Jour276: Feature Writing for

Print and Online Media

"To be an artist means never to avert one's eyes" - Akira Kurosawa

PREREQ: JOUR175

Course objective: To learn how to write feature stories for print and online news outlets.

Professor Tony Rogers

Office: Rollins 125/Phone: 968-8165/E-mail: bucksjournalism@gmail.com

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COLLEGE PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT POLICY

Five story assignments for Spring 2024:

Profile

News feature

Spot Feature

and two other Centurion stories (reviews, trend stories, opinion/editorials, columns, etc.)

OR one live-in story.

Centurion deadlines for Spring 2024

Course Deadlines will match the Centurion schedule.

Issue 8

Deadline for ads and articles: Wednesday, Feb. 14

Paper published: Thursday, Feb. 22

Issue 9

Deadline for ads and articles: Wednesday, Feb. 28

Paper published: Thursday, March 7

Issue 10

Deadline for ads and articles: Wednesday, March 27

Paper published: Thursday, April 4

Issue 11

Deadline for ads and articles: Wednesday, April 10

Paper published: Thursday, April 18

Issue 12

Deadline for ads and articles: Wednesday, April 24

Paper published: Thursday, May 2

BOOKS AND MATERIALS:

Newswriting on Deadline, by Tony Rogers (buy it used online or at the bookstore and be sure to sell it back to them at the end of the semester.)

The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual 

Carry a reporter's notepad with you at all times. You never know when you'll come across a good story. Also, use it for jotting down story ideas.

WRITING
You will write five major articles for this class.

Feature stories by nature tend to be longer than hard news stories, typically a minimum of 700 to 1,000 words as opposed to the 500-word pieces you did in Jour175.
 

E-mail all stories to your instructor and to the Centurion at buckscenturion@gmail.com. Since we hope to publish as many of these stories in the Centurion as possible, be thinking about visuals to accompany your story - photos, graphics, etc. See the Centurion editor if you need to borrow the digital camera.
 

 MAJOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

 IN-CLASS WRITING EXERCISES

READING, CRITIQUES, BLOGGING, ETC.
 

Since this is a feature writing class, you should be reading articles written by those who have mastered the form. Check my Articles page and the Writers to Read page. I recommend the Sunday New York Times magazine, the daily page one feature in the Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Newsweek, The Washington Post Style section, Rolling Stone. 
 

I will regularly give you feature stories to read. For every story you're assigned to read you must complete the ARTICLE discussion worksheet and enter your answers on one of the blogs below. Read your classmates' critiques on the blog and be prepared to discuss these stories in class. I consider class participation very important and expect EVERYONE to contribute to these discussions. Also, throughout the semester I will ask each of you to bring to class a feature story you particularly liked. I'll make copies of it and we'll discuss it in class.

ABSENCES, PLAGIARISM

ABSENCES: Unexcused absences quickly hurt your grade. If you miss class, it's up to YOU to contact me to find out what you missed.
 

LATE WORK: Deadlines are crucial in the news business. Miss a few in the real world and you'll be fired. I will lower your grade on late work.
 

COLLEGE PLAGIARISM POLICY

QUIZZES

QUIZZES: There will be weekly news quizzes. Read at least one newspaper daily or scan the AP wire.

EXTRA CREDIT, GRADES, ETC.

EXTRA CREDIT: You earn extra credit by writing as much as possible for the Centurion or some other local publication.
 

MENTORING: Students can earn extra credit spending a shift with a reporter or editor at the Bucks County Courier Times. See me if you want to do this.
 

GRADES: Your final grade will be based on writing assignments, quizzes, class participation and extra credit work. Writing assignments will count the most. You will write a minimum of 5,000 words for this class.
 

 WRITING TIPS

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