3. Headlines have to get
attention
O
O
O
O
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
4.
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
O GOOD! Tennis team wins state
Avoid names
O Smith asks for recount
9. More rules
O Be active, not passive
O
O
Principal wins bull riding contest
NOT Bull riding contest won by principal
O Lines should be the same length
O Use downstyle--onlycapitalize the first
word and proper nouns
O Avoid duh! headlines--don’t state the
obvious
10. 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
11. 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
12. Steps for writing headlines:
O
Step 1:READthe article; identify
the underlying theme.
13. Step 2
O
O
O
Express the theme in an active voice using
as few words as possible
Active verbs lend immediacy to a story
Active verbs attract readers
16. Step 5
O Provide enough information to give the
reader an impression of the entire story
17. Tips & Warnings
O
O
O
O
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
18. More problems…
O
O
O
O
O
O
Lawyers give poor free legal advice
Fund set up for beating victim's kin
If strike isn't settled quickly, it may last a
while
Death causes loneliness, feelings of
isolation
Police discover crack in Australia
Stolen painting found by tree
