| Students do not usually read articles but everyone reads
captions. If you make the caption interesting and exciting, people will want to learn more
about what is going on and read the other copy on the page. Captions should contain the 5W's and H (Who,
What, When, Where, Why,
and How). |
- Make captions complete
- try to answer all of the questions the reader might ask when they first see the
photo.Write in complete sentences using the present tense for the first sentence to freeze
the action. The past tense may be used for additional information
|
- Don't make up information
- be sure to get accurate details - interview people and ask questions about the picture.
|
- Identify every person
- use first and last names.
|
- Spell names correctly
- misspelling a name can offend people.
|
- Place captions adjacent photos
- under the photo is best, 2) beside, 3) above. Captions on photos are hard to read.
|
- Vary the way your sentences start
- Don't use excessive verbals (ing words) and don't start with names and dates.
|
- Don't put words in people's mouths
- or talk to the picture ("Hey Sid!" We know what you are thinking".)
|
- Avoid stating the obvious
- (Matt looks around) - and avoid using trite and unnecassary phrases - pictured above,
looks on, works diligently, helps out.
|
- Be colorful yet factual
- Don't use gag captions. Your readers are the only ones who will gag. You can also be
sued if the gag is libelous.
|
- For group pictures
- put the name of the group in ALL CAPS or bold at the beginning
- put each row designation in bold to make it easier to find.
- do not use "from left to right" since we all read from left to right anyway.
- use "front" for the first row and "back"
for the last row, and 2ndrow, 3rdrow
. . . for the others.
|
