A good news article informs its audience quickly, clearly, and effectively. It ensures that your research, event, or news fact reaches the right target audience.
The most important principle is the ‘inverted pyramid’ style: the most important information comes first, followed by the details.
The Basics: Content and Tone
Before diving into the structure, here are a few fundamental guidelines for your content:
- Write for the reader: Put yourself in your audience's shoes. What is interesting and relevant to them? Avoid focusing on internal processes and write from the perspective of the news itself.
- Be clear and accessible: Avoid jargon and bureaucratic language. Write in an active voice (e.g., "The team is researching..." instead of "Research is being conducted by the team...").
- Introduce people correctly: State a person's job title next to their name. Do not use abbreviations like "Prof. Dr." but write out the full title, such as 'Professor of Archaeology' or 'Assistant Professor of Law'.
The Structure of a News Article
1. The Headline: Short and Powerful
The headline is the first thing people read and should immediately convey the core of the news.
- Keep the headline short and informative (max. 2 lines).
- Ensure the headline can be understood on its own, separate from the body text.
- For additional tips on headlines and intros, please visit the C&M Academy on our website.
2. The Intro: The Core in 40 Words
The intro is a crucial summary of the news. Many readers decide whether to continue reading based on the intro.
- Summarise the most important news in a maximum of 40 words. This is essential for a good display on mobile devices.
- Write in a timeless manner: avoid words like ‘yesterday’ or ‘last Tuesday’. Instead, use the date or a more neutral description.
- Do not start with a time reference (e.g., "On 15 May..."), but with the news fact itself.
3. The Body: The Details
In the rest of the article, you elaborate on the information.
- Keep the total text (including the intro) concise, ideally no more than 450 words.
- Use informative subheadings to make the text scannable.
- Write short paragraphs (no more than 100 words per paragraph).
Enriching Your Article
Images: A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words
A good photo attracts attention and can enhance the news.
- Use an appealing, sharp photo in landscape format (horizontal). The first photo is the most important, as it appears on overview pages and in newsletters.
- No suitable photo? An article without an image is also an option. The Strategic Communication & Marketing (SCM) department may be able to assist in purchasing a stock photo. More information can be found on our [link to Images page].
Links: Connect Your Content
Links offer the reader more depth and context.
- Use meaningful links. So not: ‘<u>Click here</u> for more information’, but: ‘Read more about the <u>Archaeology programme</u>’.
- Whenever possible, link to other relevant pages within the university website (internal links).
- For an event (like a PhD defence or inaugural lecture), link from your news article to the corresponding item in the calendar, and vice versa.
The Final Step: Publishing in the CMS
When publishing, check the details on the right-hand side of the page.
- When you add people under 'Related researchers', the website will display the default title 'Researchers'. Edit this title if not everyone on the list is a researcher (e.g., to 'People involved' or 'Speakers').
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