Editor's note: Lawrence Connor is a former managing editor of the Indianapolis Star. He has put together this package of tips to assist high school journalists. His tips are broken up into different links found here.

SOME COMMON ERRORS

It's 8 p. m. today -- not 8 p. m. tonight (redundant) but it's 8 o'clock tonight.

The board voted to table its report -- not their report -- but the board members tabled their report.

Its is the possessive; it's a contraction for it is. Thus, "Its name is Spot but it's my dog."

It's neither this nor that -- not or that. Likewise it's either .. or.

None means not one and is singular, requiring a singular verb. e. g. "None of the women is (not are) about to vote.”

A candidate who has been nominated becomes the nominee.

A person dies of a disease, not from a disease.

Plurals of compound words are formed on the key words (sisters-in-law); possessives are formed on the last words (sister-in-law's).

Jones was in charge of the regiment; the regiment wasn't in charge of Jones, but you may write it, "The regiment was in the charge of Jones," if you care to be stodgy.

Using “while” instead of “although” can cause trouble. Would you write it, "While swinging a big bat, Jackson has been ineffective in the field?" What's he doing with a bat in the field?

Use balance when referring to money; use rest or remainder in other instances.

Chapters:

The Interview
Writing the Story
Editing your Copy
A Few Don'ts
Some General Advice
Say What You Mean
Use Words Correctly
Some Common Errors
Helpful Books
About the Author