Newspaper Vocabulary and Features

advertisement (ad): A message printed in the newspaper in space paid for by the advertiser.

Banner A headline in large type running across the entire width of the page.

Byline Line located under headline which tells the name of the writer.

Caption or Cutline Lines under a photograph which explain what the picture is about (also called "cutline").

Columnist Writer who gathers facts and writes opinions.

Column The vertical divisions of a page or opinion or comment expressed by a regular writer

Comic Strip Three- or four-panel drawings that tell a story, usually humorous.

Dateline The first words in lead of a story which give name of city from which the story was sent.

Credit Line Acknowledging the source of a picture.

Editorial Article expressing the opinion of an editor.

Editorial cartoon Drawing on editorial page employing exaggeration, satire, and symbolism.

Feature story A story that goes further than straight news coverage, and usually focuses on the human interest elements of a situation or event.

Logo or Flag: Type on front page which gives name of newspaper.

Obituary An obituary; a story of a person's death.

Sidebar A shorter, related article that focuses on one aspect of a main article. A sidebar is a secondary story accompanying a major story. Both are about the end of the war.

Graphic Features of Informational Text Maps Diagrams Graphs Chart or Table Pictures All of these are found inside informational texts, magazines and newspapers.

Map Diagram that gives information on specific area.

Diagram A drawing intended to explain how something works; a drawing showing the relation between the parts …this is a diagram of how wireless internet works

Graphs Graphs are images that represent data symbolically.

Charts They are visual representations of data…this chart/diagram describes the organization of a company.

Pictures and caption Photos with information that are designed to support the article.