Writing a News Paper Article

What is the purpose of a news article?

The point of a news article is to inform the reader of a certain event or events that has
taken place recently. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the writer to be as objective as
possible and not include personal opinions (Ex: I was deeply hurt when the Toronto Blue
Jays were eliminated from the tournament).

Components of the newspaper article:

The Headline
The Subhead
The Byline
The Dateline
The Lead Paragraph
The Middle Paragraph(s)
The Last Paragraph

The Headline: This is the title of the news report. It is meant to grab the readers
attention. A headline will grab readers attention. Often the headline may be less
detailed than the proceeding paragraphs. For example, an article Titled The Battle for
Mosul does not actually tell us what happened during that event. Rather, it sparks the
readers curiosity.

The Subhead: A Subhead is a secondary title that appears after the headline. It gives
additional information about the story. The subhead of a sports event for instance, might
give us the results of the event. Ex: Mudville loses 4-2

The Byline: It tells us who the story is by

The Dateline: Appears at the beginning of the report. It tells the reader where the story
happened (EX: Ottawa). It does NOT tell the date.

The Lead Paragraph: The primary objective of the lead paragraph is to answer as
many of the 5ws as you can.
Who is the subject of the article? It can be a person place idea or thing.
What has happened during the event? What has the person done?
When did this happen?
Where did this happen?
Why did this happen?

The Middle Paragraphs: This paragraph answers the question: How did this happen? As a result it is
important that the middle paragraphs include facts, quotations from appropriate source. There should be
a smooth transition from one paragraph to the next.
The Last Paragraph: Summarizes the news report. It could perhaps suggest a call to action. Ex: An
article about an earthquake might provide information of where people can go to donate money.

Additional Resource: https://prezi.com/qe3np3nijjiw/detailed-writing-a-news-report/

 Shakespearean Tragedy

Plot Overview:

Plot Structure: Majority of William Shakespeares tragic plays have a very generic plot
structure. The plot structure of a Shakespearean tragedy is as follows:

Exposition Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution

Plot Content:

In terms of content, Shakespeares plays consist of several key thematic elements. The
following are the primary concepts required in terms of composing a Shakespearean
tragedy, as well as gaining an understanding of Romeo and Juliet.

I. Tragic Hero: Shakespeares tragic plays often focus and revolve around the
actions of one specific character, and includes other supporting characters. The
hero is generally the most tragic character of the play. In addition, the tragic hero
is often a highly reputable member of society. Ex: Hamlet is the Prince of
Denmark.
II. Tragic Flaw: the protagonist of the tragic play always possesses a tragic flaw
that leads to his downfall. This flaw can be anything the playwright desires, such
as excessive greed, pride, haste etc.
III. External conflict: this is a conflict within the play that takes place outside of the
mind of the character, and can lead to exposing or provoking some of the internal
conflicts of the protagonist. For example, in William Shakespeares Macbeth the
prophecy of the three witches provokes Macbeth to usurp the throne of Scotland,
exposing his internal greed and selfishness.
IV. Internal conflict: This conflict ties into the element of the tragic flaw. This conflict
is psychological and in turn is the cause of a lot of the chaos within the play. Ex:
Hamlets procrastination to take revenge on King Claudius, Macbeths need to be
King of Scotland immediately even though he knows the witches prophecy will
eventually come true.
V. Tragic Waste: This is usually at the end of the play. Neither good nor evil triumph
over the other. Ex: Hamlets death is tragic because while he does succeed at
avenging his fathers death, he also ends up dying in the process.