Familiarize yourself with the news writing style. This includes the Associated Press style and the inverted pyramid, among other things. The Associated Press annually publishes a style book that includes information like proper abbreviations, word usage, media law, etc. You can purchase one at your local bookstore or get one at a discounted price at an online seller. It's best to brush up on this information because a news article is its own unique beast. It's written by putting the most important information at the top and working downward until the least important information is at the bottom of the article. Make sure you're familiar with the style of news writing or it's likely the newspaper staff will reject your article.
Gather ideas for your news article. You should have your finger on the pulse of your campus. Know what's going on around you. Ask fellow students or faculty members what's happening. Look at fliers and bulletin boards and listen to the college radio station for event announcements. Pay attention to what active organizations on campus are doing. Think about what makes you or your fellow students upset. Jot down ideas in a notebook and don't be afraid to write a long list--editors love ideas and reporters with initiative and enterprise. Remember that since it's a campus newspaper, your ideas should relate to the campus or issues that affect college students.
Decide if your ideas are newsworthy. Some news values include timeliness, proximity to your location, conflict, future impact, human interest, the number of people involved, and prominence, among others. Eliminate any ideas from your list if they are not newsworthy. For example, a story about a rash of thefts in the residence halls would be newsworthy because it's happening on campus and directly affects students.
Bring your list of ideas to the newspaper's editor. He will help you decide (or even choose for you) which idea to pursue.
Research the topic of your article. You'll want to be familiar with your subject so you can speak knowledgeably with your sources. For example, if you're doing a story on underage drinking, search online for statistics and go to the library to check out books or health magazines that detail how alcohol affects developing brains.
Find sources relating to your article. In-person interviews are great, phone interviews are good and email interviews are okay. It's important to find people who can speak with authority on the subject you're covering. Don't be afraid to go beyond your campus for sources. Firsthand experiences are great, articles/books/academic papers are good, and web resources are okay. An actual human source will always trump something from the Internet.
Do more research. Go beyond the information that your sources gave you and really delve into your subject. Go back to the library and ask the librarian to help you find additional books or magazines relating to your subject. Search out professors on campus (or from nearby colleges) who have a specialty in the area you're writing about. Even if you don't use all the information you gather, it will help you better understand the topic and allow you to write with more clarity and authority.
Write. The first draft shouldn't be the draft you submit to your editor. Write until you think it's perfect--and then write it one more time. Remember to utilize the news style of writing. Always keep in the back of your mind that this is journalism, not an academic paper, short story or any other type of writing. News articles are best with shorter sentences and concise writing. Always remember to include the five W's and an H--who, what, when, where, why, and how. Also, remember to write for your audience (college students).
Proofread. Your campus newspaper probably has a copy editor, but give your work another glance anyway. This will help you develop better writing skills, and if you do submit a perfect (or near perfect) article, your editor will probably be impressed with your work, trust you more as a journalist and be likely to give you more (and better) assignments in the future.
Accept feedback and constructive criticism, and keep writing. The only way to get better is to keep plugging away.
Grab a couple copies of the newspaper once it's printed to put in your writing portfolio. You'll need a variety of clips (writing samples) if you want to apply for internships or other positions in the future.