1. COMPLETING YOUR COPY WITH CAPTIONS AND HEADLINES
(Lesson 2)
Renee Burke, MJE, Yearbook Adviser, Boone High School

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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.
Legend, William R. Boone High School
Orlando, Fla.

5. 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
Review each of these points with students to make sure they understand them. Use headlines from this week and review as a class whether they meet this criteria.

6. Lesson 2: Writing Intriguing Headlines

7. 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 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 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

8. 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.)
• Past 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

9. Lesson 2: Writing Intriguing Headlines
To have your students practice writing these types of headlines, have them take headlines they find in the Find Headline Examples activity and rewrite them using a kicker, hammer and slammer.

10. Lesson 2, Activity 1: Find Headline Examples
Provide newspapers, magazines, or even access to related websites for students to find headline examples.

11. 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
Answer key:
1. Patients Get H1N1 Vaccine
2. Police Begin Anti-jaywalking campaign or Police to Begin Ticketing Jaywalkers
3. After 18 Years, Two Sisters Reunited in Checkout Line
4. Kids Learn to Make Healthy Snacks
5. Never Withhold Affection from Loved One or Share Affection with Loved Ones
6. Red Tape Delays New Bridge Construction
7. Ban on Soliciting Ends in Trotwood
8. Local High School Dropout Rate Down 50 Percent or Local High School Dropout Rates Drop by Half
9. College for Deaf Accepts Hearing Students
10. Results of Investigation of Undersheriff Released

12. 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
Answer key:
1. This uses passive voice. Keep writing in active voice; could be “SGA Announces Homecoming Activities”
2. Spelling error (changed); try to keep short and sweet (think subject, verb, direct object): English gets a makeover
3. A command – don’t be bossy; plus, who did it?
4. Uses past tense; headlines should be present tense (“Braves Beat Rival” or better “Braves Beat Eagles”)
5. Don’t use a, an, the in a headline
6. Don’t use a name in a headline (generally); if it’s a good play on words then it could be allowed. For example, a profile of standout player whose name is Daniel Barr, the headline could be “Player Raises Barr”
7. Label headline, avoid the use of the team, club or organization in a headline
8. Avoid editorializing (easily); also try to avoid jargon although this can be a good play on words, so you’ll have to decide this as a staff
9. No need to write “co,” could just write captains; also try to avoid a, an, the when you can – could write “Captains Guide Team to Wins”
10. Headlines don’t question the reader, they announce what the story is about (subject, very, direct object); maybe something like “Electronics Advance Learning”