Headlines: Breaking the news, not the message

Titles and headlines can drive you crazy.

If you're the person charged with creating a title or headline, the task can be onerous. Your space is limited, so you have to cut to the chase. Include the most important idea, but hold back enough so that the reader will be encouraged to read farther than just that title. Be intriguing, but don't be vague. Be accurate, but also (sometimes) be witty.

Late-night comics love headlines that don't quite say what they should. When I was in college, I came very close to sending Jay Leno a clip from our campus newspaper. A columnist had interviewed a student who, though he was blind, was involved in all sorts of diverse activities every semester. The student had the unlikely name Jack Daniels. Yep, you guessed it. The piece was titled "Jack Daniels frequently seen around campus." Oops. Not exactly the image a Protestant college wants to promote.

Writing articles is one thing, but I confess, I struggle with choosing titles or headlines once my work is complete. I wish I had a magic formula that would produce just the right words every time. But, absent such wizardry, I can at least share some tips about the surface considerations associated with titles and headlines.

What's the best way to capitalize titles?
There are two methods. Headline case capitalizes all words except prepositions and articles. Title case, on the other hand, capitalizes only the first word and proper nouns. For example,

Roosevelt High sweeps first round of state championship
vs.
Roosevelt High Sweeps First Round of State Championship

Neither method is wrong, but most media tend to choose one and use it exclusively. In long printed works, it may be the custom to use title case on major headings and headline case further down the organization hierarchy. Rule of thumb: Follow the standard that's already established.

Should numbers in titles be in Arabic numerals or spelled out?
Go with the numeral. Space is limited. So is the amount of time you have to capture a potential reader's undivided attention. Notice how much easier to read, shorter, and more eye-catching the second example is:

Seven tips for creating winning investments
vs.
7 tips for creating winning investments

Do questions make acceptable titles? 
They are acceptable, but phrase them thoughtfully. Yes-or-no questions are poor invitations to read on. Also, use questions sparingly. Think about how headlines will look in a row or right next to each other. Include too many questions and the reading will come across as an interrogation.

If a title is a full sentence, what about end punctuation?
Popular wisdom says that a period is like a communications stop sign. It discourages further reading, which is exactly what a title shouldn't do. Most editors will therefore delete periods from headlines.

I admit, I look a bit askance at that rule. To my eye, a full sentence that lacks a period is just plain sloppy. So rather than add a period that could decrease the title's effectiveness, or delete a period that is already there, I prefer to condense, rearrange, or otherwise shorten the headline so it's no longer a sentence. That's more space-efficient anyway. Here's an example:

Mineral supplements manufactured by XYZ Corp. are recalled due to salmonella concerns.
vs.
Salmonella scare: Some XYZ Corp. products recalled 

Your turn, readers. Do you have a favorite blooper headline? If you write titles or headlines, what tips would you offer? What other questions about headlines might we explore? The comments section is open; join in!