The Assignment STEPS

**Don’t get too worried about doing this whole feature article all at once. We’ll work together each step of the way! 

STEP 1: Find Your Beat!

Find a topic/beat or an area of interest to YOU! What’s an area that you have a unique interest or knowledge in? It’s crucial that you choose something that matters to you as you’ll be spending weeks on this assignment. Brainstorm a few ideas rather than just going with the first topic that pops into your head. We’ll work together on this in class. 

STEP 2: Gather Research

 Find at least 4 sources on your beat/ topic. While you might be knowledgeable on this topic, we want to find sources that really reflect your understanding of the topic. They must be credible and relevant sources.

Due: March 28th

STEP 3: Analyze and Present Your Research

  • Write a brief summary of each of your four sources (what are the main ideas/ key points)? What is the genre? Who is the intended audience? What is the purpose? What examples of rhetorical appeals do you see? 
  • Is the source credible? How do you know? Is there bias in the piece? 
  • Prepare a short oral presentation on one of the research pieces you found and share it with the class. The focus should be on the Rhetorical Situation (audience, purpose), how the author presents the information, and a brief summary of the piece. Explain why you chose the piece and what the information teaches you about your topic.

Due (Source Analysis and Evaluation Worksheet and Oral Presentation): March 30th

STEP 4: Mentor Article and Publication

Together, we will each look for a mentor article/ publication, which is basically a published article (about something else) that you can use as an effective model for writing your own article. That is, you will be looking for an article in the publication of your choice that you admire. You do not have to copy the style of writing, but you can turn to it for tips on style, word choice, tone, structure, and so on. 

Due: April 4th

STEP 5: Write Your Feature Article

You have completed the research, chosen a mentor article/ publication and now it is time to write your article in the genre/ style you have selected! Make sure to keep your audience and purpose in mind. 

Draft Due: April 13th

STEP 5: Peer Review/ Article Due

Engage in online peer review sessions. Following the comments you received, you will revise and edit your article! 

Final Due: April 25th