WRITING HEADLINES The primary tool to grab and hold the reader

What is a headline? It is an abstract sentence Usually it is only five to ten words It is a complete thought It has a subject and verb, and often an object

What is the goal of the headline? Grab the readers’ attention / Ask yourself this question: If people see my five to ten words, will they know what the article is about? Most important rule: The words in the headline must represent accurately what is in the story. Accuracy counts above all else!

So, how do I write a good headline? Understand the story completely before writing its headline. Base the headline on the story's main idea, which should be in the lead or introduction. Don't use in the headline facts that are not in the story. Don't repeat the exact wording of the story in the headline. If a story qualifies a statement, the headline should also. Avoid ambiguity, insinuations and double meanings.

Word Choices Be specific, accurate, clear and concise. Don't repeat key words in the same headline. Avoid unclear or little known names, phrases and abbreviations. Don't use pronouns alone and unidentified. Alliteration should be intentional and not change the general tone of the story. Avoid “headline speak” such as hit, flay, rap, hike, nix, nab, slate. Be more precise.

Verbs No headline may start with a verb. Headlines are complete sentences or imply complete sentences. A linking verb can be implied rather than spelled out. If a story is about past or present events, write present tense verbs. If a story is about future events, use the infinitive verb (to leave, to work). To be verbs, such as is, are, was and were should be omitted.

Punctuation Use punctuation sparingly. Don't eat up space with the conjunction and. Instead, use a comma. For example: Principal and parents meet on school rules for next year Better Principal, parents agree on new school rules

Grammar Don't use the articles a, an and the. They waste space unnecessarily. For example: A new fire engine helps make the houses safer Better New fire engine helps make houses safer

Headlines need to be short and to the point. More water cuts in city LPG price hike after polls Militants take villagers hostage

Articles and the verb be are usually left out in headlines. Indian-American woman assaulted (Instead of ‘An Indian-American woman was assaulted.’) Over 100 killed in blast (Instead of ‘Over 100 people were killed in a blast.’)

Simple present tenses are often used instead of continuous or perfect tenses. Terror strikes police base Militants gun down villagers (= Militants gunned down villagers.) Olympics put UK spy agencies under pressure. (= The Olympics has put UK spy agencies under pressure.) Hubble spots Pluto’s tiniest moon. (= The Hubble space telescope has spotted Pluto’s tiniest moon.) Note that present tenses are used for both present and past events.

Infinitives are often used to refer to the future in headlines. Prime Minister to visit Russia in May Bieber to sponsor Rock Camp in Dallas LDHS senior to lead economic seminar In passive structures auxiliary verbs are usually dropped, leaving past participles. For example: Six killed in explosion (= Six people have been killed in explosion.)

Number, please Numbers often go against AP style in headlines. You may start a sentence with a number and, even though that number is below 10, you do not have to spell it out. For example: 3 die in plane crash

Avoid split ends to avoid “hairy” heads ( pun intended) Work for good phrasing. Avoid splitting verb pieces between lines and ending lines with prepositions. Examples: Bush, Kerry to oppose tax plan Obama hosts White House dinner

Web Headlines As with any news story, a strong headline is vital for a web story. Headlines often are found in lists of links, where they are a reader's first introduction to a story. If they do not sell a reader on the story immediately, the reader is unlikely to click the link to navigate to the story.

Problem Headlines: A case of “headlinese” Law profs nix Thomas ( Avoid “forced” abbreviations like profs and words like “nix” Oh, yeah, I'll bet you say “nix” all the time!) Huh? Are “chase” and “winds” verbs or nouns? Police chase winds through three towns Uhhh, OK, so what the heck happened? News, please! USD #269 Board of Education meets

More Problem Headlines: Isn't it against the law to murder a drunk? Oh, now I see, it's a potential witness to a murder who happened to be drunk? Potential witness to murder drunk It ain't Texas; we're a cattle state. Oh, the "downtown" is hogging cash from a grant! Downtown hogs grant cash Punishment fits crime? Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers

And just a few more… Should have gone to the “10 items or less” line. It's quicker! Sisters reunited after 18 years in checkout line at supermarket Don't we all? Lebanon chief limits access to private parts Well, we THINK he's dead. Oh, I see, he’s a professor of “Greek thought.” Professor of Greek thought dead at 59

Let’s Practice!