Following the inverted pyramid, stories can end in a few ways:
- With a relevant — typically reflective — quote
- With a kicker (a twist, other important information or a good ending quote)
- Example: For an event preview story, the end could include extra details about the event, such as how to get tickets or where questions can be directed to.
- This can also work well for profiles or stories about organizations or businesses as a shift into their future plans/what comes next.
- With a personality profile, consider picking the best, most reflective quote from your subject and end with that. A formula to follow: a) introduce the ending topic in its own graph and b) follow with the quote.
- Example:
Smith plans to stay closely involved with the OU community.
“OU will always feel like home,” she said. “I know that I can always look to the community for its positivity, advocacy and overall kindheartedness.”
- Example:
- Example: For an event preview story, the end could include extra details about the event, such as how to get tickets or where questions can be directed to.
- With a descriptive closer, which works well to close a story that begins with a descriptive or anecdotal lead or to just add a creative twist to feature stories.
Example: Here’s an example story, which begins with the lead and then skips to the ending.
Headline: School of Business Administration’s business and accounting programs receive AACSB-International accreditation renewal
After a rigorous process, the School of Business Administration (SBA) received renewal of the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International accreditation for its business and accounting programs.
The AACSB accreditation is considered prestigious in the business field. Only 836 business institutions in 55 countries and territories hold the accreditation, according to the AACSB website. Approximately 190 institutions have accreditation of both their business and accounting programs, five of which are Michigan schools.
Accreditation comes from meeting separate criteria, including 15 business standards concerning intellectual contribution, financial strategies, sufficiency, assurance of learning, engagement, effectiveness and more. To earn accounting program accreditation, six standards must be met, which include an academic unit mission, intellectual contributions, financial strategies, assurance of learning, information technology skills and faculty sufficiency.
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The next step for the SBA is to consider where it would like to grow, which Mazzeo said becomes the challenging part. The biggest improvement in the programs since the last AACSB accreditation renewal was in strategic planning, something Mazzeo and Mukherji plan to continue improving.
Mazzeo said part of the strategic plan is working closely with local communities, and doing so lets the school show its upholding and accomplishing its goals.
“I think we’re a very good program in Southeast Michigan,” he said, “and while I do think we have students from all over the world, we’re predominantly a regional school … In the business school, we have (it varies) an over 90% placement rate, most of our students stay locally, so we take it upon ourselves to say we’re really educating people for this region.”
The SBA has held the double accreditation since 1994.
Remember: To save your completed answers as a .hp5 file or copy them to your clipboard, click the “reuse” button at the bottom of each exercise.
Try not to stress too much about appropriately ending a story. The ending will come when you no longer have anything relevant to write about. The previous tips may help inspire you, but don’t draw a fake conclusion or attempt to wrap things up too nicely. Let the ending come naturally.
The next section of the AP Style Resources is How to Navigate the AP Stylebook.