The document discusses best practices for writing headlines for newspapers, websites, and blog posts. It provides tips for keeping headlines simple using active voice and avoiding forms of "to be," capitalizing only the first word, using numbers instead of spelling them out, fitting headlines within the space, and avoiding split verbs or subjects across lines. The document also notes that while website headlines aim to grab attention like newspapers, they are often "click bait" designed to entice clicks through misleading or sensational language.

1. Writing headlines
For newspapers, websites,
and blog posts

2. The goals and challenges to good
headline writing
• What are the primary goals of
headline writing?
• What are some of the challenges?

3. Keep it simple
• Use the active voice when possible: As with any
good writing, good headlines are driven by
strong, colorful, precise verbs
• That means avoiding forms of the verb “to be”
• BAD: Sanitation workers are out of a job
• STILL BAD: Sanitation workers canned
BETTER: Sanitation workers lose jobs
Sanitation workers get pink slips

4. Capitalize first word only
• Although not a complete sentence, treat a headline
like a sentence by capitalizing the first word only,
along with any proper nouns.
• Use a colon to eliminate “says.” Capitalize first word
after the colon.
• Use a semicolon to separate two thoughts of equal
weight.
Lincoln: War inevitable; victory essential

5. Numbers rule
• Associated Press (AP) style dictates spelling
out numbers below 10. In headlines, however,
you can break this rule.
• 3 die in plane crash
• 2 million fall victim to identity theft each year

6. Fit the space
• Fill each line of the head within two units of
the letter x in lower case. Do not have one line
of a multi-line head shorter than the rest.
• Do not center headlines
• BAD BETTER
• Lincoln-Douglas debate Lincoln, Douglas
at KU’s Dole Center xxx to debate today
at Dole Centerxx

7. Avoid split ends
• For headlines of more than one line, keep subjects and
verbs together
• Do not split infinitives over two lines
• BAD: Kerry knocks tax plan because
• capital gains loophole too big
• BETTER: Kerry opposes tax plan;
cites ‘too big’ loophole
• BAD: Governor wants to
• limit sales tax
• BETTER: Governor seeks
• sales tax limits
•

8. Some examples
Some good headlines
http://web.ku.edu/~edit/headgood.html
Problem Headlines
http://web.ku.edu/~edit/headproblem.html
Examples courtesy of http://web.ku.edu

9. A headline writing exercise
• Let’s share results and see what the real
editors decided to write
• http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073
511994/student_view0/brush_up/part_v-
journalistic_practice2/journalistic_practice_02
.html

10. Click Bait
• The goals of a website headline are mainly the same as that of a
newspaper headline:
1. To grab the reader’s attention
2. To tell the reader what the story is about
• Often, however, website headlines are designed to entice the reader to
click on a link.
Thus the term “click bait”
https://www.quicksprout.com/2014/07/03/the-formula-
for-a-perfect-headline/?display=wide

11. Should you “bait” the reader?
PROS:
CONS: