Headlines Headlines serve four functions on a newspaper page:  They summarize story contents.  They prioritize stories, since bigger stories get bigger headlines.  They entice readers into the text.  They anchor story designs to help organize the page.

Rules 1.Keep them conversational. Write the way people speak. Avoid pretentious jargon, odd verbs, or omitted words. Headlines should not read like a telegram. 2.Write in the present tense active voice. Like this: President vetoes tax bill. Not: President vetoed tax bill or Tax bill vetoed by president.

3.Except for abbreviations, headlines contain no periods. 4.Only abbreviations that are readily understood appear in headlines. 5.As a rule, headlines are set “flush left.” that is, the first letter in each line is set at the left margin of the column. (Headlines in a box may be centered.) Rules

Example: Cougars win; survive rally by Bengals

Rules 6.Each line of a headline must stand alone. (Avoid bad splits.) A line may not end with a modifier (an adjective or an adverb). Faulty!: Former MHS Better!:Veteran teacher teacher herejoins CHS staff teacher herejoins CHS staff

[Rule 6 continued] A verb form may not be divided between lines. Faulty!: Principal to Better!: Principal eyes climb peak Matterhorn climb peak Matterhorn A word at the end of a line may not be hyphenated. Faulty!: Band con- Better!: Band to give cert Friday concert Friday cert Friday concert Friday

[Rule 6 continued] A line should not end with a conjunction. Faulty: Terriers and Better: Terriers, Colts Colts tangle tangle for lead Colts tangle tangle for lead for top spot for top spot

Rules 7.A comma may replace the conjunction and. Johnson, Burdick star 8.A semicolon may be used to indicate separate ideas. Honor Society Awards trophy; praises Romney 9.A colon may be used to replace the verb says. Governor Mosely: ‘No new taxes!’ Governor Mosely: ‘No new taxes!’ 10.A headline containing a quotation uses single quotation marks. Coach Myer: ‘Tournament postponed because of flu’ Coach Myer: ‘Tournament postponed because of flu’

Rules 11.Vague, confusing expressions make poor headlines. Faulty: Council sets Better: Five Juniors deadlines- -so beat deadline deadlines- -so beat deadline avoid the rush for class race avoid the rush for class race 12. Personal feelings have no place in a headline. However, with a review of a play, a book, or a musical event, the headline writer may summarize personal feelings, provided that the assessment is fair. Juniors’ ‘Our Town’ inspirational

Rules 13.Avoid butting headlines. Police finally catch Sterling scholars bank robber named today

Rules  15. The last line of a headline must go at least half way across the space. Senior football player makes the big league NOT: Senior football player makes the big league league

Rule just for RHS 14. Most, but not all, newspapers today use standard capitalization. Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns. Cheerleader falls from top of pyramid NOT: Cheerleader Falls From Top of Pyramid

BAD HEADLINES:  Job seekers may find work  Teens murder victims  Gas hike not a likely suspect for summer travel  Hurricane Danny brings wind, rain  Monday earliest judge will rule on case  Group helps suicide victims  Forklift driver donates thousands  Covey apologizes for appearance at anti-gay fund raiser  Police begin campaign to run down jay walker

BAD HEADLINES:  Miners refuse to work after death  Stolen painting found by tree  If strike isn’t settled quickly it may last awhile  Typhoon rips through cemetery, 100s dead  Obesity study looks for larger test group

GOOD HEADLINES:  Oh, deer! Animal herds are going out on the town  Olympic Village? Try Media Town  Wanted man gives Springville 2 hours of unwanted excitement  It’s a small world – and a big, big merger  Money can’t buy Beatles love, but it puts them on Forbes list  Cast’s great, but something’s rotten in ‘I Hate Hamlet’

GOOD HEADLINES:  Are U.S. kids the young and the ruthless?  Man from Mars actually came out of nowhere  Novell hits ‘escape’ on WordPerfect  The puck drops here – Utah 4, Peoria 2  Fire in the sky signals danger on the ground  Pilot was no stranger to the danger in the sky  Science is on the eve of finding Adam  Saturn owners are in orbit over their cars

GOOD HEADLINES:  Mom-and-pop firms are crying ‘uncle’!  Small shops feel shackled by chains  Russians riveted on Levi Strauss  There’s still a sizable opening for a new hospital- gown design  Cats and dogs? In Florida it’s raining gators  A bad habit? Nun caught shoplifting  Want to scrap superstition? This could be your lucky day

GOOD HEADLINES:  Rattler hiss-teria sends California family packing  Senate highway bill may put states in the driver’s seat  Ordinance on pool appears to be sunk  Bountiful works out kinks in new massage ordinance  Slip of the lip puts zip into otherwise somber U.N. meeting  Newt’s unusually brief when asked about boxers  GOP may reign – but for Waldholtz, it showers

Use five to ten words to write a “bright” headline for the following story. Brad Jones and Kim Smith always said the sky was the limit as far as their love was concerned. Last week they proved it by getting married – in midair. Brad and Kim and a daring young pastor, the Rev. Charles Brown, strapped on parachutes Saturday morning and jumped out of a plane at 10,000 feet. The trio clasped hands to form a ring while Rev. Brown conducted the ceremony. After the bride and groom each said, “I do,” the skydivers opened their parachutes and floated safely to the ground. Friends and family were waiting below to help the couple celebrate – and to witness the exchanging of wedding rings. “Of course we didn’t try to exchange rings while we were falling through the sky!” Kim said. “We may be crazy, but we’re not stupid.”

 Skydiving couple takes the plunge  Bride and groom walk on air  Pair jumps out of plane and into marriage  Couple takes flying leap into wedlock  Sweethearts fall for each other – out of plane  Skydivers’ wedding falls into place  Bride and groom take 10,000-foot leap of faith  Bridal couple jumps for joy  Couple’s marriage is made in the heavens