Please use this modelled example of how to annotate a feature article. It’s really important that you use this as a framework for your own annotations.

In this annotated example, please note:

• How I’ve explored the importance of the headline and how it sets the tone.
• Specific language features- alliteration, emotive language, verbs, repetition.
• The structure of the article and how it starts with facts, then moves onto an emotive story before offering the reader a solution.
• How we can identify context, audience and purpose.
• The use of facts to support the central argument.

Page One

 

Page Two

 

Page Three

 

Page Four

Use the task sheet below to structure your investigation into a range of feature articles:

You can cut and paste this into a separate Word/Pages document. There are a series of feature articles for you to investigate at the bottom of this post.

Feature Articles

 

Paired Work Task Sheet

 

In today’s lesson, you will explore a range of feature articles.

 

 

Title of Feature Article ………………………………………………………………

 

 

Audience ………………………………………………………………………………

 

Evidence

 

 

 

 

Purpose  ……………………………………………………………………………….

 

Evidence

 

 

 

 

Title and Headline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Details (The Main Article)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal Response

 

Did you think it was a successful feature article? Why/why not?

How did the feature article inform, entertain and persuade?

How did the feature article meet the criteria for being successful?

 

Feature Articles:

Australia’s Heatwave Feature Article 

Context: Written by an Australian scientist at Macquarie University. He’s also a government advisor on climate change. The text concerns the heatwave which hit much of Australia in 2013.

Audience: It could be argued that the text is aimed at all Australians to warn them that climate change is a threat to the country. You could also argue that the text is also aimed at people who deny that climate change exists, or aimed at people who might want to invest in solar panels for their property. Another audience could be advocates for renewable energy.

Purpose: The text acts as a warning to those who are perhaps unaware of the challenges facing our climate in Australia. The tone of the article suggests that people need to act urgently to mitigate the threat posed by global warming. By using a wide range of facts, Flannery alerts the reader to how dangerous the changes to our climate are and that Australia is in a race against time. The article ends on a sense of optimism in terms of our approach to renewable energy.

 

Disney’s Dolls

Here is a very quick guide to what to look for when reading/analysing/responding to a feature article. When you’re annotating your feature articles, use this a checklist of what to look for, what to annotate.

 

A feature article… Informs, Entertains & Persuades.

 

Purpose – The Mission of a Feature Article

Feature articles are detailed pieces of writing which explore a range of issues, opinions, experiences and ideas. The purpose of a feature article will vary depending on the media it is meant for. Feature articles should appeal to the particular audience the article is targeting. For example if a magazine was targeted at middle aged women, then the articles, advertising and pictures within that magazine would reflect their interest in lifestyle, career, money, health and relationships.

 

Structure

Like any form of writing a feature article follows a standard structure. While it may vary depending on your topic, a feature article should always include a headline, introduction, the main body and a concluding paragraph.

 

Title & Headline

The headline performs two important functions. An effective headline:

• Grabs the reader’s attention and persuades them to read the article
• Highlights the main idea of the article.
• Includes keywords (for online articles). 
Introduction 
The first paragraph outlines the subject or theme of the article, it may also:
• Provoke the reader’s interest by making an unusual statement.
• Provide any necessary background information.
• Invite the reader to take sides by making a controversial statement.
• Heighten the drama of an event or incident to intensify its appeal.
• Establish the writer’s tone
• Create a relationship between the writer and the reader.

 

Details (The Main Article)

The middle section consists of a number of paragraphs that expand the main topic of the article into subtopics. The usual components are:

• Facts and statistics, which support the writer’s opinion.
• Personal viewpoints.
• Opinions from authorities and experts.
• Quotes and interviews.
• Anecdotes and stories.
• Specific names, places and dates.
• Photographs, tables, diagrams and graphs.

 

Conclusion

The concluding paragraph should leave a lasting impression by:

• Reminding the reader of the article’s main idea.
• Suggesting an appropriate course of action.
• Encouraging a change of attitude or opinion.

 

Language of Feature Articles

• A personal tone is created through the use of informal, colloquial (slang) and first person narrative.
• Relevant jargon adds authenticity to the information and opinions.
• Anecdotes help to maintain reader interest.
• Facts validate the writer’s viewpoints.
• In humorous articles, exaggeration and generalisation are used to heighten humour.
• Rhetorical questions help to involve the reader.
• Emotive words are used to evoke a personal response in the reader.
• Effective use of imagery and description engage the reader’s imagination.
• The use of direct quotes personalises the topic.

 

 

We will complete all the necessary preparation for this task in class, though it would be an advantage if you were to read a range of feature articles in your own time. The more you read, the sharper your annotations will be!

The process:

We will investigate a range of feature articles and we will look for:

• Facts, opinions, supporting evidence, bias and objectivity
• Summarise content and evaluate it
• Explore different perspectives promoted by feature articles
• How these texts are structured
• Language features used in feature articles
• Context, audience and purpose
• Developing your own perspectives and viewpoints

 

 

To confirm, the following pieces need to be submitted today for your Task 4 assessment:

• Your planning document. This will be the planning booklet you were all given, which should contain all the necessary planning and preparation.
• The SCRIPT of your 30-second public information broadcast.
• The AUDIO of your 30-second public information broadcast. This should be submitted as an MP4 file.
• A poster promoting the same issue.
• A 1-minute TV advertisement promoting the same issue.

 

Submission Requirements:

• Work can be uploaded to SEQTA if you wish. Please note it should be submitted to TASK 4.
• You can save your work to an external hard drive and I will download it from there.
• You can save it your OneDrive account and send me the link.
• The planning booklet, poster and script should be PRINTED OUT and handed directly to me.

 

If there are issues with submitting your work, you MUST let me know as soon as YOU know, so I can deal with it.