A trade magazine article can be written differently than another article. The basis of a trade journal article is the summary of a report of a research or development. There is something new to report. There are therefore other criteria associated with a trade journal article.
Target audience
The target group of trade journal articles are always professional groups; employees who have a professional honor to do their job as well as possible and who want to earn money with it. So take your target group into account and know what is going on within this target group. In view of the subject of the target group, the choice of the medium is sometimes very easy, because sometimes there is only one trade journal that is eligible to publish. Other times you will really have to make trade-offs; which medium is cheaper? with which medium can I best reach the target group? what do I want to achieve with my article and in which medium can I best do this?
Originated article
Magazine articles can be put together in two different ways:
- The writer starts from a problem of the professional and looks for solutions for this from research and development.
- The writer starts from research and development and examines what it can do for the skilled person and how the expert should apply it. During this kind of journal article writing, work is done on renewing the relevant sector.
The headline / headline
The headline or headline should capture and interest the reader to read on. A good headline for a trade journal article meets the following requirements:
- Tells the main point of the article in technical terms (this often concerns: new products / services / processes / devices / markets and market segments)
- The headline is a communication sentence: a professional often accepts a playful title or a question less. A communicating sentence always contains a verb.
- The headline is in present tense or future tense
- The head does not contain an article (de, het, een)
- The headline is in an active form (not: ‘perpetrator of murder of the prince will be released ‘but:’ perpetrator of prince’s murder released ‘)
- The headline is as short as possible
- The heading does not contain any abbreviations unless they are generally known.
The lead and text
The interest of the craftsman is often the craftsmanship and the proceeds in money. This interest is the starting point for the lead and you link this interest to the research and / or development story. Because this appeals to the professional / professional, it arouses curiosity and the article is read earlier.
The text of the article is journalistic: the various topics are listed in order of decreasing importance. You put the most current and most important thing first; the background information and known data are therefore at the end.
Structure of trade journal article: in brief
- Practical case with explanation
- Solution; conclusion of the investigation
- Explanation of the solution for practice
- Results (brief) and something about the method
- Conclusion: Summary of problem and solution
Read the magazine article a few more times before it is published!