Journalism 133: Prof. Craig: Community Quirk Story

Community Quirk Story

The Community Quirk is a story about any element of San Jose or neighboring communities that is unusual, unexpected or otherwise quirky.  It's up to your group to decide what fits that description.  The story will be 650-800 words with a minimum of three interviews. 

Whether you're from the San Jose area or not, this assignment will likely involve going online and looking for information about people and events in the region.  As with any other major metro area, San Jose has plenty of community event calendars, organizations with websites and news outlets where you can look for story ideas.  

As before, you've been assigned to groups, and you will have the remainder of the class period to come up with story ideas.  This time, however, because I'm going to be gone next week, we won't be able to brainstorm your story ideas in the usual way.  With that in mind, I've created a Google Doc in which you will pitch your story ideas.  Each group will entter their story idea and approach to the story, and everyone else will have a space to write comments and suggestions.  I will email you the link to this document.  You should enter your story idea by the end of the day Friday so I'll have a chance to read them. 

Because I'm going to be gone, you will have extra time to work on this assignment.  The story will be due at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 12 (the first day of class after I get back).  

As with last time, you may divide the labor in this assignment in any way you choose, but the finished project must go through a minimum of one round of editing within the group before submission.  Edit each other's work however you see fit.  

After it's been turned in, each of you will submit the Group Activities Form and let me know who did what within your group. The form is due within 24 hours of when the story is due.

Groups for assignment: