Five W’s and an H
Answer these questions in this order: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and
How?
List them with Roman numerals as an outline to
organize first the lead and then the story or feature.
I. Who? The student council
II. What? may censure the school paper
III. When? Tomorrow
IV .Where? special council meeting
V. Why? for criticizing the student president
VI. How? by voting
S-V-O (or S-V-PN)
For the Subject, use a person or collective-person.
For the Verb, say what the S(s) did, does or may do.
For the Object (or predicate nominative), finish the idea.
The mayor pleased the citizens. The City Council members were
annoyed.
Complex S-V-O: Introductory phrase, Subject,
appositive, Verb, Object, adverb, explanation
Surprising the City Council, Joseph Vero, the public works
director, requested 50 new snowplows yesterday to replace the
entire fleet.
Summary Sentence
Place most, but not necessarily all, of the Five W’s outline
in order in one S-V-O summary sentence.
Who? What? When? Why?
The student council may censure the school newspaper
tomorrow for criticizing the student body president.
The Five W’s Outline
Use the summary sentence's internal order to outline the rest of the
story.
Expand the Five W's summary lead in the same order.
Continuing the example, using the same summary sentence.
¶2 answers Who?: Discuss the council's possible vote count
¶3-4-5 answers What?: Explain the effect of the censure and
provide a quote from the newspaper editor.
no ¶ for When?: You have said it all already.
¶6 continues with Where?: Discuss the special meeting.
¶7 answers Why?: Describe the complaint. Explain any history.
Identify the president, if not yet identified.
Skip How?: Explain only if the voting is unusual or abnormal.
More: Use quotes from council members about the censure. ©azb
More on "The Journalism QuickBook."
Grammar excerpt.
Abbreviations.
Chapter list.
Ordering information.
NewsPlace.org [N.E.W.S., Sources, Tools,
WhiteHouse '04]
|