Sections/Parts of a Campus Paper mother headline, also known

as bank or readout.
Whether it is a community, metropolitan, or
g. Lead – the beginning of a
national paper, its parts and sections are
news story. It may be a word,
more or less the same.
a group of words, a sentence,
Traditionally, these are: or even a paragraph (the first
sentence)
A. Front Page h. News story – the whole story
1. Local News – news that takes of an event composed of the
place within the country lead and the text which is the
2. Foreign News – news that takes elaboration of the lead
place outside the country i. Columns – the horizontal
(geographical) division into parts of a
3. Dateline News – an out-of-town newspaper. Many national
news story. It is introduced by a papers are divided into eight
dateline which states the place columns while a typical school
from which the story was paper is divided into five
reported, the date, and the columns of 12 each
source of the material if not j. Column rule – the vertical line
written by the local staff, as that divides the page into
Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 25 (AP) columns. Most pages of the
4. Weather news – usually a boxed newspaper are divided into
forecast of the area, sometimes columns by a space usually
includes the temperature, wind one em wide. This space is
directions, and velocities. called the sunken rule
Extremes on weather are k. Fold – the imaginary horizontal
reported as more detailed news line that divides the
stories. newspaper equally into two
5. Index – a slug line indicating an parts
important inside page story and l. Byline – the signature of a
the page where it is found reporter preceding a news-
6. Other things found on the feature, as By Warren Cruz
Front Page: m. Box – news materials enclosed
a. Nameplate – the engraved or by line rules.
printed name of the n. Cut – a metal plate bearing a
newspaper, as the Manila newspaper’s illustration, also
Times or PNU Torch known as cliche.
b. Ears – the little boxes on either o. Cutline – the text
side of the nameplate. accompanying photos and
c. Banner – the principal other artwork, better known as
headline bearing the boldest a caption. If written above the
and biggest type. It is the title photo just like a slugline it is
of the most important news of called an overline, also if
the day which is called banner inside the photo
news. It may or may not run p. Kicker – a tagline placed but
across the page. If it does, it smaller than the headline, also
may also be called a streamer. known as a teaser. If it is
d. Running head – a headline bigger than the headline, it is
made up of two or more lines. called a hammer
e. Headline – the title of any B. Editorial Page
news story. The word headline 1. Folio – consists of page number,
is used only for titles of news date of publication, and name of
stories the newspaper, usually written on
f. Deck – a subordinate headline top of the page. This is also found
placed immediately below its in the other pages.
 2. Masthead – the editorial box a) Life and Leisure (The Arts,
containing the logo, names of the Religion, Entertainment,
staff members and position in the and Comics)
staff, subscription rate, the b) Finance and Business for
publisher, and other pertinent The Manila Times.
data about the newspaper. A logo
The feature page of The Manila Bulletin
(a shorten word for logotype) is a
contains home and culture,
cut which contains an identifying
entertainment, comics, shopping,
word or words, such as the name
classified ads, movie, TV and radio
of the newspaper or of a section.
guide, and the comics page.
3. Editorial proper – a
commentary written by any of the The modern campus publication is both
editors who comments or gives a school and community paper. It is for
the opinion of the staff or of the this reason that its content is similar to
whole paper on various subjects. that of a metropolitan paper, minus the
It is the stand of the paper business and agricultural sections, the
4. Editorial Column – a personal shipping, movie, TV and radio guides,
opinion written by the columnist the display and classified ads, and the
himself. Like the editorial proper, comics page.
it may attack, teach, entertain, or
appeal depending upon its Types of News Stories
purpose. As a reader goes on reading his
5. Editorial cartoon – usually a morning papers, he observes the
caricature emphasizing a simple different ways the news stories have
point. Usually humorous, it has been written. This is so because there
the function of the editorial. It are different types of news, and each
stands by itself and is not a type is treated differently.
complement of the editorial
proper News stories may fall under any of the
6. Editorial liner – a short following types according to:
statement or quoted saying
1. Scope or Origin
placed at the end of an editorial
a. Local news – report of events
column or editorial to drive home
that take place within the
a message
immediate locality.
7. Letter to the editor – a letter
b. National news – news that takes
sent in by the reader giving his
place within the country
personal views on certain
c. Foreign news – news that takes
aspects.
place outside the country
C. Sports Page
d. Dateline news – news preceded
Sports stories are classified as news
by the date and place of origin or
stories; therefore, what may be
place where it was written or
found in the news page may also be
filed. Tokyo, Jan. 20 (AP)
found in the sports section. Other
2. Chronology or Sequence
things that may be found in the
a. Advance or anticipated – news
sports section are the sports
published before its occurrence,
commentaries and sport features.
sometimes called dope or
D. Special Features
prognostication. The reporter
The modern newspaper has
foretells events expected to occur
taken some special features and
at a definite time in the future.
eliminated some which have become
b. Spot news – news that are
irrelevant to the needs of the times.
gathered and reported on the
An example of this is the society
spot. It deals with unscheduled
page.
information demanding
Commonly found in the
immediate publication. The
present-day newspapers are:
 reporter himself is an eyewitness the writer writes them in one
to the event that took place. big story.
c. Coverage news – news written 4. Treatment
from a given beat. Both spot a. Fact Story – this is a plain
news and coverage news are exposition setting forth a single
good example of first-hand situation or a series of closely
reporting. related facts that inform. It is
d. Follow-up news – it is a sequel to written in the inverted pyramid
a previous story. Having a new design
lead of its own, it is a second, b. Action story – a narrative of
third, or subsequent chapter of a actions involving not merely
serial simple facts but also of dramatic
3. Structure events, description of persons
a. Straight news – news that consist and events, perhaps testimony
of facts given straight without of witnesses, as well as
embellishment. Its main aim is to explanatory data. Sports games,
inform. It uses the summary lead competitions, accidents, and war
and is written using the inverted reports are examples of action
pyramid structure. stories.
b. News-feature (featurized news c. Speech report – a news story
distinguished from a feature usually written from a public
article) – it is also based on facts, address, talks, and speeches.
but it entertains more than it d. Quote story – speeches,
informs. It uses the suspended statements, and letters, and to
interest structure like the some extent, interviews when
narrative; thus, it cannot meet reported, are regarded as quote
the cut-off test. In writing a stories. All are based on recorded
news-feature, the writer may information, either written or
give his impression, may spoken, and transcribed by the
describe and narrate, but without reporter in the form of news.
resorting to biased opinion; i.e. e. Interview story – a news report
without editorializing. The written from an interview.
reporter’s by-line usually 5. Content
appears with his story, a. Routine story – celebrations,
 Single-feature or one-incident enrollment, graduation, election
story – the story deals with an stories reported year in and year
isolated event. A single fact is out.
featured in the lead and is b. Police reports – accident, fire,
explained further in the calamity, crime stories,
succeeding paragraphs. The kidnapping, terrorism, murder,
story breaks logically at every and robbery
paragraph; thus enabling the c. Science news
reporter to cut or lengthen it d. Developmental news
as space dictates. e. Sports news
 Several-feature, multiple- 6. Minor Forms
angled, or composite story – a. News brief – a short item of news
several facts are included in interest, written like a brief
the lead in their order of telegraphic message, gibing
importance. These facts are mainly the result with details
elaborated one after the b. News bulletin – it is similar to the
other in the body. The lead of a straight news story. Its
several-feature story aims to aim is just to give the gist of the
draw together two or more news.
divergent aspects of related
news items separately and
 c. News-featurette – this is a short journalistic skills of students concerned and
news-feature usually used as promoting responsible and free journalism.
fillers, e.g., “Quirks in the news.”
Section 3. Definition of Terms.
d. Flash – a bulletin that conveys
the first word of an event. a) School. – An institution for learning in
the elementary, secondary or tertiary level
comprised of the studentry, administration,
faculty and non-faculty personnel;
(b) Student Publication. – The issue of
any printed material that is independently
published by, and which meets the needs
and interests of, the studentry;
(c) Student Journalist. – Any bona fide
student enrolled for the current semester or
term, who was passed or met the
qualification and standards of the editorial
board. He must likewise maintain a
satisfactory academic standing.
(d) Editorial Board. – In the tertiary level,
the editorial board shall be composed of
student journalists who have qualified in
placement examinations. In the case of
elementary and high school levels, the
editorial board shall be composed of a duly
appointed faculty adviser, the editor who
qualified and a representative of the
Parents-Teachers' Association, who will
determine the editorial policies to be
implemented by the editor and staff
members of the student publication
concerned. At the tertiary level, the
editorial board may include a publication
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7079 adviser at the

“An act providing for the development option of its members.

and promotion of Campus Journalism
(e) Editorial Policies. – A set of guidelines
and for other purposes”
by which a student publication is operated
Section 1. Title. – This Act shall be known and managed, taking into account
and referred to as the Campus Journalism pertinent laws as well as the school
Act of 1991. administration's policies. Said guidelines
shall determine the frequency of the
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is publication, the manner of selecting articles
the declared policy of the State to uphold and features and other similar matters.
and protect the freedom of the press
even at the campus level and to Section 4. Student Publication. – A
promote the development and growth of student publication is published by the
campus journalism as a means of student body through an editorial board
strengthening ethical values, and publication staff composed of students
encouraging critical and creative selected but fair and competitive
thinking, and developing moral examinations. Once the publication is
character and personal discipline of the established, its editorial board shall freely
Filipino youth. In furtherance of this policy, determine its editorial policies and manage
the State shall undertake various programs the publication's funds.
and projects aimed at improving the
Section 5. Funding of Student student publications, together with student
Publication. – Funding for the student journalists at the tertiary level and existing
publication may include the savings of the organizations of student journalists, shall
respective school's appropriations, student promulgate the rules and regulations
subscriptions, donations, and other sources necessary for the effective implementation
of funds. In no instance shall the of this Act.
Department of Education, Culture and
Section 10. Tax Exemption. – Pursuant to
Sports or the school administration
paragraph 4, Section 4, Article XIV of the
concerned withhold the release of funds
Constitution, all grants, endowments,
sourced from the savings of the
donations, or contributions used actually,
appropriations of the respective schools
directly and exclusively for the promotion
and other sources intended for the student
of campus journalism as provided for in
publication. Subscription fees collected by
the school administration shall be released this Act shall be exempt from donor's or gift
automatically to the student publication tax.
concerned.
Section 11. Appropriations. – For the
Section 6. Publication Adviser. – The initial year of implementation, the sum of
publication adviser shall be selected by the Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) is
school administration from a list of hereby authorized to be charged against
recommendees submitted by the the savings from the current appropriations
publication staff. The function of the of the Department of Education, Culture
adviser shall be limited to one of technical and Sports. Thereafter, such amount as
guidance. may be necessary shall be included in the
General Appropriations Act.
Section 7. Security of Tenure. – A
member of the publication staff must Section 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall
maintain his or her status as student in take effect after fifteen (15) days following
order to retain membership in the the completion of its publication in the
publication staff. A student shall not be Official Gazette or in at least two (2)
expelled or suspended solely on the basis newspapers of general circulation.
of articles he or she has written, or on the
basis of the performance of his or her Approved: July 5, 1991, by President
duties in the student publication. Corazon C. Aquino

Section 8. Press Conferences and Influence of the Media

Training Seminar. – The Department of  The influence of the media
Education, Culture and Sports shall sponsor cannot be doubted
periodic competitions, press conferences  Numerous studies have shown
and training seminars in which student- most people gain knowledge of
editors/writers and teacher-adviser of events from media
student publications in the elementary,  News by the media is a critical
secondary and tertiary levels shall element in forming and modeling
participate. Such competitions, conferences public opinion on most topics
and seminars shall be held at the  Silverstone (2007) suggests
institutional, divisional, and regional levels, worldwide media, in the age of
culminating with the holding of the annual globalization, constitute a “site
national elementary, secondary or tertiary for the construction of a moral
School Press Conferences in places of order”
historical and/or cultural interest in the
country. What is Ethics?

Section 9. Rules and Regulations. – The  Ethics from the ancient Greek
Department of Education, Culture and ‘ethikos’, the adjective of ethos
Sports, in coordination with the officers of “custom, habit”
the national elementary, secondary or - A major branch of philosophy
tertiary organizations or official advisers of
 - The study of values and society as well as a moral
customs of a person or group responsibility of media
- It covers the analysis and  The concept of truth in journalism is
employment of concepts such not unproblematic.
as right and wrong, good and - In covering stories where
evil, and responsibility public’s right to know is a
- A standard of right and wrong determining factor, stories
based on analysis and should
thought a) Be substantially complete
b) Encourage an objective
Crime, Media, and Ethics
understanding
 Beauchamp (1987) took the c) Be balanced and accurate
view that journalists ought to  Herman and Chomsky (as cited in
make necessary ethical decisions Greer, 2010) Taking information
themselves instead of adopting from apparently credible sources
an approach that the journalist minimizes investigative expense;
or broadcaster has absolute reporters must be both balanced and
freedom to publish anything accurate
unless courts rule otherwise.  Media tends to deal in what Jewkes
 Virtuous traits critical in a (2011) calls “binary oppositions”
profession where stories are - To present events as choices
often produced in haste and between good and evil, guilt
under the pressure of events and innocence, and deviant,
 Cultivating moral virtues ought dangerous or sick as opposed
to be an ongoing process within to normal
media so fundamental virtues
The 10 Questions (NewsU)
are embedded and
operationalized in stress 1. What do I know? What do I need to
situations know?
 “The virtuous journalist” has the 2. What is my journalistic purpose?
following virtues: 3. What are my ethical concerns?
- Telling the truth 4. What organizational policies and
- Avoiding harm professional guidelines should I
- Serving the public consider?
- Maintaining trust 5. How can I include other people, with
- Escaping manipulation different perspectives and diverse
- Inviting criticism ideas, in the decision-making
- Being accountable process?
6. Who are the stakeholders – those
Law and Ethics
affected by my decision? What are
 Journalism is about “truth-seeking” their motivations? Which are
and so is the law legitimate?
 Those who work in the news system 7. What if the roles were reversed? How
(however defined) have a public would I feel if I were in the shoes of
responsibility one of the stakeholders?
 Respect for law and ethics is the 8. What are the possible consequences
mark of “professionalism” of my actions? Short term? Long
- Professionalism is used to term?
draw a boundary around the 9. What are my alternatives to
“reportorial community” maximize my truthtelling
responsibility and minimize harm?
Reporting the Truth [Link] I clearly and fully justify my
 Reporting the truth to the public is thinking and my decision? To my
fundamental to the role of media in colleagues? To the stakeholders? To
the public?
 Note that it says “minimize”
harm. You may not be able to
1. Don’t Make Things Up or Copy!
completely avoid it. If you’re
 The most basic rules in journalism
doing investigative reporting, for
 Fabrication – to make up for
example, your story may expose
the purpose of deception
corruption and cause someone to
 Plagiarism – to steal and
get fired. But, in the end, the
pass off (the ideas or words of
greater good will be served by
another) as one’s own; to use
your reporting
another’s production without
3. Act independently – don’t
crediting the source
accept gifts or favors. Your only
(Webster’s Dictionary)
obligation is to serve the public’s
 What about the internet?
interest. This is why it’s so
Information is still subject to
important to avoid conflicts of
the same rules (NPR News
interests
Social Media Guidelines)
4. Be accountable – correct
2. Avoid Conflicts of Interest
mistakes and expose unethical
 Do not quote or interview your family
practices by journalists. The New
members unless you’re writing a
Republic’s staff was criticized for
personal essay
their role in the Glass scandal
 Do not report on story in which you
because they ignored known
or your family members are directly
problems with Glass until they no
involved
longer could
 Do not accept gifts from sources
 What to do about “friends”? Avoiding Negative Bias
 Be sure that your pattern of use does
 Negative bias is represented not
not suggest, for example, that you
simply by distortion of facts or
are interested only in people with
information but also by a departure
one particular view of a topic or
from objectivity informed by values
issue.” (Washington Post guidance
of writer or editor
on use of social media)
- Should be distinguished from
3. Be Fair and Neutral
error
 Seek out the TRUTH and report all
 News is constructed by the media
sides
who decide what is “newsworthy”
 Always contact someone who is
- Often enhanced by
being criticized by others
sensationalist reporting
 Write in the “objective” voice – keep
your opinion to yourself (unless it is Avoiding Harm
an editorial or other commentary, of
course)  Concerns of journalist should include
4. Identify Yourself concern for public interest even
 Always tell a potential source that when serving that interest results in
you’re a reporter working on a story harm to a public official
 Never turn a conversation into an  Archard (1998) notes that a clear
interview without permission distinction must be drawn between
5. Admit Your Mistakes story being in public interest and
 We all make them story that interests public
 Willingly correct mistakes promptly Manipulation
 Adds to your credibility
SPJ Code of Ethics  Media power is formidable in
1. Seek truth and report it – political, economic, and social fields
journalists should be honest, fair,  Any intentional and successful
objective and accurate influence of people by non-coercively
2. Minimize harm – realize that altering actual choices available to
you’re covering human beings. Be them or by non-persuasively altering
respectful, tasteful and sensitive. other’s perceptions of those choices
Defamation
 A generic legal term that is broadly
understood as the communication of
a false statement that unjustly
causes harm or detriment to a legal
or natural person’s reputation
 Under International Human
Rights Law, Defamation is an
“unlawful attack” on a person’s
“honor and reputation”
(Cyber) Libel
 Libel is the publication of writing,
pictures, cartoons, or any other
medium that expose a person to
public hatred, shame, disgrace, or Duties and Responsibilities of the
ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a Editorial Board
person, and are not true.
 Actions for libel result mainly from Editor-in-Chief
news stories that allege crime, fraud,  Supervises the editorial staff of the
dishonesty, immoral or dishonorable paper.
conduct, or stories that defame the  Writes the editorials of the organ
subject professionally, causing after consultation with the members
financial loss either personally or to a of the editorial staff.
business  Edits all articles preparatory to
Slander submission to the adviser for final
editing and approval for publication.
 Libel and slander are both types of  Supervise the preparation of the
defamation. Libel is an untrue layout of the paper and paging of the
defamatory statement that is made same in cooperation with the
in writing. Slander is an untrue managing editor and layout artist.
defamatory statement that is spoken  Causes the accomplishments of all
orally. assignments properly and on-time.
 Acts as liaison officer between the
editorial staff and the adviser.
 Calls meeting of the staff in
consultation with the adviser.
Associate Editor
 Edits the articles in cooperation with
the editor –in-chief.
 Writes editorials of the organ when
requested by the EIC.
 Prepares assignments of section
editors.
 Cooperates in the preparation of the
layout.
Managing Editor
 Brings articles to the press for
typesetting.
 Checks articles for typographical
errors.
  Approves the layout of the campus  Writes sports articles unassigned to
paper in consultation with the editor- reporters.
in-chief.  Edits all sports news articles received
 Proofreads galley proofs before these preparatory to submission of the
are finally approved by the chief same to the editor-in-chief.
editor, then by the adviser for
printing.
Circulation Manager
Literary Editor
 Keeps files of school information,
such as class lists and lists of  Surveys student outputs in literature
homeroom advisers, faculty, and subjects for publication.
staff members.  Gives out assignments to literary
 Has a direct contact to the printing writers.
press that will reproduce the campus  Edits all literary articles received
paper. preparatory to submission of the
 Secures financial report of the same to the editor-in-chief.
publication office.
 Assists the layout artists to gather Editorial Cartoonist
and evaluate the photos subject for  Submits weekly outputs of editorial
publication. cartoon (funny caricature or
News Editor illustration) about campus and
national issues.
 Assigns reporters to cover events  Prepare a portfolio of clippings of
relevant to the school activities. editorial cartoons from the
 Writes news articles on assignment newspaper and magazines.
from the editor-in-chief or through
their own initiative in consultation Layout Artist
with the latter.  Assigns or causes the assignment of
 Edits all news articles received the school’s official photographer to
preparatory to submission of the take pictures on school activities for
same to the editor-in-chief then to the month.
the adviser.  Prepares pictorial articles of the
Feature Editor organ in consultation with the
managing editor and editor-in-chief.
 Gives out assignments to writers of  Takes charge of the page makeup of
essays and creative nonfiction the campus paper.
articles featuring people, places, and  Labels or properly identifies all
events. pictures made available for
 Receives and edits feature articles publication. It is suggested that s/he
preparatory to submission of the writes (in pencil) at the back of every
same to the editor-in-chief. picture the event to which a
 Writes a regular articles or column. particular picture refers.
 Helps in the preparation of the layout
Science/ DevComm Editor
of pictorial stories.
 Researches on the current trends  Makes illustrations for feature
and issues of science, health and articles.
technology.
Photojournalist
 Writes and edits science news
articles.  Submits weekly outputs of photos
that portray campus and national
Sports Editor
issues.
 Gives out assignments to reporters  Coordinates with the layout artists
to cover sports events in which the and social media correspondent.
school is a participant.
Reporters  Start with the most important event
or idea
 Secures the cold and raw facts of the
 Use the rule of proximity (relevance
assigned event and writes an article
and recency) and explain how the
out of the same.
news affects the people in the
 Receives assignments from the
locality.
section editors and board of editors
 Make your sentences concise and
and accomplishes the same properly
clear so that they can be easily
and on time.
understood. Long tedious sentences
will likely “kill” the readers’ interest.
(Simple/Complex Sentences)
 Average of 25-28 words per
Basics of News Writing paragraph
 Use simple words. Using highfalutin
Campus Journalism words does not prove anything but
pedantry and literary pretentions.
“Journalism can never be silent: that is its
Even literary writers try as much as
greatest virtue. It must speak, and speak
possible to use simple words.
immediately, while the echoes of wonder
 Expression over Impression
and the claims of triumph are still in the
air.” – Henry Anatole Grunwald
The combination of simple, vivid, and Basics of News Writing
dignified words produces a copy simple
enough for Mr. Average Reader to Headline (title of the news) Writing
understand. We call it news article.  One word: VARIETY
Most Important (Lead) to Least Important.  Use the active voice: effective
headlines usually involve logical
Recency and Relevance sentence structure, active voice and
strong present-tense verb
News Writing
 Simple passive and Passive Agent
Do’s and Don’ts in writing a news Deletion
story:  A “capital” idea: the first word in
the head should be capitalized as
 Write the story immediately using should all proper nouns. Most
only dominant points headline words appear in lower-case
 Be accurate and truthful letters. Do not capitalize every word
 Avoid writing opinions, called  Always use the present form of the
editorializing verb
 Use adjectives sparingly  Use the infinitive form “to + verb”
 Avoid libelous, seditious and for future news
rebellious matters, prejudice and bad  Refrain from using the conjunction “and”;
taste use a comma instead
 Give source (attribution) of the news
 Write names in full when these are Kickers and Decks
mentioned for the first time
 Kickers and decks are a form of
 Avoid redundancy
visual signpost that helps a reader
 Watch out for errors in fact,
assess an article before committing
grammar, and structure
to reading the whole thing. They give
 If writing for a newspaper, adopt a
a small hint as to what is to come or
paper style sheet or stylebook for
helps identify the type of article they
consistency and professionalism
are about to read.
Guidelines in a news story  The main difference is that the
kicker comes before the headline
 Give your lead sentence a “punch” to and the deck comes after the
catch the interest of the readers headline.
Kicker - short phrase found set above the
headline. Usually set in a smaller type than
the headline, the kicker can serve as an
introduction or as a type of section heading
to identify a regular column, for instance.
Another reason to foster school pride

Historians applaud Teresian

culture
25th National Migrants’ Sunday

Siglayaw wows Cuneta Astrodome

Deck - one or more lines of text found
between the headline and the body of the
article; elaborates or expands on the
headline and topic of the accompanying
text; set in a typeface that is sized
somewhere between the headline and body
text to provide contrast.

Basics in Editorial Writing

Editorial Proper
The Lede
 the official stand of the paper on a
 It is the continuation of the headline relevant development or issue. It is a
 News ledes are not always one concerted commentary written by
sentence in length (almost 25 to 35 any member of the editorial staff
words) a one sentence lead (usually the EIC) who comments or
 Answers some of the 5 Ws & 1H: gives the newspaper’s or staff’s
Who, What, Where, When, Why, How opinion on an issue that is of interest
 The shorter, more complete and and importance to the public.
clearer the lede, the better it is.  It ha no byline

Characteristics of a Good Editorial

 has moral purpose
 is a product of sound reasoning
  has the power to influence public  Win the readers’ interest with an
opinion impelling lead paragraph.
 leads logically to a conclusion  Avoid generalities by using plenty of
 presents only one idea facts and by telling what these facts
 avoids wordiness mean.
 present facts, not just mere opinion  Keep your editorials short; around
 is concise, around 250-300 words or 300 words (2,500 computer
2,000-2,500 computer characters (at characters) only.
most 6 paragraphs)  Do not preach, scold or moralize.
 must be decisive and biased  Relate editorials directly to the lives
of the reader
How to write an editorial
 Avoid the first person, “I” (except in
In writing an editorial, select only one columns)
specific idea to develop. Be sure the topic is  Develop the editorial from only one
of interest to the reader. specific limited idea, phrased in one
sentence and expanded into the
Organize your editorial in three parts: body.
1 Introduction - Contains the newspeg
with the reaction. It is usually one short
paragraph. (A newspeg is a brief
statement about the news event upon
which the editorial is based or an existing
issue that needs to be solved right away)
2 Body - It may take two to four short
paragraphs that support or justify the
reaction. Cite reasons, statistics, interviews,
or figures.
3 Conclusion – The ending, sometimes
called the clincher, summarizes the
editorial’s stand. Must be crispy and
difficult to forget.

 The article must be simple, direct,

clear, and forceful.
 Avoid double meanings.
 It must reflect clear, logical thinking.
 Sentences and paragraphs must be
comparatively short.
Dos and Don’ts in Writing an Editorial