Good and Bad Headlines

Good Headlines

#Gamergate Controversy Fuels Debate On Women And Video Games

This is a good headline because it contains a subject, verb, and object. It also conveys the general subject of the article while also describing what it is about. The general subject is women and the video game industry, but the headline also incorporates the specific information of the #gamergate controversy. I also think making the first word in the headline "#Gamergate," was a smart decision because it peaks reader's interest.

Protection for Wolves Is Restored in Wyoming

This is a good headline because of its brevity and ability to accurately describe what the article is about. The headline is straightforward and does not include ambiguous words. Any reader can easily gloss over the headline once and know exactly what is going on. Also, there are key indicator words in the headline that appropriately describe what the article is about. The words "protection," and "restored," help the reader realize that Wyoming laws that safe guard wolves are now back in place.

Navajos to Get $554 Million to Settle Suit Against U.S.

This is a good headline because it incorporates all the necessary information in a clear way. While the headline may be long, it accurately describes the subject and explains what the article will be about. The subject of the article is the settlement of a lawsuit, but including the specific detail of the amount won is crucial to the timeliness and importance of the story. Not only is including the "$554 million" value important to the details of the story, but it also grabs the reader's attention.

Bad Headlines 

Roots, Plugged In

This is a bad headline for several reasons. First off, it does not have enough words to accurately describe the article. It has a verb and a vague subject. A reader is not likely to know what "Roots" means without reading the article. This is not ideal as a headline should pull a reader in instead of confusing them. Secondly, this headline does not accurately convey what the article is about. This article discusses how musicians at Americana Fest, which is typically a country music concert, explored the genre of rock and roll.
Rewrite: Musicians Explore Rock and Roll During Country Concert

Obama to create world’s largest protected marine reserve in Pacific Ocean

This headline is bad because of its length and lack of appropriate information. This headline is already wordy and includes unnecessary articles. For example, "to" does not need to be included as the headline could read, "Obama creates world's...." Also, this article does not accurately describe the "what is it about," question. While the beginning of the article discusses the new Pacific Ocean marine reserve specifically, a large portion of the article discusses President Obama's plans to create new national monuments and exercise his executive action power.
Rewrite: Obama plans to write executive actions for more national monuments