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Online Copyediting

Online Copy Editing

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Page 1: Online Copy Editing

Online Copyediting

Page 2: Online Copy Editing

Online Copyediting

Introduction

Page 3: Online Copy Editing

Online Copyediting

• Copy-editing is the process of preparing a document for publication.

• It covers the structure, organization and writing style of the text, as well as legal issues.

• In a digital world we need copy editors as ethics

gatekeepers and guardians.

Page 4: Online Copy Editing

Data Smog

• Data smog is information with which we are

overloaded on internet everyday.

• There is awful lot of smog on the web like junk

emails, unsolicited emails, endless advertisements.

Page 5: Online Copy Editing

Proof-reading

• Proof-reading is a separate activity from copy editing

and should always be done afterwards as part of a

final check that the text is in good order.

Page 6: Online Copy Editing

What does a copy-editor do?

• Copy editors are usually responsible for a number of matters in print and online media like

o Fixing spellings

o Grammar

o Style errors

o Factual errors

o Content errors

o Technical and legal isssues

o As well as writing headlines, choosing articles and arranging layout.

Page 7: Online Copy Editing

Skills Needed for Copyeditors

• Rules of language

• Journalist is a generalist

• Wide range of knowledge

• Double check fact

• Quickly search web to verify information

• Consistency

• Accuracy

Page 8: Online Copy Editing

Online Copyediting

A Few General Pointers

Page 9: Online Copy Editing

A Few General Pointers for online copyediting

• Whether online or offline, copy editor's job is not

only proof-reading but also checking content for

errors.

Page 10: Online Copy Editing

Mechanical Errors

• Grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes

• In many cases mechanical errors are the consequence

of quick writing where the focus is on the content

rather than the form.

Page 11: Online Copy Editing

General Rules and Tips

• Read each story twice

First: to remove mechanical and link text errors Read at the speed of your eyes, not your brain

Second: to catch anything incorrect or misleading

within the content

Page 12: Online Copy Editing

General Rules and Tips

• Read the copy aloud.

• To assure that you read every line is to slide

blank sheet of paper down the page.

• Read from the last sentence to the first – sentences should flow logically together in either direction.

• Get a print out to read.

• Placed the article on web page

Page 13: Online Copy Editing

Mechanics

• Make sure subject and verb agree

“The bill with five amendments were ratified by the

assembly.” – WRONG!

• Watch out for they and it

“IBM announced that their third-quarter profits held

secretly.” – WRONG!

Page 14: Online Copy Editing

Mechanics

• Watch out for that vs. which

“The trail which followed captured the public’s

attention.” – WRONG!

“The verdict, which caused endless speculation, came

Friday.” – RIGHT!

• First references

• Courtesy titles

Page 15: Online Copy Editing

Content

• Does the lead misguide the reader?

• Double and triple check headlines

• Do numbers in the story add up?

• Double check the facts and figures

• Don’t convict a suspect

• Correct legal status like “charged in the death of…”, “on

trail for the theft of….” etc

Page 16: Online Copy Editing

Web-specific Items

• Double check links

• Scan URLs to identify anything questionable for

instance, a story is about GEO TV and link says www.jeo.com

• Check all the extensions of multimedia links

• Check all the supporting items Headlines, links, tables, photo caption, sidebars, videos

Page 17: Online Copy Editing

Online Copyediting

The Spell-Check problem

Headlines

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The Spell-Check Problem

• Spell-check function if not used with sharp senses

can cause problems

• Spell-check function can have bad effects on students

and journalists too

• Too much reliance on technology

• Job of copy desk editor has become more difficult

Page 19: Online Copy Editing

The Spell-Check Problem

• Spell check function works two ways

• It can ignore incorrect spellings

• Use of word processing programs

Page 20: Online Copy Editing

Headlines

• Primary goal of headline

• Headline in print news

• Headline in online medium

Page 21: Online Copy Editing

Guidelines to follow when writing

headline:

• The main objective should be to get the gist of your

story across as completely as possible.

• Summarize the most important points.

• It should force the reader to look at the story.

Page 22: Online Copy Editing

Online Copyediting

Cutline

Style

Page 23: Online Copy Editing

What is caption?

• Caption is a brief description of photograph

• Needs to describe that what is going on.

• Photographs can be the headlines.

• Caption should match the tone of the photo.

Page 24: Online Copy Editing

Cutline

• What is cutline?

• One should aim to write cutline in active voice

• Cutline should match the tone of the story.

Page 25: Online Copy Editing

Style

• Journalists mainly follow AP style – Associated press

style.

• News organizations can have their own style

• AP style doesn’t really go with web because of the

advent of new terms like hacking, DOS attacks etc

• Style is a body language of text

• Understandable font style should be used

Page 26: Online Copy Editing

Online Copyediting

CONCLUSION

Page 27: Online Copy Editing

Thank you!