Writing a headline for a news release

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COMA 360 - DMH
HEADLINES
The billboards of print media

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COMA 360 - DMH
HEADLINES HAVE TO GET ATTENTION
 Make the reader want to find out more by reading the
article
 Create curiosity
 Promise answers to a questions or solutions to a
problem
 Include a key benefit

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COMA 360 - DMH

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COMA 360 - DMH
RULES FOR HEADLINES
 Use present tense
• Wildcats defeat Tigers
 Use active verbs
• Survey reveals students fed up
 Don’t use “be” verbs
 Leave out articles (a, an, the)
• Student Council plans riot
 Use comma in place of and
• Journalism, English teachers quit
 Keep all parts of a verb on one line
• Winning students travel to moon

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COMA 360 - DMH
A FEW MORE RULES
 Don’t repeat words
• BAD: Students vote for Student Council
 Use plain, simple words
• BAD: Netters take top trophy
• GOOD! Tennis team wins state
 Avoid names
• Smith asks for recount
 Be active, not passive
• Principal wins bull riding contest
• NOT Bull riding contest won by principal

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COMA 360 - DMH
ACTUAL HEADLINES:
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
 Iraqi head seeks arms
 Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers
 Teacher strikes idle kids
 Shot off woman’s leg helps Nicklaus to 66
 Juvenile court to try shooting defendant
 Miners refuse to work after death

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COMA 360 - DMH
ACTUAL HEADLINES:
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
 War dims hope for peace
 Cold wave linked to temperatures
 Diaper market bottoms out
 Sex education delayed; teachers request training
 Queen Mary having bottom scraped
 Antique stripper to display wares at store

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COMA 360 - DMH
STEPS FOR WRITING HEADLINES
1. Reread your article; identify the underlying theme.
2. Express the theme in an active voice using as few
words as possible.
3. Keep your headline in present tense.
4. Keep it simple. A headline is a short, direct
sentence without extra adjectives or adverbs.
5. Provide enough information in the headline to give
the casual reader an impression of the entire story.
6. Check for accuracy.

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COMA 360 - DMH
WARNINGS
 Don’t try to be cute
 Make sure you don’t misrepresent the story
 Make sure the headline can stand on its own
 Always lead with the latest information