The Metropolitan Submission Guidelines

In addition to being compensated for published works, submitting articles for publication in The Metropolitan student newspaper is an excellent way for students to build their portfolio of professional samples to show to prospective employers. Submissions from all students are welcome and encouraged. Please query the editor at havenre@go.metrostate.edu with topic ideas before an article is submitted.

Technical Guidelines

All article submissions should:

• Be emailed as attachments to the editor at havenre@go.metrostate.edu.
• Be complete and submitted by the final deadline.
• Be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document. Do not use Rich Text Format.
• Be checked thoroughly for correct spelling of names.
• Be single-spaced.
• Be in paragraph format (indent three spaces).
• Include the author’s name, as it should appear on the byline.
• Contain no hyperlinks, bullets or page numbers.
• Have only one space after each period.

All photo submissions should be emailed as tif or eps attachments with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and include a description of the subject matter.

Submissions that do not meet these requirements may be rejected or returned to the writer or photographer for correction.

Compensation Requirements

Metropolitan State University students are eligible for compensation for the following contributions:

• $30.00 per published article of at least 350 words.
• $10.00 per published photo.
• $10.00 per published cartoon.

Qualifying students will receive a check by mail. In order to be paid for your published works, students must meet the following university mandated requirements:

• You must be a currently enrolled student (not faculty or staff)
• You must be currently registered to receive payment.
• You must submit a photocopy of your driver’s license or student I.D., Social Security card, and a completed employment package to the business manager.
• A separate invoice must be completed for each issue to which you contribute.

The Metropolitan may publish, but cannot compensate students for letters to the editor, creative writing, personal interviews, quotations, or permission to quote or cite from statements given directly to writers, staff or reporters of The Metropolitan.

Submission Suggestions

The Metropolitan solicits student contributions for the following subject areas:

• News writing
• Student, faculty or alumni profiles
• Reviews
• Travel writing
• Photography
• Editorial cartoons

The maximum of length for all types of articles is 900 words. Also keep in mind that students can be paid only for articles that exceed 350 words.

News Writing

News writing entails factual, in-depth reporting of events and issues of concern to students, the university, or the community. We encourage writers to cover topics that are not otherwise covered by the mainstream press, or to put a spin on already covered stories that relate the subject matter to the students, staff and faculty of Metropolitan State University.

News writing is accomplished by first defining a subject, issue or topic about which you wish to seek information. Information should be sought by conducting research, including interviews with relevant parties. Make sure to represent every side of the story. If you’ve found that you did not need to talk to anyone in order to get the information you need for your story, you may not have a “news” story. However, secondary sources such as reports and statistics may be used when direct interviews are impractical or impossible to attain.

Emphasis in news writing is on accuracy and precision in reporting the facts. But for news to become a news story, the writing must be more than the sum of its parts. In other words, good news writing goes beyond merely reporting what people say; it relates the facts, and the alleged facts, to your topic.

Profiles

A profile is an in-depth report about the history and current situation of a person or organization. Teachers, administrators, faculty members, artists, organizations, or public figures are all appropriate subjects for a profile. Profiles of people usually have an emphasis on their public life, their job, or their craft.

Profiles typically tell some history, such as how a person or organization came to be where it is today. They are given depth by including noteworthy events and personal stories. Think of it as a “mini-biography” with an emphasis on factual information. Faculty/instructor, student and alumni profiles, or profiles of student organizations are what we prefer to publish.

When profiling a person, an interview with the subject is sufficient, although it is perfectly acceptable to seek information from other people who know the person you are profiling. When profiling an organization, it is okay to conduct one interview if you are talking with a source that has a position of authority in the organization, but multiple perspectives are encouraged. If you cannot find other people who have things to say about the organization, try to uncover things that have previously been written about the organization.

Reviews

A review is a piece of writing that offers details and analysis of events and places such as theater productions, plays, movies, restaurants, books, television programs, festivals, music events, recorded music, campus events, museums or products.

To write a review you must first experience the event or place that you intend to review. It is unfair and unprofessional to write a review of something you have not experienced first-hand, or witnessed in its entirety. Since we are a monthly newspaper, there is some flexibility in how recent your topic needs to be.

A review consists of compiling your observations of the event or material you are reviewing, and then writing down your thoughtful reaction to it. Your reaction to the subject needs to be communicated to the reader, but in a manner that is neither simplistic nor dismissive. For example, if you hated something, don’t just state that you hated it. Tell us why and include any redeeming qualities to support your opinion. Strong opinions are fine as long as they are supported with well thought out reasons. When reviewing a product, you may want to focus on whether it was easy or difficult to use, the cost, the availability, and to whom you would recommend the product.

Travel Writing

Travel writing consists of writing about places to which you have journeyed that might be of interest to other students.

If you take a trip, carefully observe your surroundings and your interactions with people. If you know ahead of time that you want to write about your travels, hold on to pamphlets, maps, tour schedules, etc. The information contained in these items will help you inform the reader of the practical aspects of your travel such as costs, times and dates, and travel time. Also, take photos and write in a journal. At the very least, keep a “mental diary” of your impressions, the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the place you visited.

Cartoons

The Metropolitan seeks to publish cartoons that reflect events or issues directly related to students, but will consider any cartoon that is submitted. Of specific interest are editorial cartoons. An editorial cartoon differs from "the funnies" in that it makes an overt political statement. Editorial cartoons usually depict an event that has had so much impact/coverage, that most people will relate to it. Editorial cartoons can be serious, humorous, cynical, or express a combination of emotions.

Photographs

The Metropolitan welcomes photos that are of interest to students. If you have a photo of an interesting subject or event that relates directly to students, please contact us for publishing consideration. All photos submitted for consideration should include a description of the subject.