Planning an online news report | Year 7 English (Cambridge) PDF Download

Introduction to News Reports

A news article explains a real-life event. It presents a lot of information but does not use a lot of words.

Facts About News Reports

• They are factual and informational.
• Written in short paragraphs of one to two sentences.
• Uses plain language.
• The 5Ws and 1H (Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How) belong at the beginning (first two paragraphs).
• Includes quotations from key people who are witnesses or part of the story.
• Written in the third person (do not use "I").

Components of a News Report

A news report includes the following:

• Headline: The title of the article. It should be catchy and grab the attention of your readers.
  • Examples: "Assassin Kills Kennedy," "Zombies Take Over the City," "Royal Birth: It's a Boy."
• Photo: Relates to the headline of the news report, illustrating characteristics of the story.
• Byline: The name of the person who wrote the report. When you write your own news report, use your own name.
• Place Line: Where the report was written, based on where the incident took place.
• Lead Paragraph: The first paragraph of the article. It includes the 4Ws (Who, What, Where, and When).
  • Example: "Yesterday, Joe Brown was shocked to find a rare bird in his backyard in Brampton."
• Body Paragraphs:
  • Paragraph Two: Explains how and why the incident happened.
  • Paragraph Three: Includes at least one quotation from someone who was part of the incident and who was interviewed for the report.
  • Paragraph Four: Includes any additional information the reader may want to know.

Example News Report

• Headline: School Receives Award
• Photo: (Insert relevant photo here)
• Byline: S. Birch
• Place Line: Brampton, Ontario

Lead Paragraph: Yesterday, Heartlake Secondary School located in Brampton received an award for community spirit. The students of the school cleaned up their neighborhood by picking up litter on a daily basis for two weeks.

Body Paragraphs

• The award was presented by the organization Community Giving, which gives out three Community Spirit Awards a year.
• Principal of Heartlake Secondary School, Ms. Do, said, "I am so proud of the students. They were dedicated, and I am thrilled they have won this award."
• Student Tia Lu said, "Every morning we spent 15 minutes picking up the litter in the neighborhood. Students plan to continue to keep their neighborhood clean."

Key Points to Remember

• Paragraphs are one to two sentences long.
• Key information is in the first two paragraphs.
• All information is factual.
• The report includes the 5Ws and 1H.
• Quotations are directly related to the report.
• The last paragraph includes any additional information.

Conclusion

Use this structure to write your own news report. Remember to include all the parts of a news report as seen in the example provided.