Transcript - River Mill Academy

COMPLETING YOUR COPY WITH
CAPTIONS AND HEADLINES
(Lesson 2)
Renee Burke, MJE, Yearbook Adviser, Boone High School
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Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
Objectives – In this lesson, you will learn:
How to write factual headlines that do not editorialize
How to write creative headlines that will make people want to look at the
spread and read the story
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Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
You know that story you slaved over to make sure it was just
perfect?
Remember how many edits you made?
Want someone to just skip right past it? Probably not.
You need a headline that grabs the reader’s attention.
It should be creative, catchy, visual, understandable and powerful. You want
the “wow factor” on each one.
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Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
To get started, remember:
Headlines help draw the reader into
your spread.
They will grab a reader’s attention and make
him want to stop and read your story.
These days, headlines work with the
dominant photo and the story, not the
entire spread’s focus.
Be creative but unique to the year you
are writing about.
The headline shouldn’t be so general you could
use it any time.
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Legend, William R. Boone High School
Orlando, Fla.
Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
• Make sure the headline tells the story
• Be positive; focus on what happened, not what didn’t (avoid opinion)
• Be descriptive, but brief
• Use strong, visual-specific nouns
• Use visual action verbs
• Write in present tense, active voice
• Try to have a subject, verb and direct object, but not prepositional phrases,
which often make headlines too long
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Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
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Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
Spend time brainstorming, just like you do for the actual copy:
Is there a clever play on words you can use?
OLE MIStake – Story about the Gators loss to Ole Miss in an errorfilled game
EYE have amoeba – Story about a student who got amoeba in her
eye from swimming in a lake and had to have it treated
Alliteration?
Students spent Saturday saving school – Story about club members
who spend a Saturday cleaning up campus after a storm
Quote?
‘Pray for rain’ – Story about players who practice in 100-degree
August heat and want afternoon relief from the rain – taken from
player quote
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Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
Avoid:
• Articles: a, an, the
• And – replace it with a comma (example: Staff, students choose longer
school day)
• Names unless they’re really well known
• Label leads (example: Girls soccer earns title – it’s the girls soccer page,
obviously you aren’t writing about the football team on this spread.)
• Present tense, since headlines are what the story IS about
• Repetition of words, especially key words
• Beginning with a verb – it usually sounds like a command
• Asking questions – headlines provide information about the story’s
content
• Periods – they stop a reader. A headline is meant to pull people into the
story quickly.
• Omit forms of the verb be – write in active voice
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Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing Headlines
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Lesson 2, Activity 1: Find
Headline Examples
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Lesson 2, Activity 2:
Critiquing Headlines
Wait, what did that just say? Yep, these really happened. These are real
headlines found in a variety of newspapers or ads. What’s wrong with them?
1. WE GIVE OUR PATIENTS H1N1
2. POLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERS
3. TWO SISTERS REUNITED AFTER 18 YEARS IN CHECKOUT LINE
4. KIDS MAKE NUTRITIOUS SNACKS
5. NEVER WITHHOLD INFECTION FROM LOVED ONE
6. RED TAPE HOLDS UP NEW BRIDGE
7. BAN ON SOLICITING DEAD IN TROTWOOD
8. LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS CUT IN HALF
9. DEAF COLLEGE OPENS DOORS TO HEARING
10. PROSECUTOR RELEASES PROBE INTO UNDERSHERIFF
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Lesson 2, Activity 3:
I Can Write It Better
Critique each of the following headlines. What error did the writer make that should
be avoided for a better headline?
1. CALENDAR ANNOUNCED BY SGA FOR HOMECOMING ACTIVITIES
2. ENGLISH TEACHERS INCORPORATE CHANGED IN LANGUAGE
ARTS CURRICULUM
3. WIN STATE TITLE
4. BRAVES DEFEATED CONFERENCE RIVAL
5. THE SGA COLLECTED 2500 POUNDS OF CANNED GOOD
6. THOMPSON LEADS TEAM TO VICTORY
7. BOYS BASKETBALL BEATS OPPONENTS
8. GRIDMEN DEFEAT OPPONENTS EASILY
9. CO-CAPTAINS GUIDE THE TEAM TO WINS
10. CAN YOU USE ALL THE NEW TECHNOLOGY
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