Sports reporting: tell the match without losing the evidence

Practice pathway
1. Preparation file: ____________________
2. Participant sheet: ____________________
3. Event log: ____________________
4. Checked result: ____________________
5. Report and analysis: ____________________
6. Rights review: ____________________

Worked example
Fictional report: a team recovers from 0–1 to win 2–1. Separate the checked score, goal sequence, attributed coach quote and your interpretation. Two goals following a formation change describe a sequence; they do not by themselves prove the change caused the win.

Review before publishing
[ ] The main question has a clear answer.
[ ] Claims have a source and date.
[ ] Script, sound and pictures agree.
[ ] Names, numbers and quotes are checked.
[ ] Materials have permission for use.
[ ] The transcript or text alternative is reviewed.

Project deliverable
A reviewed piece, its source sheet and a note explaining what changed.


Extended practice: from a source record to a reviewed piece
This is a 2026 adaptation of topics documented in the former catalog. It is not a reproduced course, assessment by former faculty, enrollment offer or promise of a placement. Complete the deliverables at your own pace and review the result before publishing it.

1. Event reference sheet
Before writing, verify the competition, date, result and names against official sources. Separate confirmed facts, your observations and quoted statements. Do not mistake a provisional score for the final result.
Result: ____________________

2. Timed coverage
Log three moments with their match minute or timestamp. Write a short alert and a later report using the same record. Check which detail requires context that will not fit in the alert.
Result: ____________________

3. Interview without a predetermined conclusion
Prepare questions that explain a decision rather than only confirm your opinion. Distinguish a participant’s account from match evidence. Keep the question alongside any edited quotation.
Result: ____________________

4. One story, three formats
Adapt a report into 250 words, one minute of audio and forty-five seconds of video. Preserve the result, source and attribution in all three. Choose audiovisual material you have permission to use.
Result: ____________________

5. Data with a denominator
Explain a proportion with its base, period and source. Check compatible definitions when comparing competitions. Include a limitation in the graphic or its text equivalent.
Result: ____________________

6. Visible correction
Build a review sheet for names, figures and quotes. Practise correcting a hypothetical error without silently replacing the original. Deliver a report, a simulated correction note and the source file.
Result: ____________________

Deliverable and review criteria
Keep the first version, the reviewed piece, its source sheet and a change log. Check names, attribution, rights and a text alternative. Completing a checklist does not verify every claim in the piece.
https://totalmediaacademy.com/en/editorial-method/#archive-records