The University of British Columbia

The Lead

Every news article begins with a lead—the first one to two sentences serve to summarize the most interesting point of the article. The lead should be brief yet snappy, giving the reader an instant sense of what the article is about and instilling the desire to read more.

Focus: 5W’s—Who, what, where, when and why

News articles always include the essentials—who, what, where, when and why.

• Who is involved? Who made a novel discovery? Who made the donation? Who organized the new centre? Include names, titles and brief backgrounds if necessary.
• What is the nature of the news story or event? Describe the scientific discovery, student activity, award, talk, etc.
• Where is the news or event taking place? Is it a competition in Japan? A lecture in Kaiser? Capstone design projects in Lasserre?
• When will (or did) the event take place? Include time and date of the event, or time when someone be available for an interview.
• Why is the story newsworthy? Explain why this is interesting to readers. Who will be affected by this news and how? (For example, state what Applied Science programs will benefit from a big donation or exactly how the public may benefit from a nurse practitioner program.) Specifically, what distinguishes your story or event from others like it?

Readership

Write for a reader who is intelligent but unfamiliar with your topic. Use a minimum of technical terms and jargon. When you need to use a term that’s unfamiliar to an intelligent layperson, explain it clearly and succinctly. Avoid acronymns.

The “inverse pyramid” structure

Go from the most important material to the least, and from general points to specific details. Telling a story in chronological order usually isn’t the best way to inform readers. Many people read only the first few paragraphs of a story, so it’s important to start with the most vital information and add details farther down.

Avoid including too much information. The purpose of a news article is to give an overview and highlights—something that tells the reader what he or she needs to know without a lot of detail. Keep asking yourself what’s interesting and necessary for a reader who’s new to your topic, and edit what can be left out. If you think readers will want more information, feel free to include a website they can visit.

Direct quotations

When a speaker says something that clearly summarizes a point, write down the exact words and use them in quotation marks. Writers usually take notes and paraphrase most of what the speaker says when they write the article. But try to train your ear to pick up on isolated sentences that stand out—sound bytes—often they succinctly illustrate a point. If you’re not sure whether you wrote the words down accurately, check with the speaker afterwards.

Clear and simple

• Write in short, simple sentences.
• Avoid using clichés, such as “cutting-edge” or "generous gift," by focusing on what is unique about your article.
• Avoid jargon words that are understood only by experts in your field.
• Don’t use a long word when a short one will do.
• When you have to introduce an unfamiliar term or idea, use smaller words and common examples to clarify
• Use the active voice (“the professor discovered,” rather than “it was discovered by the professor”)

Be objective

People in your article can express enthusiasm, state opinions or make claims -- but only in direct quotes. The bulk of the article should be factual and written in the third person ("he," "she" or "it" rather than "I" or "you"). When quoting an individual, avoid using verbs other than “said” and “says.”

Fact Check

If necessary, have a knowledgeable person (likely the one you interviewed) review your article for accuracy.

Keep it short

A newsletter full-page of text is about 700 words, add a photo and the limit is 500. News releases should be 250-500 words.

Need help with your draft, proofreading or editing? Contact the Communications Office.