TIPS: How To Write An Article - ASOC2324 EN

HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE
To start – 1
Collect ideas and define the scope
What is your story (the subject of the research)?
How do you think you can draw more attention?
Which aspects of the topic do you want to convey
to your readers?

To start – 2
Identify an angle
Having defined the scope of what you want to
describe, consider how to capture the reader’s
attention via an original approach. Try to
provide a helpful contribution to any public
debate on the topic.

HOW IS A NEWS
ARTICLE
STRUCTURED?

A concise and effective phrase, which must summarise the content
of the text and draw the reader’s attention.
Usually you write it after the article.
It can be a ‘warm’ title, intended to elicit emotions and create feeling
(e.g. Terrible fire devastates theatre), or ‘cold’, i.e. academic, intended
solely to inform without frills (e.g. Fire destroys theatre).
Sometimes, as you can see, a simple adjective can change the tone.
It is important that it reflects the truth.
THE TITLE

THE LEAD
Also known as the hook, i.e., the start of the article.
It is a very important part, as it aims to engage and start a
reflection on the topic.
The lead can be one of a number of types: enunciating
information, a fact or one of its peculiarities, a description
of a situation, the statement of one of the protagonists or
witness of the event, a question.

According to English journalistic tradition, the lead must answer the
famous 5 Ws:
What: what happened?
Who: who is the event’s protagonist?
When: when did it take place?
Where: where did it happen?
Why: why did it happen?
… and there is even a How (how did the events occur?)
THE 5 Ws

THE BODY
The greater part of the article, where the central argument is made
or developed. It includes the "background", or contextual and
surrounding information, which can be helpful for framing the
argument better.
In opinion articles, this section set out the idea and can rebut the
opposing position.

CONCLUSION
In the conclusion, summaries are drawn together and
positions restated. Usually, the article is concluded with an
impactful phrase or at least an incisive final thought.

10 HELPFUL TIPS
TO WRITE A GOOD ARTICLE

Create an outline
Develop an outline before starting to write.
It will serve as a guide to help you to understand
where you need more information and in what
order to present the information and facts.
Follow a logical path and avoid sudden jumps.
Distribute balanced information throughout the
text.
1

Write the introduction (lead)
2
A convincing introductory paragraph is fundamental for
capturing attention.
While reading the initial phrases, the reader assesses
whether it is worth the effort to read the entire article.
There are different ways to start to write: use a direct quote
from an interview, start with a statistic …

3
Respect the rule of the 5 Ws
The best way to engage the reader is to respect the rule of
the 5 Ws, or setting out who is the protagonist of the event
you are writing about, or Who, what happened, the What,
plus When, Where and Why.

4
Follow the outline
The outline can help you to remember how the details
interconnect. But be flexible. Sometimes, while
writing, the flow goes in a different direction from the
outline. Be ready to change direction if you think it’s
better.

5
Provide the right context
Do not presume that the reader knows as much as you do
on the subject. Think about the supporting information
that the reader needs. For example, you could write a
paragraph that explains the background of the argument
before illustrating the data, before then including and
explaining the data itself.

6
Include transition words
Connect stand-alone ideas with transition terms, so
that the article forms a cohesive piece. Start each new
paragraph with a word that connects it to the previous
one.
For example, words or expressions such as However,
Secondly or It’s worth remembering that.

7
Pay attention to the style, structure and tone
Use a style, structure and tone that makes sense for the
chosen type of article. Usually it’s better to write using
accessible and direct language.
Use hook phrases at the beginning of each paragraph. Vary
the length of phrases, both short and long. If you find that all
phrases have more or less the same number of words, you
run the risk of sending the reader to sleep with such a
monotonous tone.

8
Write a convincing conclusion
Conclude the article dynamically. Depending on the piece, this
part could stimulate the reader to do something or learn more on
the topic.
If you started with a statistic in the introduction, think about how
to connect this point in the conclusion.
Conclusions are more effective when they are direct and lead the
public in a direction that stimulates a thirst for more knowledge.

9
Correct the article
Take the time to reread and correct the piece.
Correct, rewrite certain paragraphs or even the entire
article, if necessary. Make sure that the writing has no
grammatical errors.
It can be helpful to print a copy of the article. Read it
aloud and ask someone to read it to you. Listen to the
tone, rhythm, length of phrases, coherence,
grammatical errors or content… and correct them.

10
Write the title
The article should have an appropriate and concise
title, of no more than 10 words.
It should effectively encapsulate the subject and
even be oriented towards action and convey the
reason why the story you told may be important. You
should attract readers’ attention and continue to
engage them throughout the piece.

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TIPS: How To Write An Article - ASOC2324 EN

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