Week 11: Headlines!

Headlines have always been very interesting to me. They are one of the few places where less grammar rules apply. Although they omit so many words and devices that we are so accustomed to reading, they don't sound strange in our heads when we read them. It's so natural to see that big bold lettering, devoid of articles or filler words, just shouting out the main idea of an article.

My favorite headlines include strong verbs, essential, well-placed detail, and intelligent word placement. My least favorite headlines were hard to follow, uninteresting, or too garbled to understand. One is posted below.

United halts Newark-Delhi flights on poor air quality

I found this headline confusing. United was on poor air quality? Or the flights on poor air quality were halted? Obviously they're trying to explain that these flights were halted due to poor air quality, but probably didn't have enough room. Regardless, it doesn't make much sense.

One of my favorites was humorous, satirical and sarcastic.

'Saturday Night Live' Trolls the Stiff, Boring Democrats

The headline gives readers a glimpse into the character of the article, which obviously pokes fun in a harmless way.

Overall,  I've found that the best headlines are the ones that make me want to read (or watch) on, and sometimes that doesn't mean they're particularly special or clever. In fact, one of the first articles I clicked on on Yahoo News had the headline "The Unbelievable Transformation of Susan Boyle." I was so interested in the topic and enticed by the simple presentation that I simply had to read on.

I hope you are all having fun with your headlines, and that you're continuing to enjoy the semester! Remember to keep your theres, theirs and they'res straight!