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Unit of study_

MECO6915: Writing Feature Stories

2023 unit information

In this unit, we read many features and texts about features. We consider why features are valuable and how to find newsworthy ideas. Students learn how to gather materials, attribute their sources and structure their research into a compelling story. Students learn why scenes are important and how to write them well. We discuss ethics, develop the skill of 'straightforwardness,' and examine the burgeoning mode of multimedia features. Students learn how to pitch ideas and pursue publication, and they workshop drafts with their peers. By the end of the semester, students have written several pitches, two polished features and two reflections about the ways those features took shape.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Media and Communications

Code MECO6915
Academic unit Media and Communications
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Generate newsworthy feature story ideas and pitch them concisely and persuasively to an editor
  • LO2. Analyse published features from Australian and international writers and recent scholarship relevant to feature writing, and discuss the relationship between these texts and your own feature writing process
  • LO3. Design and implement a research plan and attribute research accurately within your features
  • LO4. Compose features that use language and structure creatively while adhering to ethical standards and the factual basis of the material
  • LO5. Implement editing strategies that enable you to appraise and refine your work and your peers’ work

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

There are no availabilities for this year.
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote

Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.