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University of Kent

Feature Writing

University of Kent via FutureLearn

Overview

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Learn how to write a feature article

This four-week course will help you explore the feature landscape to help you understand the crucial difference between a news story and a feature.

You’ll learn how feature writers get their ideas as you discover the importance of research and valuable sources. With this understanding, you’ll put what you have learned into practice and complete an exercise to get the ideas flowing for your own feature.

Explore the vital ingredients for first-class feature articles

Delving into the key components of a feature article, you’ll learn the best techniques for interviewing people to help take your ideas and turn them into long-form pieces.

You’ll think about the value of originality and some of the ethical dilemmas you could face as a feature writer.

You’ll also examine different types of features to understand their common principles before being guided through a practical exercise to help you learn key structural tips.

Discover the art of writing an opinion piece

Finally, you’ll explore the opinionated side of journalism – reviews, opinion columns, and news-based blogs.

By the end of this course, you’ll understand the ethical and legal difficulties you could face when producing opinion pieces.

This course is designed for aspiring writers or journalists with an interest in media reporting.

If you’d like to develop your understanding further, you may be interested in these courses. They’re from the same provider and share overall learning outcomes:

  • Introduction to Journalism and Reporting
  • A Reporter’s Toolkit for the Digital Age

Syllabus

  • Feature writing
    • Welcome to feature writing
    • What is a feature?
    • Where do features appear?
    • Where do you get your ideas from?
    • Weekly wrap up
  • Vital ingredients for feature writing
    • Welcome to Week 2
    • From ideas to research
    • Pitch an idea for a feature
    • Planning a longer interview
    • Preparing for your own long-form interview
    • Weekly wrap up
  • Constructing a feature
    • Introduction to Week 3
    • How to construct a feature
    • Approaches to feature structure
    • Create an 'intro' to a feature
    • Weekly wrap up
  • Opinion columns, blogs and reviews
    • Introduction to Week 4
    • Shades of opinion or 'ranting reporters'?
    • What makes a good opinion column?
    • Writing riveting reviews
    • Ethical and legal dilemmas or problems when giving opinions
    • Write a review, opinion column or 'newsy blog'
    • End of the course

Taught by

Angela Harrison

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