Headlines
What verb tense is best to use for a headline that is discussing a past event?
The present simple tense is best when describing a past event in a headline because it is quick and helps emphasize the action happening, rather than its completion (e.g., "Lion escapes zoo")
Can you name the first hallmark of journalistic grammar?
The first hallmark is simplicity and brevity.
Do journalists use active or passive voice in order to best engage the reader?
Journalists use the active voice in order to engage the reader.
When might a journalist intentionally revert to using the passive voice in their writing?
A journalist might decide to use the passive voice when they are uncertain about exactly who the subject of the article is.
Should you leave out articles (a, an, the) in a headline?
Yes! You should leave out articles (e.g., "A man released a dog in a park" --> "Man releases dog in park")
Can you name the second hallmark of journalistic grammar?
The second hallmark is precision.
Can most readers pick up on more complex grammatical errors in an online news article (e.g., incorrect sentence structure)?
Yes! The reader tends to notice both minor spelling mistakes as well as more complex grammatical errors.
What is the relationship between grammatical errors and trust in an online news source?
As grammatical errors increase, trust in that source decreases.
Should you leave out auxiliary verbs in a headline?
Yes! Auxiliary verbs are not necessary for a headline (e.g., "New policy has been decided by Parliament" --> "New policy decided by Parliament")
Can you name the third hallmark of journalistic grammar?
The third hallmark is objectivity and factuality.
In an online news article, where do grammatical errors have the most substantial impact on the reader?
Grammatical errors made in the headline or the lede of an online news article have the greatest impact on the reader.
What about online journalism makes grammatical errors almost an inevitability?
Competitive pressure between online news media sources to get stories out the fastest results in almost inevitable grammatical errors.
Are future tense verbs needed in headlines?
No, future tense verbs are not needed in headlines. Instead, the infinitive can be used (e.g., "Parliament will decide a new policy tomorrow" --> "Parliament to decide new policy tomorrow")
Can you name the fourth hallmark of journalistic grammar?
The fourth hallmark is fairness and balance.
In a headine, what should conjunctions be replaced with?
Conjunctions should be replaced with punctuation (e.g., "Man kills 5, self")
Can you name the fifth hallmark of journalistic grammar?
The fifth hallmark is the inverted pyramid (start with an overview of information, then get more specific).