A Comparative Study of Frame Construction in Chinese and Western English News Headline - with the Murder Case of a Junior High School Student in Handan, Hebei as an Example

Abstract

Based on framing theory and appraisal theory, this paper explores how headlines in English reports from both China and Western Countries shape audiences’ perceptions and opinions. It compares the differences in the frames of 44 reports on the murder case of a junior high school student in Handan City, Hebei Province at three levels: high, medium, and low. The high-level frame analysis includes news type, length, presentation, and source. Medium-level frame analysis centers on the use of different structures, including main events, previous events, history, results, impact, attribution, and evaluation. The low-level frame study analyzes categories and evaluative resources of the headlines. Significant differences are found between the reports by Chinese media and foreign media mainly in their presentation, sources, medium-level structures, and headline categories.