Leads, Headlines and Briefs

Happy Beyoncé Day!

Can You Spot the Real Headline

• You’ll see a series of headlines.

• Some are real (though unbelievable).

• Some are fake (crafted to trick you).

• Your task: Decide REAL or FAKE for each.

Multiple Choice

Real or Fake

Cost of Being Poor Rising

• Real

• Fake

Multiple Choice

Real or Fake

Cow Attacks School Cook

• Real

• Fake

Multiple Choice

Old Man Yells at Cloud

• Real

• Fake

Multiple Choice

Mary Poppins Is A Black Man

• Real

• Fake

Multiple Choice

Chick Accuses Some of Her Male Colleagues of Sexism

• Real

• Fake

Multiple Choice

Clown Suit No Laughing Matter

• Real

• Fake

Takeaway - Why Headlines Matter

📰 What Did We Learn?

• Headlines grab attention — but not all attention is good.

• They shape how we perceive the story before we even read it.

• Real or fake, headlines need to be:

  • Accurate (truthful to content)

  • Engaging (catch attention fast)

  • Clear (so readers understand immediately)

Takeaway - Why Headlines Matter

📰 What Did We Learn?

• If a headline can make you stop, laugh, or doubt — it’s already done its job. Now let’s learn how to craft them with purpose.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a technical consideration when writing headlines?

• Font size: 32 points or more for visibility

• Contrast: Bold headlines separate from body copy

• Complete sentence structure

• Style: Serif for formal, sans serif for informal

Multiple Select

Which of the following are types of headlines described in the lesson?

• Direct

• Indirect

• Command

• Summary

🗞️ Pick the Headline

• You’ll see a short scenario (news, social media, or pop culture).

• Three possible headlines will be shown.

• Pick the one that would most make you stop and click/read.

• After voting, think about how that headline worked on you —
  did it make you feel informed, curious, or hyped?

• We’ll reveal the headline type and connect it back to why writers use it.

Poll

Scenario 1 – (Campus Life)

Your college launches a new esports arena with tournaments, live streaming, and gaming pods.

• College Opens New Esports Arena With Live Tournaments

• Could This Be the Future of Campus Sports?

• Students Go Wild Over New Gaming Hub

Poll

Scenario 2 – (Pop Culture)

Netflix drops a surprise teaser for a new anime series at midnight, and fans are already flooding TikTok.

• Netflix Releases Surprise Anime Teaser at Midnight

• Did Netflix Just Break the Internet With Its Latest Anime Drop?

• Fans Lose Their Minds Over Netflix’s Midnight Anime Teaser

Poll

Scenario 3 – (Brand/Marketing)

Starbucks announces a new seasonal drink: Pumpkin Churro Latte.

• Starbucks Introduces Pumpkin Churro Latte Nationwide

• Ready to Try Starbucks’ Sweetest Fall Drink Yet?

• Pumpkin Spice Fans Freak Out Over Starbucks’ New Latte

Poll

Scenario 4 – (Pop Culture)

A Marvel trailer leaks online before the official release.

• Marvel Studios Confirms Trailer Leak Online

• A Midnight Surprise Shakes Marvel Fans Worldwide

• Watch Marvel’s Latest Trailer Before It Gets Taken Down

📝 Takeaway → Now It’s Your Turn

What We Learned: Different headline types work on us in different ways:

• Direct → Informs

• News → Updates

• Question → Sparks curiosity

• Indirect → Teases with mystery

• Command → Tells us to act

• Emotional → Plays on feelings

Takeaway

• Headlines shape your reaction before you click.

• Writers choose a type based on how they want the reader to respond.

• A good headline isn’t just about accuracy, it’s about impact.

• Writers choose headline types based on the effect they want on readers.

Why This Matters for Writers?

• Some headlines made you stop because they gave you the facts.

• Others worked by teasing mystery, sparking curiosity, or pulling on emotions.

• You weren’t just reading — you were reacting.

What Just Happened?

Reflect Before You Write

👉 Think about which headline worked on you and why.

That’s the same strategy you’ll use now to craft your own headlines.

👉 Now it’s your turn to be the writer.

• I’ll give you short scenarios.

• Your job: create a headline (any type) that you think will grab attention.

• Be ready to share what type you chose and how it worked on you when you wrote it.

Open Ended

Scenario 1 – Campus Life

Your university is opening a brand-new fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, yoga rooms, and free smoothies for the first week.

Open Ended

Scenario 2 – Pop Culture

A famous musician suddenly drops a surprise album at midnight, and fans flood TikTok with reaction videos.

Open Ended

Scenario 3 – Social Media Trend

A video of a golden retriever skateboarding goes viral, racking up 10 million views in 24 hours.

Open Ended

Scenario 4 – Technology

Apple announces a new pair of smart glasses that project apps directly into your line of sight.

Open Ended

Scenario 5 – Food & Lifestyle

A fast-food chain introduces a limited-time Spicy Mac & Cheese Burger, available for only one month.

Fill in the Blank

The maximum recommended character limit for digital headlines before Google crops them is ___ characters.

Multiple Choice

What is the primary purpose of using SEO and keyword strategy in digital headlines?

• To make headlines longer

• To ensure headlines appear in search results

• To increase the font size of headlines

• To use more complex vocabulary

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a key difference between print and digital media in terms of placement?

• Print media allows for flexible placement such as pop-ups and scrolls.

• Digital media uses fixed positions with the story.

• Print media uses fixed positions with the story, while digital media allows for flexible placement such as pop-ups and scrolls.

• Both print and digital media use standardized templates for placement.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a lead in a news story?

• To summarize the entire article in detail

• To provide a glimpse of the story and help readers decide whether to continue reading

• To list all the sources used in the article

• To present the writer's opinion

Multiple Choice

According to the inverted pyramid approach, which element should be presented first in a news story lead?

• Who & What

• When & Where

• How

• Why

Multiple Select

Which of the following are types of leads mentioned in the lesson?

• Summary Lead

• Single Item Lead

• Anecdotal Lead

• Descriptive Lead

Fill in the Blank

A lead that uses descriptive pronouns instead of revealing 'who' upfront is called a ___ lead.

📰 Activity: Pick the Lead!

• You’ll see a short story scenario.

• Three different leads will be shown.

• Pick the one that would most make you keep reading.

• After voting, think about how that lead worked on you — did it give you the facts, set a scene, or make you curious?

• We’ll reveal the type of lead and why writers use it.

Poll

Scenario 1 – Campus Event

A celebrity speaker visits campus to give a talk on mental health.

• Actor Michael B. Jordan spoke to 800 students Monday night about breaking the stigma around mental health.

• One sentence drew the loudest applause: “Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.”

• When the lights dimmed, Michael B. Jordan walked quietly onstage, pausing before speaking. Students leaned in, waiting for his first words.

Poll

Scenario 2 – Local News

A town holds a parade to honor firefighters who contained a massive wildfire.

• Thousands lined Main Street Saturday to honor the firefighters who battled last month’s wildfire.

• No one cheered louder than 8-year-old Lucy, who carried a sign that read: “Thank you for saving our town.”

• The smell of smoke still lingered in the air as fire trucks rolled down Main Street, this time to applause instead of alarms.

Poll

Scenario 3 – Pop Culture

A Marvel trailer leaks online before the official release.

• Marvel confirmed Thursday that a trailer for its upcoming film leaked online ahead of schedule.

• Fans were quick to spot one frame that might have revealed the villain — a detail Marvel hadn’t planned to share.

• Who leaked Marvel’s biggest trailer of the year, and what does it mean for the studio’s rollout?

Poll

Scenario 4 – Tech Innovation (Advanced Leads)

A startup reveals a driverless bus that begins test runs in the city.

• It looks like any other city bus — until you realize no one is behind the wheel.

• A bus pulled up to the curb downtown Tuesday, and the crowd of onlookers raised their phones to record history.

• Would you step onto a bus that drives itself?

Wrap-Up

• Leads are your reader’s first entry point.

• They can inform, spotlight, immerse, create suspense, observe, or spark curiosity.

• As writers, you choose the type based on what effect you want to create.

Takeaway

• Leads are the reader’s first step into the story.

• Different types of leads create different effects:

  • Summary → informs fast

  • Single Item → spotlights one detail

  • Anecdotal → immerses in a moment

  • Delayed Identification → builds suspense

  • Observational → gives context/big picture

  • Question → sparks curiosity

So What?

As a writer, you decide which effect you want your reader to feel.

Next Step:
👉 Now it’s your turn to be the writer.

• I’ll give you short scenarios.

• Your job: write a lead (any type) that could open the story.

• Be ready to share which lead type you used and how it worked on you when you wrote it.

Open Ended

Scenario 1 – Campus Life

A record-breaking snowstorm cancels classes for three days and leaves students stranded in dorms.

Open Ended

Scenario 2 – Entertainment

A surprise reunion performance by a popular 2000s boy band takes place at a major music festival.

Open Ended

Scenario 3 – Social Media Trend

A college student’s “study with me” livestream unexpectedly draws 50,000 viewers overnight.

Open Ended

Scenario 4 – Health & Lifestyle

A new campus dining hall introduces a plant-based menu that divides student opinion.

Open Ended

Scenario 5 – Technology

A new app created by students is downloaded 1 million times in its first week.

Fill in the Blank

Fill in the blank: Briefs are typically ___ sentences long and focus on essential information first.

-

Multiple Choice

Which of the following are components of the digital media ecosystem?

• Breaking News Alert

• Newsletter Feature

• Full Article

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

According to best practices for modern writers, what should you consider when optimizing for platforms?

• SEO and character limits

• Font variety

• Editorial judgment

• Superlative words

Discussion

Why is mastering the art of engagement important for digital media writers?

How do you think digital adaptation has changed the way journalists write leads and headlines compared to traditional print media?

To-Do List

• Complete readings and videos

• Pick any two recent updates you find interesting.

  • They can come from pop culture, lifestyle, entertainment, tech, sports, or another area you follow closely.

  • Choose topics that already have enough information available online so you can summarize them clearly.

• For each update, you will:

  • Write a 100–150 word brief that answers the key questions (who, what, when, where, why). Keep it objective and concise.

  • Write a headline under 10 words that is clear, accurate, and attention-grabbing.

• Submit your two briefs and headlines to Ulearn by Sept 9, 2025 at 11 am.