Read Trans Americans Turning to Guns for Protection. Ella chose this story and will lead our discussion.

Come ready to pitch your statistics article; remember what Teresa advised: “find the story in the numbers”

Your pitch should look (exactly) like this (you will pitch out loud but write it down!):

Proposed headline: A Growing Number of Americans Say, ‘No, Thanks to Children”

Possible subhed: A new study explains why more U.S. adults say they are unlikely to have kids

Story lede: Someone who has decided not to have children.

Nut graph: A new study by the Pew Research Center has found that increasing numbers of Americans have chosen not to raise children. Conducted in 2023, the research notes that 47 percent of those younger than 50 without children said they were unlikely ever to have kids, an increase of 10 percentage points since 2018.

ALSO: We will review structure for a feature based on numbers and how to use statistics as evidence without being boring.

Choose times for speed advising.

Class visit: Erica Edwards, Newmark class of 2014, Solutions Journalism LEDE fellow.

Here’s the ppt on interviewing

Here’s ppt on photos (and remember all of Allison’s good tips!!!!)

Teresa Wiltz, a deputy editor at Politico Magazine, will join our class on March 11 in the second half. To prepare read this story she edited and is proud of: We Volunteered at a Gaza hospital. What we saw was unspeakable.

What else to read for March 11: Skim/read these two bread and butter NYT feature stories: “Kids? A Growing Number of Adults Say ‘No Thanks‘” and “Concert Tickets Are Soaring, and Busting Gen Z’s Budgets“. The first story is based on a study and the second piece has lots of stats. As you read, identify the statistic/s and notice how writers offered evidence to prove their points.

First draft of your profile (w/photo and a quote from someone about your subject) will be due Wednesday March 12 @ 11:59 PM. It goes in this google folder.

photos from the Politico Magazine piece on doctors in Gaza

Reminder that your feature stories are due at the end of the day Tuesday March 4, 11:59 PM. That’ll give you time to trouble shoot in class next week. If you can post before Tuesday please, please do it. Your revision should go in this google folder.

For Tuesday, read The World According to Bad Bunny which ran in the NYT Magazine a few years ago.

And bring two people you’d like to profile. You will pitch in class. See ppt. below.

The people you pitch to profile must:

1. Be newsworthy in some way.
2. Be available to you as you will interview the person in person and shoot a pic.

Reminder that the first draft of your 500- to 700-word newsy feature is due on Friday, end of day or earlier. Put it in this folder. Shelby and I will read and comment as fast as possible, so you have time to revise the stories for a grade.

Here’s what we’ll be looking for:

1. Proper grammar. This means get rid of passive voice. And use active verbs rather than relying on the “to be” verb (is, are, were etc.). Avoid repetition of words. Here’s a reminder post about grammar rules.
2. You must have a story lede. Think about the airbnb assignment and start with an anecdotal, not a news, lede.
3. Correct format. Headline-anecdotal lede-transition-nut graph-body-kicker. You can download the feature story structure ppt from this post.
4. Attribute quotes. Present tense (says, not said). And state the quote first, followed by the attribution: “I hate strawberries,” says Linda Villarosa. “I don’t like fruit with little seeds.”
5. Include three sources — at least one expert among them.

Slides on feature story structure

Reminder, CUNY is running on a Monday schedule on Tuesday February 18 — which means we don’t have class.

Deadlines:

Wednesday 2/12 (end of day): Finish your Airbnb lede writing practice exercise and place it in this google folder for Shelby and me to read and edit.

Friday 2/21 @ 11:59 PM: Put the first draft of your newsy feature in this google folder.

For class on Tuesday 2/25: Read “How to Flourish in Your Writing” by Natalie Goldberg and “The Radical Woman Behind ‘Goodnight Moon” Margaret Wise Brown constantly pushed boundaries in her work and life by Anna Holmes, The New Yorker Magazine.

Oyin Adedoyin, a personal finance reporter at the Wall Street Journal, will be our guest speaker in class on 2/25.

Thank you for pitching stories — and apologies for those who weren’t able to get feedback. The fleshed out written version is now due.

Your pitch, for a 500 to 700-world newsy feature story, should be about 200 words long. Make sure to write a headline (and a subhed if you’d like). As you write think “why this story at this time?” In other words, what is new/news? Also briefly sketch out how you plan to report the piece. Put your final in this google doc, with your name in the subject line, by Friday February 7 @ 11:59 PM. Follow the format of the (shortened) pitch for my hair relaxer story below.

Headline: Untangling the Dangers of Hair Relaxers

Last October, a much-discussed study conducted by the National Institutes of Health found the risk of uterine cancer more than double for women (read Black women) who frequently use hair straightening products compared to those who don’t. Uterine cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system, and the most aggressive subtypes have been on the rise since 2000 – especially among Black women. This research, the first to make this link, adds to a growing body of evidence and mounting concern that straighteners can increase the risk of other hormone-related cancers in women.

The ingredients in hair relaxers are also vastly under regulated. Scientists and others have long known that straightening products used by Black women contain carcinogens and endocrine disrupters that interfere with hormone function. Yet, though Europe bans an estimated 1300 toxic ingredients in beauty products, the United States only prohibits nine. Consumers are left in the dark: a 2018 study found 45 chemicals that can disrupt a woman’s hormones in 18 hair relaxers tested, but 84 percent of these ingredients weren’t listed on the product labels. 

A story would examine the link between hair relaxers and cancer and other health problems, the reasons for the lack of oversight by federal regulating agencies and the historical and current societal pressure of Black women to straighten their hair. It would include a class action lawsuit created in response to the new research about the products and their dangers. 

What to read for 2/11: Bitter Rivals, Beloved Friends, Survivors by Sally Jenkins, The Washington Post. 

What’s due in class on 2/11: We will do a writing exercise in class — and come ready to discuss or create outline/first draft of your story.

Grammar ppt

Feature story ppt

What to read for 2/4 — the background evidence for this NYT Mag story — and the final article:

1. Start with the initial data from the CDC.
2. Look at other research on the topic that helped guide where to report the story.
3. Read pitch for my story “America’s Hidden HIV Epidemic” and the final version of the article.
4. Also, come prepared with three ideas for your first assignment — a feature story, based on news/trend of about 500 – 700 words. Be able to state how you came up each idea (why this story at this time?) You will choose one idea as your first assignment.

Don’t forget to put your grammar corrected news event story back in the original google doc by the end of the day Wednesday 1/29 for Shelby and me to review and edit.