Q&A for How to Write a News Article

A good news article lays out the facts of a story and lets the reader draw their own conclusions—the author doesn't try to insert their opinion into the story. Opinionated pieces are best saved for the op-ed section of a publication, though.

With the least important information and/or minor details that could be cut off by the editor and still make your article make sense.

It can vary in length, however I typically write 2-4 sentences in the lead paragraph. Make sure you include a thesis and brief summary to guide the rest of your article. The lead paragraph should be a guide to the whole article.

The main qualities of a good news writer is the ability to search out a news worthy event or idea that others may find interesting. They are clear, concise, and relate to their audience.

Yes, but think more about your audience, because it will differ from the real world.

Quotation marks only if you are actually quoting someone, and never exclamation marks.

Read a lot of articles and take down notes on their strength and weaknesses. Learn from them and find your own style.

Well-written news articles on science topics should be able to explain scientific concepts clearly and understandably to the layperson. You can start by writing about a new study that was done and summarize its results. Get some opinions on the subject by conducting interviews with the people behind the study and other experts. Remember to explain any jargon or complex concepts.

I would say 3-5 paragraphs. But don't limit it to that if your article is not complete. Also, read articles, watch the news, and review your topic before writing.

Yes, it does, but you will have to think more about your audience. They may be more or less interested in certain topics. You will also have to consider any rules your school has about the kind of material that can be published.

Write it the same way you would any other article. Compile your facts, craft a good lead, and support it with the information you gathered. You can also write a less formal letter to the editor to comment on social issues regarding mobile phones.

You can just say something like, "[Username] in the comment section of [website] had this to say," followed by their comment.

It should use any standard and basic font without serifs.

Credibility is key, so it may be very beneficial, depending on the topic. Even interviewing a friend online or in person would be fine as long as they have a different last name. If no one is available, research some primary sources and incorporate those.

Use a thesaurus to improve your vocabulary and include quotations from relevant people.

Start with a strong hook/thesis and background information about your topic. It is basically the summary of what your article is going to be.

Gather all the facts about your certain topic, and be sure all your sources are accurate.

No, you don't.

You should consider the detailed part or anything you have to over explain to be unimportant.

A method called the inverted pyramid. Start off with main points of the article. This will be your lead, and make sure it is short, but summarizes and hooks the reader onto your article. This will have the most important information. Then, add a couple short paragraphs that add more essential and detailed information about the main topic. Finish off with the least important details that could be cropped by the editor without your article losing meaning.

Be creative. Write down everything you think of for the university newspaper. It should be interesting and a newspaper that can catch the reader's attention.

News articles include only the facts about an event or situation, whereas a regular article may include the opinions of the author.

A news article is always written in third person.

The word count really does not matter. A good article does not need to be long, it just needs to be well-written and interesting. The only time word count matters is if you're writing for a publication and they have given you specific instructions about how long the article should be.

You should thoroughly research his life and work, and be sure to mention how he became interested in nature and studying it. Add a timeline of his most famous/significant projects or works, and reference any interviews he has done. Make sure to use quotes, giving credit to the original sources.

Below the headline of your news article.

One cannot suggest a general opener for a news article. It completely depends on the topic you are writing. Reference Method 2, Part 1 to develop a compelling lead to make the reader want to read the article.

Most news articles are to inform, not to share opinions or your perspective on the situation. Unless it's an editorial piece, opinions are not the best idea.

I wouldn't. A news article is simply supposed to tell the facts about the topic. Adding an opinion in your title can add bias and change the whole purpose of the article.

Start off with the information about what happened at the event. Write down the main points of the event and what happened. Tell who was there––was it anyone important? You can add pictures of the event (optional) and it would help to prove what had happened. List the activities or things that happened. Write things that people could be able to find out more about it like the title. Most importantly, make it interesting.