Leads Analysis

Anecdotal Lead

A single mother, who claimed that she had not eaten for the last 25 years after being a victim of santau(deadly potion), is now being accused of breeding a ghost. (The Star)

Focus: a single mother; a victim of santau(deadly potion).

The lead is effective because it tells readers what; about santau(deadly potion), who(a single mother) and when: 25 years ago(claimed). There is no place and time mentioned. Thus just by reading this lead for the first time has made the readers understood it well because it has a focus.

Descriptive Lead

In which enclave of Kuala Lumpur can you see signboards in Bahasa Indonesia such as Apotik Great Britain, Restoran Sido Mampir, Restoran Jawa, P.T. Widuri, Citra Widuri Enterprise and Restoran Garuda Mas? Only in Chow Kit, which roughly spans Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Raja Alang. This spot, made popular by the late Sudirman Arshad who sang Chow Kit Road, sees many Indonesian tourists, both legal and illegal, “claiming” it as their haven.(New Straits Times)

Focus: Chow Kit

This is a very effective lead as it describes what Chow Kit is and the specialties it has nearby.

It is also effective as it starts off with a question.

Narrative Lead

I keep a few chickens and other animals. I see them falling sick but they can't express themselves. I see them develop certain symptoms and I feel sorry for them," says animal lover T. Deva Darshini. "There are stray dogs around my house and they are probably hungry but they can't tell you that."(The Star)

Focus: Animals feelings.

This is an effective lead because it starts with a dialog. It has points on what, who, and where.

Three Feature Leads (Soft Leads) that I like...

1) Elephants painting, playing musical instruments, kicking soccer balls, dancing in miniskirts and trekking with humans strapped to their backs are some of the various jumbo attractions available in northern Thailand.(The Sun)

First of all, this is a narrative lead. It is about the unique of elephants that is only available in Thailand.

What I like about this lead is that it tells readers what are the specialties of elephants...What they can do to amuse people and tourists who pay a visit to Thailand rather than just narrating the common facts about this special animal... The writer also applies who, what, and where technique. It simply starts off by describing the attractions of elephants...

2) A childhood accident cost Lim(not his real name) an eye. He was playing when a sharp stick pierced his right eye. His parents rushed him to the nearest hospital, but doctors could not save his eye. (New Straits Times)

This is an anecdotal lead. It starts off with a past story of the victim. It uses who, when, what, and how technique. What I like about this lead is, it is straight to the point. It's about 'the eye'. And how did this Lim loss his eye while playing.

3) Some people say cowards live longer. After years of winging it in the wild frontier, I can agree to that. I always believe that fear is healthy, especially when one is venturing into unfamiliar ground. Not long ago, a gung-ho friend went mountain biking on a hidden path. You know, the kind who never lets a dare go by without a match. He got lost for two days and was never the same person since. Apparently, after finding his way out of the jungle, he contracted a mysterious fever that baffled doctors.(New Straits Times)

This is a narrative mixed with a mystery lead. It uses the same technique of 5W 1H but only uses what, when, and how... What I like about this lead is the writer herself lets the readers wonder what happens in every sentence. She makes the mysterious story looks even mysterious.

Three Soft Leads that I don't like...

1) Crystals come in all shapes, colors and sizes. These are natural energy transmitters that can be used for healing, to enhance the vibrations of a space or for aesthetic purposes. (New Straits Times)

Focus: Crystals functions.

The lead is not that effective because it just described briefly on crystals specifications.

But it does have focus and functions somehow.

2) Eating red onions can help remove bad cholesterol, this reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. At the same time, red onions retain the body's good cholesterol, which help protect against heart disease.( New Straits Times)

Although it has a focus, this type of lead is very cliche... We can see a lot of this type of lead in every page of books,newspapers, magazine and etc.

3) A positive mindset is a mental attitude that enables one to face adverse circumstances in a positive manner. (The Star)

This lead is ineffective because it is too simple and plain. It could have been better with two-three sentences plus examples or a bit of demonstration...