The document provides guidelines for writing effective newspaper headlines: 1. Headlines should use active verbs and present tense to attract readers and create curiosity about the article. 2. Key rules include using active verbs, omitting articles, keeping verb parts together, and matching adjectives with nouns. 3. Headlines should express the theme concisely while providing enough context for readers to understand the story.

1. Headlines
The billboards of the newspaper

2. Headlines have to get
attention
O Make the reader want to find out more by
reading the article
O Create curiosity
O Promise answers to a questions or
solutions to a problem
O Include a key benefit

4. Rules for headlines
O Use present tense
O Wildcats defeat Tigers
O Use active verbs
O Survey reveals students fed up
O Don’t use “be” verbs

5. More rules
O Leave out articles (a, an, the)
O Student Council plans riot
O Use comma in place of and
O Journalism, English teachers quit
O Keep all parts of a verb on one line
O Winning students
to travel to moon

6. More rules
O Keep adjectives and the nouns they modify
on the same line.
O Students want more say
in cafeteria choices
O Avoid double meanings
O BAD: March planned for next August

7. More rules
O Don’t repeat words
O BAD: Students vote for Student Council
O Use plain, simple words
O BAD: Netters take top trophy
O GOOD! Tennis team wins state
O Avoid names
O Smith asks for recount

8. More rules
O Be active, not passive
O Principal wins bull riding contest
O NOT Bull riding contest won by principal
O Lines should be the same length
O Use downstyle--only capitalize the first
word and proper nouns
O Avoid duh! headlines--don’t state the
obvious

9. Actual headlines
What’s the problem?
O Iraqi head seeks arms
O Police begin campaign to run down
jaywalkers
O Teacher strikes idle kids
O Shot off woman’s leg helps Nicklaus to
66
O Juvenile court to try shooting defendant
O Miners refuse to work after death

10. What’s the problem?
O War dims hope for peace
O Cold wave linked to temperatures
O Diaper market bottoms out
O Sex education delayed; teachers
request training
O Queen Mary having bottom scraped
O Antique stripper to display wares at
store

11. Steps for writing headlines:
O
Step 1 : READ the article; identify
the underlying theme.

12. Step 2
O Express the theme in an active voice using
as few words as possible
O Active verbs lend immediacy to a story
O Active verbs attract readers

13. Step 3
O Keep the headline in present tense

14. Step 4
O Keep it simple.

15. Step 5
O Provide enough information to give the
reader an impression of the entire story

16. Tips & Warnings
O Don’t try to be cute
O Make sure you don’t misrepresent the story
O Make sure the headline can stand on its
own
O Always lead with the latest information

17. More problems…
O Lawyers give poor free legal advice
O Fund set up for beating victim's kin
O If strike isn't settled quickly, it may last a
while
O Death causes loneliness, feelings of
isolation
O Police discover crack in Australia
O Stolen painting found by tree

18. And Finally
Man is fatally slain