Copy Reading and Headline Writing

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Copy reading and Headline Writing

Transcript of Copy Reading and Headline Writing

Page 1: Copy Reading and Headline Writing

Copy reading and Headline Writing

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What is Copyreading?

Copyreading is much like the work of an English teacher correcting compositions, except that the

copyreader uses appropriate copyreading symbols universally known by printers.

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Functions of Copy Editor 1. Check facts.2. Correct errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage,

oranization and others.3. Improve news value.4. Write effective lead.5. Cut or delete irrelevant materials.6. Delete ˝editorializing materials” in a news.7.Guard against libelous statement.8. Write headlines and decide its typography.9. Make copy simple and clear.10. Make copy conform to the newspaper style sheets11. Give instruction to the typesetter regarding font type and font

size to be used and the number of columns and ems.12. Indicate corrections by using the copyreading marks.

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Copyreading Procedures

1. Double or triple space-typewrite all copy on standard 8 ½ by 11-inch paper. The spaces between the lines are for writing corrections.

2. In the upper left-hand corner of the paper, about one-half inch from the top, write your name and a guideline or slug to indicate the nature of the story. For example “kidnap” for news about kidnapping, “typhoon” for a typhoon story and “GMA” for news about Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The slug is used for identifiction and for record purposes.

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3. Start typing the story about three or four inches from the top of the page, leaving one-inch margin at the left and right sides. The margin at the top is for instruction to typesetter and for headline.

4. Indent five or ten spaces at the start of each paragraph.

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5. end each page with a paragraph. Do not cut paragraph and continue on the next page.

6. Write “more” at the bottom of the page of unfinished story and continue on the next sheet. Do not use the back page of the paper.

7. On the second page, instead of numbering as page 2, label it “ first add” or “add one” followed by the slug. Example, ”First add kidnap”.

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8. End the story with number 30 or (#).9. After typing the story, through the use of

soft-leaded pencil and copyreading marks, correct errors and improve it.

10. If the copy could hardly be read because of so many corrections, retype it if time permits to facilitate editing and typesetting.

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Copyreading Marks

philippines Capitalize letter

My Brother 7

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Objectives of the Newspaper Headlines1. To attract the readers2. To tell the readers what the news is all

about3. To persuade the readers what the news is

all about4. To add variety and attractiveness to the

page5. To create distinction or personality of the

newspaper

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Qualities of a Good Headline 1. It attracts the reader’s eye and directs its

attention to the story beneath it.2. It is concisely constructed to save space.

Articles and other unnecessary words are omitted.

3. It must be positive and active. Active verb in the present or future tense is used because aside from being a short word, it is also the tense of immediacy and it is more vivid.

4. It is adjusted to a predetermined typographical style of paper.

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Steps in Headline Writing1. Read the whole story to understand its message.2. Underline key words from its lead, for headline

writing.3. Using the key words from the lead, write a short

telegraphic sentences summary of the news.4. Use the shortest words possible. Substitute simple

effective synonyms to fit the headline within the allotted space.

5. Divide it according to unit of thoughts into the number of required lines or decks.

6. Use colorful noun and vigorous and active verb.7. Starts with noun followed by a verb.

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Kinds of Headline 1. Flush Left- two or more lines of headline are aligned at the left

edge of the column Example: |Malacañang considers |Abat adventure over 2. Flush right- two or more lines of headline are aligned at the right

edge of the column Example: Malacañang considers| Abat adventure over | 3. Dropline- two or three lines of headline, usually of the same

length and arraged diagonally Example: Dole Philippines donates arm chairs to Sarangani

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4. Hanging indention- usually three or more lines of headline, the first line set flush to both margins and the succeeding lines are indented or beginning several spaces in from the left margin, thus hanging as if from the first

Example: |Military ready to step in |if anti-gov’t protest | turn violent 5. Crossline or barline- a single line of headline running over two or

more columns Example: Grenade blast kills 2 kids 6. Inverted pyramid- two or more lines of headline with the first line

flushed to both margins and the succeeding lines getting shorter and centered

Example: \DepEd sets new guidelines/ \for teacher-applicants/

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7. Flushline or full line- consists of two or more lines of the same length

Example: |Garci names solons | |who also called him| 8. Streamer- striking boldface head

extending across the top of the page 9. Umbrella- a streamer that is placed at

the very top of the page above the nameplate of the newspaper

10. Binder- a streamer at the top of an inside page

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11. Boxed head- the headline in boxed either for prominence or to avoid tombstoning

a. full box

b. half box ICT to generate 1M jobs

c. quarter box ICT to generate 1M jobs

ICT to generate 1M jobs

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12. Jump head (run-over head) – headline of a news story, which is cut and continued on the inside page; it is followed by the words from page____ or the like

13. Subhead- a short title of a portion of news story to break the monotony of gray text; set in foldface and occupies more than half the column width

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14. Tagline, kicker or teaser- a short single line placed above the main head, may be of smaller type, underlined and set flush left or centered.

15. Hammer- if the tagline or kicker is bigger than the headline.

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Guidelines for Writing headlines

1. The head should tell the gist of the story simply and accurately.

2. It should contain a verb, but not start with one.

3. Be in the active voice.4. be in the present, the historical present or

the future tense.

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5. Avoid the use of articles to begin a headline

6. Use no abbreviations except those generally known ones.

7. The first line of two-line or three-line headline should not end with a preposition, conjunction, articles or any form of the verb to be, unless the preposition goes with the verb, as in the word call up.

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8. Be specific. Avoid generalities. Wrong: Student wins contest Right: Metrian scribe wins nat’l

essay writing tilt9. Avoid label head Wrong: Auctioned Right: Imelda jewelry auctioned10. Do not editorialize your headline. Wrong: Metrian shows great

performance in DSPC Right: Metrian wins 6 out of 7 in

DSPC writing contest

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11. Do not use the same word twice in the headline or kicker.

Example: Gun haul Gensan cops seize 24 guns from suspected bandits12. Never use the word “may”. It denotes the

uncertain element of the story.

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13. To use direct quotation as head, use any of the following forms instead of the traditional quotation marks:

a. Using the dash instead of the quotation mark.

Example: Truth commission repugnant-Mirriam

b. Using the colon Example: Sto Tomas: Brain drain just a

prescription c. Using narrative form Example: Garci is back, says wife

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14. Do not be negative. Wrong: Metrian festival won’t be held Right: Metrian festival cancelled15. The first letter of the word and proper

nouns are generally capitalized.16. Avoid awkward verbal breaks. Wrong: Gensan SPED bebaters to Join nat’l tilt in Manila Right: Gensan SPED debaters to join

Nat’l tilt in Manila

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17. Mention only the name of person, who is prominent.

Wrong: Jacoba wins Microsoft global award

Right: Filipino wins Microsoft global award

18. Use M for million and B for billion. Example: Philhealth lost P 520M to

fraudulent claims, says chief19. Use comma instead of and. Example: GMA, Bush skip rape issue in

Busan meet

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20. Separate double headline by a semicolon. Example: Bomb explodes at GenSan

market; 13 killed, 53 hurt21. Do not end the headline by a period.22. Use the infinitive for future events. Example: GMA to visit Saudi on way to

NY23. Avoid splitting compound word Wrong: GMA to award taxi Driver for honesty Right: GMA to award taxi driver for

honesty.

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24. Avoid splitting words that naturally go together

Wrong: Metrians celebrate Buwan ng Wika with beauty tilt Right: Metrians hold Buwan ng Wika

with beauty contest25. Do not mix up typefaces in making

headlines to avoid clutter. Do not use four to eight kinds of fonts of headlines on a page. The maximum font type that you can use on a page is two unrelated fonts except for featuring stories.

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Unit Count in HeadlineAll small letters (except j,l,I,f,t,m and w) = 1 unitSmall letters j,l,I,f,t = ½ unitSmall letters m and w = 1 ½ unitAll capital letter (except I,M and W) = 1 ½ unitCapital letter I = ½ unitCapital letters M and W = 2 unitAll punctuation marks (except the dash, Question mark, dollar, peso and per cent sign) = ½ unitDash, question mark, dollar peso and per cent sign =1 unitAll number figures from 0 to 9 ( except 1) = 1 unitNumber 1 = ½ unitAll spaces = 1 unit

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Slug

Topic of the writer Name Date Publication

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Technical Instruction

Sample: 2-20 TNRB W/KICKER

Number 2 means the head will run across two columns of the page. Number 20 stands for the font size to be used. TNRB refers to the font type Times New Roman Bold and KICKER means a preliminary head. The line below refers to the number of line or deck the headline will have.

The final headline will look like this: Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran

GenSan braces for top slot

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Kicker refers to the preliminary head.A deck is a secondary headline that is

positioned under the main headline and is typically a teller.