Here are key elements of leading in journalism:
1. Headline Impact: The headline should effectively convey the essence of the story, entice readers, and compel them to read more.
2. Summary: The lead paragraph should provide a brief summary of the article, stating the main points and answering the essential questions: who, what, where, when, and why.
3. Focus on the Most Important Information: The lead should prioritize and highlight the most newsworthy and significant aspects of the story.
4. Inverted Pyramid Structure: The information in the lead should follow the inverted pyramid structure. The most critical details come at the beginning, with less crucial information gradually introduced in descending order of importance.
5. Engaging Beginning: Leads often use strong verbs and descriptive language to draw readers in and captivate their attention from the start.
6. News Elements: The lead should effectively incorporate the basic news elements (who, what, where, when, why, and how) when necessary and relevant to the story.
7. Avoiding Jargon and Complexity: The lead should be easy for readers to grasp and comprehend. It should avoid jargon or overly technical language that may require specialized knowledge.
8. Context and Perspective: The lead can set the context for the article by providing essential background information or previous events related to the story.
9. Balance: The lead should maintain impartiality by presenting a balanced account of events or opinions.
10. Timeliness: In the case of breaking news or time-sensitive stories, the lead should clearly state when the events occurred.
11. Quotes: Leads may include brief and impactful quotes from individuals involved or affected by the story.
12. Curiosity Gap: Leaving some questions unanswered or hinting at further details can create a "curiosity gap" that prompts readers to continue reading.
13. Clear Tone: The lead should reflect the appropriate tone for the article. It may employ a serious tone for weighty topics, a lighter tone for feature articles, or an investigative tone for uncovering crucial information.
By crafting an effective lead, journalists can hook their readers and encourage them to delve deeper into the news article for additional information and context.