1

COMA 360 - DMH

HEADLINESThe billboards of print media

2

COMA 360 - DMH

HEADLINES HAVE TO GET ATTENTION

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

3

COMA 360 - DMH

4

COMA 360 - DMH

RULES FOR HEADLINES

Use present tense • Wildcats defeat Tigers

Use active verbs • Survey reveals students fed up

Don’t use “be” verbs Leave out articles (a, an, the)

• Student Council plans riot Use comma in place of and

• Journalism, English teachers quit Keep all parts of a verb on one line

• Winning students travel to moon

5

COMA 360 - DMH

A FEW MORE RULES

Don’t repeat words • BAD: Students vote for Student Council

Use plain, simple words • BAD: Netters take top trophy • GOOD! Tennis team wins state

Avoid names• Smith asks for recount

Be active, not passive • Principal wins bull riding contest • NOT Bull riding contest won by principal

6

COMA 360 - DMH

ACTUAL HEADLINES: WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

Iraqi head seeks arms

Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers

Teacher strikes idle kids

Shot off woman’s leg helps Nicklaus to 66

Juvenile court to try shooting defendant

Miners refuse to work after death

7

COMA 360 - DMH

ACTUAL HEADLINES: WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

War dims hope for peace

Cold wave linked to temperatures

Diaper market bottoms out

Sex education delayed; teachers request

training

Queen Mary having bottom scraped

Antique stripper to display wares at store

8

COMA 360 - DMH

STEPS FOR WRITING HEADLINES

1. Reread your article; identify the underlying theme.

2. Express the theme in an active voice using as few words as possible.

3. Keep your headline in present tense.4. Keep it simple. A headline is a short, direct

sentence without extra adjectives or adverbs.

5. Provide enough information in the headline to give the casual reader an impression of the entire story.

6. Check for accuracy.

9

COMA 360 - DMH

WARNINGS

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