The Press File
The press file contains a number of articles and is usually the best introduction to the legislation. In some cases, press files will contain many articles, resulting in a rather lengthy document. Although reading each article may seem repetitive, it is important that you get a full picture of what voters have already been told about the legislation, because this is the information that the general public will be most interested in and looking to learn more about. First, you need to be able to locate information in the press file and know how to incorporate this information in your summary.Next, you will want to use the following steps to move through the press file. Highlighting and commenting are helpful for the other interns and staff members that will be working on the bill because they help connect the press file to the bill text and bill summary.
Press File Checklist:
- Highlight only the information that is related to the provisions of the bill;
- Copy and paste the highlighted text at the bottom of the Press file using the “Advanced Find” tool;
- Insert a comment for each provision highlighted and include the following information:
- Where is the information located in the text?
- Where is the information located in your bill summary
- Example
- Upload your copy of the Press File to UT BOX.
When performing a first or second check, you will not need to highlight the Press File again. However, it is imperative that you still thoroughly read the Press File yourself because you may find that the individual who wrote the “original summary” did not find or highlight all of the bill’s provisions. If you find that the "original summary" writer did not highlight something important in the Press File, you will need to highlight the language missed. In order to differentiate between the stages, use the following highlight colors when highlighting:
- Original Summary Writer: Yellow
- First Summary Check: Pink
- Second Summary Check: Green
Note When utilizing the press file for assistance in writing the summary, it is extremely important that you avoid plagiarism. Do not duplicate the language of the press. Your summaries must be original, meaning the language of your summary must be authored by you and you alone. Even copying four or five words out of the press, depending on the phrasing, could be considered plagiarism. Please be extra careful and cautious about this. Also, remember that the information in the press is not always completely accurate. We have found that the press will relatively often get their facts wrong, and report that the bill does something that it may not actually do, or at least not in the same manner. You should use the press file as a guide in determining what provisions of the bill to include in the summary, but always be sure to rely only on the bill text itself when stating what a particular section does.
