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To keep the site focused on news, we are asking all Citizen Journalists to publish articles only on current affairs, as opposed to creative writing or blog-like posts.

While we will continue to operate an open forum, we are asking for Citizen Journalists to follow these new guidelines. We want this site's talented writers to win more attention around the world, and the best way to accomplish that is through reporting on timely news.

Editorial Guidelines: How DJ Should Be Different

There are a number of blog sites and creative writing forums that offer places to publish articles on "Why my job sucks," or "The History of Running Shoes" but that place is not DJ. We are asking all Citizen Journalists to stick to news, and make each report about more than just your opinion.

Structuring Your Article

First, write articles by answering the Five W's: Who did what? Why did it happen? What occurred? When did it happen? Where? (And sometimes answer "How" something happened or "How" it is going to impact others).

Starting today, Digital Journal is only permitting news articles — diary entries and Op-Eds that have nothing to do with news are not the direction we want to take on DJ. That means news articles must begin with current affairs reporting, and only near the end should a writer add a conclusive opinion. The entire article shouldn't be opinionated or full of personal anecdotes until the reader has a chance to digest what the news is about. Citizen Journalists have a responsibility to focus on the news first, and their opinion second. Any kind of commentary or analysis must be supported by sourced evidence and relate to a current event.

In addition, CJs are encouraged to engage in the standard processes of any journalist, including first-person interviews, accurate sourcing/linking, statistical evidence, quoting in context and supplemental photography. Also, users should try to be "on the ground" for intriguing news stories that occur in their own hometown (Citizen Journalist GotTheScoop gave an excellent example of this when the bridge collapsed in Minneapolis).

So what kind of articles are we trying to stay away from? Posts of creative writing, diary-like entries on the day in the life of a Citizen Journalist, watery stories on the origin of the flute, for example — these types of articles do not have a place on a news site.

Make Sure You Know How to Write an Op-Ed

An opinion-based article, an op-ed, must still follow journalistic standards. Look in any newspaper and read an op-ed (found on the opposite page of editorials…thus, opposite editorial or op-ed). Journalists always support their opinion with accurate facts and evidence, often using a timely news story to launch into a column focusing on current affairs. These kinds of articles are welcome on DigitalJournal.com, instead of op-eds based solely on someone's opinion about a random topic.

For example: We don't want an article on why the Iraq war is a failure, using only personal beliefs as evidence. Instead, an op-ed on the Iraq war should use breaking news as a launching pad to explain a writer's opinion — if you spent time in Iraq you can write about it, or if X number of people are killed in a firefight, you can start your Op-Ed with the news event, then give your opinion backed by sourced facts, statistics, quotes or any other equivalent documentation.

To make sure DigitalJournal.com stays a news site, any article that doesn't uphold these values of news reportage will be deactivated by Digital Journal Staff. Citizen Journalists will receive a message if their post is taken down.

As we have stated before, the Digital Journal brand is strong and well-known, and we are continually looking to bring first-rate journalism to the site. We have given you the platform, Citizen Journalists, and now you have the responsibility to give readers an accurate assessment of the world's news, as you see it.

We look forward to the cooperation of all users on this matter. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to post them below.