Attribution — identifying  the source  of  information or opinion  —  is  needed  in  almost  every  paragraph.  The ATTRIBUTION Besides the organization of the story, the JO must be  aware  of  other  problems  in  the  speech  story. writer must make it clear who is talking. Thus the writer should   include   attribution   often.   Beginners   should attribute  every  sentence  expressing  opinion,  for  too often  the  reader  forgets,  and  it  seems  the  writer  is making the statements in the story. Attribution  may  consist  merely  of  the  phrase  “he said.”  However,  to  be  sure  the  reader  does  not  forget who the speaker is, the writer should occasionally insert the speaker’s name. The writer may put the attribution at the beginning, middle or end of the sentence, but the natural place for attribution is at the end of the sentence. When writing a speech story, never use such words, approached  —  either  directly  or  through  his  public affairs  staff  —  for  a  copy  of  the  speech  if  it  is  not unless quoted, as “I,” “our,” “us,” “we,” “me,” “you” or “your.”   Standing   alone,   these   words   represent   the writer’s viewpoint. So, if the speaker says our country needs more nuclear surface ships, the writer says: “The United States needs more nuclear surface ships.” If the newswriter. speaker  says  “I,”  it  means  just  that  and  not  the “SAID” AND OTHER VERBS Many  reporters  covering  speeches  are  tempted  to use  vivid  words  to  describe  how  the  speaker  talked. Unfortunately, the truth often conflicts with the vivid verbs. The best verb to use is “said.” Here is the natural and neutral link between the speaker and what he said. But many writers feel their creativity is stifled by using too many “saids.” There are, of course, synonyms like “cajoled,”   “pleaded,”   “beseeched,”   “asked,” “declared”  and  thousands  of  others  that  can  often  be used  for  variety. “murmured,”   “digressed,”   “asserted,”   “told” When  using  these  words  to  describe  how  the speaker  expressed  himself,  be  sure  you  describe  the speaker’s emotions accurately. Always be alert to exact meaning and connotation. PAINTING A PICTURE To  add  more  color  to  the  story,  the  writer  may occasionally  describe  interesting  hand  movements  or gestures  the  speaker  made.  An  example  appeared  earlier in this chapter when Petty Officer Tyler emphasized a point as he stroked his “bushy black hair.” When   former   Russian   Premier   Khrushchev removed his shoe and pounded it on a table at the United Nations, every story covering his speech included it high in   the   account.   Most   speakers   will   not   be   that flamboyant, but they may raise a hand toward the ceiling or  pound  on  the  lectern  for  emphasis.  An  occasional mention of this adds flavor to the story and points up what the speaker feels is important. GETTING THE FACTS Before writing the speech story, you must get the facts.  Most  reporters  depend  on  tape  recordings  or  a copy  of  the  speech.  Frequently,  a  speaker  may  be supplied  in  advance. Should you find yourself in a situation where you must rely on your own note-taking to gather facts, make sure you get the main points of the speech. A JO is not expected to be a stenographer, but you will still be held accountable for what you write. So listen carefully and write  those  quotes  accurately. Most professional reporters have their own system of note taking, which usually consists of shortcuts. For example, a writer may drop all vowels from words — sailor becomes “sir,” soldier becomes “sldr,” and so on. Similarly, the reporter may not dot the “i’ s” and cross the “t’s” when writing rapidly. If you want to write down the word responsibility, you might dash off “respons” and later, when looking over the notes, the scribbling will be understood. Use your notes while they are fresh in your mind. By using a homemade shorthand, you can listen to the  meaning  of  the  speech.  You  are  waiting  for  the important  points  of  the  speech,  not  mechanically copying down every word as a stenographer does. In  summary,  remember  the  following  key  ideas about  speech  stories: The most important fact goes in the lead (what and who said it). Use ellipses to handle long quotations. Use the quote-summary method to organize the story. Learn to attribute information or opinion in the story. Use  vivid  words  carefully. 3-12