FEATURE ARTICLE

DR. PARAMITA SHASTRI

 WHAT IS A FEATURE ARTICLE

• A FEATURE ARTICLE IS A NON-FICTION PIECE OF WRITING THAT FOCUSES ON A

PARTICULAR TOPIC. YOU WILL FIND THEM IN NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS SITES,
ONLINE BLOGS, OR MAGAZINES.

• HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AS NEWS REPORTS! WHEREAS NEWS
REPORTS ARE MORE FACTUAL…

• FEATURE ARTICLES ARE MORE SUBJECTIVE AND EMOTIVE.

 CHARACTERISTICS OF A FEATURE ARTICLE

A FEATURE ARTICLE SHOULD :

• EXPLORE A TOPIC OR ISSUE OF CURRENT IMPORTANCE

• FOLLOWS NARRATORIAL CONVENTIONS (I.E. THERE IS A PLOT, COMPLICATION, AND CONCLUSION)
• WRITTEN IN SHORT PARAGRAPHS
• COMBINE FACTS AND OPINIONS
• PROVIDE A PERSPECTIVE OR ANGLE ABOUT THE TOPIC OR ISSUE
• INCLUDES CATCHY FEATURES (EG. CATCHY TITLE, IMAGES ETC.).
 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEATURE ARTICLES

• PROFILES: A BIOGRAPHY OF A PERSON’S (USUALLY CELEBRITY OR PUBLIC PERSON) LIFE THAT

RELATES TO A CURRENT NEWSWORTHY EVENT THAT ALLOWS READERS TO GET AN INSIGHT OF
THE PERSON’S LIFE

• HUMAN INTEREST: AN INTERESTING STORY ABOUT SOMEONE’S EXPERIENCE (PERSON, GROUP,

ANIMAL ETC). THESE CAN BE ACHIEVEMENTS OR PROBLEMS THAT EVOKES EMOTIONS AND CAN
TEACH THE AUDIENCE A LESSON OR RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT AN IMPORTANT OR CURRENT
ISSUE.
EG. ‘A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER DOVE HAD CAUGHT A CHILD DROPPED FROM
THE BALCONY OF A BURNING BUILDING’
 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEATURE ARTICLES

• INSTRUCTIONAL: THESE ARE ARTICLE THAT SHOW READERS HOW TO DO SOMETHING, STEP-BY-
STEP.
EG. ‘HOW TO TIE DYE‘
• PERSONAL: AN ARTICLE ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

EG. ‘MY 2019 UCAT EXPERIENCE‘

• SEASONAL: THESE ARE ARTICLES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO A CERTAIN TIME OF THE YEAR.

EG. ‘WHY AUSTRALIA DAY IS REALLY HELD ON 26 JANUARY AND THE PUSH TO CHANGE THE
DATE
‘THANKSGIVING 2020 – DATE, HISTORY BEHIND THE HOLIDAY
 LANGUAGE USED IN FEATURE ARTICLES

• DEVELOP A PERSONAL TONE

SHARE YOUR OPINIONS

SHOW YOUR PERSONALITY (EG. HUMOUROUS, SERIOUS…)
USE SEMI-FORMAL LANGUAGE (I.E. SOME COLLOQUIALISM)
USE EMOTIVE LANGUAGE
• REFER TO THE AUDIENCE IN SECOND PERSON LANGUAGE (EG. “YOU”)
• USE LITERARY AND RHETORICAL TECHNIQUES TO ENGAGE THE READER (EG.
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS, ANECDOTES, IMAGERY…)
 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEATURE ARTICLES

• BEHIND THE SCENES: THESE ARTICLE GIVES READERS A SCOOP ABOUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING ‘BEHIND THE SCENE’ OF AN EVENT, PROCESS, OR ISSUE.
EG. ‘CRAZINESS BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE WHITE HOUSE‘ AND ‘TWO FORMER
MCDONALD
EMPLOYEES SPILL INSIDER SECRETS ABOUT WORKING AT THE FAST FOOD
 LANGUAGE USED IN FEATURE ARTICLES

• DON’T OVERUSE ADJECTIVES OR ADVERBS. USE STRONG VERBS AND NOUNS TO

DESCRIBE, INSTEAD OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS.
• USE FACTS, QUOTES AND JARGON TO ADD AUTHENTICITY
• MAKE SURE YOU WRITE IN THE ACTIVE VOICE