25369 Version 1
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Write feature stories for print publication
Level
6
Credits
20
Purpose
This unit standard is for people who are employed in news media outlets and
who are required to write feature stories for publication in newspapers,
magazines or periodicals.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify feature stories for
print publication, produce a brief for each story, and gather information for the
stories; and write feature stories in accordance with the approved brief.
Subfield
Journalism
Domain
Applied Journalism
Status
Registered
Status date
20 March 2009
Date version published
20 March 2009
Planned review date
31 December 2013
Entry information
Recommended: Unit 25361, Develop rounds, gather
information, and plan stories for publication or
broadcast, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and
skills.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and
industry.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Competenz
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0002
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
Evidence presented for award of credit must be in accordance with the required
standards for applied journalism, found in the current editions of: Statement of
Principles (Wellington: New Zealand Press Council, 2006) available at
http://www.presscouncil.org.nz/principles.html – for print journalism.
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25369 Version 1
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2
Industry text:
Tully, Jim (ed), Intro: A beginner's guide to professional news journalism (Wellington:
New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 4th edition, 2008). This publication
can be obtained from Competenz website www.competenz.org.nz.
3
This unit standard has been designed for learning and assessment in the workplace.
For assessment against this unit standard candidates will submit a portfolio of
feature stories that they have prepared and written from information gathered using
practical skills learned during their workplace training. The stories submitted will have
been completed within times set by the news media outlet, and will have been
published in a newspaper, magazine, or periodical.
4
Evidence is required for three feature stories.
5
Definitions
the appropriate person refers to the person within the news media outlet who
ensures that stories meet the industry standards. This person may be the chief
reporter, bulletin editor, or editor;
a brief describes the main purpose of the proposed story and contains the who, why,
what, where, and when elements of the story. Approval for the brief will be given by
the appropriate person in accordance with industry standards;
a feature story (also known as feature article or news backgrounder) is a story that
does not necessarily break news, but takes an in-depth look at a subject. It offers a
broader perspective of a news event or issue, or profile of a person in the news or
who is important to a community. It may or may not be time-critical, and can also be
referred to as a script;
graphics/images refer to photographs, diagrams, info-graphics, and audio or visual
requirements;
industry standards refer to the required standards for applied journalism and the
industry texts and sources cited in the special notes as well as documented policies
and procedures set down by the workplace;
publication refers to publication in newspapers, or magazines, or periodicals,
depending on the activities of the workplace.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Identify feature stories for print publication, produce a brief for each story, and gather
information for the stories, in accordance with industry standards.
Range
feature stories may include but are not limited to – news backgrounders relating
to court, crime, transport, profiles, sports, business, special or other interests.
Performance criteria
1.1
Feature stories are identified from events and items of interest, and a brief for
the development of each story is produced and approved.
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1.2
Information for feature stories is gathered and recorded to meet the
requirements of the approved brief.
Range
may include but is not limited to – direct quotes, reported speech,
paraphrases, summaries;
documented facts, statistics;
context/background information about people referred to in feature
stories – full name, age, gender, occupation, honorific, marital
status.
Element 2
Write feature stories for print publication, in accordance with the approved brief.
Performance criteria
2.1
Feature stories are drafted in accordance with industry standards.
2.2
Feature stories meet editorial requirements for publication.
Range
may include but is not limited to – introduction; clarity; house style;
language; standard grammar, punctuation, and spelling; no jargon
or clichés; length; proper nouns and numbers minimised;
accuracy; editorial legal and ethical guidelines, in-house guides.
2.3
Opinion and controversial facts are clearly identified and attributed.
2.4
Graphics/images are planned, sourced, and assembled and captions for
graphics/images are written in accordance with design requirements and
industry standards.
2.5
Feedback on the draft stories is sought from the appropriate person before
deadline for editing, and all information related to the production of the stories is
stored in accordance with industry standards.
2.6
Features stories are revised to incorporate the changes required from the
feedback.
2.7
Final draft of each feature story meets the requirements of the approved brief
and is in accordance with industry standards.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
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25369 Version 1
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Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Competenz info@competenz.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the
content of this unit standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016