An example of fine reporting

C.J. Chivers is among the best war correspondents of this generation, and this story about an ambush in Afghanistan shows why.

Chivers, a correspondent for The New York Times, tells a compelling story about one small victory for U.S. troops fighting a difficult, often frustrating war. There are three things to note about how he does this:

First, he avoids military jargon in favor of plain language. Chivers explains technical details by integrating them into the story. For example, the lead tells you why the distance between soldiers on patrol is important, but Chivers uses this information to set the scene for what is to come later.

Second, Chivers tells the reader the source of his information, interviews with about half of the U.S. soldiers who participated in the action. This lends credibility to details that the reader might otherwise question, wondering how a reporter who was not present knows so much about what happened.

Third, Chivers provides the larger context for the incident. This includes how the ambush fits with the unit's experience over many months in the region, and a bit of history from earlier in the war.