Headlines

Writing Basics

1-line-headline

Bricklayers engage in mortar combat

2-line-headline

Backers hot for chilias U.S. official food

3-line-headline

Mosquitosbiting intoholiday fun

Hammer - main/secondary headline(We also call this a main headline/subheadline combo.)

Standing tall5’-4” guard rises to challenge of leading Tigers

Tripod - main/secondary headline

Driven to destructionPolice play gameof cat and mousewith illegal racers

Kicker - main/secondary headline

Nolan Ryan makes smooth transition to job

helping oversee state’s parks, wildlife areas

Whole new ballgame

What kind of headline is this?

Dress code approvedPolicy mostly affects girls, critics say

Helpful hint

• Make the tone fit the content. o Serious story, serious headline.o Funny story, funny headline.

Helpful hint

• Be objective. Do not editorialize.

Helpful hints

• Make it sound natural, like something you would say.

• Avoid awkward constructions.

• No SAT words.

Helpful hint

• Keep all parts of a verb on the same line.

Big surprise: Perry willrun for governor again

George Bush willattend Mensa meeting purely as spectator

Helpful hint

• Put modifiers and words modifiedon the same line.

Fire guts Fred AstaireDance Studio, 2 injured

Helpful hint

• Do not end a line with a preposition.

Baseball team ready forplayoff game, coach says

No love lost betweenLonghorns, Sooners

Helpful hint

• No articles. Use a comma to replace “and.”

Heat wave blisters California, Texas

Helpful hint

• Avoid clichés.

Swimmers dive into seasonGolfers swing into actionExchange students say ‘Hasta la Vista’Math Club multipliesFootball team tackles opposition

Helpful hint

• Do not repeat key words or phrasesfrom the main headline into the secondary headline.

Pocket lasers bannedAuthorities ban laser pointers

Instead:Pocket lasers bannedPrincipal cites injuries, class disruptions

Helpful hint

• The main headline should never be dependent on a kicker or other secondary

headline.

If health care bill passes, death panels will determine the cost of treating elderly

No details exist, but Limbaugh says it could happen

Helpful hint

• Don’t pad headlines with school initials or dates. Also, avoid initials and abbreviations in headlines.

Too vague…

2012 MHS FFA plans

to hold annual rodeo

More specific…

Willie Nelson to appear

at FFA rodeo Saturday

Helpful hint

• Be clever when you can. Puns make good main heads.

Take ‘meowt’ to the cat showAnnual festival of felines begins today

Band itching for practiceas soon as mosquitoes killed

Helpful hint

• Headlines do not use end mark punctuation.

Helpful hint

• Avoid initials or abbreviations unless the initials are instantly recognizable.

Helpful hint

• Alliteration in headlines should be used sparingly and in appropriate situations.

Acceptable:

New Planetary PuzzlersA distant, oversize world causes cosmic confusion

Helpful hint

• Use a thesaurus. Headline writers must have at their disposal enough synonyms to plug in and out of the headline to make the count.

New Planetary PuzzlersA distant, oversize world causes cosmic confusion

One/two/three-lines mean “main idea”PRACTICE: Write a 2-line headline with a count of 26-32 per line. (That means 26-32 characters, including spaces. Think of only composing a 26-32 character tweet.)

In hopes of raising awareness, the Advanced Placement biology classes will present a slideshow on global warming and climate change at 7 p.m. Thursday in the school’s theater.

“I think most people are unaware,” senor Tiffani Loft said. “We want to educate students and the public and give them tips on how they can help.”

AP biology teacher Freida Bailey suggested the presentation after her students voiced frustration over the public’s ignorance of climate change.

(more stuff about free food)

One/two/three-lines mean “main idea”

In hopes of raising awareness, the Advanced Placement biology classes will present a slideshow on global warming and climate change at 7 p.m. Thursday in the school’s theater.

“I think most people are unaware,” senor Tiffani Loft said. “We want to educate students and the public and give them tips on how they can help.”

AP biology teacher Freida Bailey suggested the presentation after her students voiced frustration over the public’s ignorance of climate change.

(more stuff about free food)

Possible answers:2-line with each line 26-32 characters (including spaces)

Class hopes to promote awareness

with global warming slideshow

Clever headline

When geometry teacher Robin Hester found out she was pregnant, she was ecstatic.

“My husband and I had been trying for three years,” she said. “We pretty much gave up.”

Then the even bigger news followed. She was pregnant with quintuplets.

(due July 4)

PRACTICE: Write a 1-line main (9-18 count) and 1-line secondary (26-32 count)

Clever headline

When geometry teacher Robin Hester found out she was pregnant, she was ecstatic.

“My husband and I had been trying for three years,” she said. “We pretty much gave up.”

Then the even bigger news followed. She was pregnant with quintuplets.

(due July 4)

Possible answer:

1-line main 9-18 and 1 line secondary 26-32

Do the mathHester expecting quintuplets

PRACTICE

Responding to the economic downturn and falling enrollment figures, the School Board voted to close 21st Century Academy and Howard Middle School. The vote comes after months of indecision among administrators and school board members and heated criticism from parents.

1-line headline counting 21-27

Possible answer

Responding to the economic downturn and falling enrollment figures, the School Board voted to close 21st Century Academy and Howard Middle School. The vote comes after months of indecision among administrators and school board members and heated criticism from parents.

1-line headline counting 21-27

Board closes 2 schools

PRACTICE

Senior Mike Gee won the state championship in mathematics at the Texas Math/Science Coaches Association state convention in San Antonio last weekend. Gee also took second place in number sense and third place in calculator applications.

Gee, who has accepted a full scholarship to Stanford University next year, said he owes his success to coach Dudley Smith.

“I never really liked math that much before I took his AP Calculus class,” Gee said. “But he makes it interesting and fun.”

Smith said Gee is being too modest.“Mike is a math whiz,” he said.

1-line main counting 8-15 with a 1-line secondary counting 24-30

Possible answer

Senior Mike Gee won the state championship in mathematics at the Texas Math/Science Coaches Association state convention in San Antonio last weekend. Gee also took second place in number sense and third place in calculator applications.

Gee, who has accepted a full scholarship to Stanford University next year, said he owes his success to coach Dudley Smith.

1-line main counting 8-15 with a 1-line secondary counting 24-30

Gee, whizSenior wins state math title