Introduction:
You have been working on creating your own on-line newspaper as descibed in Introduction to Web Design and Making Web Pages. You think it is complete, when suddenly you are required to add a new page, a feature article. In the interest of time, you decide to re-work an existing feature article and add it to your web site. This will require changing the writing style and adapting and updating the content.
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Activities: Task One - Writing the Right Way
You will be transforming your feature for the web and checking your other work to see that it meets the style definitions the web uses. Start by reading the following article for more information.
Writing Well for the Web by Catherine Titta
Next, conduct an advanced search for information regarding how to write a feature article for the web. After reading your the article and some of your search results, write a short set of notes regarding how to write a feature story for the internet. Your notes must have detailed answers to the following questions:
- How is is journalistic writing style different for print journalism that for the internet?
- How does a feature change if it is written for the internet?
- Name 5 things you would put in a style guide for writing on-line. Why are those 5 the most important.
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Jump starting a story when you transform it to eJournalism means being willing to make big changes. |
Task Two - Transforming the Feature
Now that you know what it takes to morph your print feature story into an on-line one, you are ready to begin. Once you have the document open on your computer, start the changes in the word processor before cutting and pasting your work into the web page. Remember:
- Lists are better than long paragraphs.
- Give background information on links.
- Images, video and animation are excellent if they add additional content, but otherwise they are filler.
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Objectives:
You will be able to
- understand the requirements for reporting news using radio, television, and the Internet
- identify conventions of feature stories
- develop feature writing skills
- apply understanding of print journalism to the electronic media
- recognize writing as a process of constructing meaning for themselves and others
- relate the structure of the work to the author's purpose and theme
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Resources:
- checklist and evaluation page
- your print feature article
- internet access
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Task Two Continued. . . Think your story is a web feature? If it is, less than 50% of the original content is written the same way it was as a print journalism feature.
Now that your feature has been modified, you are ready to double check the rest of your work to be sure the style suits the web.
- Revisit all of your web pages to be sure that you have good eJournalism style.
- Check those links, navigation and images to be sure everything works.
- Proof your pages one last time.
- Look over the evaluation page and the checklist to be sure you have completed everything.
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Task Three - Write about Writing
Now that you have completed writing your on-line newspaper, it is time to write about what you did. In your notebook, respond to the following questions:
- What was the hardest thing about the project? Why was it hard?
- What did you learn about writing for the web?
- What is the most difficult thing about revising (not proofing) your own work?
- What did you like best about your on-line newspaper and why?
- What would you do differently next time?
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