6-8 pages/1,600-2,000 words investigative article

Investigative Feature Article

Requirements

Length: 6-8 pages/1,600-2,000 words

Points: 300 (200 for final essay and 50 x 2 for workshopping)

Interview Notes: You will need to interview at least 2 people for this paper (more is great)

Original Picture: You will need at least 1 original picture (more is great)

Rough Draft #1: Due Wednesday, April 21 by 11:59 in your workshop group AND the dropbox. At least 750 words minimum plus interview notes for 1 source. 

Rough Draft #2: Due Wednesday, April 28 by 11:59 in your workshop group AND the dropbox. Full draft plus interview notes for 2 sources (if not turned in already).

Final Copy: Due Sunday, May 2 by 11:59.

We will peer review this article twice. I suggest getting additional feedback from peers and the Writing Center or utilize my office hours! I will formally evaluate this project only once at the end of the semester. This project alone is worth almost 30% of your overall grade, so please submit your best work.

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Assignment Description

For this last essay you will put on the hat of the investigative journalist. We will be writing a feature-length article for a real or fictitious magazine. You’ll choose some very specific debate within the food industry and

· Write a persuasive, argument-driven, and investigative account of a local food-related business or organization, complete with at least two digital or in-person interviews.

OR

· Write a persuasive, argument-driven, and investigative account of a local food-related concern, complete with at least two digital or in-person interviews.

Know Your Audience: Magazines, unlike newspapers, are targeted for specific, niche audiences.  You should study the magazines you plan to write for and know exactly whom you are writing for:

Figure out your angle:  Don’t write about a trend, group, phenomenon, etc. just because it exists. Choose a slice of it that you can cover with depth, detail, and insight. To help figure out an angle, read at least a dozen articles in similar topics.  See what has not been written on it.

 Create an action angle and weave your story around it Weave the story around one central idea or main theme. Create a title containing an action verb. Tell a story about something that is happening.

Choose an angle on which you can offer intelligent insight. Your goal is to make readers say, “I’ve never heard of that before” or “I’ve never thought of it that way before.” Avoid quoting sources who simply restate common sense or what most people can figure out for themselves.

Find the How or Why angle. Many magazine stories lend themselves to the “how” or “why” angle.  Don’t just focus on the “what.” But don’t forget to tell the readers what, where, and when your story is happening.

Get over your shyness and learn to use the phone (and in person!) Learn to find, call and talk to people and take notes on the phone. You cannot interview too many people for a story.  If you think you will need five sources, then call ten.  Over-report so you can use the very best of the very best of your material.

Use plenty of examples and illustrations, which add color and human interest. SHOW, DON’T TELL.  Try to paint a picture with words that stimulate an image in the reader's mind. For example, If you're writing about unemployment, tell about the student who had to drop out of college because his father lost his job.

Write about people. Why do you think People magazine is America’s most profitable magazine? People like to read about people more than they like to read about ideas or concepts. If you're writing about an issue or concepts, then use people's names and quotes as often as possible

Use lots of direct quotes. One editor said, "The most common mistake I see among nonfiction writers is that they don't use quotes. If I don't see frequent quotes in an article, I will reject it."  Direct quotes breathe "life" into your article and attract and sustain the reader. BUT: Use your best quotes--not too many. Strike a balance between quotes and paraphrasing of quotes.

Be simple, but not simplistic, in your style .  Write for the everyday person, not for the intellectual. If the everyday person can understand you, then so will the intellectual. But the reverse isn't true.  Great and profound ideas can be communicated in simple, everyday language.