CJE (Certified Journalism Educator) BENCHMARK
EXAMINATION — 250 PRACTICE MCQs covering
all domains
DOMAIN COVERAGE SUMMARY:
Domain 1 – News Writing & Reporting (Q1–50) — 50 questions Domain 2 – Editing &
Grammar (Q51–90) — 40 questions Domain 3 – Media Law & Ethics (Q91–130) — 40
questions Domain 4 – Photojournalism (Q121–140) — 20 questions Domain 5 – Broadcast &
Digital Journalism (Q141–165) — 25 questions Domain 6 – Yearbook & Scholastic Journalism
Practice (Q166–195) — 30 questions Domain 7 – Journalism Education & Program Management
(Q196–210) — 15 questions Domain 8 – General Journalism Knowledge (Q211–250) — 40
questions
DOMAIN 1: NEWS WRITING & REPORTING (Questions 1–50)
1. The inverted pyramid structure in news writing places information in which order?
A) Chronological order from beginning to end B) Most important information first, followed by
supporting details (correct answer) C) Background information first, then the news event D)
Equal weight given to all paragraphs
The inverted pyramid places the most newsworthy information (5Ws and H) in the lead
paragraph, with supporting details and background in descending order of importance.
This structure allows editors to cut from the bottom without losing essential information
and gives readers key facts immediately.
2. The "5 Ws and H" of a news lead refers to:
,A) Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How (correct answer) B) Who, What, When, Where,
Why, and Headline C) Who, What, When, Where, Worth, and How D) Who, What, When, Why,
Witness, and How
The fundamental elements of a complete news lead are Who, What, When, Where, Why,
and How. A strong lead answers as many of these questions as possible in the opening
sentence or paragraph, giving readers the essential facts of the story immediately.
3. Which type of lead delays the main news point to create interest or suspense?
A) Summary lead B) Question lead C) Delayed identification lead D) Anecdotal/narrative lead
(correct answer)
An anecdotal or narrative lead opens with a story, scene, or human interest element to
draw readers in before revealing the central news point. It is commonly used in feature
stories and long-form journalism where engaging the reader emotionally is more effective
than an immediate summary.
4. In journalistic style, which of the following is the CORRECT AP Style usage for a person's
title?
A) Mayor James Wilson attended the meeting B) james wilson, mayor, attended the meeting C)
Mayor James Wilson attended the meeting (correct answer) D) MAYOR JAMES WILSON
attended the meeting
AP Style capitalizes formal titles when they appear directly before a name (Mayor James
Wilson) but uses lowercase when the title appears after the name or stands alone (James
Wilson, the mayor, attended). This is a fundamental AP Style rule tested on the CJE exam.
5. A "nut graf" in feature writing serves what purpose?
A) It provides the closing summary of the article B) It is the transitional paragraph that tells
readers why the story matters (correct answer) C) It provides background statistics for the story
D) It is the paragraph containing direct quotes
The nut graf (nutshell paragraph) is a critical element in feature writing that explains the
point of the story — why it matters to the reader, what the larger significance is, and why
the story is being told now. It typically appears after an anecdotal or delayed lead to
anchor the narrative.
,6. According to AP Style, how should numbers be written in most news copy?
A) Always spell out all numbers B) Spell out one through nine; use numerals for 10 and above
(correct answer) C) Always use numerals for clarity D) Use numerals for all numbers above
five
AP Style requires spelling out numbers one through nine and using numerals for 10 and
above in most contexts. Exceptions include numbers that begin a sentence (always spell
out), ages (always numerals), percentages (always numerals with the word "percent"), and
measurements.
7. The term "attribution" in journalism means:
A) The byline credit given to the photographer B) Identifying the source of information in a story
(correct answer) C) The copyright notice at the end of an article D) The editor's note explaining
changes to a story
Attribution identifies who said something or where information came from, establishing
credibility and allowing readers to evaluate the source. It is essential for every claim, quote,
and piece of data in a news story. Proper attribution protects the journalist and the
publication from libel claims.
8. Which of the following is an example of "news judgment"?
A) Deciding which font to use for a headline B) Evaluating the timeliness, impact, and relevance
of a story idea (correct answer) C) Determining the word count for an article D) Choosing
which quotes to include in the final layout
News judgment is the journalistic skill of evaluating story ideas based on factors including
timeliness, proximity, significance, human interest, prominence, and conflict. Strong news
judgment determines what gets covered, how prominently it is displayed, and what angle
the coverage takes.
9. A "source" in journalism is defined as:
A) Only official government spokespersons B) Any person, document, or record that provides
information for a story (correct answer) C) Only on-the-record interview subjects D)
Exclusively paid informants
, A source is any person, document, publication, database, record, or observation that
provides information used in news reporting. Sources may be human (interviews),
documentary (records, reports), or observational (direct reporting). Reporters must
evaluate the credibility and reliability of all sources.
10. What is the PRIMARY purpose of using multiple sources in a news story?
A) To make the story longer and more detailed B) To verify facts, provide balance, and present
multiple perspectives (correct answer) C) To increase the number of direct quotes D) To satisfy
word count requirements
Multiple sources serve essential journalistic functions: they verify facts through
corroboration, provide balance and fairness by including different perspectives, and reduce
the risk of error or bias from relying on a single viewpoint. The standard for most hard
news stories is a minimum of two independent sources.
11. In AP Style, how should a person's age be written?
A) She is twenty-three years old B) She is 23 years old (correct answer) C) She is twenty three
years-old D) She is 23-years-old
AP Style uses numerals for all ages regardless of whether they are above or below 10. Ages
are always expressed as numerals: "She is 23 years old." When used as a modifier, hyphens
are used: "the 23-year-old student." This is a commonly tested AP Style rule.
12. The term "angle" in journalism refers to:
A) The physical layout of a story on the page B) The specific focus or perspective chosen for a
story (correct answer) C) The camera angle used in photojournalism D) The geometric design
of the publication's nameplate
The angle is the particular aspect, perspective, or approach the journalist chooses to focus
on when telling a story. A strong angle makes a story relevant, interesting, and distinctive.
Good reporting involves finding the most compelling angle rather than simply
summarizing all available information.
13. Which of the following BEST describes "on background" sourcing?
EXAMINATION — 250 PRACTICE MCQs covering
all domains
DOMAIN COVERAGE SUMMARY:
Domain 1 – News Writing & Reporting (Q1–50) — 50 questions Domain 2 – Editing &
Grammar (Q51–90) — 40 questions Domain 3 – Media Law & Ethics (Q91–130) — 40
questions Domain 4 – Photojournalism (Q121–140) — 20 questions Domain 5 – Broadcast &
Digital Journalism (Q141–165) — 25 questions Domain 6 – Yearbook & Scholastic Journalism
Practice (Q166–195) — 30 questions Domain 7 – Journalism Education & Program Management
(Q196–210) — 15 questions Domain 8 – General Journalism Knowledge (Q211–250) — 40
questions
DOMAIN 1: NEWS WRITING & REPORTING (Questions 1–50)
1. The inverted pyramid structure in news writing places information in which order?
A) Chronological order from beginning to end B) Most important information first, followed by
supporting details (correct answer) C) Background information first, then the news event D)
Equal weight given to all paragraphs
The inverted pyramid places the most newsworthy information (5Ws and H) in the lead
paragraph, with supporting details and background in descending order of importance.
This structure allows editors to cut from the bottom without losing essential information
and gives readers key facts immediately.
2. The "5 Ws and H" of a news lead refers to:
,A) Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How (correct answer) B) Who, What, When, Where,
Why, and Headline C) Who, What, When, Where, Worth, and How D) Who, What, When, Why,
Witness, and How
The fundamental elements of a complete news lead are Who, What, When, Where, Why,
and How. A strong lead answers as many of these questions as possible in the opening
sentence or paragraph, giving readers the essential facts of the story immediately.
3. Which type of lead delays the main news point to create interest or suspense?
A) Summary lead B) Question lead C) Delayed identification lead D) Anecdotal/narrative lead
(correct answer)
An anecdotal or narrative lead opens with a story, scene, or human interest element to
draw readers in before revealing the central news point. It is commonly used in feature
stories and long-form journalism where engaging the reader emotionally is more effective
than an immediate summary.
4. In journalistic style, which of the following is the CORRECT AP Style usage for a person's
title?
A) Mayor James Wilson attended the meeting B) james wilson, mayor, attended the meeting C)
Mayor James Wilson attended the meeting (correct answer) D) MAYOR JAMES WILSON
attended the meeting
AP Style capitalizes formal titles when they appear directly before a name (Mayor James
Wilson) but uses lowercase when the title appears after the name or stands alone (James
Wilson, the mayor, attended). This is a fundamental AP Style rule tested on the CJE exam.
5. A "nut graf" in feature writing serves what purpose?
A) It provides the closing summary of the article B) It is the transitional paragraph that tells
readers why the story matters (correct answer) C) It provides background statistics for the story
D) It is the paragraph containing direct quotes
The nut graf (nutshell paragraph) is a critical element in feature writing that explains the
point of the story — why it matters to the reader, what the larger significance is, and why
the story is being told now. It typically appears after an anecdotal or delayed lead to
anchor the narrative.
,6. According to AP Style, how should numbers be written in most news copy?
A) Always spell out all numbers B) Spell out one through nine; use numerals for 10 and above
(correct answer) C) Always use numerals for clarity D) Use numerals for all numbers above
five
AP Style requires spelling out numbers one through nine and using numerals for 10 and
above in most contexts. Exceptions include numbers that begin a sentence (always spell
out), ages (always numerals), percentages (always numerals with the word "percent"), and
measurements.
7. The term "attribution" in journalism means:
A) The byline credit given to the photographer B) Identifying the source of information in a story
(correct answer) C) The copyright notice at the end of an article D) The editor's note explaining
changes to a story
Attribution identifies who said something or where information came from, establishing
credibility and allowing readers to evaluate the source. It is essential for every claim, quote,
and piece of data in a news story. Proper attribution protects the journalist and the
publication from libel claims.
8. Which of the following is an example of "news judgment"?
A) Deciding which font to use for a headline B) Evaluating the timeliness, impact, and relevance
of a story idea (correct answer) C) Determining the word count for an article D) Choosing
which quotes to include in the final layout
News judgment is the journalistic skill of evaluating story ideas based on factors including
timeliness, proximity, significance, human interest, prominence, and conflict. Strong news
judgment determines what gets covered, how prominently it is displayed, and what angle
the coverage takes.
9. A "source" in journalism is defined as:
A) Only official government spokespersons B) Any person, document, or record that provides
information for a story (correct answer) C) Only on-the-record interview subjects D)
Exclusively paid informants
, A source is any person, document, publication, database, record, or observation that
provides information used in news reporting. Sources may be human (interviews),
documentary (records, reports), or observational (direct reporting). Reporters must
evaluate the credibility and reliability of all sources.
10. What is the PRIMARY purpose of using multiple sources in a news story?
A) To make the story longer and more detailed B) To verify facts, provide balance, and present
multiple perspectives (correct answer) C) To increase the number of direct quotes D) To satisfy
word count requirements
Multiple sources serve essential journalistic functions: they verify facts through
corroboration, provide balance and fairness by including different perspectives, and reduce
the risk of error or bias from relying on a single viewpoint. The standard for most hard
news stories is a minimum of two independent sources.
11. In AP Style, how should a person's age be written?
A) She is twenty-three years old B) She is 23 years old (correct answer) C) She is twenty three
years-old D) She is 23-years-old
AP Style uses numerals for all ages regardless of whether they are above or below 10. Ages
are always expressed as numerals: "She is 23 years old." When used as a modifier, hyphens
are used: "the 23-year-old student." This is a commonly tested AP Style rule.
12. The term "angle" in journalism refers to:
A) The physical layout of a story on the page B) The specific focus or perspective chosen for a
story (correct answer) C) The camera angle used in photojournalism D) The geometric design
of the publication's nameplate
The angle is the particular aspect, perspective, or approach the journalist chooses to focus
on when telling a story. A strong angle makes a story relevant, interesting, and distinctive.
Good reporting involves finding the most compelling angle rather than simply
summarizing all available information.
13. Which of the following BEST describes "on background" sourcing?
