News article inverted pyramid style of writing

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The Inverted Pyramid Structure

These sources provide an introduction to newspaper writing with explanations of the most basic and many frequently used aspects of journalism and also the Connected Press style. This resource, revised based on the Connected Press Stylebook 2012. offers examples for that general format of AP style. To learn more, please consult The Connected Press Stylebook 2012 . 47 th edition.

Contributors: Christopher Arnold, Tony Prepare, Dennis Koyama, Elizabeth Angeli, Joshua M. Paiz
Last Edited: 2013-04-06 07:03:57

Introduction

For many years, the “inverted pyramid” structure is a mainstay of traditional media writing. After this structure, the “base” from the pyramidprobably the most fundamental detailsappear towards the top of the storyline, within the lead paragraph. Non-essential information seems within the following sentences, or “nut” graphs, so as worth focusing on.

Although some media authors are critical from the inverted pyramid structure, it remains probably the most broadly used and well established structures in media writing.

Essential information generally refers back to the oft-reported “Five Ws” of journalism: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. A effective lead paragraph communicates, on the fundamental level, the fundamental details of who did what, when, where, and why.

The “nut” graphs such as the following contain additional details, quotes from sources, statistics, background, or any other information. They are put into the content so as worth focusing on, so the lowest products are at the end.

The inverted pyramid structure may be the product of the old media technologythe telegraph. When news outlets would telegraph information within the wires, it made sense to make use of the inverted pyramid since the most significant information within the story was transmitted first. In case of a lost connection, whomever received the storyline could still print the fundamental details.

The inverted pyramid structure also benefits editors. If the editor must cut articles, they are able to simply cut in the bottom. If their reporter was writing within the reliable inverted pyramid structure, probably the most essential information would remain at the very top.

Some in media critique the inverted pyramid to be artless, and definitely, it’s not suitable for every report, because it removes an excellent detail of autonomy in the reporter. Others link inverted pyramid style towards the loss of newspaper readership, quarrelling that, by providing away the ending first, the dwelling is the opposite of the fundamentals of narrative. Some scholars have theorized the inverted pyramid structure might really become more hard for readers to know.

Using the emergence of internet news writing, the inverted pyramid structure isn’t as prominent because it was previously. In the web based format, where editors aren’t bound by column inches, articles’s length is much more flexible. Similarly, online journalism is more and more affected by the existence of bloggers, who typically avoid traditional news writing structure.

The inverted pyramid structure means placing probably the most fundamental information within the lead paragraph from the story, after which organizing the rest of the details, from most significant to lowest, within the following nut graphs. However, there are critics from the inverted pyramid style, it remains a broadly used method of media news writing.

Scanlan, Nick. “Writing in the Top Lower: Benefits and drawbacks from the Inverted Pyramid.” world wide web.poynter.org. 18 12 , 2008.

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