Writing a newspaper article requires an approach that’s different from many other types of writing you might do. Newspapers are written to be consumed quickly, but they must also be engaging enough to keep readers from becoming distracted by other things going on around them.
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NEWSPAPER ARTICLE FORMAT
A typical newspaper article contains the following parts:
Headline: This is
a short, attention-getting statement about the event. It is normally not a
complete sentence and tries to summarize the main idea or subject of the
article. It is often written in larger letters than the rest of the article,
and the major words are capitalized.
Byline: This tells who wrote the story. It
may also include the address of the author and the publication or news source
for which he or she writes.
Dateline: Use numerals for the date (May 3, 2021
not May 3rd) and a comma between the day and year.
Location: This is usually placed at the beginning of the article in
bold print. If the city or location is well-known, the name can be written
alone, but if the city is less famous, more information is included.
Lead
paragraph: This has ALL of the who, what, when,
where, why and how in it. A writer must find the answers to these questions and
write them into the opening sentence(s) of the article.
Explanation: After
the lead paragraph has been written, the writer must decide what other facts or
details the reader might want to know. The writer must make sure that he/she
has enough information to answer any important questions a reader might have
after reading the headline and the lead paragraph. This section can also
include direct quotes from witnesses or bystanders.
Additional Information:
This
information is the least important. Thus, if the news article is too long for
the space it needs to fill, it can be shortened without rewriting any other part.
This part can include information about a similar event.
Paragraphs in News article
Paragraph
1: Introduce the event giving the key
information: What, when, who, where
Paragraph
2:
Why, how- Give more
detail on exactly how the event happened and what the cause was.
Paragraph
3:
Include more background
details on what happened before the event in order to give your reader a better
idea of what led to it.
Paragraph
4:
An interview or quotes
giving someone’s opinion on the event; this could be someone directly related
to the story or some sort of respected or expert opinion.
Paragraph
5:
Look to the future; what
is the impact of this event? What are you predictions for what might happen
next?
TECHNIQUES
Use the following connectives/linking words:
Adding- In addition, furthermore, moreover,
what’s more, including
Summing up- Overall, in
conclusion, ultimately, in the end
Contrasting- But, however, although, nevertheless, on the other hand
Sentence Starters:
Firstly, Secondly, Shockingly, Disappointingly, Amazingly, Finally etc
Sample for writing Newspaper Article
