Give us a headline – a title for your article. Headlines can make or break a reader’s decision about whether or not they will keep reading.

In general, articles start with a lede: 1-2 sentences that get to the news, ASAP. Try to have your first sentence get to the main point, most of the 6 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.

Ex. On Feb. 12, the SRC ushered in students to their pet-therapy session at the Gait.

Each successive paragraph is ordered by importance – the most important news goes at the top, followed by essential facts/perspectives, moving down to less essential but still interesting information.

Begin a new paragraph each time you quote a new person, or when you move on to different aspect of the story.

Interview people and use quotes to show why the event/issue matters. Quotes are a great way to show, not tell. In general, quote statements that are unique or expressed in a special way. Paraphrase everything else.

Finish off your article with a conclusion or food for thought. Summarize your main points or leave us with a quote/statement that keeps us thinking.