News today covers the latest important developments in a variety of fields. From breaking stories about global disasters to uplifting profiles of local champions, news articles present factual, objective information to readers in an easy-to-read format. Writing a news article begins with finding a relevant, interesting topic. Then, writers follow journalistic principles to report the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” of a story.
A catchy headline is essential to newswriting; it must grab the audience’s attention and provide enough details to encourage the reader to continue reading. Headlines are often written in the inverted pyramid style, with the most important information introduced first and then supporting information added later. This format keeps articles concise and easy to read, especially for readers who scan web pages or search engine results.
In addition to a compelling headline, a news article must have a strong lede, or first paragraph. The lead should include the most significant facts about the story and include a quote from a source to add credibility. After the lead, news articles usually include a nut graph that ties the key points of the story together. This paragraph also provides the opportunity for reporters to add perspective and additional information.
Lastly, it is important that newswriters properly attribute all sources of information. This includes stating where the reporter found the information (for example, in an interview with a source, from court documents, or from the Census). Without proper attribution, journalists could run into legal trouble by publishing defamatory statements that have not been verified.