class meeting Wednesday Mar 16
Digging into the structure of a feature article. Expanding our kinds of sources. The Assignment Sheet link.
due by Tuesday Mar 22 end of day
- Perusall: Go back to the feature you read over the past two weeks, and break it down by addressing these things in your annotations. We’ll be using this information next week in class, so be as thorough as you can!
- What kind of hook/engaging opening did the writer use? What do you think about how well it worked and whether it was a good choice?
- Where is the nut graf? Does it tell us why this is a timely or important topic? How well did it set you up for understanding the rest of the article?
- Where was the initial research? Before or after the nut graf? Did it provide useful information that made you want to read more, or was it out of place, and why?
- Briefly talk about the kinds of research included in the body — tables, charts, expert quotes, research studies, etc. Did they help or hurt your understanding of the topic?
- What kind of conclusion did the writer use — circle back to initial paragraph, give advice/tips, issue a call to action, end with a great quote? Did it work as a good way to wrap up this kind of article?
- Google Drive: Add a third research entry to your Feature Article folder. This should be your field notes or pictures or write-up of an interview or write-up of a site visit. This is NOT the typical “Google it or use the library databases” kind of research — this is getting out in the field!
Helpful article links and information:
How to structure a feature story
How to do research for a Feature Article (interviews, site visits, getting the ‘good’ stuff) for a feature article
How to write an engaging opening
- Paint a vivid picture using concrete detail
- Use a metaphor to compare a complicated topic to something simple
- Ask a question to make the reader curious
- Tell a story about you or someone you know or someone you read about to make a personal connection
