Q&A for How to Write an Article for Your School Newspaper

It depends on the audience! You might write more formally if you're writing for a more technical audience, or you might choose a more informal and conversational style of writing if you're doing something that's trying to reach a broader audience.

Sure. It is, after all, an opinion piece.

Your name comes after the headline. It's called the "byline" and will appear right underneath whatever headline you choose for your article.

Most of the time, your name would go under the title.

You could search for online username generators, which help. If not, you could write with the names of two things you really like.

Most national newspapers have their own staff; to be hired, you'll need a degree in journalism.

You could do a feature article on a student or teacher you admire, perhaps conducting an interview to find out more about them. If you want to do an opinion piece, think of a topic that means something to you. Is there a rule at school you disagree with that you think should be changed? A club you think the school should have that it doesn't have currently? Something going on in your city or town you have something to say about? These are all potential options.

A good newspaper article needs to have accurate information and be entertaining to read. Use the classic inverted pyramid style to captivate your readers. Start the piece with the most important details, as well as the most compelling information about the "who, what, where, when, why and how" of the story. Then, follow up with paragraphs that include additional information and background notes. You'll also need a catchy headline that will get people's attention so they'll read the article.

Strictly speaking, a newspaper headline is the large type heading that attracts attention and gives a taste of what the article is about. The headline should be short, direct, and active, and it should match the tone of the article for consistency. A great headline can make or break a newspaper article.

A school newspaper can cover a variety of topics such as school events and news, information about sports teams and clubs, and news from the surrounding community that is relevant to the school. It can include personal pieces such as interviews with students and faculty, as well as mentions of national news like elections and wars. A good school newspaper should mostly contain information that's important to the people who go there, like upcoming events and awards that were won by other students.