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Problem headlines
| Example #1: A case of “headlinese” |
| Law profs |
Avoid “forced” abbreviations |
| nix Thomas |
Oh, yeah, I'll bet you say “nix” all the time |
| Example #2: Huh? Are “chase” and “winds” verbs or nouns? |
| Police chase winds |
| through three towns |
| Example #3: Uhhh, OK, so what the heck happened? News, please! |
| USD #269 Board of Education meets |
Example #4: Isn't it against the law to murder a drunk? Oh, now I see, it's
a potential witness to a murder who happened to be drunk? |
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Potential witness
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to murder drunk
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| Example #5: It ain't Kansas; we're a cattle state. |
| Downtown hogs grant cash |
| Oh, the "downtown" is hogging cash from a grant! |
| Example #6: A poor choice. |
Example #7: How nice! |
| Cop picks |
Senate |
| open can |
presses |
| of worms |
vets suits |
| Example #8: Well, we THINK he's dead. Oh, a professor of “Greek thought.” |
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Professor of Greek thought dead at 59
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| Example #9: Stop the presses! (Beware the no-verb headline). |
| Dead cats protest |
| Example #10: "dead" or "dead even"? |
Example #11: Spare the rod...? |
| Dole and Bush |
Teacher strikes idle kids |
| dead even in |
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| Kansas polls |
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| Example #12: This is taking planning too far. This is when you need to plan on using the verb “to be” (are) and the article “a” — Pope's plans are a headache. |
| Pope plans headache |
| Example #13: Everyone deserves good legal help — even if it is free. |
| Clinic gives poor free legal help
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| Example #14: Don't we all? |
Example #15: This gives church a bad name! |
| Lebanon chief |
20,000 at mass |
| limits access |
for Polish priest |
| to private parts |
reported killed |
| Example #16: Those are smart cats! |
| Shooting cats to study |
| head wounds called cruel |
| Example #17: Now, twice as many? |
Example #18: Punishment fits crime? |
| S. Florida illegal aliens |
Police begin campaign |
| cut in half by new law |
to run down jaywalkers |
| Example #19: A euphemism for capital punishment? |
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Trial ends in mercy killing
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| Example #20: Man bites dog? |
Example #21: Now, that's a crime! |
| Owners responsible |
Woman off to jail |
| for biting canines |
for sex with boys |
| Example #22: Should have gone to the “10 items or less” line. It's quicker. |
| Sisters reunited after 18 years |
| in checkout line at supermarket |
| Example #23: . |
Example#24: Evening the odds? |
| I'd tell all, too |
Prison warden says inmates may have 3 guns |
| Threatened by gun, |
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| employees testify |
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| Example #25: Personally, I refuse to hate Friday. TGIF! |
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Services for man who refused to hate Thursday in Atlanta
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Writing effective headlines | Good headlines
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