1.
Be thorough when researching your chosen stories.
As a journalist, it's important that you build and guard your good reputation.
You can do this by making sure that you offer your readers with complete information that are based on facts.
Don't be too careless and find time to verify all the data that you've gathered.
Make sure that they are fall factual.
If needed, cite your sources.
2.
Stick with recent issues.
Keep in mind that your main goal is to update your readers with what's happening around them.
So, don't even think about writing something that happened days ago.
Instead, find new stories and strive to be the first one to write about them.
3.
Use the acceptable writing format.
It's a must that your articles contain headline, lead paragraph, and article body.
It's also a must that you write them using inverted pyramid technique.
Ensure that you deliver the facts that you've gathered as they are.
There is no need to insert your opinion (unless you're writing for editorial page) and there is no need to interpret your data.
4.
Balanced reporting.
As a journalist, it's important that you do not take sides.
Before you write your articles, make sure that you get all the opinions and reactions of all the people involved.
If the other party does not want to grant you an interview, you can go ahead and state that on your article.
5.
No need to sensationalize your stories.
You don't need to overstretch the truth as you may mislead your readers.
Stick with facts all the time.