The Importance of Headlines...

In journalism, one of the key elements of a story is a good headline. You have to let people know what goes on in a 600-word story in just five. It takes the term "Reader's Digest version" to a whole other level.

But when journalism students start learning to write headlines (in my case, that would be in News Editing & Copyreading...thanks, Dr.B) something we have to be careful is not arrange the words in ways that create double meanings.

The lab manual for the class gave a number of examples of headlines that managed to slip through the editor's eye. Some of them are a real hoot. Remember, these all managed to get printed in newspapers.

Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers

Drunk gets nine months in violin case

Survivor of Siamese twins joins parents

Farmer bill dies in house

Iraqi head seeks arms

Stud tires out

Prostitutes appeal to pope

Panda mating fails; veterinarian takes over

Soviet Virgin lands short of goal again

Teacher strikes idle kids

Squad helps dog bite victim

Shot off woman's leg help Nicklaus to 66

Enraged cow injures farmer with ax

Juvenile court to try shooting defendant

Stolen painting found by tree

Two Soviet ships collide, one dies.

Never withhold herpes infection from loved one

Drunken drivers paid $1000 in '84

War dims hope for peace

If strike isn't settled quickly, it may last a while

Cold wave linked to temperatures

Man is fatally slain