a tour of new features

introducing

The Language of Articles

Enhancing Your Presentation

We have features for every step of the way

1News Report

2Feature/Magazine

Article

3Editorial

News Report1

Features

• Report MAIN FACTS or INFORMATION• About very RECENT and SPECIFIC incidents• Objective (more facts than opinions)

Headlines – News Report

• Simple and straightforward• A summary of what happened• You know what the incident/event is by just

reading the headline• Headline – shows what the focus is

(something specific, and something recent)

News Report – Headline

Temperatures Dip to -30°C for Coldest Night on Record

Is this reporting on a

SINGLE, SPECIFIC incident?

Is this a RECENT

event?

Summary of what happened?

Which one belongs to a news report headline?

1. Why are our Rainy Days Likely to Result in Chaos?

2. Rain Causes Flood in PIK 3. Replacing the Irreplaceable – The Legacy of

Sir Alex Ferguson4. Alex Ferguson Announces Retirement

Cont

ent a

nd S

truc

ture

• News report often have the WHO, WHAT, WHERE and WHEN at the start.

Read the excerpt below. Is this the case? What other extra information is included?

Robert Boardman, 63, was hiking with his wife and friend in Olympic National Park on Monday when he was attacked and killed by a mountain goat.

Full name AGE

Name of placeDAY

Content and Structure

• Expert or witness account in direct speech are often included to give weight to the article.

E.g: “It has shown aggressive behaviour in the past, however, nothing led us to believe it was appropriate to remove the goat from its habitat,” park spokeswoman Barb Maynes told the Associated Press.

• Refer to the sample given. In which section can you find the direct speech? What kind of information do you find in the speech?

• Why wouldn’t you include a direct speech/quote in the 1st paragraph?

Content and Structure

• Report events in sequence: what happened, what happened next

• Makes use of TIME connectives – first, later, finally

• Final paragraph focuses on the current situation and what is happening next (predictions, future consequences, investigation etc)

STYLE – OBJECTIVE (NOT BIASED)

• The reporter is just an observer • No ‘I’ is present (unless it is in direct

speech/witness/expert account)• Most verbs to recount what happened is in

the PAST TENSE except for headline and final paragraph

STYLE – formal vs informal

• Active form“I noticed the fire starting in the factory and called the police,” said John Widjaja, 34.• Passive formThe start of the fire was noticed and the police were called.

• In a passive form, the subject/doer is missing and makes the text sound more distant

• News reporters (except for in a direct speech) makes use of passive form when they want to give the text more authority

Turn this short account into a formal news report

• Change from active to passive, where possible

I discovered the shipwreck yesterday as our fishing boat returned in the evening. I saw the hull shining deep down, then dived in. while underwater, I took photographs with my waterproof camera and returned to the surface where I passed them to the captain who sent them using a mobile phone to a local newspaper

Use the starting line: The shipwreck was discovered yesterday by…

2 Feature Article

What is a feature article like?

• Are often more personal than a news report• Contains a balance of facts as well as opinions• Timeless—about an issue that could happen any time• Inform, educate, and entertain the reader• Writer takes a stance/offers a perspective• Uses secondary sources, such as interviews, anecdotes,

quotes, or statistics, to support the writer’s perspective• It uses quotes liberally and allows the reader to see the

story through detailed description and vivid writing.

Headlines and intro

• Headline is more creative than a news report/article

• Meant to interest the reader to find out more

• Introduction of a feature article – lead in techniques

• Refer to www.igcse1english.wordpress.com for more information

3 Editorial

!

An article that states the

newspaper’s stance on a particular

issue. Basically, it is a persuasive

essay that offers a solution to a

problem.

What is an editorial?

Structure of an editorial

The situation…

Leaguetown High School, has 700 students enrolled in secondary 1 to 4. Every year in May, the school hosts an awards ceremony during the day to honor particular students. Usually about 200 to 250 students earn honors every year. The ceremony takes about an hour and a half and the entire school attends.

Last year, several students had to be escorted out of the gym for disruptive behavior. This year, Principal Flor Jimenez proposed moving the awards ceremony to the evening so more parents and community members can attend. Only a handful of parents attended the assembly last year.

Several teachers complained that moving the ceremony to the evening is not fair to them because they do not receive extra pay for working extra hours. The Parent-Teacher Association president Linda Fowler said she supports the move because it will allow parents to see their children receive their awards.

Principal Jimenez said she will speak with parents, teachers and students before making her final decision. You are writing for the next issue of the Press which will be distributed Tuesday, March 9.

Head of editorial – MUST CONTAIN THE PROBLEM/SITUATION

AFTER THE INTRO - YOUR STAND

BODY – CONTENT (You can have more than 3 reasons)

ELABORATION for each REASON (Integrate it with the reason)

Rebuttal to what the other party might say

The last few paragraphs & conclusion – Solution & recap

What you should NOT do in an editorial

What you should NOT do in an editorial

Style• You are allowed to be MORE subjective than a news

report or a feature article• Must have a strong stand• Must give valid and logical reasons for your opinion• Must tell the readers what is wrong with the other

party’s opinion• Provide a solution if asked to ASSESS or SUGGEST

solutions• May use the pronoun ‘I’ once in a while• More opinions than just mere facts. Persuade. • Use emotive language

What’s Your Message?

Other things to revise- Speech (persuasive technique + awareness of audience)- Journal/diaries- Conversation/interview- Formal reports- Letters (formal & informal)

GOOD LUCK!