Copy Reading and Headline Writing

COPYREADING AND HEADLINE WRITING MEDEMFADRIQUELA,NEWERAUNIVERSITY HIGHSCHOOLDEPARTMENT

COPYREADING Theartofarranging,correc/ng,andselec/ng thequalityandtypeofnewsthatarewithin acceptablejournalis/cstandardsintermsof styleandeditorialpolicy. Copyreadinggivesthear/clethefinaltouch beforeitgoestotheprinter. beforeitgoestotheprinter . Cop Copyreading, edi/ng, correc/ngthear/cleare synonymousterms.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A COPYREADER

editserrorsongrammar(spelling,tenses,etc.) editserrorsoffact(accuracycheck) judgesnewsvalue(gradingofnews) editsverbosecopy(keepsthecopy/ght) writestheheadline

QUALITIES OF A GOOD COPYREADER

Mustpossesscertainquali/esnoteverybodyin thestaffmayhave. Musthaveagoodcommandofthelanguage. Musthaveagoodcommandofthelanguage.  Musthaveathisfinger/psagoodworking knowledgeoftherulesofgrammar. Musthaveawidevocabulary. Mustbewell-awareof libelnews.

COPYREADER’S MARKS & SYMBOLS

connectleEers(ceasefirewon tbean issue) transposeleEers(/mesiglod) transposewords(ifyouhappenknowto therules) deleteleEerswords (topreventtheplounder reachedafinalconclusion)

COPYREADER’S MARKS & SYMBOLS spel spell lou out t(n (nu umber mbers) s)  (10humanrightsvic/ms) spell out (words) (VPNolideCastro) abbreviate(numbers)(one-hundredpercentof abbreviate(numbers) (one-hundredpercentof the respondents) abbreviate (words) (PresidentBarackObama) insert leEerswords (thetrimphofPcquiaodelaHoya)

separatewords separatewords (theissueonCharterChange) (theissueonCharterChange)  capitalizeleEers(gen.jovitoPalparan) capitalizeleEers (gen.jovitoPalparan) makeleEerlowercase (Twosolons) periodmark (Theseamenwerefreed) restore (Thekidnapvic/mwas released)

COPYREADER’S MARKS & SYMBOLS insert space bold face paragraph

(andtheylivehappilyeveraer) (thepauper) (Villarcalledforanentrepreneurial revolu/on) donotparagraph(Villarcalledforan donotparagraph(Villarcalledforan entrepreneuria  entrepreneurialrevolu/on) lrevolu/on) 

PROCEDURES ON COPYREADING Wheneverthecopyreadersitsdowntowork,hehastheinten/on ofmakingthecopyfreeoferrors. Itisthegoalofcopyreader,therefore,todohisworksystema/cally andefficiently. Itwouldbegoodtofollowthefollowingsteps.

1. Readthewholear/clefirsttodeterminewhatkind ofstoryitis. 2.Havingdeterminedthetypeofstory,readthe ar/cleagain. 3.This/me,determinewhichisthelead paragraph. 

PROCEDURES ON COPYREADING 4.Readthestoryagainandmarkallparagraph beginnings.Thencorrecterrorsingrammar, spelling,punctua/onsandstyleusingcopyreading symbols. 5.Improvetheorganiza/onofthestory.Makesurethe leadfeaturestheleadfact. 6.Gooverthewholestoryagain.Removeall unnecessaryandirrelevantmaterials. 7.Checkthelengthofthestory,thenpreparetheclean copy.

PROCEDURES ON COPYREADING 8.Writeaverycatchyandfi]ngheadlineforthe story. 9. Givetheprinter smarkforthebodytextandthe headline.ncircletheslugline. 10.Thear/cleisnowreadyforprin/ng.

THE HEADLINE

AnassemblageofwordswriEenin bigger,bolderleEersthantheusual pagetextatthebeginningofthe news,alsoknownasthehead,but nota/tle.

THE HEADLINE

Theword headline isunderstood bymanypeopletomeanthe biggeststoryoftheday.In journalismhowever, headline is the/tleofanewsstory bigorsmall.

GUIDELINES ON HEADLINE WRITING •

There’snodoubtheadlinesareone ofthingstogetright,unfortunately theycanalsobethemost problema/ctoo. •

Agoodheadlinegrabsthe reader’saEen/on,and

compelsthemtoreadon.

GUIDELINES ON HEADLINE WRITING

Well-wriEenheadlinesgrabthe reader'saEen/on.Theyconvey clear,concisethoughts whilepoorlywriEen headlinesmisleadand confuseareader.

GUIDELINES ON HEADLINE WRITING

Awell-wriEenstorywillgounreadif theheadlinedoesnotgrabthe reader.Headlinesalsoserveasa graphicelementonthepage.

TYPES OF HEADLINES •

NWSHADLIN–Dealswithhardfacts andsummary. xample:Businessleaderstackleglobalcrisis.

FATURSHADLIN–Dealswith noveltyandhumaninterestelement. •

xample:Theseaisonredalert! (pertainstored/demenace)

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Observesthebasicrulesofheadlinewri/ng. 2.Seestoitthattheheadlinetells whatthestoryisabout.

3.Avoidseditorializing,thatis, puttingone'sopinionintheheadline. 4.Seestoitthatthesizes andtypesoffontsusedin theheadline areappropriate .

FUNCTIONS OF A HEADLINE

Headlinesummarizesthestory.Ithighlights Headlinesummarizesthestory.Ithighlights themainelementsofthestory.Itisnot label.Ittellsreaderswhatkindofstoryitis aswellaswhatthestoryisabout.



Itallowsthehurriedreadertogetaquick glimpseofthenews.Laterintheday, glimpseofthenews. Laterintheday, whenhehasthe/me,hewillreadthe storyinitsen/rety.


Headlinehelpsorganizethenewsfor readers.Itshowswhereonestory readers. Itshowswhereonestory endsandthenextonebegins,serving asavisualcut-offrule.


Contributes tothephysical aErac/venessofthe paper.


Headlinesellsthestorytothereaders. Itislikebaitinthatitshouldlure readersintothelead.Theleadshould thenhookthereaderintofinishingthe story.Astheysayinadver/sing, Sell thesizzle,notthesteak.


Headlinepriori/zesthenewsforreaders. Storieswithbigheadlinesaregenerally moreimportantthanstorieswithsmaller headlines.Storieswhichgoacrossoneor twocolumnsarelessimportantthanthose whichgoacrossthree, four,fiveorsixcolumns.


Headlinesreflectthestyleandpersonality ofthenewspaper.Styleisreflectedinthe publica/on sstandingheadsandlogos,the typestyleusedandthewayheadlinesare displayed.Personalityisreflectedinthe wayeditorsandwriterslookat thenewsandhowtheyemploy humor,witandcleverness.

REQUISITES OF A GOOD HEAD

1. Theheadlinepresentsthenewsin capsule,thusitistelegraphic. 2.Itmustcontainthemostimportant,the mostintriguing,themostunusualfact ofthestory.Itisnottheplacefor details.


3.Theheadisanadver/sement,andlikeall goodadver/sementsitshouldbehonest, goodadver/sementsitshouldbehonest, holdingoutnopromisethatthestorydoes notfulfill.Itshouldbebasedonthefactsas setforthinthestoryand nothingelse.


4.Likethestory,theheadshouldbesimple. Theheadisamosaic.WordsmustbefiEed intoacertainfixedspace,insuchawaythat themeaningwillnotbeobscured.Thisis theheadwriter'schiefproblem—tomeet themechanicalrequirementsofthe headandatthesame/me makethethoughtsoplain.


5.Getac/onintothehead.M 5.Getac/onintothehead.Makethehead akethehead astatementoffact,notamerelabel.Never Fire," " say"ShockingAccident" or“Terrible Fire, buttellwhathappenedasspecificallyas possible.Trytogetaverbinthehead, eitherex-pressedorimplied.


6.HeadsareusuallywriEeninthe presenttenseunlesstheyrelatetoa futureevent.Thisisthehistorical present,usedinsteadofthe pasttenseforthesake ofgreatervividness.


Onthecontrarythereareoccasionswhenit wouldbeabsurdtouseanythingelse.The copyreaderwouldwrite,“WilliamSmith Dies"or“WilliamSmithisDead," butin givingdetailsofthedeadman'slifeitwould bemanifestlyfoolish tosay,“IsBorninMaryland,” “Isacivilwarveteran”.


7.Theheadlinemakesuseofspecial vocabularywhichisnotsu vocabularywhichisnotsuitable itable forordinarycommunica/ forordinarycommunica/onsitua/ons. onsitua/ons. Forexample:theword stude is headlineequivalentfor student asin Fourstudeswininquizbee. However,itisnotacceptable tosaythereare2,000studes tosaythereare2,000studes inourschool.

WHAT TO AVOID

Allitera/onoccasionallymaybeused withgoodeffectinahead,but uninten/onalallitera/on—as" CommercialClubConsidersCleaning Contracts"—shouldbeavoided. Slang,unlessaptand/mely, hasnogreaterjusficaoninthe headthaninthestory

WHAT TO AVOID Anotherstyleofheaddiscouragedorforbidden altogetherbysomepapersistheuninten/onal altogetherbysomepapersisthe uninten/onal impera/ve.Thisisaheadbeginningwithaverb impera/ve. Thisisaheadbeginningwithaverb inthethirdpersonpluralform,whichmaybe readasaninjunc/ontodosomething “KillThirtyMen"maybetheHeadona “KillThirtyMen" maybetheHeadona storyofaninsurrec/on.It Means,ofcourse,“MarinesKill ThirtyMen,"

WHAT TO AVOID Tritephrasingshouldbeavoidedinthehead Tritephrasingshouldbeavoide dinthehead wheneverpossible.“Score”and“probe"and"rap wheneverpossible. “Score”and“probe"and"rap "arehandywordsforthecopyreaderbecauseof theirbrevityandareliabletooverus theirbrevityandareliabletooveruse.Thehead e.Thehead thatcontainsworn-outexpressions thatcontainsworn-outexpressionsorthatfailsto orthatfailsto getanywhereis,intheofficevernacular, wooden. Woodennessisan unpardonablesin.Trytogivethe unpardonablesin. Trytogivethe headaswingandanelement oforiginality.

WHAT TO AVOID

Avoidnega/vestatementsinthehead. Tellwhathappenedrather Tellwhathappenedratherthanwhat thanwhat didn'thappen,unlessan didn'thappen,unlessanega/onisthe ega/onisthe featureofthestory. Otherthingsbeingequal,theac/vevoiceis beEerthanthepassive.“Pacman beEerthanthepassive. “Pacman DefeatsHitman" ispreferable to“HitmanIsDefeated to“HitmanIsDefeated byPacman."

WHAT TO AVOID

Don tusethear/cles-a,an,the Wrong: Wrong:AfirehitsthesquaEers AfirehitsthesquaEers  Correct: Correct:FirehitssquaEers’area FirehitssquaEers’area   

Don Do n tusenamesunlesstheperson iswell-known Wrong:Simonelectrocuted Wrong: Simonelectrocuted Correct:  Correct:lectricianelectrocuted lectricianelectrocuted

WHAT TO AVOID

Avoidunintended doublemeanings: Actorsenttojail fornotfinishing sentence

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

Putanactionverb,expressedor implied,ineveryheadline:

HEADLINE GRAMMAR Donotbeginwithaverb,preposi/on,ar/cleor conjunc/on.Beginningwithaverbturnsthe conjunc/on. Beginningwithaverbturnsthe headlineintoacommand,whichusuallyresultsinan unintendedmeaning:

atrightbeforesurgery or

Killbill,saysNewt

HEADLINE GRAMMAR Avoidtheverbformtobe.Inmostcases,amore suitableverbcanbesubs/tuted. Weak: MatsontobeatD.C.conference BeJer: MatsontospeakinD.C.nextweek

HEADLINE GRAMMAR Avoidtheverbformtobe.Inmostcases,amore suitableverbcanbesubstuted. Weak:

MatsontobeatD.C.conference Be(er:

MatsontospeakinD.C.nextweek

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

Usepresenttenseverbsinwri/ngheadlines describingpastevents.Past describingpastevents. Past tenseisappropriateonoccasion,buta majorityofheadlinesarewriEeninpresent tensebecauseitiseasiertounderstandandit usesfewerwords:

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

Usefuturetenseverbstowriteheadlines aboutfutureevents:

Housetostarthearings ondiseaseoutbreaks

HEADLINE GRAMMAR Usethe–ingverbform verbformtowriteheadlines towriteheadlines abouteventsthatarehappeningatthe/me thenewspaperisdistributed:

BankofAmericamerging withNa/onBank

HEADLINE GRAMMAR Usenumbersinheadlinesonlyiftheyare important.Avoidstar/ngaheadlinewitha important. Avoidstar/ngaheadlinewitha number.Whennumbersappearinaheadline, theyshouldbewriEenasfigures:

12Americanskilled inembassybombings

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

Abbreviatethemonthonlywhena specificdatefollowsit:

October/meforancientrites and> HalloweendanceonOct.31

HEADLINE GRAMMAR Subs/tuteacomma Subs/tuteacommafortheconjunc/on fortheconjunc/onand : :

Gangmembertells ofviolence,killing Usesinglequotemarksinplaceofdouble Usesinglequotemarksinplaceof double quotemarksinaheadline: quotemarks inaheadline:

Sims,Venablesland WizardofOz’leads

HEADLINE GRAMMAR Don tsplitaverbphrase:

Delegateschosento gotoYouthLegislature Don tsplitapreposi/onanditsobject:

Belfastmanchargedfor Harrodsbomb

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

Don’tseparateanadjectiveand thenounitmodifies:

Seniorstoholdspaghetti dinnerfundraisernextweek

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

Useabbrevia/onsonlyiftheyarewell-known. Whenini/alsareused,donotusespacesor periodsbetweenleEers.

KBPkicksitswayintospotlight GMAdeclaresFriday Na/onalDayofcelebra/on

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

Theverbissaidtobeintheac/ve voicewhenthedoeroftheac/onisinthe subjectposi/on.Ac/vevoice subjectposi/on.Ac/vevoiceispreferredover ispreferredover thepassivevoice thepassivevoicebecauseitismorevigorous; becauseitismorevigorous; however,thepassivevoicemustbeused however,thepassivevoicemustbeused whentheac/onismoresignificantthanthe whentheac/onismoresignificant thanthe doeroftheac/on.

HEADLINE GRAMMAR xercise1:Writethecorrectformoftheverbinthefollowing headlines.Observeagreementbetweensubjectandtheverb. •CA______(deny) •CA______(deny)Leviste’spe//onforbail Leviste’spe//onforbail •WorldpirateaEacks____(soar) •WorldpirateaEacks____ (soar)infirstquarter infirstquarter •Noli_____(hail) •Noli_____(hail)SyriaasRP‘strategicpartner’ SyriaasRP‘strategicpartner’ •Shell,Petron_______(raise) •Shell,Petron_______ (raise)gasprices gasprices •SC______(uphold) •SC______(uphold)oilderegula/onlaw oilderegula/onlaw •Senateresolu/on_____(eye) •Senateresolu/on_____ (eye)workersincen/ve workersincen/ve •PNP______(gear) •PNP______(gear)upforswinefluoutbreak upforswinefluoutbreak •Healthexperts_______(gauge) •Healthexperts_______ (gauge)flueoutbreak flueoutbreak •Fishermen_______(stage) •Fishermen_______(stage)arthDayprotest arthDayprotest •RotaryClub________(donate) •RotaryClub________ (donate)computers computers •COMLC______(proclaim) •COMLC______(proclaim)32partylistbets 32partylistbets •Failon_________(appeal) •Failon_________(appeal)forprivacy forprivacy

HEADLINE GRAMMAR

•Cuadra______(cop) •Cuadra______(cop)3Na/onalawards 3Na/onalawards •Researcher_________(receive) •Researcher_________ (receive)USgrant USgrant •NewAFPchief______(vow) •NewAFPchief______ (vow)toendinsurgency toendinsurgency •RP,Spain_________(ink) •RP,Spain_________ (ink)accord accord •Pacquaio-HaEonfight____(carve) •Pacquaio-HaEonfight____ (carve)ringhistory ringhistory

HEADLINE GRAMMAR xercise2:Writethecorrectformoftheverbin thepassivevoice thepassivevoice: : • • • • • • • • • •

AllegedNPAhitman_______(kill) AllegedNPAhitman_______(kill) Twojailguardscaughtgambling_____(fire) Twojailguardscaughtgambling_____ (fire) Restoowner______(sue) Restoowner______(sue) Governor_______(probe) Governor_______(probe)forP72Mdeficit forP72Mdeficit JuetengprotectorsinCL_______(iden/fy) JuetengprotectorsinCL_______ (iden/fy) Scoutmaster_____(kill) Scoutmaster_____(kill)incampsite incampsite Shan/esinQuiapo_______(demolish) Shan/esinQuiapo_______ (demolish) Absentees_______(warn) Absentees_______(warn)ofexpulsion ofexpulsion Parentsofhonorstudes______(cite) Parentsofhonorstudes______ (cite) 4holduppers______(nab) 4holduppers______ (nab)inTondo inTondo

HEADLINE CHECKLIST Doestheheadlineexpressthemain ideaofthestory? Doestheheadlineeffec/velylabelthe story'scontent? Willitcreatereaderinterest? Willitmovereadersintothestory?

HEADLINE CHECKLIST

Doestheheadlinefocusmatchthelead focus? Arethewordsshort,common,colorful, powerful,specific?

Wouldyoureadastorywiththis headline?

IMPROVING YOUR HEADLINE

levenwaystoimproveyourheadlines: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Use ac/ve voice  Use present tense Avoid abbrevia/ons Use short words Be specific Mak Make posi/ve statements Don t repeat key word

Manbitesdog Robberflees(notfleed) ActorwinstriptoLV PanelorGroup:CommiEee ditorwinsaward ditorwinsaward  Pacquiaotowinthefight Bankoustsbank schair

IMPROVING YOUR HEADLINE

8.Beaccurate   StatefactswithaEribu/on 9.Avoidpunctua/on asmuchaspossible 10.Avoid tobe words wordsdeleteis-arehelpingverbs deleteis-arehelpingverbs 11.Beimpar/al Wordscancolorheadlinewatch for ‘denies’ or ‘claims’

HEADLINE VOCABULARY congressman  decrease examina/on announce highlight speak conference inves/ga/on inves/gator disapprove dismiss dispute

solon dip quiz bare cap urge confab probe prober buck,scrap quash row

charge strengthen agreement prac/ce s i gn praise ques/on year urge delay mad killer

rap beefup accord honeup ink ink  laud grill grill  milestone prod snag amok

HEADLINE VOCABULARY iden/fy capture start disregard end lessen approval arrest student writer government councilor 

finger net net  trigger ruleout windup allay nod nab student scribe govt dad

UNIT COUNTING

j i l t f

?

=½unit

J I L T F =1unit

*SPACE

=1unit =1unit

*ALL SMALL LETTERS =1unit

*ALL FIGURES

=1unit

-

=1½unit

(dash)

(questionn mark) (questio mark)

mw MW *ALL CAPS EXCEPT

M W J I L T F

=1½unit =2units =1½unit

HEADLINE INSTRUCTIONS

42points-3cols.–(21)max.count 42points-3cols.–(21)max.count ___________________________ ___________________________(no.ofdecks) RaceBiasinSchools-20unitcounts DescribedasStupid-19.5unitcounts

VARIETY OF HEADTYPES drop-line(likeastaircase)        XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX hanginginden/on(toplineflushatright) XXXXXXXXXX      XXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX X invertedpyramid(fromwidetonarrow) XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX

VARIETY OF HEADTYPES flush-le(beginatlehandcorner) XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX block(flushleandright,frommargintomargin) XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX cross-line(one-lineheadline) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

EXERCISES

headline: __________________________________ _________________ __________________ _ Twopeoplediedandfiveotherswere hurtwhenanuniden/fiedmanlobbeda fragmenta/ongrenadealongBaguio City sLeonardWoodRoadshortlybefore dawnTuesday,apoliceofficialsaid.

EXERCISES

headline: __________________________________ _________________ __________________ _ ThePhilippinegovernmentwillrepatriate someFilipinoswhowereaffectedbythe earthquakeinItalyearlythismonth, accordingtoOverseasWorkersWelfare Administra/onchiefCarmelitaDimzon.

EXERCISES

headline: __________________________________ _________________ __________________ _ Whoeverbecomesthenextpresidentof thecountrywillfaceabiggereconomic burden.Formerbudgetsecretary BenjaminDioknoyesterdaywarnedthat thenextpresidentwillbeinheri/ngfrom theArroyoadministra/onaweaker economyandhigherunemployment.

EXERCISES

headline: __________________ ___________________________ _________________ ________ MANILA,Philippines–Adownpourat aroundnoononWednesdaycaused floodsrangingfromthigh-toguEer-deep inseveralareasacrossMetroManila,the MetropolitanManilaDevelopment Authority(MMDA)reported.

EXERCISES

headline: __________________ ___________________________ _________________ ________ MANILA,Philippines-ThePhilippinesand Spainsignedthreeagreementson assistanceforhealthreformeffortsinthe BicolandCaragaregions.

PARTING SHOT

DON’TFORGT: Theonlywaytolearnhowtowrite heads,aeroneknowsthegeneral principles,istowritethem. Headlinewri/n Headlinewri/ngisli gislikelear kelearningto ningto playamus  playamusicalin icalinstrumentstrument-- -themore  you pracRce, ,theeasieritgets theeasieritgets andthebeEeryoubecome.

END OF THE LECTURE MEDEMFADRIQUELA,NEWERAUNIVERSITY HIGHSCHOOLDEPARTMENT

Copy Reading and Headline Writing

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