When your department or program has major news to announce that may be of interest to a broader audience, such as a discovery or a peer-reviewed paper, a press release may be warranted as a tool for sharing your news.
If you have news to share, please submit the relevant form, and we’ll work with you to identify the appropriate mediums and communications channels.
If a press release is appropriate, we will also inform you whether our team is able to commit to drafting it. If we are, we have provided general guidance below on how to do so.
If you would like your draft proofread by the CAS Communications team, please email it to cas.news@wsu.edu. We recommend a minimum of 72 hours for review.
Anatomy of a Press Release
Purpose
Provide a summary and a few interesting points about your news that are easily understood by the general public and that may entice a journalist to ask more questions and/or share the news.
In general, a press release should answer the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions (when applicable).
Additionally, press releases that tend to generate external attention include:
- New or novel discoveries
(first, most, only, latest, one of a few, etc.) - Research or scholarly work that sheds a new perspectives on a field of study or previously accepted hypotheses
- Work that is timely or relates to current news stories or trends
(e.g., healthcare, presidential elections, social justice) - Unusual or innovative creative work
(e.g., installations, exhibits) - Information in the public interest and/or a call to action
(e.g., elder care, national security, energy, education, policy) - Significant new grant awards (usually over $500,000, but the potential impact is the most compelling factor)
Headline
A concise statement that immediately conveys the main idea or impact of your news. Google recommends headlines between three and eight words for optimum visibility and search results.
Introductory Paragraph
One to three sentences that briefly summarize the main idea or concept.
Quote
A short quote from a faculty member, researcher, student, or administrator brings a human element to the story and is another way to provide details and information.
Main Text
The subsequent paragraphs fill in the details of your news. Provide details about the participants, who stands to benefit, who stands to lose, etc.
It is best to use an inverted pyramid structure for press releases: the most interesting or newsworthy information at the top followed by supporting points towards the end.
Call to Action
Provide a link that leads to more information, photos or video content, or consider including boilerplate information about the department or program.
Contact Information
Provide an office phone number and email address for the person named in the article who is the best fit for speaking to the press release content. Confirm this person will be available on the day the press release is distributed.