Headlines
The Headline’s Missing Verb: Reading What an Action Word Implies
Read headline verbs against the article to spot implied agency, certainty and blame, then decide what the reporting…
The archive
All stories
Explore explainers on headlines, sources, framing, context and the details that help local and regional news make sense.
Sources
Document, Interview or Tip: What Different Sources Can Establish
Learn what documents, first-hand interviews and tips can establish in local reporting, and what to check before…
Context
Before the Decision: Finding the Background a Local Story Needs
Build context for a local decision by tracing the question, earlier events and unresolved details behind a news story…
Framing
The Complete-Sounding Number: Why a Figure Needs Its Frame
Learn how to read a precise-looking number in a local news report by checking its time period, comparison and measure…
Local Life
A Developing Story, Read in Three Passes
Read a developing local story in three passes to separate confirmed details, track what has changed and return to…