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Copy Reading and Headline Writing

This document provides information on copy reading and headline writing. It defines copyreading as correcting articles using editorial symbols to fix errors in grammar, facts, structure, spelling and style. It outlines what copyreaders should look for, including readability, spelling of names, accuracy of facts and consistency of style. The document then describes basic editorial symbols used in copy reading. It defines a headline and provides rules for headline writing, such as using simple declarative sentences, giving the main idea in the first line, avoiding negative verbs and splitting words. It discusses technical requirements for headlines like fitting the available space and understanding font sizes and unit counts. Finally, it provides tips for headline writers like first reading the full story to understand the main points and keywords

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Pao Pao
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614 views

Copy Reading and Headline Writing

This document provides information on copy reading and headline writing. It defines copyreading as correcting articles using editorial symbols to fix errors in grammar, facts, structure, spelling and style. It outlines what copyreaders should look for, including readability, spelling of names, accuracy of facts and consistency of style. The document then describes basic editorial symbols used in copy reading. It defines a headline and provides rules for headline writing, such as using simple declarative sentences, giving the main idea in the first line, avoiding negative verbs and splitting words. It discusses technical requirements for headlines like fitting the available space and understanding font sizes and unit counts. Finally, it provides tips for headline writers like first reading the full story to understand the main points and keywords

Uploaded by

Pao Pao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Copy Reading and

Headline Writing
What is copyreading?
 Copyreading is correcting articles using
appropriate symbols. It involves correcting
errors in grammar, errors in fact, errors in
structure, errors in spelling and errors in style.
 Style refers to the newspaper’s preferred
manner of doing things – what to abbreviate,
and how, what to spell out and what to
capitalize.
 Copyreading also involves eliminating libelous
and derogatory statements and opinions in
editorials and news stories and those contrary
to laws and good taste.
What to look in copyreading?
 Overall readability of the article
 Correct spelling of names of persons, places and
events
 Accuracy of facts ( e.g., Martial law – Sept 21,1972
or was it 1973)
 Consistency in style ( e.g., U.S or US, Arroyo or
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo or GMA
 Missing elements ( e.g., punctuation marks, bylines
etc.)
Basic Tools in Copy Reading and
Headlining
 The Editing symbols:
Symbols Instruction

set in paragraph

capitalize

set in lower case


transpose elements

˅ insert an element
insert elements

, insert a comma

. Or . insert a period
delete an element

separate elements
delete elements
connect but leave space
connect but leave no space

abbreviate, spell out,


use figures, spell out numbers
STET restore the original

run in materials

set in bold font

set in italics

] or/and [ align
What is a Headline?
 An assemblage of words written in bigger,
bolder letters than the usual page text at the
beginning of the news, also known as the
head, but not a title.
Rules in Headline Writing
 Write an easy to read headline. The simple
declarative subject predicate sentence is easy
to read.

 Examples:
Teachers receive cash gifts

Civilians killed in Davao ambush


Rules in Headline Writing
 Give the main idea in the first line the “who-
what” angle

 example:

Trump to announce slate of Federal nominees


Rules in Headline Writing
 In a head with two or more decks, make the
top tell the most significant points of the
story and no other.

‘Erap our only hope’


Say groups protesting
from ton’s demolition
Avoid heads that can have double
meanings

Wrong: Police fight pension plan for future


Right: Makati police fight new pension plan
Rules in Headline Writing
Don’t use names unless persons are well
known.
Wrong: Divina Gracia seeks for reform
Right: Brazilian lady seeks for reform
 Don’t editorialize, safe facts, avoid opinions.
Wrong: UST makes remarkable
comeback against Ateneo
Right: UST routs collapsing Ateneo, 80-64
Rules in Headline Writing
 Make a complete statement, don’t use labels. Every
head should have a verb, stated or implied.
Wrong: honorees
Right: 5 Honorees cited

 Be specific. Avoid generalization.


Wrong: Student given scholarship
Right: Perez receives del Monte Grant
 Avoid using a negative verb
Wrong: Cabinet meeting won’t be held today
Right: Cabinet meeting cancelled

 Avoid splitting
a. Verb phrase
Wrong: Students chosen to join
drama test
Right: Students chosen
to join drama test
Rules in Headline Writing
b. Name that belong together
Wrong: Patrimonio bags gold
medal
Right: Patrimonio bags
gold medal
c. A preposition and its object, especially in
the top line (hanging prepositon)
Wrong: Workshop sponsored by
Tanghalang Pilipino
Right: Workshop sponsored
by Tanghalang Pilipino
d. An adjective and the noun it modifies
Wrong: 3 Makati
Cops arrested for shabu
Right: 3 Makati cops
arrested for shabu
e. Abbreviations (Syllabication)
Wrong: Manzano sues Fa
mas
Right: Manzano sue Famas
Rules in Headline Writing

 Don’t begin a headline with a verb, it


may sound imperative.
Wrong: Destroy property worth P10 million
Right: P10 million worth property destroyed

Use only commonly acceptable abbreviations.


Wrong: Int’l agency sponsors contest
Right: UNESCO sponsors contest
Rules in Headline Writing
Use numbers only when important, write numbers
in figures. Use M , B and T for million,billion and
trillion.
Congress passes P1.127 T budget
Rules in Headline Writing
 Minimize punctuations
a. Never use a period, use semicolon to separate
sentences
MILF raid anew; 2 die, 4 wounded
b. Use single quotation marks
15th month ‘compulsory’ cash gift
c. Use a comma for “and”
Wrong: Santos and Aunor:
2 FAMAS actresses
Right: Santos, Aunor:
2 FAMAS actresses
Technical Requirements in Headlining
 Fit into space
 Must know the font size of the letters (point
system)
 Must know the head unit count (see headline
schedule)
 Must know the number of decks (layers of headline)
 Must know the number of columns (one, two, three
four, etc.)
Headline Schedule
4/42/2 (20)
4 (first no.) – refers to no. of columns
42 ( second no.) – refers to font size
2 (third no.) – refers to no. of decks or lines
20 (fourth no.) – refers to maximum unit counts
The Unit Count System
1 unit – all small letters except
f, j, i, l, t = ½ unit
m, w = 1 ½ units
1 ½ units – all capital letters except
I, J = 1 unit
M, W = 2 units
some J fonts = 1 ½ units
The Unit Count System

1 unit – all numbers from 0 – 9


except 1 = ½ unit
½ unit - all punctuation marks
except ? = 1 unit
½ unit - space between words
Rules in CRHW
1. Use a pencil when editing
2. Use paragraph marks
3. Indicate “more” and end marks
4. Write pagination in subsequent pages
5. Indicate printers SPECS
6. Avoid breaking words at the end of the line
 SPECS - Printers direction
- upper right hand corner
- encircled ( font size of text, pica ems, letter type)
10pts/TNR/N
25pica ems
In this illustration 10pts indicates the size of
the bodytext,TNR/N is the font or style of
the letter
and the 25pica ems represents the no. of
columns that the body text will occupy.
1 column measures 12 pica ems
column space measures 1 pica em
Headline terms
These terms refer to capitalization in headlines/heads.

Downstyle and upstyle


Downstyle heads are treated like sentences, with only
the first word and proper nouns capitalized.
This is a downstyle head
Headline terms
Downstyle and upstyle
Upstyle heads capitalize first letter of all major words. All
capital letters in heads is also called upstyle.
 
This Is an Upstyle Head
THIS IS AN UPSTYLE HEAD
Headline terms
Deck or drop head
A small secondary head that runs beneath the main
head.
 
This is a main head
This is a deck beneath the main one
Headline terms
Hammer
A label head above the main head, typically one to
three words.
In bold type, bigger than the main head.
 
Hammer
Here is the main head beneath the hammer
Headline terms
Kicker
A label head above a main head, typically up to five
words
Usually about half the point size of the main head.
 
This is a kicker up here
Here is the main head
Headline terms
Flush left, centered
Two ways of positioning a headline in relation to its
story.
Flush left heads begin at the left margin.

4 Gloria District teachers


Receive Science awards

Centered heads are equidistant between the left and


right margins.

4 Gloria District teachers


get Science awards
Tips to Headline Writers
1. First read the story for general meaning.
2. Search for the key words on which to base
your headline.
3. Clues to the headlines are usually in the
lead.
4. Use brief, clipped language. Use shortest
words.
Tips to Headline Writers
 To be a good copyreader
one must possess all the characteristics of a
news writer, an editorial writer, a feature
writer and a sportswriter.
Thank You!

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