Developing Expedition or Project Features
Features are optional and should only be developed if content is warranted. They can be used to highlight important discoveries and news associated with an expedition/project or provide added context or understanding for relevant topics. They are an opportunity to tell readers about what happened during an expedition or project — about events, accomplishments, challenges, discoveries, people, and tools and technologies.
A final decision regarding the anticipated volume and submission timing of features (if any) will be made during the communications and web planning meeting.
A broad range of potential contributors, including marine scientists, resource managers, educators, students, ship’s crew, historians, science writers, policymakers, and others can author features.
Features should be 250 – 500 words in length and accompanied by at least two to four captioned images; videos can be provided as well. When submitting content for features, please do not embed images within a document but instead send them as separate files. Captions and credits must be included for all images and videos; if a credit is not provided, the credit agreed upon during the communications and web planning call will be used. Features will carry a byline (please submit name, title, and organization of author(s)). Links to more specific information can be provided, if appropriate.
Features generally fall into three categories: (1) event-driven; (2) evergreen; and (3) human connection. They are described below.
Event-driven Features
Event-driven features provide information about activities and events that happen during an expedition or project. These kinds of features may be produced following a major event, such as a significant discovery or observation, a specific challenge, or an educational activity. They may also provide status reports on planned activities and events. Post-expedition/project features that describe ongoing research activities and findings are also welcome.
Event-driven features can be submitted after an expedition or project has ended or, should something newsworthy happen during the expedition/project, an event-driven feature can be written and posted on oceanexplorer.noaa.gov while activities are still underway, to garner media attention. These types of features will be posted as news stories.
Examples of event-driven features:
- New Autonomous Vehicle Helps Advance Understanding of the Deep Ocean and its Critical Minerals
- Passing the Binoculars: A New Wave of Palauan Marine Mammal Observers
- Jellyfish Found by Team Aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Shatters Range Assumptions
“Evergreen” Features
“Evergreen” features can cover scientific, technological, cultural resource, or management aspects of the expedition or project. This content is “evergreen” in nature in that it provides additional context and helps site visitors understand the science, technology, history, value, etc. surrounding the expedition/project, but may not be specific to only this particular expedition/project and can provide understanding to the field of ocean exploration in general.
These types of features may fall under other website content categories, such as Ocean Exploration Facts or Science & Technology for Exploration, and thus may be linked to from both within the expedition itself as well as within other sections of the website.
Examples of evergreen features:
Human Connection Features
Human connection features tell the story of people involved in an expedition or project. They may be written in first person by a participating team member to capture the thoughts of individuals as they consider the expedition/project in relation to the wider endeavor of ocean exploration, scientific inquiry, and the human quest for knowledge and understanding. Or, they may be written by a secondary author as an interview or story about a person involved in the expedition/project.
Examples of human connection features:
- Meet the Palau Junior Regional Advisors
- Live From the Field: Updates from Garret
- Stitching Science: Bringing Ocean Mapping Data to Life with Crochet
Writing and Multimedia Guidelines
Prior to drafting, compiling, and submitting content for posting on the website, please review the following: