COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This advanced course in feature writing expands on the reporting and news writing skills you developed during News Writing & Reporting (JOUR215). You will gain hands-on feature writing experience, use AP style and proper grammar on a consistent basis, and recognize distinct types of feature stories commonly seen in newspapers and in online publications. You will practice gathering and assembling information into engaging short feature stories, working under deadlines, all the while writing accurately and precisely.

TEXTS:

The Writer Within: A guide to creative nonfiction, by Lary Bloom

Associated Press Stylebook

New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com) FREE online resource

GRADES & GUIDELINES:

Your grade for the quarter will be based on the following guidelines as well as your completion of all steps of the feature stories.* Keep track of the points you earn on each of your assignments!

CLASS GUIDELINES

•    Attend class. More than three absences will result in at least one letter grade reduction from your final grade from the course, no matter your scores on assignments. Missed in-class work turned in for grading may NOT be made up. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact me via email or on my office phone in advance.

•    Participate in class. You are expected to be an active learner in class as well as outside of it. At the end of the quarter, your participation score will count as a real component of your grade.

•    Meet deadlines. All homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class. Assignments turned in late (after class, via email) will drop by one letter grade (10 percent) automatically. No assignments will be accepted more than a week beyond the original deadline. Rewrites are acceptable, but must be confirmed with me in advance. The deadline for the final assignment is NOT negotiable.

•    Show respect. You are expected to show respect for your classmates and instructor. No cell phone use, text messaging, computer games or Internet surfing will be tolerated in class. Any of the above infractions will result in dismissal from class for the day and count as an absence.

Final grade breakdown: Feature 1 (20 percent), Feature 2 (20 percent), Feature 3 (35 percent), homework and outside reading (15 percent), class participation (10 percent)

* UC has a strict policy prohibiting plagiarism. Abide by it and ask if you have any questions.

OUTSIDE READING ASSIGNMENT:

Fifteen percent of your grade for the class will be based on homework assignments and on a thoughtful analysis of an outside reading that delves into writing strategies and techniques, important skills you must master as a journalist and lessons from experienced professionals. Your paper must demonstrate that you read the entire selection and offer an educated opinion of the text’s value and relevance to your journalism career. Be skeptical; be fair. The paper should also include any lessons you learned in the process of reading the book and any surprises (good and bad) that stuck with you.

Your analysis should take at least 1,500 words. Please consult with me early if you have any questions or need more information about this assignment. NOTE: Start reading early—these books will help you improve your craft. NOTE, PART 2: If you have already written a paper about one of these books for one of my courses, you are required to choose the other text. ☺

For this assignment, you may choose one from the following texts:

Letters to a Young Journalist, by Samuel G. Freedman

All I Did Was Ask, by Terry Gross

Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott

CONFERENCES:

You are welcome to request or schedule conferences at any point throughout the quarter.

COURSE SCHEDULE*:

Week 1 reading assignment: Chapters 1-3 (by Thursday, April 3)

Tues., April 1        Course introduction/overview, review syllabus,

requirements & guidelines—What is a feature story?

Types of features & where to find them—the hunt for great ideas

            (local people, places, events, issues)

Thurs., April 3        Guest speakers and preview of Feature 1

            HOMEWORK DUE: Bring in hard copy of a newspaper feature story

            (put your  name on it and date it)

Week 2 reading assignment: Chapters 4-7

Tues., April 8        Feature 1 brainstorm & intro to multi-media

            HOMEWORK DUE: Analysis of Select feature

Thurs., April 10        Interviewing tips & techniques

HOMEWORK DUE: Analysis of Select feature; source list for Feature 1

Week 3 reading assignment: Chapters 8-10

Tues., April 15        Intro to Feature 2 – Earth Day feature (Sawyer Point event)

    http://www.earthcoalition.net/2008/earthday2008.htm

            HOMEWORK DUE: Analysis of Select feature

Thurs., April 17        Outlines, angles & ledes

            HOMEWORK DUE: Two angle ideas for Feature 2 (Earth Day @ Sawyer Point)

FEATURE 2: SATURDAY, APRIL 19: EARTH DAY @ SAWYER POINT

Week 4 reading assignment: Chapters 11 & 12

Tues., April 22      Language & flow 

            HOMEWORK DUE: Analysis of Select feature, source list for Feature 2

            Three lede options & outline for Feature 1

Thurs., April 24    Earth Day Feature: discussion

            HOMEWORK DUE: Earth Day Feature (two copies, one for peer edits)

Week 5 reading assignment: Chapter 13

Tues., April 29        NO CLASS--CONFERENCE 1

                            (Bring Earth Day Feature revision)

Thurs., May 1        Descriptive techniques & research tips

            HOMEWORK DUE: Analysis of Select feature, outline for UC21 Feature

Week 6 reading assignment: Continue outside reading

Tues., May 6        Setting the scene & more on structure

            HOMEWORK DUE: FINAL COPY OF EARTH DAY FEATURE DUE!

Thurs., May 8        UC21 discussion

            HOMEWORK: Feature 2 (two copies, one for peer edits)

FRIDAY, MAY 9    JOURNALISM PROGRAM CELEBRATION

Week 7 reading assignment: Continue outside reading

Tues., May 13        Feature 3 brainstorming

HOMEWORK DUE: Analysis of Select feature, three typewritten ideas for Feature 3, a local “place” you’d like to pursue

Thurs., May 15        NO CLASS--CONFERENCE 2 (Feature 2 returned to you)

Week 8 reading assignment: Continue outside reading

Tues., May 20         NO CLASS           

Thurs., May 22        NO CLASS, work on Feature 3

Week 9 reading assignment: Continue outside reading

Tues., May 27        Sidebars & Web extras (Amanda's W's Birthday)

HOMEWORK DUE:     FINAL OF FEATURE 1 OR 2

Thurs., May 29    Feature 3 discussion

HOMEWORK DUE:     FINAL OF FEATURE 1 OR 2 PLUS read "Weight of a Family's Hopes" and answer three questions: What surprised you? What did you learn? What do you want to know more about? (You will turn in your answers to these questions, so bring them printed out to class and be prepared to discuss. That's right--TALK!)

Week 10

Tues., June 3        Outside reading discussion & course evaluations

            HOMEWORK DUE: Feature 3 (two copies)

Thurs., June 5        Feature story lessons learned

            HOMEWORK DUE: Top 10 lessons learned about features &

            Journalism

FRIDAY, June 6    OUTSIDE READING PAPER DUE IN MY MAILBOX BY NOON

* Course schedule and homework assignments subject to changes/updates.