Hersey's Hiroshima is often called one of the best pieces of American journalism of the twentieth century. It appeared in The New Yorker in August 1946, filling the whole issue, and it changed how many readers thought about reporting. For journalism teachers, it is a natural model for student feature writing.

Assigning students to write in this style is one thing. Grading it is another. A feature that follows one person through one day requires different criteria than a standard news story or a five-paragraph essay.

Students also bring habits from other kinds of writing. Some slide into opinion, some add unverified color, and some produce a string of quotes with no shape. A good rubric names these tendencies and gives students something better to aim for.

Here is a set of criteria that suits the assignment.

The Core Criteria

Keep the rubric focused on what makes this style distinctive. Reporting quality, selection of detail, structure, and restraint should carry most of the weight. Mechanics still matter but should not overshadow the craft.

• Reporting: draws on real interviews and verifiable facts, with clear attribution.
• Selection of detail: chooses specific, telling details over general description.
• Structure: organizes the story so the reader is guided through events with purpose.
• Restraint: lets facts carry emotion without editorializing or exaggeration.
• Clarity and style: writes in clean, direct prose that respects the reader.

Grade Reporting as Seriously as Writing

It is tempting to reward the most beautiful prose. In journalism, though, unreliable reporting undermines everything. Make sourcing a large, visible part of the grade so students treat it as essential.

Ask for interview notes or a source list alongside the final story. Spot-checking a few claims teaches students that accuracy is a habit, not an afterthought. It also gives you a way to verify that details were not invented.

Give Feedback on Structure and Pacing

Long-form pieces succeed or fail on pacing. Look at where the story slows down, where it rushes, and whether the reader always knows why a scene is included. Comments about structure often make the biggest difference in revision.

A simple technique is to ask students to write a one-sentence summary of each section. If they cannot, the section may need to be cut or reshaped. That exercise makes structural problems visible.

Make Grading Sustainable

Feature stories run long, and a class set can be heavy. A rubric this specific lends itself well to AI-assisted grading, since the criteria are concrete and observable. Software can flag missing attribution or editorializing while you focus on the more artful questions of voice and pacing.

Whatever tools you use, the aim is the same: help students learn to observe carefully, report honestly, and tell true stories well. Hersey's example is a good north star for that work.