The article should be about 1,000 words (about 3 1/2 pages) A list of very general topics appears at the bottom. You don't have to choose one of these. You may write on a topic of your choice, but it must be approved by your GTF.
The topics listed are fairly broad. You will want to narrow your focus. For example, a topic such as "The Internet and Higher Education" is very general. A more narrow focus might be: "How professors use the Web in large classes." A broad issue might be "The cost of higher education." A more manageable story might examine whether tuition increases have had an impact on in-state enrollment.
You should:
There are a few ground rules for this story, but you have flexibility in how you tell it. You must interview at least one person (most stories require more than one), and you must quote your interviewee(s) in the article. For example, if you choose volunteerism on campus, you might talk to the leader of an organization that does volunteer work, say a service fraternity. Or you might interview several students who spend a lot of time doing volunteer work.
This is not a term paper; it's a feature article. Do not footnote source material--build that information into attributions, if necessary.
Find a topic that interests you. We're not looking for a news burst/inverted pyramid story. We'll be looking for an engaging lead and a thoughtfully structured article. You might use an anecdote lead, a question, a contrast or any other feature approach that seems appropriate to your topic. As usual, precision, clarity and accuracy are important. Choose your quotes wisely, and use them well--to add information, to add life, to move the story along.
Follow the story format listed in the syllabus. Late stories will receive a reduced grade. Punctuation, grammar and spelling errors will cost you.
This assignment will require more work than your other writing
assignments. It's worth 20% of your grade. You have a deadline that is
weeks away, but you need to start thinking about it now, doing what research
you need and lining up your interview(s).
Please follow the format for assignments
on the web page or the syllabus.