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Structure

The structure of an article for a newspaper, magazine or website, is usually in three parts:

• introduction – engaging the reader, or outlining the main point of the article to follow
• middle – making clear and interesting points about the topic
• end – a concluding paragraph that draws the points together

If the aim of an article is to persuade the reader, then the opening and closing paragraph will outline the writer’s viewpoint and make it most memorable. Subheadings are sometimes used to signpost the content of each.

Language

The language of an article depends upon the purpose and audience; usually, the vocabulary of the article will fit the topic content, and who it is targeted at. For example, you would expect an article about a recent film release to include the vocabulary of actors, scripts and performance.

A catchy, memorable headline is essential to grab your readers’ attention and entice them to read the whole article.

Articles are usually written in Standard English, but colloquial sayings or phrases might be used to emphasise a point. Persuasive devices, such as rule of three, rhetorical questions and alliteration can be used to encourage the reader to agree with your point of view.

Example

Here’s an extract from an article that tries to persuade the reader to eat a more balanced, healthy diet:

Eat Right: Live Longer

It has been scientifically proven that the less junk food a person consumes, the longer they are likely to live. So why isn’t everyone dumping the junk? Jordan McIntyre investigates.

Fast food equals fat

A staple part of twenty-first century British home-life is the weekly takeaway treat: finger-licking burgers, sticky ribs and crispy chicken wings are, for many, the normal Friday night feast. The average national calorie count in the UK is a whopping 4500 a day, a key factor in the obesity cases that are soaring. Fast food is packed with fat and obesity contributes to a range of health issues - most significantly heart disease and depression. So why aren’t we changing our lifestyles?

Short on time

Families these days are spending less and less time at home during the working week. School commitments, work meetings and extra curricular activities mean that time is short and fewer people are prepared to put in the effort to prepare fresh, healthy meals.

And when time is tight, it seems we are even more willing to compromise our waistlines for a little bit of what we fancy – fast fatty food.

Eat yourself healthy

However, Georgia Thomas of the University of Food says, ‘I am convinced that it is possible to live a busy lifestyle AND prepare healthy, satisfying meals. It seems that people have simply got out of the habit of cooking. We are busy people; how do we reward ourselves? You guessed it - food.’ Britain clearly needs to shift the stodge, and fast.

The article uses a short, bold headline using alliteration to get the reader’s interest and present the topic of the article. The rhetorical question in the opening paragraph encourages the reader to challenge the topic. The subheadings direct the reader through the text, and act as mini headlines, drawing the reader’s attention. The writer uses hyperbole, and colloquial sayings to produce a lively, interesting article. This style of language is used throughout with phrases such as ‘little bit of what we fancy’ and ‘shift the stodge’ adding a conversational tone to the whole piece.

The final paragraph uses quotations from an expert to add credibility to the argument. You would expect the article to go on to explore how we can eat healthily and to conclude with an explanation of how easy it is to do this.