Thursday, September 25, 2014


Jaclyn Merica
Writing for Communication

Good Headline: White Tiger Mauls Visitor To Death at Zoo in India

This is a good headline because it introduces the main idea of the story. It isn't ambiguous. The reader gets the gist of the story once he or she read the title. Although the writer knows the man in the story is already deceased, he uses a present tense verb. Each word is necessary to give the reader all the necessary information, such as the who, what happened, when, and where. It is accurate and makes the reader want to progress in the article.


Bad Headline: Barbara Stresiand Sets a New Record

This headline is bad because of how ambiguous it is. It seems likw the writer doesn't know fully what happened in the story. It leaves the reader asking what she set a new record for. Rather than having a cliff hanger for a headline, the writer should have said what she set a new record for. The title also unnecessarily uses “a”. The sentence can function without that article. A better headline would be: Barbara Streisand Sets New Record for Most No. 1 Albums

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/showbiz/music/barbra-streisand-billboard-record/index.html?hpt=en_c2

Bad Headline: Bill Clinton, Not Hilary, is the star at the Clinton Global Initiative

The headline is unnecessarily long. Although the reader understands what the article's about, it can be said much simpler. A better headline would be:
Bill Clinton overshadows Hilary at Clinton Global Initiative.


Good Headline: Best Budget Vacations for Fall

This headline is good because it introduces the article's purpose right away. The reader understands what the article is about immediately. The headline has only important information. There are no unnecessary words that could be taken out. It is extremely specific, despite not having a verb.

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/09/25/20-best-budget-vacations-for-fall/

Good Headline: Obama Urges World to Do More to Tackle Ebola

This headline is good because it correctly uses infinitive verbs to insinuate future events. In the article, Obama is asking people to act on efforts to stop Ebola, meaning such efforts haven't been done yet. Since the efforts haven't taken place in the past and aren't happening currently, the infinitive is necessary. The headline also doesn't use any unnecessary articles. It is extremely specific and gives the reader the information straight forward.

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