11. 1. Content of the
headline
• The headline should present accurate and complete information.
(Japan grants P320M for computers)
• The headline, particularly the first line, should contain the “who-what”
angle. (UP students design typhoon-proof ‘bahay kubo’)
• The headline and the story must agree. Write nothing in the headline
that isn’t in the story.
• Be specific; avoid generalities
• Avoid ambiguous heads. (‘Harry Potter’ author helps victims in RP)
12. 2. Tone of the
headline
• The headline should not editorialize. State facts; avoid opinions.
(No wang-wang policy dangeroussolon)
• Avoid mandatory heads, i.e. heads which start with verbs. To do this,
indicate the source.
(Clean up mess, candidates in barangay, SK polls told)
• Avoid using the word “may” (or “might”) since it connotes uncertainty.
(Gov’t may have lost up to P9B STL CITY OF SAN FERNANDO
PAMPANGASmall town lottery)
• Do not use negative heads; they weaken not only the headline but also the
story. Instead, use expressions like cancelled, denies, rejects.
(Noynoy not in favor of legalizing ‘jueteng’)
13. 3. Structure of the
headline
• The headline must be grammatically correct. It should have a subject and
a predicate (verb) (Church steps up war on Ecija Casino.)
• Use short words and strong verbs to save space and create impact.
(PNP to build memorial park for hero cops))
• Tense: Headlines customarily use the present tense
• Use present tense for past events. (UN stops dole outs to typhoon victims)
• Use infinitives to indicate future events. (De Lima to review anti smuggling task forces, check
‘irregularities’)
• Don’t use the articles a, an, the.
(Pirates hijack ship with 18 Filipinos in Red sea)
14. • Avoid split heads. In writing two- or three-line headline, treat each line as
a single thought. Thus, it should not end with preposition, conjunction,
article, or any form of the verb “be,” unless the preposition goes with the
verb.
• Do not split a verb place
(Congratulations pour in
for Noy-Bi form from all over)
• Avoid splitting names that belong together, e.g. an adjective at the end of the
first line and the word it modifies on the second line.
(Gas, diesel,
kerosene
price cut)
• Do not split preposition and its object, especially in the top line.
(Aquino
to study
options for
excess rice)
15. 4. Abbreviation
s
• Use only commonly abbreviations (including names of
persons, offices, etc.)
(This time, smog shuts down NAIA)
(DoST recommends fruits to detoxify body)
• Use short words and strong verbs to save space and
create impact.
(PNP to build memorial park for hero cops)
16. 5. Numbers &
Figures.
• Use numbers only if important; write numbers in figures. Write
them out in words if the figure will occupy more space and will
be more difficult to use. (e.g. M – million; B – billion)
Noynoy deposits P63,002
first salary in bank
Manila Bulletin, August 5, 2010
17. 6. Assertion
• Assertions in headline should have sources
Pinoys should learn how
to swim, Coast Guard says
Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 26, 2010
18. 7. Punctuation – minimize
punctuations
• Never use a period.
• Use a comma for “and.”
Aquino, Corona shake hands in Red Mass
The Daily Tribune, July 8, 2010
• Use a semicolon to separate sentences.
PAL pilots quit; flights cancelled
Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 1, 2010
• Use single quotation marks.
Nasa engineers teach RP
kids to ‘reach for the stars’
Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 1, 2010
19. • Do not end the headline with exclamation point.
YOU’RE FIRED!
Midnight appointees ni GMA
Pinatalsik ni P-Noy
Pilipino Star NGAYON, Agosto 5, 2010
20. 8. Capitalizatio
n
• Avoid all caps in headlines, except when using
acronyms.
PRESIDENT GETS
85% TRUST MARK
Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 26, 2010
21. 9. Unit counts
The alphabet
2 units M, W
1
𝟏
𝟐
units All lower caps, except M & W, and I; also lower
case m and w.
1 unit All lower case letters except m, w, f, I, j, l and t;
also l.
𝟏
𝟐
units Lower case letters f, I, j, l, and t.
22. Other elements
1
𝟏
𝟐
units Symbols P, $, %, ?, and others, all numbers
except 1.
1 unit The number 1
𝟏
𝟐
unit Quotation marks, apostrophe, hyphen,
colon, semicolon, comma, and space
between words
