Course Syllabus
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PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A DRAFT OF THE SYLLABUS FOR THIS CLASS TO GIVE ENROLLED STUDENTS A BETTER IDEA OF THE COURSE IN THE SPRING. A COMPLETED VERSION WILL BE AVAILABLE THE FIRST NIGHT OF CLASS.
Feature Writing JOUR E-137 Spring 2017 Monday 7:40-9:40 p.m.
Alicia Anstead
Description
Feature writing has changed through the years from long-form to a variety of lengths, elements and platforms. In this workshop, students develop ideas for stories and create bundles to accompany longer pieces, pitch packages in a targeted way and compose effective stories. Students also learn strategies for interacting with editors, designers and others on the path to publication. Class time is focused on these elements as well as critical discussion of student work and analysis of published material in print and online. Prerequisite: an introductory journalism course or journalism experience.
Structure The two-hour class will begin each week with guided discussions of published feature stories as well as responses to reading assignments. You will always know the assignments beforehand and are expected to be prepared and to contribute fully to classroom exchanges. Very few feature writers win the hearts of all readers; so this is by nature a dynamic environment of opinion, emotion, experimentation and authority – that is to say, a lively discussion. Classes will also include writing workshops, practical writing exercises, blogging and guest speakers from the field. We will read, study and analyze a variety of writing styles, and then synthesize information to develop your voice as a professional writer.
Written Work This is a writing intensive course that includes informal assignments in and out of class. Students are required to contribute ONE post (of about 200 words) to the class blog each week. Three longer works include:
During the last week of class, I will ask you to submit an ungraded but required essay of 500 words on your philosophy of writing based on our discussions in class.
Texts Most texts will be links online or provided by instructor. Students should regularly read features in publications such as the New Yorker, Atlantic, New York magazine, The Boston Globe Magazine, The New York Times Magazine and other pubilcations of your choice. I will edit stories based on the style of the Associated Press Stylebook (the Bible of journalistic standards). A good grammar and usage guide, which is recommended but not required, is A Short Guide to College Writing by Sylvan Barnet, Pat Bellanca and Marcia Stubbs. Both books are available online and in many local bookstores. Using these two sources, plus a dictionary, will assure all submitted assignments have been carefully edited for spelling, grammar, punctuation and AP Style. Registered students have the privelege of consulting tutors at the Writing Center, located in Grossman Library.
Office Hours I am available by appointment – regularly and as needed. Please email me.
Attendance and Outside Work Attend. All classes. Except for emergencies. This course requires the stamina, passion and dedication of a professional writer. Count on approximately four additional hours outside of class for reading and writing.
Grades Exercises and first drafts receive no grade, but they contribute to your overall standing. Take them seriously as the lead-up to excellence in your final submissions. Expect the same for class participation. You are in a community of writers for two hours a week; as such your voice is an important contributor to the shape and quality of our conversation and understanding. Here's a guide to how I think about grading papers. (Hat tip to June Erlick.) So what is an "A"? Getting all the ingredients: accurate facts, an engaging beginning, good quotes and description, depending on the type of story. Your style and voice are clear and confident. The quality of your writing is very high. Sentences are sharp, clear, concise and correct; paragraphs are unified, organized and coherent; the story is organized and focused. In short, this is a story that could be published with very slight copyediting. A "B" means meeting 3 out of 4 of the items listed above, or doing all of them some of the time, but not all of the time. It is a story that could be published, but only with some reshaping and more extensive copyediting. A "C" means just 2 out of 4, or not meeting the 4 standards at least half of the time. A “C” story would need to be completely rewritten or more reporting done before the story could be considered for publication. A "D" indicates work that shows a deficiency in knowledge of the material. An "E" is a failing grade that represents work that deserves no credit. Here's how your final grade with be calculated. Additional writing: 10 percent (class and online discussion and activities)
Academic IntegrityAll journalism students are expected to observe Harvard University rules regarding plagiarism and academic honesty as listed at www.harvard.extension.edu and here:
Plagiarism is the theft of someone else’s ideas and work. It is the incorporation of facts, ideas, or specific language that are not common knowledge, are taken from another source, and are not properly cited. Whether a student copies verbatim or simply rephrases the ideas of another without properly acknowledging the source, the theft is the same. A computer program written as part of the student’s academic work is, like a paper, expected to be the student’s original work and subject to the same standards of representation. In the preparation of work submitted to meet course, program or school requirements, whether a draft or a final version of a paper, project, take-home exam, computer program, application essay, oral presentation or other work, students must take great care to distinguish their own ideas and language from information derived from sources. Sources include published and unpublished primary and secondary materials, the Internet, and information and opinions of other people. Extension School students are responsible for following the standards of proper citation and to avoid plagiarism. Two useful sources are Writing with Sources: A Guide for Harvard Students and Writing with Internet Sources, prepared by Harvard’s Expository Writing Program. Writing with Sources: A Guide for Harvard Students is available in the Research Help section of the Grossman Library website. Hard copies of both of these publications are available at 51 Brattle Street and are on reserve at Grossman Library.
SCHEDULE January 23: Introduction. In-class writing assignment. What is feature writing? What is a pitch? What is an outline? How do you develop an idea? And who are you? January 30: Outline for first paper due in class. February 6: First paper draft due PREVIOUS TO CLASS. Workshopping first drafts February 13: GUEST SPEAKER February 20: HOLIDAY February 27: First paper due IN CLASS. March 6: March 13: SPRING RECESS March 20: Second paper draft due IN CLASS. Workshopping drafts March 27: Return of rough drafts. April 3: Second paper due IN CLASS. April 10: Worshopping third draft April 17: Third draft due IN CLASS. April 24: Return of rough drafts. May 1: Workshopping drafts May 8: FINAL CLASS; FINAL paper due IN CLASS
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Course Summary:
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