Book-length Journalism

Course Catalog Description

Course designed for students of journalism and other reading and writing disciplines to analyze and learn from book-length non-fiction writing (journalism).

Course Overview

This course will challenge students to read and analyze one book of journalism per week. Each book read will provide a context to learn deep reading and analysis methods as well as explore a gamut of literature and narrative theories for excellent non-fiction character, plot, and story development.

Course Learning Outcomes

The final project is to produce an original non-fiction, long-form story (journalism) or read a book not used in the course and write an analytical paper.

    • Best of long-form journalism, in-depth reading

    • Book One—character development

    • Book Two—story

    • Book Three—theme

    • Book Four—history

    • Book Five—point of view

    • Book Six—facts

    • Book Seven—plot: beyond beginning, middle, end

    • Book Eight—meaning