English 307: Topics in Journalism

Feature Writing


 Kim Pearson
Class: 234 Bliss Hall at TF 2:00 - 3:20
Office Hours: Thursday 9:00 -- 12:00 or by appointment
Office: 217 Bliss Hall
x2692

This course will allow you to become proficient in writing short features for newspapers and magazines. We begin with a foundation in hard news reporting: the classic inverted pyramid. Then, we examine the kinds of stories below the fold on page one, and throughout the rest of the paper: the news analysis pieces, opeds, profiles, lifestyle stories and investigative stories. These are all common types of feature stories. Every writer who hopes to make a living in print or electronic media needs to know how to create these kinds of stories. 

Texts

AUTHOR

OR EDITOR

FULL TITLE

PUBLISHER

Lanson, Jerry and Croll Fought, Barbara

News in a New Century: Reporting in and Age of Converging Media

Pine Forge Press

Brooks, Terri

Words Worth: A Handbook For Writing and Selling Non-Fiction

St. Martins Press

Goldstein, Norm

(editor)

Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual

Associated Press

 

 

RECOMMENDED READING 

AUTHOR

 TITLE

PUBLISHER

Mindich,

David

Just the Facts

NYU Press

 

 

Class Requirements

An e-mail address: 5 percent

Three background memos from your beat: 15 percent,

Thoughtful responses to any 5 e-mail questions during the course of the semester, posted to the message board. -- 10 percent

Four 1,000-word stories, as specified above -- 50 points

Fulfillment of editorial responsibilities as assigned -- 10 percent

Grading Criteria

A Logic and facts are in order. Writing and reporting are clear, effective, and interesting. No substantial spelling, grammar or mechanical errors. Presentations are delivered in the appropriate style and format, within the established time frame.

B Logic and facts are in order. The writing are clear and competent. Errors are minimal.

C The writing is thoughtful and produced with care. Some errors.

D An effort has been made to meet the requirements of the assignment, but substantial work is needed.

F The requirements have not been addressed.

0 The work has not been handed in, and no extensions have been given.

Class Covenant

We will:

September, 2000 Schedule
Professor Kim Pearson
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
5 Course Introduction. Introduction to Unbound and OFDS. Read: Lanson -- Chaps 1-2. What is feature writing?  6 7 Unbound assignments. Staff meeting.  For next class: e-mail me a 1-page memo on three possible geographic beats and three candidates or political organizations that you can cover. Read Lanson chapters 4-7 for advice on information gathering. We'll look at Roy Peter Clark's gem: How to Write a Good Story in 800 Words or Less.  Begin discussion of the color story.  
12 Beat assignment memo due. Unbound production schedule. Interviewing practice. More work on color story. Read Terri Brooks on description. Read the grammar guide for journalists chapter on adjectives, adverbs and prepositions and take the quiz 13 14  Proposals due for story one. Writing tight. More advice from a master Cultivating Voice: Read Brooks chapter on Voice.

Review: http://www.pulitzer.org/

 
19 Here's a helpful site for data sources that is especially tailored for journalists. Also, we go over the AP Quiz. (ungraded). Also, we'll look at the way new technology such as panoramic imaging can be used in storytelling. 20 21 Story One due: In class critique
26 Read "Nirere." Human interest features. due 10/10. Also, we'll discuss The Long Vigil 27 28 

October 2000 Schedule

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1 2
3 4 5 
10 . Human interest feature due. ANNOUNCEMENT: instead of covering community learning day, you have the option of covering one of the following major campus programs:
  • October 20 Senate election debate between Rep. Bob Franks and Jon Corzine (seating limited)
  • November 1 Multicultural Lecture by Manning Marable
  • November 14 Inequality in the World Economy
Also, here are Instructions for submission to OFDS:
  1. Go to the ofds page at http://uss.tcnj.edu/ofds/forms/kpearson/Unbound.html.
  2. Log in using the ID and password that you got the first day of class. When the OFDS menu comes up, click "Submissions."
  3. You can type in the filename or use the "Browse" button to locate your file.
  4. Then type your slug in the spot labeled "File description."
  5. Then click the "Submit file button just to the right of where you typed your slug.
11 Community  Learning Day: 12 

Read Lanson, Chapter 10
17 Election preview -- discussion and planning for political story due November 16. Read Lanson Chapter 10.

Proposal for election story due 10/19. 

 18 19 Political story proposal due. This can be a profile of a candidate, or the exploration of an issue related to your beat. October 20: Corzine/Franks debate on campus.
24 Fall Break Ends.  25 

11 am presentation on Privilege Systems. Kendall Hall

 26 More discussion of political coverage. A more detailed outline of your proposed story due. The completed story is due November 16 via OFDS.
31

November, 2000 Schedule

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1 2
7

Election day. Vote

 8 9 Discuss status of political stories.
14 Cover the Inequality in the World Economy Conference on campus 15 16  Political Story due. Begin discussion of final story, an opinion or editorial piece. Prepare by reading The ABCs of OpEd Writing. We'll talk about some examples in class. Your op-ed is due on November 30.
21 22 Thanksgiving Break begins 23 Thanksgiving
28 29 30 

 

 

December, 2000 Schedule

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
5 7 7
8 9 10
11 12 13 
14Last class. 15 16
17

Exam

 18

Week

 19

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21

End of semester

 Holiday Break

 

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