Chapter 8 of the Writing Style Guide
Headlines are the most visible sections of most publications and websites. They’re also the portion of a story on which the writer or editor usually spends the least amount of time. That’s unfortunate, because a creative and informative headline can draw a reader into a story, while a dull, uninformative headline can repel a reader.
The best headlines provide accurate, complete information quickly and attractively. The occasional use of puns, alliteration, balance and contrast, rhymes, proverbs, or twists of clichés, quotations or titles will help your headlines shine. But be careful not to rely on puns or playful wording at the expense of conveying information. Also, when writing for online audiences, an informative headline containing keywords will more likely be picked up by search engines and will guide readers to your article, whereas a clever headline that obscures the nature of the article may be overlooked by internet surfers searching for a specific topic.
A good headline will:
Like headlines, photo captions — also called “cutlines” — should satisfy skimmers who don’t read the entire story. They also should help connect a photograph to the story, intrigue readers, dramatize the story or pull the reader into the story.
Every photograph should have a cutline, including specific information about the photo, describing action when necessary. When possible, cutlines should provide the reader information not contained in the story.
Make sure photographs match cutlines and everyone is identified.
Be sure to provide photo credits or copyright information when appropriate. Typically, the photo credit or copyright information appears in small type beneath the lower right-hand corner of a photograph. Missouri S&T’s style when the photographer is known is “Name of Photographer, Business Name.” If using a fair use photo provided online to media, the preferred style is “Photo courtesy of Agency Name.”
General tips that serve as a basis for our writing style guide
Capitalization, formatting and abbreviation guidelines for academic programs and titles
Capitalization and abbreviations campus buildings and landmarks
Guidelines, terminology and abbreviations for the Kummer Institute Foundation
Common misspellings, incorrect abbreviations, and proper use of terms
When and how to write the formal university name and other forms
Writing language involving age, race, sex, disabilities and religion
Tips for writing effective and engaging headlines for publications and websites