Elements of A Hard News Article

Title of the article that uses a larger size of font to attract

Headline audience’s attention. It often contains one or even several of
the 5Ws (e.g., Senior Attacked By Teen).

The name of the journalist that wrote the story. Sometimes

Byline includes location and news agency details (e.g., Jim Nasium,
Cornwall). Usually found near the top of an article.

The first paragraph in the newspaper that contains four of

the five W’s, including Who, What, Where and When. A
good lead should summarize the facts and try to hook the
Lead reader into reading more (e.g., A senior was mugged
Paragraph yesterday in a brazen attack in Cornwall’s downtown
Memorial Park. A teen is facing several charges in
connection with the incident after being picked up by police
early yesterday evening on the basis of eye witness reports).

All of the paragraphs that occur after the Lead Paragraph

compose a news article’s Body Paragraphs. They describe
Body
the 5th W of a news article: why. It might include quotations,
Paragraphs background information, statistics and additional details that
an interested reader might want to know.

A hard news article should answer the 5W’s for a reader:

5 W’s Who, What, Where, When and Why/How.

A hard news article’s lead paragraph should answer the four

4 W’s W’s: Who, What, Where and When.

The name given to the structure of a hard news article in a

newspaper. It is designed to attract the audience’s attention
and increase a reader’s efficiency. Key details, in this case,
Inverted
four of the 5W’s are placed in a short, first paragraph that is
Pyramid called the lead. All other supporting details that make up the
Why of the story are found in the subsequent body
paragraphs.