THE BASIC NEWS STRUCTURE:
Understanding the Inverted Pyramid
LOOK AT THIS PICTURE
THE FOOD PYRAMID
food
Do you know the different groups?
What do you call the top group? the middle group? the bottom group?
Which food group is the most beneficial to the body?
Which food group is the least needed?
How does the food pyramid help us?
NOW LOOK AT THIS?
What do you observe?
Does it look familiar to you?
BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE
The teacher will pull out 4 strips on the board. Each strip contains one sentence.
Read and Understand.
We will get back to this once we finish the lecture.
Welcome to Session 4
Prepare to explore the fascinating field of news writing! We'll look at the
today,
creates
Inverted Pyramid Structure which draws readers in and striking headlines.
What is the Inverted Pyramid?
Writing in the Inverted
Pyramid Structure involves putting the most
important information ffirst. In this way, even if they stop reading, readers will still understand the main idea of the narrative immediately.
Why Use This Structure?
The Inverted Pyramid is a useful tool for catching attention instantly! Since readers often skim articles, putting the important details first helps to ensure they understand the primary point. It all comes down to clarity and engagement!
Key Components of the Pyramid
The Inverted Pyramid consists of three main parts
Every component has a distinct function in the narrative.
Crafting the Lead
The lead is like a hook for your readers! It should grab their attention and tell them the main points of the story by answering the five Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and How. Think of it as a short summary that gives them an idea of what to expect in the rest of the story. Keep it short and clear so it's easy to understand!
Building the Body
The body of your story gives more details about what you said in the lead. It includes quotes from people and extra information to explain things better. This part should give background and keep the reader interested. Make sure it's fun to read and not too long!
Ending with the Tail
This is the last part of the news story. It has the least important information, like extra details that aren't super important but are still interesting. You can use it to add background information, numbers, or fun facts that make the story better. If the reader stops reading here, they won't miss the most important parts of the story.
Beneffits of the Inverted Pyramid
This format makes editing easy and quick to understand. Editors can cut off the bottom part without losing any important information if there's not enough space. Both writers and readers benefit from this!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Sometimes writers put too many details in the body or hide the main idea. Remember, it's important to be clear! To keep readers interested, avoid using complicated words and write in a simple, easy-to-read way.
Fun Facts About News Writing
The Inverted Pyramid style became popular during the Civil War because journalists needed to quickly share important information. This way of writing has been used for a long time and is still used today.
Time to Practice!
Make It Right
Now that you know the ins and outs of the
Inverted Pyramid, it’s time to practice!
You will be given a sheet of paper. We call it the fact sheet. The information / paragraphs are jumbled.
Arrange the information / paragraph based on the concept of the Inverted Pyramid Structure in writing a news story.
Have fun!
Check Your Work
The Philippines' Catriona Gray was named Miss Universe 2018 on Monday in Bangkok Thailand, besting contestants from 93 other countries and delighting her home nation.
Gray wore a sparkling red dress she said was inspired by a volcano in the Philippines as she was handed the crown to the delight of a roaring crowd in Bangkok that generally favored Southeast Asian contestants.
She edged out first runner-up Tamaryn Green of South Africa and third-place Sthefany Gutierrez of Venezuela. She succeeds Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa.
The theme of this year's pageant was "Empowered Women" and was judged by seven women including former pageant winners, businesswomen and a fashion designer. The Philippines previously won Miss Universe titles in 2015, 1973 and 1969.
Source: NBC News, 2018
Final Activity
the four
Let's go back to strips on the board.
Can you tell which sentence contains the most important information? and the least important information?
Conclusion:
The Inverted Pyramid
The Inverted Pyramid is a helpful way to write news stories so that they’re easy to read and interesting. Start
with a clear main idea in the beginning, keep the middle part short and to the point, and add extra details at the end. Have fun writing, and remember to keep things simple and clear!
End of Day 1
THANK YOU!