About this event
Journalism covers communication and writing skills, editing, the fundamental principles of journalism, research and investigation, and composing news stories. How it runs: this is an individual objective test and nothing else. You take a proctored, online test of 100 multiple-choice questions in 50 minutes. Study materials are not allowed, and a calculator is built into the testing platform. Each correct answer is worth one point with no penalty for wrong answers, and your test score is your result.
FormatObjective Test
Duration50-minute online test, 100 multiple-choice questions
Solo or teamIndividual
CategoryCommunication & Public Speaking
Your plan
How to study
Built from the official topic outline. Take the check and read every lesson here with no account; a free account keeps your progress and opens flashcards, practice and full tests.
Find your weakest area
Take the 6-question check below: one question from each of the 6 areas. It tells you where to start.
Start the checkLearn every area
Every area of the official topic outline is below. Each has a short lesson, flashcards and practice, plus free reading.
See the areasPractice until every bar is full
Practice gives you one question at a time and leans toward the areas you miss. Your readiness meter fills as you get them right in every area.
PracticeTake a full test at the real pace
100 questions in 50 minutes, the official length. Your readiness meter counts your last 3 full tests from the past 30 days, and 90% fills each one.
Take a practice test
The areas of the test
Basic Communication Skills
- Book · LibreTextsCommunication in the Real World (LibreTexts), 1.2: The Communication Process (opens in a new tab)
- Book · University of Minnesota LibrariesCommunication in Practice, 4.4: Becoming a Better Listener (opens in a new tab)
- Book · OpenStaxCollege Success, 8.5: Barriers to Effective Communication (opens in a new tab)
Fundamental Principles of Journalism
- Article · Nieman ReportsNieman Reports: The Essence of Journalism Is a Discipline of Verification (excerpt from The Elements of Journalism) (opens in a new tab)
- Book · Ohio State University PressbooksWriting for Strategic Communication Industries, Ch. 4: News Value Types (Part 1) (opens in a new tab)
- Book · Ohio State University PressbooksWriting for Strategic Communication Industries, Ch. 3: Defamation, Slander, and Libel (opens in a new tab)
Research and Investigation
- Book · DataJournalism.com (European Journalism Centre)Verification Handbook, Ch. 2: Verification Fundamentals: Rules to Live By (opens in a new tab)
- Article · Purdue OWLPurdue OWL: Interviewing (conducting primary research) (opens in a new tab)
- Video · CrashCourseCrashCourse: Check Yourself with Lateral Reading (Crash Course Navigating Digital Information #3) (opens in a new tab)
Compose News Stories
- Book · Ohio State University PressbooksWriting for Strategic Communication Industries, Ch. 5: Inverted Pyramid Style (opens in a new tab)
- Article · Purdue OWLPurdue OWL: Writing Leads (opens in a new tab)
- Book · Ohio State University PressbooksWriting for Strategic Communication Industries, Ch. 5: Attribution (opens in a new tab)
Free reading comes from open textbooks, government health and business sites, free courses and professional associations, never a copy of a book or a test. Every link was checked on November 9, 2026.
Start here
Find your weakest area
6 questions, one from each of the areas of the Journalism test. Each one is graded the moment you answer, with the reason, and the last screen tells you which area to study first. No account needed.
Test day
What to expect
50 minutes, 100 questions
You have 50 minutes to answer 100 multiple-choice questions. Each correct answer is worth one point and there is no penalty for wrong answers, so always fill in your best guess.
Machine-scored
Tests are machine-scored. Questions are drawn from the official FBLA topic outline for this event, across all of its topic areas. Expect a mix of recall (definitions, formulas), application (scenario-based), and analysis questions.
Top scorers advance
Top finishers at regionals advance to states, and top finishers at states qualify for the National Leadership Conference (NLC). How many advance depends on your state's rules. Study the official FBLA topic outline, which lists the subject areas the test covers.
Test format
- Time limit50 minutes
- Questions100 multiple choice
- OptionsA, B, C, D, one correct
- GuessingNo penalty, always answer
- CalculatorBuilt into the test
- IndividualSolo event
Competition levels: Regional Leadership Conference, then State Leadership Conference, then National Leadership Conference
Guidelines and resources
Bookmark to saveCurated by ChapterPrep. Free unless noted. External links open in a new tab.