COMM 4312—Feature Writing
Spring Semester 2005
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.
(3) credit undergraduate course
Faculty: Dr. Tom Ruggiero
Office 102-B, Quinn Hall
Phone: 747-5762
E-mail: truggier@miners.utep.edu
Office Hours: 12:30 to 1:30 Monday, Wednesday& Friday & by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
We will study and practice feature writing for magazines. Creativity and style, as well as accurate reporting and observation, will be emphasized.
OBJECTIVES
1.
To provide extensive experience in writing feature articles for magazines, including submission to existing publications.
2.
To develop expertise in a communication-process approach to creating articles, from the identification of story ideas, through audience analysis, competition and market assessment, story research, interviews, appropriateness of writing style, rewrites, selling articles with query letters and critiques of others’ articles.
3.
To develop an understanding of the changing nature of the journalism profession and of journalistic outlets.
4.
To provide refinement of essential communication skills including spelling, word usage, grammar and story structure, and computer techniques including word processing, and database and Internet searches.
5.
Associated Press style will be used in all copy.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

Garrison, Bruce. Professional Feature Writing (3 rd Edition). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum Assoc.
SUGGESTED TEXT

Writer’s Market. 4,200 Places to Sell What You Write. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s
Digest Books. (WM in schedule)

A pocket dictionary is recommended, preferably Webster’s.

Various handouts will also be distributed.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.
Oral Report: The student will present a brief report on a magazine feature story to the class, then lead a short discussion on its merits, demerits, techniques, etc. She or he will distribute copies of the story during the class before giving the report. The story will be assigned reading for the class on which the report is given.
2.
Four 500-word feature stories, with four query letters, at least one of which is sent with a feature to a publication. You are welcome to exceed the length but you may not write less than 500 words.

Human Interest: A short feature that emphasizes the “human element” in a difficult or humorous situation. A person, or people dealing with unique problems and their solutions. Due 2/8.


Profile: A short feature on an interesting person. Due 3/4.

Being there: A short feature about an extraordinary or telling event you experienced first hand. Example: A fighting-fish convention, Corvette rally, Jack Russell terrier race, etc. Due 3/25.

A short feature on a local or regional historical event: The Border area is saturated with historical sites. Things happen here periodically that may be of interest to readers. Due
4/8.
3. Final Story—Profile: We return to a previous assignment. New Subject, and now you’re older and wiser. Minimum 2000 words. Due the last day of class.
4.
The final exam is mandatory and will consist of a presentation of your final story.
STORY DETAILS
 All draft and final versions of assignments must be turned in as typed or computerprinted hard copies. Microsoft Word files, or e-mailed as Word attached files may also be turned in. Deadlines are at the beginning of class on the days noted. Do not skip class to complete an assignment.
 Late stories will lose 10 points. If you don’t turn in a story, you will get a zero. I will not remind you to turn in stories.
 We will go on at least two field trips and have at least two inclass interviews. You must attend all.
 Stories submitted to this class are only for this class. You can’t use a new slant on a subject you have submitted to another class. Stories that have appeared in The
Prospector or other student publications will not be accepted. You may publish your stories after they have been graded both times and returned.
 You must go off campus for your stories. Don’t panic. El Paso’s a big town and you know more about it than you think. And please, no matter how interesting it is, do not write about your family.
 We will discuss all the assignments thoroughly in class before we do them. Most of the class work will consist of writing assignments that we will do in class and share.
The students will comment on these pieces as well as the instructor. Class participation is the great intangible tangible of your final grade. Be present, alert and responsive. Question the instructor and the group discussion leader. Make your own presentations confident and competent. Talk, listen, think, write. Good luck.
REQUIREMENTS
Class participation is required and can be the determining factor in grade decisions.
Journalism is a public profession and you should get used to interacting in public settings. Much of the class will involve presentation, discussion and written critiques of stories and story ideas, to which a portion of the grade is allocated. Periodic quizzes will be given in class on short notice.
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ALSO REQUIRED
A cassette tape recorder is required. The recorder must be able to operate with or without an electrical source. It should have a pause button and a counter. When purchasing the tape recorder the student should keep in mind that he or she will spend many hours listening to it and transcribing from it. The sound reproduction should be clear and the controls user-friendly but don’t go overboard on the price.
ATTENDANCE
Do not cut class. If the student misses more than FOUR classes during the semester their final grade will be dropped one letter. This applies to both excused and unexcused absences. If you are more than 15 minutes late three times that counts as an absence.
ROLE WILL BE TAKEN.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Late assignments will be lowered one letter grade for every class period.
COURSE GRADES
The student’s final grade will be based on classroom performance, attendance, the oral report, query letters and the stories.
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Final course grades will be distributed as follows:

Oral report, class work, quizzes 10%

Four stories 40%

Query letters 10%

Final story 35%

Final Exam 5%
GRADES
15 (A) Ready for publication. Error free. Mastery of facts, research techniques, news, database use, news judgment, writing, organization, format.
14 (A-) Almost perfect. Few style errors. Generally well-written, accurate, but requires minor editing as well attention to research techniques, database use, news judgment.
13 (B+) Better than average. No major errors but needs some rewriting and polishing before publication, as well more attention to research techniques, database use, and news judgment.
12 (B) Average. Few writing errors, including some grammatical or style problems, as well more attention to research techniques, database use, and news judgment. Length inadequate.
11-10 (B-/C +) Almost average. Serious problems with writing, organization, accuracy, context. Some spelling errors. Lack of attention to research techniques, database use, and news judgment. Needs substantial rewriting and editing.
9 (C) Very weak story. Basic problems. Can’t be published without major revisions. May have buried lead, omission of important facts, inaccuracies, several style or other errors.
8 (C-) A poor story. Lacks fundamental reporting and writing skills. Poor use of research techniques, database use, and news judgment. May have factual errors. Three or more misspellings. Some mechanical errors.
7 –6--5 (D+/D/D-) Two or more factual errors. Two or more proper names misspelled. More than three misspellings. Poor use of research techniques, database use, and news judgment. Grade merely reflects effort.
0 (F) Failure to do assignment or turn work in by deadline.

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CLASS SCHEDULE
Individual oral reports on interviewers will be scheduled on the first day of class.
The instructor may assign a number of class work exercises in addition to the activities listed below. Those exercises will be graded, the grades counting as quiz grades.
M 1/14 –Introduction; assignment of oral reports. Read Feature Writing, chapters 1.
W 1/16 -- Discussion of chapter 1. Read Feature Writing, chapters 2.
F 1/18 – Tape recorder check off. What’s interesting?-- generating topics for stories.
M 1/21 – MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY
W 1/23 – Human interest stories introduced. Read Feature Writing, chapters 3, 6
F 1/25 – Researching feature stories exercise. Read Feature Writing, chapter 4
M 1/28 -- Human interest stories discussion.
W 1/30 – Oral reports presentations.
F 2/1 – Human interest story writing exercise. Read Feature Writing, chapters 5.
M 2/4 -- Descriptive writing; observing details; creating a mood; setting the scene. Rick
Bragg.
W 2/6 –Field trip (Winery, Brewery ???. Read Feature Writing, chapter 7.
F 2/8 – HUMAN INTERST STORY DUE. In class writing with notes from field trip.
M 2/11-- Freelancing, finding the right market, query letters
W 2/13 -- Freelancing, finding the right market, query letters
F 2/15 – Exercise on query letters. Read Feature Writing, chapter 8.
M 2/18 – Interviewing: Researching and preparing for the interview and drawing up your questions.
W 2/20 – The psychology of the interview: questioning techniques. The importance of being over-prepared. When to throw away your questions and go with the flow. Going beyond pat answers. Listening. Listening. Listening. And how and when to draw the interview to a close.
F 2/22 – In class interview TBA.. Read Feature Writing, chapter 9.
M 2/25— Entertainment features and critical writing (reviews).
W 2/27 -- QUERY LETTER # 1DUE. Entertainment features and critical writing
(reviews).
F 3/1 – Entertainment Review story exercise.
M 3/4-- PROFILE STORY DUE. Entertainment features and critical writing (reviews).
W 3/6-- Entertainment features and critical writing (reviews).
F 3/8 – Entertainment Review story exercise.. Read Feature Writing, chapter 11.
M 3/11 – Travel writing
W 3/13 -- In class travel writing exercise.
F 3/15 – Roundtable discussion: self-critique and war stories. What has been learned thus far. Read Feature Writing, chapters 12 & 13
MWF 3/18 – 22 SPRING BREAK
M 3/25 – BEING THERE STORY DUE. QUERY LETTER # 2 DUE. In class writing

exercise.
W 3/27 -- Field trip.
F 3/29 – In class writing with notes from field trip.
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M 4/1 -- Historical events stories discussion.
W 4/3—In class interview TBA.
F 4/5 – QUERY LETTER # 3 DUE. In-class writing with notes from interview. Read
Feature Writing, chapters 14, 15
M 4/8 -- HISTORICAL EVENT STORY DUE. In-class conferences.
W& F 4/10-12 -- WORK ON FINAL STORY.
MW&F 4/15-19 --WORK ON FINAL STORY. Read Feature Writing, chapters 16, 17, 18.
MW&F 4/22-26 --WORK ON FINAL STORY.
M 4/29 – QUERY LETTER FOR FINAL STORY DUE. WORK ON FINAL STORY.
W 5/1 -- FINAL STORY—PROFILE DUE. Last day of class.
TH 5/8 – FINAL EXAM DAY (1:00 a.m. – 3:45p.m. ). Class presentation of final story.