Editing Inverted pyramid (journalism) (section)

{{short description|Communication of major details before minor details}}
[[File:Inverted pyramid 2.svg|thumb|400px|The inverted pyramid method visualised]]
The '''inverted pyramid''' is a [[metaphor]] used by [[journalist]]s and other writers to illustrate how information should be prioritised and structured in [[prose]] (e.g., a news report). It is a common method for writing [[news style|news stories]] and has wide adaptability to other kinds of texts, such as blogs, editorial columns and marketing factsheets. It is a way to communicate the basics about a topic in the initial sentences. The inverted pyramid is taught to [[mass communication]] and journalism students, and is systematically used in [[English-speaking world|English-language]] media.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theguardianfoundation.org/programmes/newswise/schools/unit-of-work/lesson-11-structuring-news-reports|title=Lesson 11: Structuring news reports|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=11 November 2021|quote=The structure and layout of a news report is important as it ensures that readers can find the most important information quickly}}</ref>

The inverted or upside-down pyramid can be thought of as a triangle pointing down. The widest part at the top represents the most substantial, interesting, and [[Importance|important]] information that the writer means to convey, illustrating that this kind of material should head the article, while the tapering lower portion illustrates that other material should follow in order of diminishing importance.

It is sometimes called a '''summary news lead''' style,<ref name=errico /> or '''bottom line up front''' ([[BLUF (communication)|BLUF]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/site/writingmatterssite/Home/being-direct-1-bottom-line-up-front |title=Being Direct 1: Martin Krieger's 'Bottom Line Up Front' - writingmatterssite |website=sites.google.com |access-date=Apr 28, 2020}}</ref>  The opposite, the failure to mention the most important, interesting or attention-grabbing elements of a story in the opening paragraphs, is called ''[[burying the lead]]''.