Building an online journalism portfolio: Where to start?

By Bridgit Bowden

A screen shot of my portfolio, made using Wix free version.

Employers today will likely Google you before even looking at your resume. For journalism students, this means it's crucial to have a thorough, easy-to-navigate online portfolio that shows up in the search results -- something that highlights your best work and proves your digital savvy.

Most students are quite comfortable working online, but creating a portfolio website still has its challenges. First, you have to hunt down all your clips. Then, you have to find the platform that's going to best show off your stuff.

There are dozens of choices, so to make your life easier, we've compiled a list of 10 choices with pros and cons of each.

Get involved with the Online News Association at Mizzou

By Cole Kennedy

ONA Mizzou chats with BuzzFeed staffer Dan Oshinsky
(Photo credit: ONA Mizzou)

The start of a new school year is upon us, and with that, another semester full of innovative Online News Association programming on campus. Our organization is dedicated to increasing the understanding of digital media and how the tools offered on the Web can help journalists do their jobs. Through the speakers the student leaders work to bring to campus and the other events we host, we hope students will be able to network and discuss the future of news.

The first opportunity new students will have to get involved with ONA is at the Fall Welcome for New Journalism Students on August 28 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Reynolds Journalism Institute. Fall Welcome will have hosts from just about every student club involved with the School of Journalism, and the ONA Mizzou student leaders will be present to answer questions and meet fellow students. Oh, and we couldn't forget to mention that there will be plenty of Tiger Stripe ice cream on hand for attendees.

10 questions to ask before shooting your next Vine

By Andrew Gibson

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

How difficult can it be to shoot six seconds of smartphone video?

Turns out, pretty difficult. Twitter's video-based social network Vine presents many challenges typical of social platforms -- gaining and maintaining followers, for instance -- but also some unique to its format. Shooting a good Vine requires much forethought about how you can possibly grab viewers' interest, convey your message and provide context in so short a time. I'd argue six seconds is far more challenging than 140 characters.

Hence this post. These questions serve as a checklist to go through before making a Vine. Now, you might be thinking this: I watched your Vines, and they weren't too impressive. I agree. My 15 or so Vines will not earn me a Pulitzer or Webby or whatever category they might fit under. However, what I have done is watch hundreds of Vines created by people who are talented -- enough to where I felt comfortable making this list. To be honest, this post is rather selfish because I'm writing these down as much for my benefit as for yours.

Three places journalism students can learn code this summer

By Elise Schmelzer

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Basic understanding of HTML and CSS coding are irreplaceable tools in any journalist's toolbox and a fantastic reason for employers to choose you above other qualified job candidates. Though the languages may seem a tangle of confusing letters and symbols, they can become a gateway to beautiful web pages and applications with a little work.

Though many universities offer classes in web coding, students don't always have the cash or time in their schedule to devote to an official class. Luckily, the Internet provides a wealth of options accessible without a university class. I've outlined some of the best below in no particular order. Each option has its own pros and cons, but all offer a path to coding literacy.

Journalists and activists use social media to share stories

By Hannah Schmidt

Image from twitter.com

I have always been surprised by the power of social media. One person can post on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter and (unless your profiles are private) many people can see it. These social media sites have led to a very connected world.

According to Statistic Brain, there are 1.2 billion Facebook users and an average of 58 million tweets per day. This hyper-connectivity allows us to reach a wider audience faster.

Turkish protestors are using social media to share what is happening in their country. News organizations are incorporating these tweets in their coverage of the protests.