High School Publication Experience, Academic Performance Linked

Experience at a newspaper or yearbook in high school leads to higher levels of academic achievement in college, according to a recent study published in Newspaper Research Journal.

The research team of Jack Dvorak and Changhee Choi found students with high school publications experience achieved higher grade point averages during their freshman year of college than did students with no publication experience.

Students with high school journalism experience also achieved better high school grade point averages, higher scores on the ACT exam and higher grades in their first college English course than did students with no publication experience.

While Choi and Dvorak say the study does not prove causality, the pair concluded that high school journalism activities provide an outlet for talented and active students to express themselves and hone their skills.

Dvorak is a professor and Choi is a doctoral student in the School of Journalism at Indiana University. Their study is published in the summer 2009 issue of Newspaper Research Journal.

Contacts: Sandra H. Utt e-mail: nrj@newspaperresearchjournal.org or Elinor Kelley Grusin e-mail: egrusin@memphis.edu

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