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Copyediting and headline writingJuly 11, 2012Blessed Children Integrated SchoolResource Speaker: Mr. Antonio Delgado

The copyMaterial for a newspaper or magazine articleThe text as written by the author

CopyreadingIt is the art of arranging, correcting, and selecting the quality and type of newsIt is also called copyediting.One who edits copies is called a copyreader or copyeditor

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A COPYEDITORedits errors on grammar (spelling, tenses, agreement, etc.)edits errors of fact (accuracy check)edits verbose copydeletes opinion or slant and libelous statementswrites the headline

THE EDITED COPY

Copyediting symbolsSymbolInstructionExample

Copyediting symbolsSymbolInstructionExample

Copyediting symbolsSymbolInstructionExample

Copyediting symbolsSymbolInstructionExample

Copyediting symbolsSymbolInstructionExample

Pointers in CopyeditingNUMBERSThe numbers 1 9 are written in words while the numbers 10 and above are written in figures.Example:nine students13 childrenNUMBERSEXCEPTIONS: dates, address: always in figures.proper nouns: may be written in figures/wordsbeginning of sentence: always in wordsevents: 1st 9th is allowed

SpellingLook for misspelled words.Here in the Philippines, American English is used, not British English.Ex: color, not colourIf a word has more than one accepted spelling, the shortest one is preferred.Ex: judgment, instead of judgementCapitalizationThe first letter of the sentence is always capitalized.Proper nouns are capitalized, common nouns are not.Ex: singerRegine VelasquezCapitalizationSmall letters are usually used for title or position.Ex: Mrs. Cecilia Burayag, the principal of BCIS, delivered the opening remarks.Capitalized titles: Governor Umali

abbreviationsSpell out Dept., govt, and other abbreviations.The abbreviations Jr. and Sr. are allowed in names.Remember:Engr. Emmanuel Delgado; Engineer Delgado12 Dimagiba St.; Dimagiba Street

abbreviationsA title or position of a person may be abbreviated if it appears before the name but not if simply used in the sentence:Ex: Sen. Recto filed another taxation bill yesterday.The senator filed another taxation bill yesterday.

AcronymsAcronyms are usually written in capital letters.Example:BCISCheck if the letters of the acronym are in the correct order.AcronymsWhen an acronym appears for the first time in a news story, it is written after its meaning and it is enclosed in parentheses. Ex: University of the Philippines (UP)

paragraphThe first sentence of a paragraph is indented.In news stories, the rule is one paragraph, one sentence only.

leadThere should be no names of unknown persons in the lead.Check for buried leads.The standard lead answers the 5 Ws and 1 H.GrammarCheck for errors in:Tenses of VerbsSubject-Verb AgreementPronoun-Antecedent Agreement (agreement in gender and number)Articles (a, an, the)GrammarRemember: he said and not said he; Aquino said and not said AquinoRemember: three-day training and not three-days training. Trained for three days and not trained for three-day.

Punctuation: periodIt is used at the end of declarative and imperative sentences.It is used in abbreviations such as p.m., a.m., Jr., Sr., Pres., Sen., Rep., Gov., Gen., Capt., Dr., Fr., Atty., Corp., and Inc.Acronyms of schools, organizations and offices do not need periods..Punctuation: commaUse commas:to separate the month and day from the year.to separate the street, barangay, town and province in an addressto separate facts concerning victims and suspects.Ex: Jolas Burayag, 17, of Barangay San Fernando Norte,Punctuation: commaDo not use commas:to separate the abbreviation Jr., Sr., or III from the name.Ex: Emmanuel Delgado Jr.

,Punctuation: hyphenUse hyphen:in most compound nounsEx: editor-in-chief, officer-in-chargein fractions Ex: two-thirds, three-fourthsin numerals Ex: twenty-two, fifty-nine-Punctuation: Quotation marksQuotation marks are used in direct quotations. Indirect quotations do not need them.Ex. I forgot it, he said.He said he forgot it.Periods and commas are written first before closing quotation marks.Ex. Lets go to SM, the boy said. Punctuation:Quotation marksQuotation marks are used to set off titles of events, shows, movies, books, etc.Ex. We watched The Titanic.Quotation marks are used to set off an alias or nickname.Ex. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.Juan Chua a.k.a. Boy Singkit

Punctuation: ApostropheApostrophes are used in the possessive form of the noun.Ex. the teachers tablethe teachers meetingIn contractionsEx. Im (I am)youre (you are)

remindersWatch out for jumbled letters, words and paragraphs.Check for joined/disjoined words.Ex. class room, newteacherDelete editorializing words/phrases.Ex. The very beautiful and intelligent principal The cops were right in arrestingremindersCheck for redundancies (recurring words/phrases/paragraphs, synonymous or redundant terms).Ex. the concert the concert endedREMEMBER: After editing the news story, write 30 at the end of the article. If the article is not yet finished, write more at the bottom of the page.

Headline writingheadlinean assemblage of words written in bigger, bolder letters than the usual page text at the beginning of the newsit is not a title

FUNCTIONS OF HEADLINEto attract readersto tell the story (in a summary)to add variety of type (to break monotony in a sea of type)to identify personality of newspaper (use of font/style of letters)to index/grade the news (big type for important news; small type for less important)

Tips in headline writingFirst, read the story for general meaning.Clues to the headline are usually in the lead.What happened?Who did what?How did if happen?Use the shortest words possible.Examples include:cop policemannab arrestmishap accidentup increasedown decreasethief - robberTips in headline writingHave a subject and a verb. Avoid starting with a verb; the headline might sound as if it were giving orders.Wrong: Revise money mart guidelinesCorrect: Central Bank revises money mart guidelinesTips in headline writingUse the historical present tense if the verb is in the active voice.Wrong: Delgado topped editorial tiltCorrect: Delgado tops editorial tiltTips in headline writingOmit the helping verb if the verb is in the passive voice. Only the past participle is retained.Wrong: Drug pushers are nabbedCorrect: Drug pushers nabbedTips in headline writingUse the infinitive for future events.Wrong: City Hall will punish anti-squatting driveCorrect: City Hall to punish anti-squatting driveTips in headline writingDo not use a period at the end of the headline.9.Omit articles (a, an, the).Wrong: A fire hits Tondo slum area Correct: Fire hits Tondo slum areaTips in headline writingUse a comma instead of and in writing headlines.Delays, confusion bug AsiadLacson, Trillanes no show at SONATips in headline writingUse semicolon to separate sentences.Gina Lopez heads Pasig body; Noy swears in 35 other execsUse the punctuation marks (especially the exclamation point) sparingly.Tips in headline writingUse single quotes () in headlines instead of double quotes ().Always give the source of a quote. Quotation marks are not needed, a dash or a colon will serve the purpose.Crackdown on errant bus firms EnrileEnrile: Crackdown on errant bus firmsTips in headline writingUse the down-style only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized, unless otherwise indicated. This is more readable because people are used to reading sentences this way.Ex. Faculty honors NuezTips in headline writingUse only widely known abbreviations. Wrong: JEE to play Santa this ChristmasTips in headline writingDont use names unless the person is well known, use common nouns instead.Wrong: Santos electrocutedCorrect: Carpenter electrocutedTips in headline writingUse specific terms instead of generalitiesExample: Trader killedBetter: Trader stabbed to deathTips in headline writingJust report the facts; do not editorialize.Wrong: Noy gives inspiring talks(The word inspiring is just your opinion.)Be positive. Don't use negatives in headlines. They weaken not only the headlines but also the stories.Tips in headline writingHeadline patternsCrossline (one line) and two-part crossline (two lines).XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDropline (or Stepline)XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Flush leftXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXFlush rightXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Headline patternsHanging indentionXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXInverted PyramidXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

Headline patternsBlock (flush left and right, from margin to margin) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Headline patternsDECKThis is the number of lines your headline will haveExample:BCIS bags medals in NEPEESA quiz bee(1 deck)10 more cops wantedfor Maguindanao massacre(2 decks)Unit countsA count system considers differences in the widths of letters.Capital letters:M, W 2 unitsJLIFT 1 unitOthers 1 units

Small letters:m, w 1 unitsjlift unitothers 1unit

Punctuation marksdash () 1 unitsquestion mark (?) 1 unitothers - unitNumber digits0 to 9 1 unitSpace 1 unit

Unit countsUnit countsBCIS bags medals in NEPPESA quiz bee B C I S b a g s1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 (11 units)m e d a l s i n 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + + 1 + 1(10 units)

Unit countsBCIS bags medals in NEPPESA quiz bee N E P P E S A1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1(11 units)q u i z b e e1 + 1 + + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1(7 units)TOTAL = 11 + 10 + 11 + 7 = 40 unitsThank you for listening!