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Arrange an in-person visit to brief the editors or editorial board of each participating publication about the finished series. Plan to bring along a translator as needed. This courtesy meeting also allows the coordinator to obtain feedback on the series from the publications' new perspective. And it can set the groundwork for follow-up stories and series. During this meeting: 1. Highlight the individual contributions made by that publication's reporter and give a general overview of the work produced by the team. Leave enough time to answer any questions and to solicit comments from the editors about the completed series. 2. Finalize publication dates. Depending on a publication's size and how often it appears, an editor may split stories into two or more parts and stagger the series over a number of days or weeks. Be sure to coordi-nate publication so that all the outlet at least begin publishing the se-ries on the same day. 3. Turn in any photos, graphics, illustrations, boxes, and logos the team has compiled. Make sure that the editors plan to publish these as well as the stories. 4. Discuss the potential for follow-up stories or series at each publication. These would build on the momentum of the collaborative reporting project. Present this series as a building block in an ongoing dialogue that has now been established between the publication and the com-munities it serves. 5. Thank the editors again for their participation in the project and their will-ingness to publish the series. You may want to underscore the benefits inherent in the project. In exchange for loaning out a reporter for sev-eral weeks, the editor has received a series of high-quality articles ready for publication. Less tangibly but just as important, by partici-pating in this ground-breaking collaborative journalism effort, the participating publications have forged ties across ethnic lines, sparked public debate, and contributed to the civic health of their community. Evaluations help organizers gauge the success of individual project components. Feedback from reporters can help in planning future media collaborations across ethnic lines. Draft a project evaluation, have it translated into the appropriate lan-guage(s), and allow the reporters ample time to complete it once they finish work on the series. To encourage frank answers, you may want to make the evaluations anonymous. Structure the questionnaire so that reporters have to pro-vide a detailed response, not merely answer yes or no. Explain that their answers are important because they will be considered in the de-sign and execution of future projects. Here are some ideas to help draw up your evaluation:
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