COPYREADING AND HEADLINE WRITING

Copyreading gives the article the final touch before it goes to the printer. Copyreading,
editing, correcting article are synonymous terms. The copyreader goes over the article, makes
all necessary corrections. He reads the article very carefully looking out for errors in grammar
and spelling, errors in fact and errors in style. He also does away with libellous statements
which harm the reputation of the persons or subjects mentioned in the article and which may
put the editorial staff in hot water. The copyreader also writes the headline and determines the
typography for it.

Copyreading is editing or correcting errors made by the reporter and proofreading the errors
made by the typesetter or printer.
 It is the art of arranging, correcting, and selecting the quality and type of news
 It is also called copyediting.
 One who edits copies is called a copyreader or copyeditor
Copy
 Material for a newspaper or magazine article
 The text as written by the author
Copyreader is a person who edits or corrects errors in the copy

Qualities of a Good Copyreader

1. Good in English and Filipino
2. Observant- alert at all times
3. Super reporter
4. Careful and patient
5. Accurate and master of details
6. Has broad knowledge
7. Master in copyreading symbols
8. Gifted with high degree of common sense.

Duties of the copyreader

1. Check facts.
2. Check names, addresses, titles, designations, etc.
3. Correct errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage, organization and others.
4. Improve news value.
5. Write effective lead.
6. Cut or delete irrelevant materials.
7. Delete “editorializing materials” in a news.
8. Make articles conform to editorial policies.
9. Guard against libelous statement.
10. Write the headlines and decide its typography.
11. Make copy simple and clear.
12. Make copy conform to the newspaper style sheet.
13. Give instruction to the typesetter regarding font type and font size to be used and
the number of columns and ems.
14. 14. Check slug lines and paging sequences.
15. Indicate corrections by using the copyreading marks.
What to copyread?
1. Errors in fact
2. Errors in grammar
 3. Errors in structure
4. Errors in style
5. Libelous and derogatory statements
6. Seditious and rebellious matter
7. Opinion, editorializing statements in news
8. Verbal deadwoods, redundancy
9. Errors in unity, coherence and emphasis

PROCEDURE IN COPYREADING
1. Read the whole article first to determine what kind of story it is.
2. Having determined the type of story, read the article again. This time determine
what the lead paragraph is.
3. Take note of errors in fact. Check on the accuracy of the statements and
information. Verify when in doubt.
4. Read the story again and mark all paragraph beginnings. Then, correct errors in
grammar, spelling, punctuations, and style using copyreading symbols.
5. Improve the organization of the story. Make sure the lead features the lead fact.
6. Go over the whole story and again. Remove all unnecessary and irrelevant materials.
7. Check the length of the story and then prepare the clean copy.
8. Write a very catchy and fitting headline for the story.
9. Mark the copy for the printer (size, type, column, width, etc.)
10. Encircle the slug line (short title, name of reporter),
11. End page with a paragraph. Do not cut paragraph and continue on the next page.
12. Write “more” at the bottom of the page of unfinished story and continue the next
sheet. Do not use the back page of the paper.
13. On the second page, instead of numbering as page 2, label it “first add” or “add one”
followed by the slug. For example, “first add nabbed” or “add one nabbed”.
14. End the story with number 30 or sharp (#). Encircle it.
15. If the copy could hardly be read because of so many corrections, retype it if time
permits to facilitate editing and typesetting.

HEADLINE WRITING
Headline is the title of the news story. It is the display window of the newspaper. It also serves
as a source of information for busy newspaper readers.

Functions of the headlines

1. To give the summary of the news.
2. To present the news for rapid reading
3. To indicate the relative importance of the news by the amount of display
4. To give a leasing appearance to the news pages

Some thing to remember about headline

1. The headline presents the news in a capsule, thus it is telegraphic.
2. The headline must contain the most important, the most intriguing, and the most
unusual fact of the story. It is not the place for details.
3. The headline must be so constructed as to catch the reader’s attention and make
him read the story.
 4. Size and length of the headline must be proportional to the length of the story and
its importance.
5. The headline is based on the lead.
6. The headline makes use of special vocabulary which is not suitable for ordinary
communications. For example: the word “stude” is headline equivalent for “student”
as in “four studes win quiz bee.”

How to construct headlines

Headlines are usually taken from the lead. If the lead is properly written, the headlines
will literally write itself. The headline writer should strive to FLAH ACCURATELY, in a SHORT
TELEGRAPHIC sentence the MAJOR MESSAGE of the head.

STEPS IN HEADLINE WRITING

1. Read the whole story to understand its message.
2. Underline the key words from the lead.
3. Using these key words, write a short telegraphic sentence summary of the news (omit
articles, unnecessary auxiliary verbs, prepositions, details).
4. Divide according to units of thought into the number of lines required.
5. Substitute simple, effective synonyms to reduce width within the limits of space
allotted.
Example: Charter polls
must go on,
say experts

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEADLINE
1. They are skeletonized to save space. (S-V-O pattern)
2. They use the present tense, to emphasize immediacy or timeliness.
3. They are adjusted to a predetermined typographical style of a paper.
4. Aside from immediacy, an effective headline conveys to the readers the relative
significance and seriousness of the news story. Some tabloids use
sensationalized or bastardized kinds of headlines, sometimes written in tagalong.
Example: Dad rapes daughter
Lalaking buntis
Son kills Pa
RULES IN WRITING HEADLINE
1. The headline must have a verb and it must be in the present tense
Wrong: Ang Limbukad copped 5 trophies in DSPC
Correct: Ang Limbukad cops 5 trophies in DSPC
2. The first letter of the first word and proper nouns are generally capitalized.
Example: Iran offers more oil in RP
3. Do not use period.
4. Minimize punctuation marks.
Wrong: Rolling stores to sell rice and groceries
Correct: Rolling stores to sell rice, groceries
5. Don’t use the articles a, an, the
Wrong: A fire hits the squatters’ area in Tondo
Correct: Fire hits squatters’ area in Tondo
6. Don’t use names unless the person is well-known.
Wrong: Santos electrocuted
Correct: Carpenter electrocuted
7. Use the infinitives for future events
Wrong: City Hall will push anti-squatting drive
 Correct: City Hall to push anti-squatting drive
8. Use specific terms instead of generalities.
Wrong: School official gets scholarship
Correct: Principal gets US scholarship
9. Assertions in a headline should have a source or attribution.
Poor: Principal orders suspension of classes
Strong: Classes suspended today, says principal
Good: Even SC can err-Cuevas
Good: Cuevas: Even SC can err
10. Use the shorter word whenever possible, e.g., use “cut” for decrease, or “hike” for
increase. Example: School hikes Studes urge
tuition fee class boycott

WHAT TO AVOID IN WRITING HEADLINES

1. Fat head – Letters or words are so crowded that there are no more spaces between
them. Example: Torchfirst in presstilts
2. Thin head – Spaces between letters or words are too wide.
Example: T o r c h f i r s t i n p r e s s t i l t s
3. Label head – Incomplete headline, just like a label of a certain product.
Example: Christmas Party
4. Wooden head – Weak headline, devoid of meaning due to the absence of a subject or
the lack of a verb.
Example: To hold excursion
5. Mandatory head – It gives a command because it begins with a verb.
Example: Hold dialog with principal
6. Screaming head – Big and bold headline of a short and unimportant story. A
sensational head is another kind of screaming headlines.
Example: WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES
7. Hanging preposition – The end of the line contains a preposition. The preposition and
its object should not be separated.
Bad: SG votes for Good: SG votes
new prexy for new prexy
8. Coined words; uncommonly abbreviations or acronyms
9. Use of passive and negative statements.
Bad: Student Council meeting will not be held
Good: SC postpones general meeting

STRUCTURES OF HEADLINES
flush left hanging
indention

drop line or crossline/

step form barline

inverted flush right

pyramid
UNIT COUNT IN HEADLINE
All small letters (except j, l, I, f, t, m and w) = 1 unit
Small letters j, l, I, f, t = ½ unit
Small letters m and w = 1 ½ unit
All capital letters (except I, M, W) = 1 ½ unit
Capital letter I = ½ unit
Capital letters M and W = 2 unit
All punctuation marks (except the dash, question mark,
dollar, peso and per cent) = ½ unit
Dash, question mark, dollar, peso and per cent sign = 1 unit
All number figures from 0 to 9 (except 1) = 1 unit
Number 1 = ½ unit
All spaces = 1 unit

1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½½ 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1

Grenade blast kills 2 kids = 23 ½ units

HEADLINE VOCABULARY SAMPLES
1. accord - agreement 31. lull – calm
2. allay – calm 32. meet – conference, to convene
3. allot – apportion 33. megman – movie director
4. anew – again 34. memo – memorandum
5. assail – attack 35. mull – plan, to think of
6. bare – reveal, expose 36. mum – silent
7. blast – criticize 37. nab - arrest
8. cite – enumerate 38. nix – reject
9. confab – conference 39. okay – approve, accept
10. cop – police 40. peg – to fix at a certain amount
11. curb – control, stop 41. pit – oppose
12. cut – decrease 42. post – position
13. dip – decrease, decline 43. power – electricity
14. draw fire – to be criticized 44. prove – investigation
15. dry run – rehearsal 45. prod – prick
16. due – deadline, schedule 46. quit – resign
17. feud – quarrel, dispute 47. ratify – approve
18. foil – stop 48. raze – destroy
19. gab – conference 49. revamp – to change, reshuffle
20. grill – question, interrogate 50. rift – disagreement
21. hail - welcome 51. row – dispute, disagreement
22. hike – increase 52. rule – decide, decision
23. hit – attack 53. sans – without
24. inquiry – investigation 54. scribe – newspaperman
25. ink – sign 55. skip – avoid
26. junk – to throw away, decline 56. slay – kill, assassinate
27. kin – family 57. solon – lawmaker
28. kit – package 58. try – attempt
29. letup – temporary easing up 59. body – committee
30. link - connect 60. bid, ask – invite, request
SOME VERBAL DEADWOODS
1. Take action on the issue - act
2. For the reason that - because
3. Tender his resignation - resigned
4. Affixed his signature - signed
5. Held a conference - met
6. In the event of - if/when
7. Make good his escape - escaped
8. At this moment in time - now
9. United in holy matrimony - married
10. In short supply - scarce
11. A large portion - many
12. In spite of the fact - although

EXAMPLE OF REDUNDANT WORDS

1. final conclusion
2. dead corpse
3. fatal murder
4. other alternative
5. new recruit
6. free gifts
7. underprivileged poor
8 five o’clock pm in the afternoon

SLUG AND PRINTER’S DIRECTION ON THE COPY

F. Ibaoc
Mga Hagawhaw Lead: 24 ems-14TNR-bold
School aids flood Body: 12 ems-10TNR
10/10/13

2-44BB-Rom School aids flood victims = 22 units

The slug is placed at the upper left corner of the copy.

The printer’s direction for the headlines is placed beside the headline.
The printer’s direction for the lead and body text is written at the upper right
corner of the copy.

PRINTER’S DIRECTION FOR THE HEADLINE

2-44BB-Rom
2 means the headline runs across 2 columns of body text
44 stands for the font size of the headline
BB is Bodoni bold font type
Rom for normal font format, Ital for italic font format
The line below the printer’s direction indicates that it’s a one-line or one-deck headline.
In case there is a kicker, “w/kicker” is written after the font format.
PRINTER’S DIRECTION FOR THE LEAD AND BODY TEXT

24ems-14TNR-bold
24ems is the unit measure of the lead occupying two columns. One column (1.5-2 in) of
a normal layout is equivalent to 12 ems. This means 12 letter m’s can
occupy a line in a column. Letter m is the widest alphabet.
14 stands for the font size used
TNR is the font type Times New Roman and it is set in bold face.

THE SLUG

F.Ibaoc
Mga Hagawhaw
School aids
10/10/13

The slug includes the copyreader’s initial, the name of the publication, the slug
line or catchline (1-3 words cut from the headline), and the date the article was edited.

References:
“ Journalism for Campus Writers” by Charito P. Palanca and Socorro D. Vantome
“ Campus Journalism, Book III” by Ceciliano – Jose Cruz
“ Campus Journalism in the New Generation” by Gelly Elegio Alkuino

hand-outs/copyreading/headlinewriting/bethuelinuez@yahoo.com