjectives as the issue that my article is discussing is quite a sensitive one and I do not want to come across as glamorising or using the increase in mental health awareness to benefit the article. e.g. using mental health as a marketing tool as I know it is a popular topic at the moment. This would be terrible to do as it is morally wrong and could ruin the reputation of both me and the school (which has ties to where the article will be published). Rhetorical questions will also be used throughout my article to engage the reader. I aim to use them to make the reader think and relate. This is because this could further their interest in the article and even their connection with it. This could increase the chance of them reading the whole article, which is important to do when news can now be consumed so quickly.  


The article will be written in first and third person. I think these are the most suitable ways in which I can write my article due to the content. First person is suitable because as it is such a personal and sensitive topic for people, the readers need to know that it's coming from someone, rather than it being just information on a page. It gives the article a more personal feel and means I can also state that I too am a student. I believe this could be important to mention as what is being said will mean more coming from someone who is living it at the moment rather than someone who hasn't experienced that specific situation for a while or who has the benefit of hindsight who could say things that the targeted readers do not agree with. Third person also needs to be used so I can refer to the interview that I have completed with the Head of my sixth form. Without third person I could not correctly and appropriately incorporate the quotes into my work or explain that he has the experience needed to be classed as a credible source.

I believe if I deliver my article using more factual based, calm, quoted language, it will limit the amount of sensationalism that is possible. It will also inform people, and the more they know about the situation, the better they can form opinions of their own. Rather than just hearing about how school may be damaging towards their mental health and then blaming the school for all of their relevant problems.

P4- IPSO

https://www.ipso.co.uk/editors-code-of-practice/

IPSO is the acronym for the Independent Press Standards Organisation. This organisation replaced the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) after the PCC was closed down on the 8^th of September, 2014. This was largely due to the poor response they gave regarding the phone hacking scandal involving News of the World (British newspaper that was stopped in 2011). 

The ‘Editors Code of Practice’ is a list of policies set by ISPO that must be followed by the press. These codes set what is acceptable for the press to do (within what the codes cover). There are 16 codes in total that are enforced by ISPO, these are:

• Accuracy                                                              -     Reporting of crime                                  
• Privacy                                                                 -     Clandestine devices and subterfuge
• Harassment                                                       -     Victims of sexual assault
• Intrusion into grief or shock                        -     Discrimination
• Reporting suicide                                            -     Financial journalism
• Children                                                              -     Confidential sources
• Children in sex cases                                      -     Witness payments in criminal trials
• Hospitals                                                             -     Payments to criminals

Regarding accuracy, the press cannot, and must make sure to not publish any inaccurate or misleading material, including headlines that do not correlate to the story below. If the inaccurate material published is significant, then it must be corrected swiftly and the news outlet it has come from must apologise. The press must also make sure it is clear to the reader what is a comment, opinion or a fact and must report these three things fairly. Privacy must be respected as it is something everyone is qualified to have, therefore editors must either receive consent for intrusion, or justify it. Even though text about an individual without consent can be justifiable, images cannot, no matter where/when the picture has been taken. No matter how much a journalist wants a story, they’re not allowed to take part in any harassment, as persistent questioning can make the interviewee uncomfortable and may make them say things they don’t mean to. If a journalist is going to take part in any intrusion into grief or shock, it needs to be done sensitively and with sympathy, as it needs to be recognised that the person they’re enquiring about is going through a hard time. Reporting suicide is another sensitive issue that can be done, but with little detail. This means the method they have used should be explained much as people in an unstable state may read the article and decide to use the method that the journalist has detailed. Children need to be treated with respect, this includes not bothering them during school times, this means journalists cannot approach or photograph them. These rules also apply for children of famous parents, as that is not an excuse to report on a child’s private life. Children under 16 must also have consent be given when commenting on their or another child’s welfare, the consent must be given by an adult, usually their parent or guardian. There are also rules for children in sex cases, these include not revealing the identity of the child and not using the word “incest”. However, the adult can be identified, but their relationship with the child cannot be stated or hinted at. In the case of hospitals, journalists must have permission from someone of authority to enter non-public areas and respect the privacy of the patient involved. Reporting of crime is also something the codes of practice take into consideration. When discussing a convicted person, friends/relatives should not be named, especially if they’re under 18 years old. If the person with the criminal offence is going to a child’s court, naming should be avoided, however, if they’re seen in a crown court it is more acceptable. Clandestine devices and subterfuge refers to acquiring footage in an immoral way. For example, it would be morally wrong for the journalist to incept private messages. The codes also cover expectations of behaviours towards victims of sexual assault. This means that the press cannot release anything that may reveal the identity of the victim, unless they can legally justify the decision. Codes on discrimination tell us that the press cannot detail an individual’s “race, colour, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental illness or disability” unless it has relevance according to the story. The press must also not show any kind of prejudice towards any of the previously listed things. Financial journalism is also mentioned, stating that when being involved in this type of journalism, the journalists cannot use any information they receive for their own financial gain. Also, if they have any or know anyone who may have a financial interest in articles, they must inform the editors. In the case of confidential sources, the journalists have a “moral obligation” to keep the identity of confidential sources hidden for their source protection. The codes also talk about witness payments in criminal trials. Before any witnesses can be given payment, the suspect must be freed/have pleaded guilty. The same rule applies to anyone who hasn’t been called as a witness, but is expected to be. The rules regarding payment to criminals is also mentioned. If it is in the public interest to pay to get the story, then the payment can be justified and the story published. However, payments should not be made to those attempting to “glamorise crime”. 

One complaint I found was relating to a breach of privacy against the Sun newspaper. It was about a story they had published stating that Ferne McCann had like an Instagram post that referred the release of the acid attacker Aurthur Collins. The argument was that the person who posted the picture would never accept follow requests to his account from people he doesn’t know. The conclusion of this case was that no breach of privacy was made.

https://www.ipso.co.uk/rulings-and-resolution-statements/ruling/?id=20838-17

Another complaint I found was made by Gianni Accamo. He complained that the Bristol Post had been inaccurate, publishing material that claimed he had been caught in Nottingham by police due to him being part of a set of “elaborate diamond and jewellery frauds”. However, Gianni claimed that he was not arrested in Nottingham, and actually turned himself in to a police station in Cardiff. The conclusion of this case was that no breach of the accuracy code was made.

https://www.ipso.co.uk/rulings-and-resolution-statements/ruling/?id=18860-17

P4 & M3 & D1- Research

Primary and Secondary sources, what’s the difference?
Primary sources are those that are sourced by the person looking for data/information. Instead of reading and sourcing data has already been collected, the researcher goes and gets the data/information themselves. A secondary source is one that has already been written. The research has been done for you. You simply read through the data/information and pick out what is relevant to you. You have to be careful when picking secondary sources and make sure you always consider the reliability and accuracy of the information. For example, can anyone enter information on this source? Has it been done by professionals? If a website, does it have ‘.org./.gov’ in the URL.

Primary Sources

Interviews- I plan on using interviews to get further information on how the school feels towards mental health and how they think it affects their students. I have arranged a meeting with my head of year here at Deyes to discuss the subject. I will record the interview as a voice memo on my phone and use the audio as evidence. I plan to ask at least five questions of real importance and relevance to the topic of my planned article.

Questionnaires- I will also use questionnaires to reach a wider audience. As teachers will be too busy to answer my online questionnaire, I will target this at students. The maximum amount of questions I will have is ten, as I feel any more will lose the users interest. Of course the questions will all be focused on the topic of mental health and will aim to get answers that I wouldn’t be able to get from teachers.

Secondary Sources

https://home.bt.com/lifestyle/health/wellness/worried-your-teen-is-depressed-heres-how-parents-can-spot-the-signs-and-what-to-do-about-it-11364257914509

• “research suggests 20% of adolescents experience a mental health problem in any given year”
• “some depressed teens may also show signs of self-harm, changes in appetite (either not hungry or comfort-eating) and poor concentration, leading to a decrease in academic performance.”
• “one in 10 young people have a diagnosable mental illness at any one time”

http://www.wzzm13.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/my-west-michigan/teenage-mental-health/69-528194991

• Suggests an increase in the “availability of counsellors in schools”.
• Talk more about “the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions”.
• “avoid expelling and suspending students” if they have demonstrated behavioural issues.

https://www.mind.org.uk/

• Lists mental health problems. e.g. anger, depression and loneliness.
• Lists treatments. e.g. antidepressants, mindfulness, sleeping pills.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/08/uk-country-not-like-children-reports-tory-austerity

• “A raft of reports shows a collective neglect of children”
• “only 25% of children and young people” have access to the treatment they need for their mental health.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11548719/Sharp-rise-in-number-of-school-girls-with-emotional-issues.html

• “News research reveals a 55 per cent rise over 5 years” in the number of girls suffering from emotional problems. This is between 2009 to 2014.
• “increasing pressure on girls to perform academically, coupled with anxiety over body image”. This is “amplified by social media”.

Interview Techniques
Within an interview, many techniques can be employed to make the interview as worthwhile as possible. One technique I will use is varied question types. In the interview itself I will use open questions. Open questions are questions that encourage a larger, more specific answer with an explanation and other details. The question should be able to spark a conversation between the interviewer and interviewee; this is great because a fluid conversation may lead to more questions (that haven’t been asked/haven’t been pre-prepared) being answered. This can lead to more and better information. In my questionnaires, I will have closed questions. This is a quicker questioning method that lessens the chance of you getting an irrelevant answer, as you basically choose the set of answers from which they can choose. I believe this is more suitable for my questionnaire as it will be located online and will be done by more than one person (the amount of people I am interviewing), to get more response, it will be more efficient to have a smaller, shorter question filled questionnaire that can be done quickly so it does not inconvenience the user. Another technique I can use in my interview is to keep eye contact with the interviewee. If I am able to do this, the person I am interviewing may see that I am interested and listening closely to what they have to say. This could lead to the interviewee responding to my questions with better, more detailed answers. My body language could also be used, with a generally open body position showing that I am interested and willing to learn. The positioning of my legs can also be used. If they are pointing towards the person I am interviewing, this indicates that I am interested in them and what they have to say.

Evaluation of sources

For my primary research, my sources will be the Head of Sixth Form (my interview) and other students (questionnaire). The Head of Sixth Form is a reliable source as he is very aware of what is going on throughout school. As Head of Sixth Form, he will also have accurate answers due to him having to be well informed on all of the school’s procedures, and having experience dealing with students who may be struggling with their mental health. As for my questionnaire, it may be less reliable sue to the fact that people may want to rush filling it in. However, I feel as if the chances of this are low as I am asking students questions about them, showing an interest in how they feel. Students of Deyes High are a reliable source as they will just tell me how they feel, meaning it will be hard to label what has been said as a right or wrong answer (unless an open question gives me a ridiculous answer that isn’t relevant to the question).

My secondary sources are all websites I found when researching my articles topic. My first source is on the health and lifestyle section of the BT website. Throughout the article, the writer refers to “Dr Zwanenberg”, a trained and experienced “Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist” (http://www.priorygroup.com/professionals/results/dr-hayley-van-zwanenberg). This means she is reliable because she has been studying and working within and around this subject for a while, increasing the chance of the data and information being accurate. The second source I have found was an article on ABCs “13 on your side” website. The information in the article is courtesy of “Dr. Matthew Clark” from the Clark Institute. This is reliable as he is also experienced in his field, being a “Fully Licensed, Doctoral Level, Clinical Psychologist” (http://theclarkinstitute.com/index.php?link=drmatthew). As he is trained in this particular field, he is a trustworthy source of information, as if he was to be untruthful, it could harm his reputation as a psychologist. The third source I found a charity named “Mind”. As it’s a well reputable charity, I feel that it is a very trustworthy source, especially since it is a not-profit organisation. To build up a good reputation and to be sufficiently donated to, their information has to be helpful and accurate, otherwise of they are found out not to be accurate, they could lose a significant amount of donations. The fourth source I have found is an article on the Guardian Online, for the information I have picked from it, they refer to GP Online as their source. GP Online is a reliable source as they refer to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which is a public body of the Department of Health and Social Care of the Government of the United Kingdom. As it’s a government organisation, we can assume that it is professionally ran and the research they have done has been through and accurate. The final source I have found is an article on the Telegraph Online which refer to the University College London. This is trustworthy as it’s an established, well reputable, public research university. As research is its speciality, it shows they have been recognised specifically for their quality research. The article also refers to the Anna Freud Centre. This is a reputable and trusted organisation that is focused on “delivering pioneering mental health care”. As they’re so informed on the subject of mental health and because people trust them, information that they publish has to be accurate, otherwise they could risk losing this trust they have built up with any stakeholders they may have. If this was to happen, donations could significantly decrease, therefore inaccurate information would be too costly for them to pubish.