Right… this post should make writing a feature article a fairly straightforward process. Use the annotated feature article we looked at earlier in the term and follow the simple structure it uses if that helps.

Use this as a checklist once you’ve completed your first draft.

1. Decide your context, audience and purpose. You should’ve done this yesterday. You need to be clear WHO your writing to (Who is your target AUDIENCE?), What the CONTEXT of your article is (Are you writing generally about the workplace or a specific one?) and what the PURPOSE of the feature article is. What is your central message?
2. Construct an eye-catching headline that attracts the attention of the reader. An effective headline should introduce the reader to the topic of the feature article without going too much away.
3. Have you chosen an eye-catching image which helps the reader to better understand what the feature article is about?
4. Opening paragraph should give some background information and context.
5. What facts and statistics are you going to include? This would be a good place to put them.
6. How about some expert quotations? Can you find any direct quotations which might help to support your main idea? I’d put them here.
7. Develop the main point of your feature article. Remember that your feature article needs to ENTERTAIN, PERSUADE and INFORM.
8. Conclusion- bring your reader back to the main idea. What do you want your reader to DO as a result of reading your feature article?

Have you?

Written an eye-catching headline?

Included an eye-catching image?

Used facts and statistics to support the main idea of the feature article?

Included your own opinion to develop the main idea?

Used language in a way that is entertaining and engaging?

Provided any contextual information which might help the reader to understand the purpose of the feature article?

Please read the feature article below and make notes on the questions that follow.

Feature Article on Gun Control

This is a feature article (taken from the ABC News website) on the current debate in America regarding gun control.

You will need to read it carefully and make notes on:

• Context of the article
• Intended audience
• Purpose of the article
• How the headline and sub-headline invite a specific response from the reader, how it sets the tone of the article and what information it contains
• How the feature article uses fact and opinion- give at least three examples of each and how they ‘work’
• How the feature article attempts to persuade the reader to agree with the purpose of the text
• Your opinion as to whether the feature article is successful in promoting its ideas

This is preparation for your assessment next week. I expect you to be thorough in your note-making.

Please note the link to the task sheet below. Please ask if you have any questions.

Task Five Task Sheet