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Inverted Pyramidfor News ArticlesCatchy informative title.Introduction answering who,what, where, when, why, andhow.Body of the story including 3-5major supporting details(important facts), interviews (i.e.quotes), overviews, orreferences.More details (2-3) which are lessimportant but still related to thestory.HEADLINEIMPORTANTLEAD PARAGRAPHIMPORTANT FACTSQUOTELESSINTERESTINGFACTSLESS IMPORTANTThe majority of news articles are written in this format. This makes it easy for the reader to(1) skim the headline and decide if he or she wants to read more(2) read the lead paragraph to get a brief overview of what the story is about before deciding ifhe or she wants to read more or skip to the next story.Most people do not read a paper from cover to cover like they do a book. Instead they choosearticles which interest them and skip articles which do not interest them.

IWriting a News ReportA news report is written to inform people of what is happening. It begins with a lead-anintroductory section that gives the most important information about the story, answeringmost or all of the W5 H questions:WF"?Wfrere?trVfren?WFat?Wfrvfflow?After the lead comes the body of the news report. It provides details that build on the factsgiven in the lead. Toward the end of the report, the infbrmation may be less interesting andimportant. This is the inverted pyramid style of writing. A news report is completed by aheadline that attracts the reader's attention and informs the reader of the topic.Here are some suggestions that will help you write an effective news report:.Use inverted pyramid style: This means that most factual information is given in the lirstparagraph or hvo. This includes the who, where, when. what, why, and how of the event.The rest of the article, after ttris factual information is given, is made up of supportingdetails, quotations, and background information to help the reader understand more aboutwhat happened.r Para lraphs in news reporting are usually one or trvo sentences long. They are much shorterthan the paragraphs you would normally be writing of five to serren sentences. You may use quotations from people who were at the scene, or you may use the opinions ofexperts on the subject. (Of course, for this report, you will have to create these.)This givesyour article more credibility since it is not just one reporter's opinion on what happened.Use your best journalistic style, and pretend that you are writing for a real newspaper. Useconnecting rvords and good transitions between sentences and between paragraphs. Proofread and rwite legibly! Your goal is for your audience to understand what happened.14

:1i:iii:.i ::' *Li:" !. i.:l ::!r.ffiemss &r Eccs.l'!;i:identify and describe characteristics ofarti cl esuse structural features to aidcomprehensionuse c0mprehension strategies:scann i ng-WhenWhat ls a "FreePress"?you want to know what is happening in the world, one thingyou can do is open a newspaper. In newspapers you read the reports andviews ofjournalists who research, write, edit, and publish stories aboutcurrent or impending events. News stories about pronrinent nationalor international events are usually printed on the first or second pageof a newspaper.There are, however, many other sections in a newspaper,such as those that focus on local or city news, arts and entertainment,business, sports, science, comics, family, lifestyles, and classifiedA free press is one thatadvertisements.can express its ownCharacteristics of a news Articleviews and opinions andpublish what it believesJournalists bring to the public stories that are both relevantand interesting. Newsworthy events mayinvolve important events and/ ot people about whom theaudience is curious.concern a specific audience. such as an entire ciry. province,to be in the public interest. lt is part of ourdemocratic tradition thatall individuals in societyhave access to facts andor country.focus on human interest or drama stories about ordinarypeople in challenging or devastating circumstances.information that affectthem, and are able topublicly express theirown views and opinions.convey news about catastrophes, such as airplane crashes,natural disasters, etc.highlight unusual events that are funny, tragic, or interesting.explore the uniqueness of something that is "a first" or isthe biggest, fastest, tallest, etc.However, journalistscannot say anything theytdailike. A free press is alsoa responsible press thatmust ensure its reporting is legal, accurate,News stories inform readers about current events. lJsing clearand factual language,journalists try to represent different pointsof view fairly so readers can draw their own conclusions.and fair.I164-g Chapter 1: Readinq

Most news stories follow a similar structure and contain manyof the same components.The legend that appears with thefoilowing article identifies the main Gatures of a news story.Legend, El)eVolume 11SNo. 241 -St-1.r&oening EelegrornJohn's,Netroundland TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1997Masthead:nameplate of thenewspaper2.75d (HST included)Headline: catchesthe reader s atten-, -Latimer decision angerstion and gives cluesto the story's contentadvocates for disabled---4-/ilF/ouSask.person who wrote4.A weary-looking Latimer sat calmlyin the prisoner's dock as the sentencewas read. He was later whisked awayin an RCMP cruiser to begin his sentence.things keep improving, Iguess," Latimer said.Latimer's wife Laura seemed relatively pleased by the decision."I think Judge Nobie was a judge of"We11,courage," she said.Wire service: nameof the news agencyRobertLatimer's long-running -1ega1 saga tooka dramatic turn Monday when a judgeset aside the law and handed him asentence of two years less a day forkilling hls disabled daughter.In a precedent-setting decision thatoutraged disabled rights activists,Justice Ted Noble granted Latimer aconstitutional exemption from themandatory penalty for second-degreemurder.The Saskatchewan farmer had facedthe prospect of 25 years in prison withno chance of parole for 10 years.Noble said Latimer should serve oneyear in a provincial jail and spend theremainder confiled to his farm innearby Wilkie. But experts say he willlikely be released on parole in a fewmonths.By-line: name of thethe storyBy MARTIN O'HANLONCanadian Press-The-BATTLEFORD,73.that distributed thestory5.Date line (or placeline): tells where thestory happenedLead: introduction tothe text/Who? What? When?Where? Why? How?Body: details andadditional information provided in shortRobert Latimer leaves the court housein police custody in Battleford, Sask.Monday.parag ra phs10Photograph: pictureof the main subjectNoble agreed with the defence argument that given the circumstances of10. Caption: tells whatthe case, the minimum sentence wouldamount to cruel and unusual punishment."I find that Mr. Latimer'sthe photograph isdepictingSec. 12charter right has been violated andthat he be granted a constitutional exemption from the sentence," Noblesaid.Please see JUDGE, page11. Ouolations: quoteddialogue of what11someone actually2said1212Reference: tellswhere in theThe case of Robert Latimerwai a nution.f fiont-pugr ,rorV. H. *r. a.rr.d oi murderingnewspaper thehistv'uelve-year-old daughter, Tracy, who was severely disabled. The original story of Latimer'srest of the articlearrestwas followed by related news stories about the trial and sentencing.appearsChapterl:Reading65

-,-e f ffi S#nd Te6fXfi !iJ(.je:,,For more information onLead The first sentence or two of aBias may be evident in what is reportednews terminology, seenews story which generally containasTerms and Techniquesanswers to the wSH questions.on page 219.well as in what is excluded.W5H Befers to the facts of an event:Slant The point of view taken by thewriter of a news article. The writerwho, what, when, where, why,selects and arranges the facts toand how.express a particular slant on a story.Hook The part of the lead thatThe same story can be, and often ls,isreported from different slants.meant t0 grab the readers' attentionand encourage them to read on.Feature Article A type of news storyThe hook might be a controversialthat provides more in-depth coveragestatement, a question, a surprisingthan a factual account. Feature articleshave a clear point of view and mayfact, or a quotation.try to entertain or persuade as well asBias The opinions or prejudices ofainform the reader. 0ften, a featurejournalist (or newspaperlwhicharticle will focus on an investigationattempt to influence the readership.tl'l4tttY009tl l4fRtof complex issues.MllY1uK6t\EfiMa/'61.0 o.VThe strategies used to read a newspaper article can be applied to electronic news as well{s5ffie Fi:l.Chapter 1: Reading

.:*How to Read a Oews Articte'whenyou look over a newspaper, you rely on your initial previewingstrategies to decide what you will and won't read. If you are searchingfor specific information, you will approach a newspaper differentlythan if you were reading it for enjoyment.The following strategiescan be helpful when reading a news article. .For information on view-ing television and printnews, see page 217.Preview the selection before you read, looking at the headline,the photographs, and the captions.The headline is meanr roget your attention and to give you an idea of what the text isabout.r.tr Prepare questions based on who,what,when,where,why, andhow (X/5H) to guide your reading.';'-:.r. Keep the organizational pattern of news stories in mind asyou read. Most news stories follow an inverted pyramidstructure. The basic facts-who, what, when, where, why,and how-begin the story. Supporting details, in order ofimportance, follow these facts.This pattern allows the editor todelete from the bottom if a story is too long for the spaceallowed in the layout.Most of the details you read in the rest of the text will expandtheW5H but are not essential to the story.The body of a newsstory may include quotations, descriptions, and backgroundinformation.The conclusion may add an interesting point or question thatyou might like to consider. Read it even if you are onlyskimming the article.Responding Criticattu to a news ArticteYour assessment of a journalist's writingwilanalysis of the facts provided, as well as on the wayrery on a carefulin which the authorpresencs the information.*"'Whatis theentertain?.'s What.,fwritertpurpose? To inform? To persuade? Tois the tone of the piece?Is the writing style clear and concise? Are paragraphs short,unified, and concise?Chapter 1: Readinglit.67.