What is inverted pyramid structure?

The inverted pyramid structure is a traditional print journalism style of writing which gives the most important information in the first paragraph of the news article. What readers most need to know? That information goes in first paragraph. What they secondary need to know? That information goes in next paragraph and so on.

In this style of news writing the most important information is squeezed in to the first few sentences of a story. This paragraph is called the lead or intro. The lead is the most important part of a story and the most difficult part to write. This is the first part which a reader starts reading the entire story. So it must be very interesting and inspiring to the readers to go further in to the story. If the lead is confusing or dull, readers will not read the story entirely. 

In an inverted pyramid style, the second paragraph is almost as important as the lead. This paragraph will go to some elaboration of the lead and present some additional information.

In the subsequent paragraphs or body of an inverted pyramid style the writer adds detailed information that has been introduced in the lead and the first two or three paragraphs. This body part will provide more information supporting evidence, context, direct and indirect quotes and other descriptions.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES THE INVERTED PYRAMID STYLE

The inverted pyramid style of news writing has both the advantages and disadvantages. They are listed below.

ADVANTAGES

1. It capsules the news quickly. So the readers can simply scan the first paragraphs of the news story displayed on a news paper and grasp what is the news related mostly to be.
2. It allows a reader to decide quickly whether or not to stick with the story just reading the intro.
3. If a story is written in an inverted pyramid structure, none of the essential elements will be lost when the editor trims from the bottom to make the story fit into the tight columns of his news paper.
4. If a story is written in an inverted pyramid structure, none of the essential element will lose when the reader quit reading half way without completing the entire story.
5. The inverted pyramid structure is very helpful for the headline writer as he can grasp the essentials of the entire story from the first paragraph itself.

DISADVANTAGES

Many people in and out of journalism believe that the inverted pyramid structure has lost its usefulness and that journalist should develop and use other structures. They list the following reasons to support their arguments.

1. News stories rarely contain surprise because the first paragraph immediately reveals all major facts.
2. It controls the creativity of the writer in presenting the information. Some argues that if the news is presented in a narrative or chronological form it will be more readable
3. The inverted pyramid washes the drama out of a story because this style presents the summary of the event in the first paragraph itself preventing the scope of a dramatic ending.
4. In the age of instant communication through TV and other means, the inverted pyramid is no longer necessary for readers of the written world. They are likely to know what the news is because they have already seen or heard each in some other media.
5. Despite these objections, the inverted pyramid structure of news writing has remained a standard form for news writing. Readers actually don’t look at what the structure has been used by the writer, yet most news consumers expect this structure.

• Written by Muzi Jurabi.
• In category General Reference.
• 9 years ago.

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