COPY READING AND HEADLINE WRITING
COPY READING AND HEADLINE WRITING
What is copyreading?Correcting copies (news, feature sports
stories, editorial, etc with the use of appropriate symbols
commonly known by printers.Who are copyreaders?
1. They are sometimes called butchers or mutilators. 2. They
correct errors in copies 3.They should know the basics of all forms
of journalistic writing.
Cs of Copyreading Correct Check Condense Clarify
What to know in COPYREADING
1. Grammar 2. Styles 3.Font/Typography 4.Unit Count 5.Printers
Direction 6. Headline Writing 7. Copyreading Symbols 8. Style
BookDUTIES OF A COPYREADER1. Straighten out grammatical
constructions.2.Shorten sentences and tighten paragraphs.3.See that
the style requirements are strictly followed.4.Check names,
addresses, titles, designations, identifications, figures,
attributions, etc.5.Rewrite parts of the story completely if they
are poorly written.Mechanical EditingContent EditingHeadline
WritingPrinters DirectionMECHANICAL EDITING1st ReadingHaving a
general understandingCorrecting obvious errorsChecking vague
informationCONTENT EDITING2nd reading
Checking the appropriateness of wordsFinding the lead
(news)Arranging the paragraphsHEADLINE WRITING1.Answers as many Ws
as possible in the headline2.The headline should not state
something that is not included in the story3.Positive heads are
preferable than the negative ones.Things to remember :HEADLINE
WRITING1.Answers as many Ws as possible in the headline2.The
headline should not state something that is not included in the
story3.Positive heads are preferable than the negative ones.Things
to remember :HEADLINE WRITING4. Use a verb, expressed or implied,
in main heads and subheads.5.The active verb is preferred to
passive verb, except in the instance that the event is more
important than the doer.6.Delete article like a, an, the and all
the forms of verbs of being.Things to remember :HEADLINE
WRITING7.Use the present tense for past stories and infinite form
for future events.8. Write numbers in figures or spell them out
depending upon the allotted space for headlines.9.Use the comma,
the punctuation mark, instead of the conjunctions and in
headlines.10. Write the position of a general word to identify a
person, a place, or a thing that is not popular.
Things to remember :11.Use numbers.People love numbers,
especially in headlines. Numbers are something we know and feel
comfortable with; they give us a sense of familiarity and advise
our brains on how long an article may take to read. With numbers we
can justify the exchange of information for our time especially
with numbers that describe how many points will be covered.
Tips from Mam CalapitHeadlines should be 6 to nine words short
only.% is ok in the headline if there is enough space.The following
words should be written in italics. stage plays, songs, foreign
words, scientific names4. Dates and addresses are always written in
figures.
Tips from Mam Calapit5. Delete this in the body of the text in
order to6. Use according to if it means press release; use said to
persons7. Species versus specie8. Immigration instead of BI9. Bar
Council instead of council10. Solon instead of ad hoc
chair/panel11. House Congress instead of Means Committee
Headline Vocabs Increase Hike Decrease Dip Examination Quiz
Announced Bared Highlight Cap Disapprove Buck Contest/competition
TiltInstead of UseHeadline VocabsBeing discussed at Up atDominates
Rules/lordsAgainst VsVolleyball players Spikers/nettersApproval
OkSyndicate GangInvestigation ProbeInstead of UseHeadline
VocabsProhibition BanParticipate AttendCelebrate MarkSenators
SolonsConflagration FireInundated FloodedArrests NabsEmphasize
StressCharter Change Cha-chaPolice CopInstead of Use Unit Counting
A headline should fit the allotted space by a system of unit
counts, given to each letter, figures and symbols. The
corresponding unit counts are given as follows: unit j,I,l,t,f, all
punctuation marks except m dash (_)and question mark(?) 1 unit
J,I,L,T,F, question mark(?), m dash, space, figures, and all the
lowercase letters except j,I,l,t,f,m,w1 Unit counts- m, w and all
the capital letters, except J,I,L,T,F,M W2 units- M,W Printers
Direction Serves as guide of the printing press Slugline First line
Paper/Publication The Crossier Second Line Kind/ Article News Topic
Fire Writer/Initials ZGA Printers Direction unit count 32 font size
18 font family 2-18 Verdana column 2 ds deck style
If the purpose of learning is to score well on a test, we have
lost sight of the real reason for learning.
Never STOP doing your best just because someone doesnt give u
credit.
Secret of successful journalists? Love of words, passion and
love in reading, talking and writing with senseThank you so much
for listening.
God bless us all
Zeny G. ArcenaSan Jose Community High SchoolN.Virata, GMA,
CaviteJune 27, 2015
