Active Outline

General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
JOURD021B
Course Title (CB02)
Feature Writing and Reporting
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
Fundamentals in feature writing for newspapers, magazines, and other media with instruction and practice in profile, human interest, enterprise news, and opinion features. Practical experience in interviewing, writing special story types and revising.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course focuses on writing longer pieces and opinion stories for media presentation. It transfers to UC, and to CSU as a prerequisite for journalism programs, and is a requirement for the Journalism AA degree and part of a CTE program. The °®¶¹´«Ã½ Journalism Advisory Committee recommends that journalism students learn to write longer, more in-depth stories and opinions for media.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
C-IDArea(s)StatusDetails
JOURJournalismApprovedJOUR D021A & JOUR D021B required for C-ID JOUR 110

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
3.0
Maximum Credit Units
3.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours3.06.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
36.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
36.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
72.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
72.0

Prerequisite(s)

EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

JOUR D021A

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

In-class essays

In-class exploration of internet sites

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Guest speakers

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Assignments

  1. Reading approximately 150 pages from a textbook, websites and/or handouts that include:
    1. Explanation of feature-writing style and leads
    2. Suggestions for finding diverse sources.
    3. Examples of high-quality feature stories from professional media
    4. Media ethics and law applied to feature and enterprise news writing
  2. Writing five feature stories including:
    1. A multi-source personal profile.
    2. An enterprise story demonstrating choice of diverse, reliable sources
    3. An entertainment review and/or opinion story.
    4. A multi-source story that localizes a regional, national or international story.
  3. In-class assignments and exercises and a final exam to demonstrate comprehension of journalistic standards and critical thinking as applied to sourcing and writing feature stories.
  4. Presenting at least one story as an online presentation such as a blog or website with links and graphics.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Comprehension and critical thinking about reading evaluated by quizzes and short written reactions.
  2. Stories evaluated for structure, diverse and appropriate sourcing, use of AP style and journalistic standards and adherence to media law and ethics.
  3. Online presentation evaluated for story structure and sourcing and use of hyperlinks and graphics.
  4. In-class assignments, exercises and final exam evaluated for comprehension and application of journalistic standards.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • None.

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Harrower, Tim. Inside Reporting, 3e. McGraw-Hill, 2012.
Rich, Carole. Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method. 8e. Wadsworth. 2015.
Knight, Robert M. Journalistic Writing: Building the Skills, Honing the Craft, 3e. Marion Press, 2010.
Filak, Vincent F. Dynamics of News Reporting & Writing. Sage, 2019.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Associated Press. Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual 2018. The Associated Press, 2018.
Arnold, George T. Media Writer's Handbook: A Guide to Common Editing and Writing Problems, 6e. McGraw-Hill, 2012.
Brooks, Brian S. et al. Working with Words: A Handbook for Media Writers and Editors. 9e. Bedford/St. Martin's. 2016.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of feature writing including the organization and structure of feature stories
  • Gather, organize and synthesize information to compile into multi-source feature stories, and write these stories
  • Prepare several types of feature stories for news media

CSLOs

  • Appraise and critique feature stories for originality, sourcing and writing style.

  • Report and write original multi-source feature stories including incorporating ethical and legal principles and defending the use of sources.

  • Produce opinion and critique stories using students' own observations and sourcing.

  • Demonstrate how to present feature stories in non-print formats.

Outline

  1. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of feature writing including the organization and structure of feature stories
    1. Types of feature stories, difference between hard news story, soft news or feature story, opinion story
    2. The news peg, soft and feature leads.
    3. Analysis of examples of good feature writing
    4. Recognizing important, compelling details
    5. The complex, multi-source feature story
    6. Non-sexist, non-biased language
  2. Gather, organize and synthesize information to compile into multi-source feature stories, and write these stories
    1. Provide innovative story ideas
    2. Gather information from diverse sources
    3. Practice interviewing, note-taking and fact-checking
    4. Research, organize and develop stories
    5. Practice revision and editing
  3. Prepare several types of feature stories for news media
    1. The personal profile
    2. The enterprise news feature
    3. Localizing a national or regional story
    4. The opinion and/or personal experience story
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