CAPTIONS AND HEADLINES Lesson 2 Renee Burke MJE Yearbook Adviser Boone High School 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 ID: 546292
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Slide1
COMPLETING YOUR COPY WITH
CAPTIONS AND HEADLINES
(Lesson
2)
Renee Burke, MJE, Yearbook Adviser, Boone High SchoolSlide2
Objectives – In this lesson, you will learn:
How to write factual headlines that do not editorializeHow to write creative headlines that will make people want to look at the spread and read the story
Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing HeadlinesSlide3
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.
Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing HeadlinesSlide4
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.Lesson 2: Writing Intriguing Headlines
Be
creative but unique to the year
you are writing about.
The headline shouldn’t be so general you could use it any time.
Legend
, William R. Boone High School
Orlando, Fla.Slide5
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 longSlide6
Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing HeadlinesSlide7
Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing HeadlinesSpend 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 error- filled 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 stormQuote? ‘Pray for rain’ – Story about players who practice in 100-degree August heat and want afternoon relief from the rain – taken from player quoteSlide8
Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing HeadlinesAvoid:
•
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 Slide9
Lesson 2: Writing
Intriguing HeadlinesSlide10
Lesson 2, Activity 1: Find Headline ExamplesSlide11
Lesson 2, Activity 2:
Critiquing HeadlinesWait, 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 JAYWALKERS3. TWO SISTERS REUNITED AFTER 18 YEARS IN CHECKOUT LINE4. KIDS MAKE NUTRITIOUS SNACKS5. NEVER WITHHOLD INFECTION FROM LOVED ONE6. RED TAPE HOLDS UP NEW BRIDGE7. 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 UNDERSHERIFFSlide12
Lesson 2, Activity 3:
I Can Write It BetterCritique 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 CURRICULUM3. WIN STATE TITLE4. BRAVES DEFEATED CONFERENCE RIVAL5. THE SGA COLLECTED 2500 POUNDS OF CANNED GOOD6. 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