CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

The main role of campus journalists today is to write a story that the people

want to hear in the form of writing. Being part in this field is quite challenging because

nowadays, campus journalists have been facing different struggles in their writing

journey. Some say that being a campus journalist seems so easy because it is

basically all about writing, but they do not know that becoming part of this field is

difficult. (Lizzy Spangler UNT, 2017).

Campus journalists learn unquantifiable skills in their time on a school

publication staff. They must learn social skills to interview the subjects of their stories.

They develop their prose style through constant writing. They fine-tune their English

grammar skills in the editing phase. They learn photography skills, how to work within

a deadline, as well as how to collaborate with others towards a common goal. In short,

being a campus journalist is a big responsibility according to The Charge Online

Editor-in-Chief, Isabelle Beezley from Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The campus journalist is more than a chronicler of human events. They are the sense

of catalytic being. They articulate issues, identifies problems and knowledgeable or

competent enough offers solution. They define the diverse mood and thinking

prevalent of their school environment. As a keeper of journal, they do not merely report

or interpret, they, also makes a stand or becomes an active participant in the national

life. Arao (2013) clearly defines the role of campus journalists. He said that “campus

journalists are torch bearers in the sense that they try to shed light on issues…..what
makes campus journalists different from their so-called professional counterparts is

their duty to relate all issues to their respective communities…their role is to keep

become real torch bearers, they should help open the minds of students to the situation

not only on campus but also in society as a whole…. Truth-telling is fulfilled when

they are able to present both the data and the analysis of issues.”

In this study, the researchers want to know the struggles of campus journalists

in Maya National High School in their writing journey and they want to find out the

ways on how they manage and face those struggles. Therefore, the researchers may

know the story behind their failures and successes. The researchers may conduct

interviews and surveys about the experiences of the participants in their writing

journey. Journalism is not easy, but if you really enjoy it, it's worth it.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to identify if the Campus Journalists in Maya

National High School S.Y. 2018-2019 are facing different struggles in their writing

journey. It is conducted to recognize the challenges that will be experienced by the

respondent by giving their different stories in their writing journey and how they will

manage these challenges. Lastly, this aims to review and enumerate if they able to

conquer those challenges and help them to become a good writer.

The study serves as a tool for Campus Journalists and other students

who has a potential within this field to be aware on the struggles that they will able to

face upon this field.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

In general, the focus of this study is directed towards the struggles of campus

journalists in Maya National High School in their writing journey. The study is focused

on the challenges faced by the campus journalists to their writing journey and how

they will manage these challenges. Moreover, the study will investigate the effects of

these struggles to the participants that may help them to become a good writer.

The participants of the study are the campus journalists in Maya National High

School S.Y. 2018-2019 who experienced struggle in their writing journey. The data

from the study will come from existing literature, interviews and surveys from the

campus journalists. Furthermore, the data results from this study would only be

determined from the researchers.

Research Questions

The following are the research questions that will be patterned on the In-Depth

interview and Focused-Group discussion.

 1. What are the different challenges you faced in your writing journey as a

campus journalist?

2. What are your ways to conquer those struggles that you have

encountered?

3. How did these struggles help you become a good writer?

Theoretical Lens

This study is anchored on the literature of John Herbert (1998) about the

Practical Theory of Journalism. Despite the volume of studies investigating the

Struggles of Campus Journalists in their writing journey, no one has examined the

exact reason why the Campus Journalists faced different struggles in their writing

journey. These theories explained unlike Shakespeare’s seven, that journalist has

three ages: learning, practicing, and managing. Any practical-theory of journalism

must be about all three. It must be firmly based on the needs of journalism, not on

some other discipline.

Journalism is all about news and information. It consists of gathering facts,

deciding how to assemble them, making important decisions about which facts to

include. This project reviews the existing literature about the struggles of Campus

Journalists in their writing journey. Several theoretical interpretations explain that

journalism education has vital aims in facing struggles including: The ability to

understand what makes a good story; find the best angle and communicate it with

interest and enthusiasm to readers, listeners, viewers and having a transferable skill

through written.
 By these requirements, it can be further broken down into objectives and

transform it as an achievement to them. It will cause them to have different abilities

including: understanding basic vocabulary of journalism and create information and

arguments as well as written, interesting and accurate news stories. Areas requiring

further research are also reviewed, including that in the journalism world the change

is cyclonic. Today it becomes even more important to consider the principles and

practices of journalism in totality, not in isolation. Overall, the struggles faced by

Campus Journalists in their writing journey that has been discussed is dependent on

the practical theory of journalism which will be enunciated by the journalists, taught by

journalists, and research by journalists. That is the journalism education of the future.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The results of the study will be of great benefit to the following:

Campus journalists in Maya National High School. The results will let the

campus journalists become aware on how to manage those struggles that they may

encounter in their writing journey. It will give them the data to cope with these struggles

to reach success.

Students in Maya National High School. The results will help the students in

Maya National High School who has a potential in this field to be interested to joining

in the Campus Journalism. They will be inspired with the different stories that they may

get from the researchers’ participants.

To the Researchers. The researchers will develop their writing, analysis and

interpretations skills needed to make a good thesis.

Definition of Terms

Campus Journalism. It refers to the field where our respondent belongs or

joining in. It is defined as “that enjoyable activity of the staff of the campus paper in

collecting, organizing and presenting news, writing editorials, columns, features, and

literary articles, taking pictures, cartooning, copy reading, proofreading, dummying &

writing headlines”. It is also a Journalism carried out by students on subjects related

to campus life or issues published in publications only intended for campus distribution

and readership

Campus Journalists. Act as informants, watchdogs, and storytellers. They

tell the stories that people want to hear in the form of writing and will face series of

struggles when producing their articles. They will be the respondent of the

researchers.

Impact. It is what the research has done to a certain institution or community.

Writing journey. It refers to the journey of Campus Journalist in writing. Their

different stories that they experience in writing.

Struggles. It refers to the battle that may encountered by the Campus

Journalists in in their writing journey that will requires much effort to conquer it.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

In general, the focus of this study is directed towards the struggles of campus

journalists in Maya National High School in their writing journey. The study is focused

on the challenges faced by the campus journalists to their writing journey and how
they will manage these challenges. Moreover, the study will investigate the effects of

these struggles to the participants that may help them to become a good writer.

The participants of the study are the campus journalists in Maya National High

School S.Y. 2018-2019 who experienced struggle in their writing journey. The data

from the study will come from existing literature, interviews and surveys from the

campus journalists. Furthermore, the data results from this study would only be

determined from the researchers.

Organization of the Study

This study is organized in the following chapters

Chapter 1 presents the problem situation that justified the conduct of the study

wherein the researcher cites many situations, instances, and reasons why there is a

need to conduct the said study. The purpose of the study involved some goals to

follow. There are three questions to be answered by the participants regarding their

views about the Struggles of Campus Journalist in their writing journey. Significance

of the study cited as to who are beneficiaries of the study. Delimitation presents the

scope of the study and organization states the description of the different chapters of

the study.

Chapter 2 consists of ideas, titles of various related articles that the

researcher included in the study. There are several comments, suggestions and

insights related to Struggles of Campus Journalist in their writing journey.

 Chapter 3 presents the research design in which the researcher states the

phenomenological study. The researchers stress their role to conduct the interview

with the participants thus, observing the ethics in the conduct of the study. Research

participants are the informants who answered the interview, questions and focused

group discussion. Data analysis has been done by software or by manual.

Trustworthiness and credibility show that the researcher seeks the true reasons and

evaluation about the status and experiences of the students in terms on the struggles

of Campus Journalists. The ethical consideration protects the name of the participants

due to privacy reason.

Chapter 4 presents the results wherein it reflects the detailed responses of the

participants based on the research questions formulated in the previews chapter. It

also discusses the different themes generated the various answers shared by the

informants. It showcases the tabular details reflecting the general, typical and variant

answers of the participants. Moreover, it presents the summary of the responses of

the In-depth interview and the Focused Group discussion.

Chapter 5 presents the discussion and conclusion with which explains the

answer of the participants. It summarizes the themes generated from the results of In-

depth interview and Focus-Group discussion with the support of various authorities.

Moreover, it clearly states the implications for future practice, for research and

concluding remarks of the researcher. There is an appendix section that includes

copies of the interview guide, the informed consent forms and other attachment.