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Copyreading and Headline Writing

Presentation · December 2017

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.17121.81762

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Danilo Villar Rogayan Jr.
Faculty, College of Education, Arts and Sciences
Ramon Magsaysay Technological University
San Marcelino, Zambales
A checklist for editors
• Read a story quickly but thoroughly,
sizing it up for content and relative news
value
• Correct obvious errors of facts or spelling
• Check the story for conformity to
stylebook rules
A checklist for editors
• Decide if the story is too long for its
relative news value, and if so, trim it.
• Look for mistakes in grammar,
punctuation and spelling.
• Recheck facts, especially names,
addresses, numbers and titles.
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• process of editing and correcting the
form and content of the submitted
manuscript;
• includes checking the correctness of
grammar and syntax (form) and checking
the accuracy and relevance of data and
analysis (content);
• is done by using Copyreading symbols.
A checklist for editors
• Rewrite the lead if necessary.
• Break up long paragraphs into shorter
ones.
• Add subheads to longer articles
A checklist for editors
• Watch for potentially libelous
statements; make sure the story is
accurate and that it is fair to all side in
the issue.
• Write the headline.
• Write captions, pull quotes and other text
that would be given special treatment in
the layout.
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• Punctuation Marks • Punctuation Marks

Insert period Insert quotation marks
Insert comma,
colon, semicolon Insert hyphen, dash

Insert apostrophe Insert question mark,

exclamation point

• Punctuation Marks • Numbers & Abbreviations

Delete punctuation Abbreviate
Don’t abbreviate
• Numbers & Abbreviations
Spell out (#1-9) • Special Forms of Type
Use figure Capitalize
Make lower case

• Letter and Word Changes • Letter and Word Changes

Insert Letter Delete letter, leave space
Insert word
Replace letter (s)
Change word
Delete letter, close up
Delete word, close up
Delete word, leave space
Insert space

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• Letter and Word Changes • Others

Close up Indent for paragraph
Transpose words  Not a new paragraph
Transpose letter Story unfinished
End of story

Printer’s Direction
2 / 24 / TNR-B / 1
FL / CLC AP Stylebook

Meaning:
• The first number refers to the number of lines your headline will
have.
• The second number stands for the font size to be used.
• TNR (Times New Roman) indicates the font type.
• B stands for bold, a type style.
• The third number means that the headline will run across one
column of the page.
• FL means flushed left, the structure of the headline while CLC,
caps lower-case is the headline style.

The Headline Pointers in headline writing

 Headlines are the display windows of
newspapers. They also serve as a quick
source of information for busy newspaper
readers.
 Summary of the summary lead.
 Make it skeletonized. Articles and other
unnecessary words should be ommited.
The headline should give the gist of the
story in as few words as possible.
 “Principal dismisses pupils”
 NOT: “The principal dismisses pupils”

3

Pointers in headline writing
 Use the present tense. This will
emphasize the immediacy of the event
and will give action or movement to the
story.
 “Burglar flees”
 NOT: “Burglar fled”
Pointers in headline writing
 Avoid “to be” verbs.
 “Doctors asked to report for work”
 NOT: “Doctors are asked to report for
work”
Pointers in headline writing
 Be accurate and direct.
 “Inflation rate to slow down, says official”
 NOT: “Inflation rate may slow down, says
official”
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Pointers in headline writing
 Use the active voice.
 “Dog bites man”
 NOT: “Man is bitten by dog”
Pointers in headline writing
 Be specific. Use precise words.
 “Maria is champion golfer”
 NOT: “Woman is champion golfer”
Pointers in headline writing
 Avoid exclamation points or other
punctuations
 “MNHS celebrates nutrition month”
 NOT: “MNHS celebrated nutrition month!!!”
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A good headline… Headlines

 Gets attention Pinutol ang ari
Tells the story
Kris plays Joey’s organ

 Leads the reader into the story
 Classifies the story Bulag, nandilim ang paningin,
 Enhances the page nakapatay!!!
Asawa ng litratista, nakunan
PUKI opens today

Rules in headline writing Rules in headline writing

 The head should tell the gist of the story  The first letter of the first word and
simply and clearly proper nouns are generally capitalized.

President accepts Iran offers

Zubiri’s offer more oil
to resign to RP

Bamba inks ‘no smoking policy’

Rules in headline writing Rules in headline writing

 The first line of a two-line or three-line
head should not end with a preposition,
conjunction, articles or any form of the
verb to be, unless the preposition goes
with the verb, like fill-in or trade-off
 Never use the word “may” because it
would show the uncertainty of your
assertion.

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Rules in headline writing Rules in headline writing

 Assertions in a headline should have a  Don’t convert verbs into nouns. Don’t say
source or attribution.  “Students urge oustering of principal”
 Oust principal – students
Classes suspended today, says principal

Principal orders suspension of classes

Bamba: MNHS can do it

Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo

Rules in headline writing ng Balita
 Use the shorter word whenever possible,  Gumamit ng mga pandiwang tahasan at
e.g. use “cut” for decrease or “hike” for masigla
increase
 Araneta Istadyum winasak ni ‘Yoling’
 School hikes tuition fees (hindi nawasak)
 Typhoon hits Dinalupihan  Araneta Istadyum sinira ni ‘Yoling’ (hindi
nasira)

Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo

ng Balita ng Balita
 Maglagay ng sariwang impormasyon sa  Gumamit ng kuwit sa halip ng pangatnig
bawat ulo. na at.

3 pang negosyante Reyes, Bautista wagi sa DSPC

bantang itumba
Ikakasal, naaburido
nagpakamatay

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Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo

ng Balita ng Balita
 Gumamit ng mga pandiwang  Gumamit ng isahang panipi sa halip na
panghinaharap sa mga pangyayaring dalawahang panipi
magaganap pa.
Pangulo ng ‘Driver’s Group’
Panggagahasa sa maid sa San Ramon inambus ng mga sandatahan
ipabubusisi ni Mayor Jaime
‘Piston’ naghanda
sa welga bukas

Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo

ng Balita ng Balita
 Gumamit ng maikli ngunit positibong  Gumamit ng mga pandiwang
salita sa ulo ng balita. pangkasalukuyan sa mga pangyayaring
nakaraan na.
Makakaliwa, nakiisa
sa welga ng tsuper Parol ni Gloria kay Teehankee
binabatikos ng medya

Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo

ng Balita
 Ang huwarang ulo ng balita ay
kinakailangang makapaglahad ng
mensahe sa pinakamadali at magaang
paraan. Dahil dito’y kinakailangang di-
masira ang kaisipan sa bawa’t linya
Common headline faults
 The gap. This is the practice of leaving
wide empty space in the head.
Dean suspends
student for misbehavior

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Common headline faults Common headline faults

 Padding. This is the reverse of gap. You fill  Split phrases and hanging prepositions. This
is the reverse of gap. You fill the Never split
the gap with unnecessary words. words that go together.

Student Council composition Gov’t to hike import

duties this month
to be known later this month
Gov’t to hike
SC members known soon import duties
this month

Common headline faults Common headline faults

 Editorializing. Just report the facts; don’t  Lack of attribution. All declarative
editorialize. statements must have a source or
attribution.
School dean gives
very inspiring talk Tuition fees to hike soon, says dean

Dean speaks at symposium

Common headline faults Common headline faults

 Don’t use the same word twice in the
 Question form. If you are not sure of your headline and the kicker.
conclusion in the headline, don’t ask your
reader for the answer.
School fees

Will the council be disbanded? School fees to be hiked soon

Despite condemnations

School fees to be hiked soon

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Example 1:
Common headline faults
15 Seniors get
 Be careful in using words with double UPLB scholarship
meanings. Look at this example and see
the danger. UPLB names 15 scholars
UPLB cites 15 scholars
Top lady performer to play organ •Splitting: Object of the verb “get” is not on the same deck or
line.
Lady pianist serenades poor families
•Shorter headlines are preferred.
PUKI opens today •Which element is more important?

Phl-UK firm opens today

Example 2: Example 3:

Terrorism will never

Tension yesterday gripped the headquarters of the Government
Service Insurance System(GSIS) in Pasay City when thousands of

get far -- GMA

protesters stormed the agency demanding the resignation of Winston
Garcia, GSIS president and general manager.

‘Terrorism will never get

far’ says GMA
Protests rock GSIS
GMA says ‘Terrorism
will never get far’ Protesters urge
•The use of 2 dashes indicates a direct quotation. GSIS chief to resign
•If quotation marks are preferred than dashes, use
single quotation to save space.
GSIS chief urged to quit post

Example 4:
A defiant Philippine National Police Director General
Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. yesterday refused to resign even after the PNP has
had to endure disgraceful incident under his watch.
Halimbawa 5:
Inilunsad na kamakailan ang pinakamalaki at
pinakamakabuluhang proyekto ng General Parents-Teachers
Association alinsunod sa Computerization Program ng DepEd upang
lalong maiangat ang antas ng pagtuturo sa Honorato C. Perez, Sr.
Memorial Science High School.

PNP chief refuses to heed

calls to quit HCPSMSHS GPTA, naglunsad
PNP chief refuses calls to quit ng Computerization Program
Computerization Program ng DepEd, sinuportahan
Ebdane ignores calls to quit GPTA, naglunsad ng proyekto

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Halimbawa 6:
Masusubukang muli ang galing at tibay ng katawan ng IBF Super
Bantamweight Champion na si Manny Pacquiao matapos ipahayag ng
mga promoters ang kanyang laban sa isang undefeated American
Maraming
salamat po!
champion sa susunod na buwan.

Kampeon, sasabak sa kampeon

Pacquiao, susubukang itumba

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