Tips in Headline Writing

Source: Secondary Schools Handbook in Campus Journalism
By: Dr. Lourdes D. Servito

1. Headlines are telegraphic or short cut, basically because space on newspapers is highly considered. So some words can be substituted by punctuation marks.
Example 1: 800 mentors and students participated in the writing workshop

Headline: 800 mentors, studes attend writing workshop

Note: and is substituted by a comma.

Example 2: “Feature writers have rich vocabulary,” says Dr. Servito

Headline: Feature writers have rich vocabulary — Servito

Note: “says” is substituted by a dash, and the quotation marks were omitted

2. Shorter words are preferred I headline writing.

Example: 800 mentors and students participated
Headline: 800 mentors, studes attended
Note: “Participated” and “students” were substituted by shorter words “attended” and “studes”, respectively.

3. Active verbs used in headlines should be in the present tense.
Example: 800 mentors and students participated in the division journalism workshop
Headline: 800 mentors, studes attend division journalism workshop
Note: Use “attend” NOT “attended” in place of “participated.”

4. Enrich your vocabulary:
Long words Short words

participate = attend
celebrate = mark
students = studes
senators = solons
conflagration= fire
inundated = flooded
pledge = vow
frightens = cows
arrests = nabs
conference = confab, gab
emphasize = stress
embark = launch
elucidate = clarify
inaugurate = install
employment = job
finished = done
exchanged married vows= married
duplicate = double
cases = raps
names = tags
mother = ma
father = pa
South Korea = Sokor
North Korea = Nokor
Pangasinan = P’sinan
Corazon Aquino = Cory
Constitutional Convention= Con-con
Charter Change = Cha-cha
vice president = veep
president = prexy

5. Delete redundant words/phrases.
Examples:
Personal opinion = opinion
Final completion = completion
Repeat again = repeat
Return back = return

6. Delete articles a, an, the, and expletives this is, these are, that is, those are, there was, there were in headlines.
Example: There were 800 mentors who attended the journalism workshop
Headline: 800 mentors attend journalism workshop

Related posts:

1. Rules on Headline Writing
2. Servito Lectures on Feature Writing
3. 1,600 studes, mentors attend division training in journalism
4. Tips to Increase Vocabulary
5. Tips in Feature Writing #2