For my feature story related to Fraternity and Sorority Life I am going to do a trend story on Greek Housing. The issue of Greek Housing has been discussed for years and it seems like Towson is finally going to make it happen. Greek life gets bigger each year and the addition of housing will get even more people involved.
I am going to attack this feature by talking to various people such as members of fraternities and sororities and people who are involved with the Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council. Finding out more information about the location of housing and when it will start being constructed will be helpful and I can talk to someone in charge of Housing and Residence life about that as well. When people think of sororities and fraternities an image that often comes to mind is the houses, and I think this article will not only interest people involved in Greek life but others as well.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Feature Story
I have a couple of ideas for my first feature story regarding Greek Life. TigerTHON is this upcoming Friday from 5 p.m. until 5 a.m. Every sorority and fraternity is paired up and there is an all night dance-a-thon to raise money. Since I will be participating in this event it would be a good opportunity for me to get pictures and possibly video footage. I will have access to many people who I can interview and would be able to get a substantial amount of information for a good feature story.
Another option for my feature story would be to focus on the new fraternity that is not recognized by Towson University as of yet but have been approved by the National Interfraternity Council, Sigma Alpha Mu. Then I could also talk to the girls who are planning on adding a new sorority to Towson's campus as well.
Another option for my feature story would be to focus on the new fraternity that is not recognized by Towson University as of yet but have been approved by the National Interfraternity Council, Sigma Alpha Mu. Then I could also talk to the girls who are planning on adding a new sorority to Towson's campus as well.
The Wall Street Journal Formula
The Wall Street Journal Formula is the most commonly used format for feature stories. It typically contains four distinct parts:
1. starts off with a specific example most likely in an anecdotal, descriptive, or narrative lead
2. a nut graf that explains the main point of the story
3. the body of the story has quotes, facts, etc. that support the point of the story
4. it ends with an anecdote, description, or discusses possible future developments
An example of a feature story using this formula I found on the front page of
Feb. 22's Washington Post. The story is introduced with a descriptive lead: "Julie Zingeser texts at home, at school, in the car while her mother is driving. She texts during homework, after pompon practice and as she walks the family dog. She takes her cellphone with her to bed." The nut graf is the fifth paragraph of the story and tells more about the main point of the article, which is that parents and teachers are concerned about the effects of text messaging in many aspects of teens' lives.
The body of the story provides quotes and facts about the main point of the article.
"Nationally, more than 75 billion text messages are sent a month, and the most avid texters are 13 to 17, say researchers. Teens with cellphones average 2,272 text messages a month, compared with 203 calls, according to the Nielsen Co."
Lastly, the story comes to a close with a quote from the teenage girl Julie saying that she realizes the constant texting has consequences such as affecting her focus.
It concludes with "Still, she doubts she will change her text life anytime soon. "When I don't have my phone with me," she said, "I feel out of the loop.""
*picture from the article
1. starts off with a specific example most likely in an anecdotal, descriptive, or narrative lead
2. a nut graf that explains the main point of the story
3. the body of the story has quotes, facts, etc. that support the point of the story
4. it ends with an anecdote, description, or discusses possible future developments
An example of a feature story using this formula I found on the front page of
Feb. 22's Washington Post. The story is introduced with a descriptive lead: "Julie Zingeser texts at home, at school, in the car while her mother is driving. She texts during homework, after pompon practice and as she walks the family dog. She takes her cellphone with her to bed." The nut graf is the fifth paragraph of the story and tells more about the main point of the article, which is that parents and teachers are concerned about the effects of text messaging in many aspects of teens' lives.
The body of the story provides quotes and facts about the main point of the article.
"Nationally, more than 75 billion text messages are sent a month, and the most avid texters are 13 to 17, say researchers. Teens with cellphones average 2,272 text messages a month, compared with 203 calls, according to the Nielsen Co."
Lastly, the story comes to a close with a quote from the teenage girl Julie saying that she realizes the constant texting has consequences such as affecting her focus.
It concludes with "Still, she doubts she will change her text life anytime soon. "When I don't have my phone with me," she said, "I feel out of the loop.""
*picture from the article
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
"Rushed" in the spring?
Recruitment for sororities has begun Friday, Feb. 13 and will come to a close this coming Thursday. Only four sororities held recruitment parties this spring. Phi Sigma Sigma had all of their rush parties over the weekend, while Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, and Zeta Tau Alpha decided to have theirs lead into the week.
"This spring rush is more informal than it has ever been," said Assistant Membership Recruitment Chair Erika Flerx. "It was hardly advertised and many people weren't even aware when the parties would take place since they are all on different days."
Phi Sigma Sigma and Alpha Omicron Pi had their rush parties in the University Union, while the other two sororities decided to take their potential new members off campus. Zeta Tau Alpha had one of their parties at Fairways Apartments and Alpha Gamma Delta held a rush event at Bill Bateman's. Spring rush always differs from the more popular and very crowded fall recruitment, but this spring's was much more inconvenient.
"This spring rush is more informal than it has ever been," said Assistant Membership Recruitment Chair Erika Flerx. "It was hardly advertised and many people weren't even aware when the parties would take place since they are all on different days."
Phi Sigma Sigma and Alpha Omicron Pi had their rush parties in the University Union, while the other two sororities decided to take their potential new members off campus. Zeta Tau Alpha had one of their parties at Fairways Apartments and Alpha Gamma Delta held a rush event at Bill Bateman's. Spring rush always differs from the more popular and very crowded fall recruitment, but this spring's was much more inconvenient.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Feature vs. Summary Leads
Feature leads differ from the traditional summary lead that is straightforward and goes through the 5 W's. Although short feature stories can start off with summary leads, they would not try to get as many W's and an H in that a writer would do for a hard news story. Feature leads are more descriptive than summary leads because their goal is to make the reader interested so they will continue reading the full story. Some different types of feature leads include anecdotal, narrative, descriptive, and question.
I found an example of a descriptive lead on the Baltimore Sun website from Sunday, Feb. 15:
A naked man on a motorcycle who crashed with an Arkansas state trooper's cruiser on a night when it was sleeting faces misdemeanor charges. A police report said a 35-year-old man kept riding when a trooper tried to pull him over during the Jan. 26 incident.
It follows some of the same guidelines as a summary lead but gives more detail since this story is unusual and not typical.
Another example of a feature lead was in the New York Times also on Sunday, Feb. 15:
The 74-seat turboprop plane that crashed Thursday night near Buffalo was part of an expanding fleet of small regional aircraft that have become a vital part of the country’s airline industry and are increasingly the only air link available to far-flung towns and smaller cities.
The lead doesn't only answer the 5 W's, but goes into detail about the aircraft since it is a follow-up article about the Buffalo plane crash that occurred a few days ago.
I found an example of a descriptive lead on the Baltimore Sun website from Sunday, Feb. 15:
A naked man on a motorcycle who crashed with an Arkansas state trooper's cruiser on a night when it was sleeting faces misdemeanor charges. A police report said a 35-year-old man kept riding when a trooper tried to pull him over during the Jan. 26 incident.
It follows some of the same guidelines as a summary lead but gives more detail since this story is unusual and not typical.
Another example of a feature lead was in the New York Times also on Sunday, Feb. 15:
The 74-seat turboprop plane that crashed Thursday night near Buffalo was part of an expanding fleet of small regional aircraft that have become a vital part of the country’s airline industry and are increasingly the only air link available to far-flung towns and smaller cities.
The lead doesn't only answer the 5 W's, but goes into detail about the aircraft since it is a follow-up article about the Buffalo plane crash that occurred a few days ago.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Off-Campus Housing
"Do Greeks need separate housing? No. Do they deserve it? Probably not," Rachel Fauber said in her Towerlight article regarding Greek housing.
Towson's Greek life currently represents approximately 7% of the student population. This number is expanding each year along with the size of Towson's campus and the number of students accepted. Since the sororities and fraternities are becoming much bigger than they used to be, the issue of Greek Housing has been brought up many times and it is finally being recognized.
Fauber says that it is unfair to provide housing for Greek life and not any other student organizations. In her opinion article she suggests that the university should also look into housing for student groups such as Towson Energy Activists. She also says that Towson's fraternity and sorority life is most well known for their stint with drinking on Bid Day over a year ago and their presence on the gossip website that was recently shut down.
I don't agree with Fauber's opinion at all. A large number of universities come equipped with a row of Greek houses for each recognized fraternity and sorority on their campus. It is basically the norm to have Greek housing, and our university is one that doesn't. It would be impossible to have housing for every type of student organization on campus because there is so many and because a lot of students are involved in more than just one. It's very different to have housing for a sorority than to have housing for a student organization, such as the staff of the Towerlight.
Fauber also stereotypes Greeks by saying that all they're known for are the things they have gotten in trouble for. She doesn't mention all of the philanthropic events and activities that Greek life holds and the amount of money they raise for different charities and good causes. If she were to investigate more to make this an actual story she could get various students opinions, Greek and non-Greek on the idea of housing for student organizations off campus.
Towson's Greek life currently represents approximately 7% of the student population. This number is expanding each year along with the size of Towson's campus and the number of students accepted. Since the sororities and fraternities are becoming much bigger than they used to be, the issue of Greek Housing has been brought up many times and it is finally being recognized.
Fauber says that it is unfair to provide housing for Greek life and not any other student organizations. In her opinion article she suggests that the university should also look into housing for student groups such as Towson Energy Activists. She also says that Towson's fraternity and sorority life is most well known for their stint with drinking on Bid Day over a year ago and their presence on the gossip website that was recently shut down.
I don't agree with Fauber's opinion at all. A large number of universities come equipped with a row of Greek houses for each recognized fraternity and sorority on their campus. It is basically the norm to have Greek housing, and our university is one that doesn't. It would be impossible to have housing for every type of student organization on campus because there is so many and because a lot of students are involved in more than just one. It's very different to have housing for a sorority than to have housing for a student organization, such as the staff of the Towerlight.
Fauber also stereotypes Greeks by saying that all they're known for are the things they have gotten in trouble for. She doesn't mention all of the philanthropic events and activities that Greek life holds and the amount of money they raise for different charities and good causes. If she were to investigate more to make this an actual story she could get various students opinions, Greek and non-Greek on the idea of housing for student organizations off campus.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
A Greek Beat...
My beat is going to be fraternity and sorority life at Towson. I chose this not only because I am in a sorority but because I think that many people who are not involved in Greek Life are not aware of many of the things we do. Each sorority and fraternity has a philanthropy they raise and donate money to through various events. My beat will follow Greek events such as Recruitment, fundraisers and Greek Week. I will also report on the new sororities and fraternities that are trying to be recognized by Towson’s campus and will add to the Greek life here.
Students who are not a part of Greek life may have their stereotypes and judgments of sororities and fraternities. My beat will allow others to get a glimpse inside the lives of a Greek at Towson and show people that we're not only in a fraternity or a sorority for the parties. Being involved in Greek Life has been a great opportunity for me and in upcoming posts I will write about the activities going around on campus and other news involving Greeks.
Students who are not a part of Greek life may have their stereotypes and judgments of sororities and fraternities. My beat will allow others to get a glimpse inside the lives of a Greek at Towson and show people that we're not only in a fraternity or a sorority for the parties. Being involved in Greek Life has been a great opportunity for me and in upcoming posts I will write about the activities going around on campus and other news involving Greeks.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)