20:
133:
sparked its development by encouraging reporters to condense material, to reduce costs, or to hedge against the unreliability of the telegraph network. Studies of 19th-century news stories in
American newspapers, however, suggest that the form spread several decades later than the telegraph, possibly
177:'s apartment and under pretense of having a prescription was shown to the Secretary's sick chamber. The assassin immediately rushed to the bed and inflicted two or three stabs on the chest and two on the face. It is hoped the wounds may not be mortal. My apprehension is that they will prove fatal.
651:
One of the occupational hazards of getting a Ph.D. is a distinct predilection for the traditional pyramid style ... After plowing through twenty pages of basics the patient reader may find a section entitled results ... and after an additional five pages of this, a page or so of conclusions is
211:
are addressed in the first paragraph. As the article continues, the less important details are presented. An even more pyramid-conscious reporter or editor would move two additional details to the first two sentences: That the shot was to the head, and that it was expected to prove fatal. The
108:
This system also means that information less vital to the reader's understanding comes later in the story, where it is easier to edit out for space or other reasons. This is called "cutting from the bottom." Rather than petering out, a story may end with a
63:
information that the writer means to convey, illustrating that this kind of material should head the article, while the tapering lower portion illustrates that other material should follow in order of diminishing importance.
47:
and has wide adaptability to other kinds of texts, such as blogs, editorial columns and marketing factsheets. It is a way to communicate the basics about a topic in the initial sentences. The inverted pyramid is taught to
104:
This format is valued for two reasons. First, readers can leave the story at any point and understand it, even if they do not have all the details. Second, it conducts readers through the details of the story by the end.
101:, or question-and-answer format. The inverted pyramid may also include a "hook" as a kind of prologue, typically a provocative quote, question, or image, to entice the reader into committing to reading the full story.
184:, who was in an adjoining rented room, and he hastened to the door of his father's room, when he met the assassin, who inflicted upon him one or more dangerous wounds. The recovery of Frederick Seward is doubtful.
364:
513:
Emde, Katharina; Klimmt, Christoph; Schluetz, Daniela M. (3 July 2016). "Does
Storytelling help Adolescents to Process the News?: A comparison of narrative news and the inverted pyramid".
452:
59:
The inverted or upside-down pyramid can be thought of as a triangle pointing down. The widest part at the top represents the most substantial, interesting, and
368:
79:). The opposite, the failure to mention the most important, interesting or attention-grabbing elements of a story in the opening paragraphs, is called
253:
430:
287:
134:
because the reform era's social and educational forces encouraged factual reporting rather than more interpretive narrative styles.
672:
271:
The structure and layout of a news report is important as it ensures that readers can find the most important information quickly
93:
Other styles are also used in news writing, including the "anecdotal lead", which begins the story with an eye-catching tale or
164:
The assassin then leaped upon the stage, brandishing a large dagger or knife, and made his escape in the rear of the theatre.
312:
484:
Pöttker, Horst (November 2003). "News and its communicative quality: the inverted pyramid—when and why did it appear?".
591:
Ytreberg, Espen (January 2001). "Moving out of the
Inverted Pyramid: narratives and descriptions in television news".
167:
The pistol ball entered the back of the
President's head and penetrated nearly through the head. The wound is mortal.
212:
transitional sentence about the Grants suggests that less-important facts are being added to the rest of the story.
622:"Turning the Inverted Pyramid Upside Down: How Australian Print Media Is Learning to Love the Narrative"
219:
did not use this format when covering the assassination, instead adopting a chronological organization.
621:
544:"Inverting the Inverted Pyramid: A Conversation about the Use of Feminist Theories to Teach Journalism"
342:
634:
406:
390:
137:
Chip
Scanlan's essay on the form includes this frequently cited example of telegraphic reporting:
401:
228:
53:
161:, was shot by an assassin, who suddenly entered the box and approached behind the President.
667:
291:
130:
76:
8:
181:
39:
and other writers to illustrate how information should be prioritised and structured in
608:
571:
563:
530:
501:
411:
49:
612:
575:
534:
505:
337:
174:
150:
142:
415:
600:
555:
522:
493:
216:
190:
81:
543:
526:
457:
233:
199:
170:
The
President has been insensible ever since it was inflicted, and is now dying.
146:
497:
158:
313:"Being Direct 1: Martin Krieger's 'Bottom Line Up Front' - writingmatterssite"
110:
661:
118:
604:
579:
258:
154:
567:
559:
60:
44:
36:
583:
453:"How newspapers covered Abraham Lincoln's assassination 150 years ago"
19:
187:
It is not probable that the
President will live through the night.
94:
32:
542:
Walker, Danna L.; Geertsema, Margaretha; Barnett, Barbara (2009).
391:"Web journalism: from the inverted pyramid to the tumbled pyramid"
173:
About the same hour an assassin, whether the same or not, entered
129:
Historians disagree about when the form was created. Many say the
208:
40:
98:
43:(e.g., a news report). It is a common method for writing
52:
and journalism students, and is systematically used in
541:
193:
and his wife were advertised to be at the theatre...
113:"—a conclusion, perhaps call to action—which comes
16:
Communication of major details before minor details
512:
659:
117:the pyramid. This is particularly common in
388:
405:
590:
431:"An examination of the inverted pyramid"
288:"The evolution of the summary news lead"
281:
279:
149:, while sitting in his private box with
18:
632:
483:
428:
97:rather than the central facts; and the
660:
23:The inverted pyramid method visualised
450:
276:
254:"Lesson 11: Structuring news reports"
619:
209:Who, when, where, why, what, and how
141:This evening at about 9:30 p.m. at
13:
477:
285:
14:
684:
635:"Inverted Pyramids in Cyberspace"
338:"The Inverted Pyramid Structure"
215:Other news outlets such as the
673:Metaphors referring to objects
451:Izadi, Elahi (14 April 2015).
444:
422:
398:Universidade da Beira Interior
382:
357:
330:
305:
246:
1:
527:10.1080/1461670X.2015.1006900
239:
429:Scanlan, Chip (2003-06-23).
286:Errico, Marcus; et al.
7:
633:Nielsen, Jakob (May 1996).
626:Asia Pacific Media Educator
498:10.1080/1461670032000136596
365:"Birth of Inverted Pyramid"
222:
10:
691:
131:invention of the telegraph
124:
88:
389:Canavilhas, João (2007).
343:Purdue Online Writing Lab
67:It is sometimes called a
641:. Nielsen Norman Group
605:10.1080/14616700118194
229:Glossary of journalism
206:
180:The nurse alarmed Mr.
24:
139:
22:
73:bottom line up front
433:. Poynter Institute
593:Journalism Studies
560:10.1353/ftr.0.0048
515:Journalism Studies
486:Journalism Studies
50:mass communication
25:
580:Project MUSE
69:summary news lead
680:
654:
652:reached. Phew...
648:
646:
629:
620:Johnston, Jane.
616:
587:
548:Feminist Teacher
538:
509:
471:
470:
468:
466:
448:
442:
441:
439:
438:
426:
420:
419:
409:
395:
386:
380:
379:
377:
376:
367:. Archived from
361:
355:
354:
352:
351:
334:
328:
327:
325:
323:
317:sites.google.com
309:
303:
302:
300:
299:
290:. Archived from
283:
274:
273:
268:
266:
250:
217:Associated Press
204:
203:, April 15, 1865
182:Frederick Seward
82:burying the lede
54:English-language
29:inverted pyramid
690:
689:
683:
682:
681:
679:
678:
677:
658:
657:
644:
642:
639:www.nngroup.com
480:
478:Further reading
475:
474:
464:
462:
458:Washington Post
449:
445:
436:
434:
427:
423:
393:
387:
383:
374:
372:
363:
362:
358:
349:
347:
336:
335:
331:
321:
319:
311:
310:
306:
297:
295:
284:
277:
264:
262:
252:
251:
247:
242:
234:Spiral approach
225:
205:
200:New York Herald
197:
127:
91:
17:
12:
11:
5:
688:
687:
676:
675:
670:
656:
655:
630:
617:
599:(3): 357–371.
588:
554:(3): 177–178.
539:
521:(5): 608–627.
510:
492:(4): 501–511.
479:
476:
473:
472:
443:
421:
381:
356:
329:
304:
275:
244:
243:
241:
238:
237:
236:
231:
224:
221:
195:
159:Major Rathburn
143:Ford's Theatre
126:
123:
90:
87:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
686:
685:
674:
671:
669:
666:
665:
663:
653:
640:
636:
631:
627:
623:
618:
614:
610:
606:
602:
598:
594:
589:
585:
581:
577:
573:
569:
565:
561:
557:
553:
549:
545:
540:
536:
532:
528:
524:
520:
516:
511:
507:
503:
499:
495:
491:
487:
482:
481:
461:
459:
454:
447:
432:
425:
417:
413:
408:
407:10.1.1.524.22
403:
399:
392:
385:
371:on 2015-12-12
370:
366:
360:
345:
344:
339:
333:
318:
314:
308:
294:on 2015-02-18
293:
289:
282:
280:
272:
261:
260:
255:
249:
245:
235:
232:
230:
227:
226:
220:
218:
213:
210:
202:
201:
194:
192:
191:General Grant
188:
185:
183:
178:
176:
171:
168:
165:
162:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
138:
135:
132:
122:
120:
119:feature style
116:
112:
106:
102:
100:
96:
86:
84:
83:
78:
74:
70:
65:
62:
57:
55:
51:
46:
42:
38:
34:
30:
21:
650:
643:. Retrieved
638:
625:
596:
592:
551:
547:
518:
514:
489:
485:
463:. Retrieved
456:
446:
435:. Retrieved
424:
397:
384:
373:. Retrieved
369:the original
359:
348:. Retrieved
346:. 2013-04-06
341:
332:
320:. Retrieved
316:
307:
296:. Retrieved
292:the original
270:
263:. Retrieved
259:The Guardian
257:
248:
214:
207:
198:
189:
186:
179:
172:
169:
166:
163:
151:Mrs. Lincoln
140:
136:
128:
114:
107:
103:
92:
80:
72:
68:
66:
58:
45:news stories
28:
26:
668:Newswriting
628:(18): 1–15.
265:11 November
155:Mrs. Harris
37:journalists
662:Categories
460:Style Blog
437:2006-07-04
375:2015-04-20
350:2013-08-26
298:2005-10-06
240:References
175:Mr. Seward
121:articles.
71:style, or
613:144926277
576:146348480
535:142660416
506:144045303
402:CiteSeerX
147:President
61:important
645:20 March
568:40546099
465:14 April
416:40777446
223:See also
196:—
95:anecdote
35:used by
33:metaphor
322:Apr 28,
125:History
99:Q&A
89:Purpose
56:media.
611:
584:316520
582:
574:
566:
533:
504:
414:
404:
145:, the
111:kicker
609:S2CID
572:S2CID
564:JSTOR
531:S2CID
502:S2CID
412:S2CID
394:(PDF)
115:after
41:prose
31:is a
647:2024
467:2015
324:2020
267:2021
157:and
77:BLUF
27:The
601:doi
556:doi
523:doi
494:doi
664::
649:.
637:.
624:.
607:.
595:.
578:.
570:.
562:.
552:19
550:.
546:.
529:.
519:17
517:.
500:.
488:.
455:.
410:.
400:.
396:.
340:.
315:.
278:^
269:.
256:.
153:,
85:.
615:.
603::
597:2
586:.
558::
537:.
525::
508:.
496::
490:4
469:.
440:.
418:.
378:.
353:.
326:.
301:.
109:"
75:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
