Copyreading

and Headline
Writing
Virtual Journalism Training

Joemar L. Furigay
Las Piñas City Science High School
09184285748
What copy readers should know
Editing symbols
-Punctuations
• period
• comma
• apostrophe
• question mark
• exclamation point
• parentheses
• ellipsis
• semi-colon
• colon
• dash
• hyphen
Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪Don’t use them.
▪Spell out on first mention. On subsequent
mentions, use generic terms
▪Don’t put acronyms in parentheses after
the first reference.
Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪Ayon sa Department of Environment and
Natural Resources - Environmental
Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), ang
Koronadal, South Cotabato ang
pinakaapektado ng usok mula sa
Indonesia.
Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪Ayon sa Department of Environment and
Natural Resources - Environmental
Management Bureau (DENR-EMB),
❌ ang
Koronadal, South Cotabato ang
pinakaapektado ng usok mula sa
Indonesia.
Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪A former overseas Filipino worker (OFW)
will launch his software development
enterprise through the Department of
Science and Technology's (DOST) iFWD PH
or the innovation for Filipinos Working
Distantly from the Philippines program,
Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said.
Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪A former overseas Filipino worker (OFW)
❌
will launch his software development
enterprise through the Department of
Science and Technology's (DOST)
❌ iFWD PH
or the innovation for Filipinos Working
Distantly from the Philippines program,
Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said.
Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪When a month is used with a specific
date, abbreviate.
▪Use the first three letters on the month’s
name.

Apr. 4. Oct. 10 Sep. 25

Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪When a phrase lists only a month and
year, spell out the month and do not
separate the month and the year with
commas

July 2020 March 2021

Editing symbols
-Abbreviations
▪Use a.m. or p.m.
▪Use a person’s first and last name the first
time he or she is mentioned.
▪Do not use courtesy titles such as Mr.,
Mrs., Miss or Ms.
Editing symbols
-Numbers
•In general, spell out numbers one through
nine, and use figures for numbers 10 and
higher.
Exceptions: Addresses, Ages, Cents, Dollars,
Dates, Millions, billions; Percentages (Percent
is one word.);
Editing symbols
-Numbers
Exceptions: Speed, Temperatures; Times
(Do not include a colon and two zeroes
when referring to an even hour.)
•Spell out numbers used at the beginning
of a sentence. Exception: Never spell out
years
Editing symbols
-Numbers
•Use commas to set off each group of three
digits in numerals higher than 999 (except
for years and addresses)
•Use decimals (up to two places) for amounts
in the millions and billions that do not
require a precise figure.
Editing symbols
-Numbers
•Add an s but no apostrophe to a number to
make it plural. The same rule applies to
decades. Use an apostrophe on a decade
only if cutting off the initial figures.
•Use hyphens for phone numbers.
Editing symbols
-Special forms of types
•capital letters
•small letters
•italics
•bold
Editing symbols
-Letter and word changes
• bridge over
• closeup space
• transpose
• insert
• delete
• separate words
• run in copy
Editing symbols
-Other conventions
• indent
• spell as written
• disregard correction
• unfinished story
• end of story
• start a new paragraph
News structure

• If numbers begin a sentence, spell them out.

➢(NOT) 100 students participated actively in the…
➢(should be) One hundred students…
➢(OR) Around 100 students…
News writing tips

• Eliminate the word that in indirect quotations.

➢(NOT) The SSG president said that they had started…
➢(should be) The SSG president said they had started…

• Do not use a word twice in the same sentence.

➢(NOT) Around 100 students attended the student seminar-
workshop in…
News writing tips

• Place direct and indirect quotation separately in

paragraphs.

• Use simple and appropriate words.

 Magbigay nang mas maalab na pandiwa

Halimbawa:
Given:
Walang nagawa ang mga pulis kundi magpaputok din.

Answer:
Walang nagawa ang mga pulis kundi gumanti ng putok.
 Magbigay nang mas maalab na pandiwa

Sagutan:
Given:
Nakuha ulit kay Pagcaliwangan ang isang
kalibre .38 pistol.
 Magbigay nang mas maalab na pandiwa

Sagutan:
Answer:
Nabawi kay Pagcaliwangan ang isang
kalibre .38 pistol.
 Magbigay nang mas maalab na pandiwa

Sagutan:
Given:
…ang isang kalibre .38 pistol na may lamang
limang bala
 Magbigay nang mas maalab na pandiwa

Sagutan:
Answer:
…ang isang kalibre .38 pistol na kargado
ng limang bala
 Magbigay nang mas maalab na pandiwa

Sagutan:
Given:
Mas lalong hinigpitan ni Quezon City Mayor
Herbert Bautista ngayong Huwebes ang
seguridad…
 Magbigay nang mas maalab na pandiwa

Sagutan:
Answer:
Pinahigpitan ni Quezon City Mayor
Herbert Bautista ngayong Huwebes ang
seguridad…
 Provide a simpler/appropriate word

A gargatuan conflagration razed a three-

storey structure along Marcos Alvarez
Highway last night.
 Answer

A huge fire destroyed a three-storey

structure along Marcos Alvarez Highway
last night.
 Better

A huge fire burned down a three-story

building along Marcos Alvarez Highway
last night.
 Provide a simpler/appropriate word

Phivolcs said it based its conclusion on

the perspiration of dihydrogen oxide
within Talisay and Tagaytay.
 Answer

Phivolcs said it based its conclusion on

the precipitation of water along within
Talisay and Tagaytay.
Ibigay ang mas angkop na salita

Dahil sa mga natanggap na reklamo, nais

makamiting ng Movies and Television
Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)
ang executives ng noontime show na “Eat
Bulaga!”
Ibigay ang mas angkop na salita

Nag-umpisa ang mga reklamo sa

komento ni Sen. Tito Sotto sa
pagkakahiwalay sa asawa ng kanilang
“Juan for All, All for Juan” segment
winner.
Ibigay ang mas angkop na salita

Sinabi ni Lopez ngayong Biyernes na hindi

sumunod sa environmental safety
standards ang mga kompanya alinsunod
sa Writ of Kalikasan na inilabas ng Korte
Suprema.
Ibigay ang mas angkop na salita

Dalawang hinihinalang rebelde at isang

civilian volunteer ang namatay sa
engkwentro ng dalawang panig kahapon
sa Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur.
News writing tips

• Prefer the word said, not stated, muttered, exclaimed, etc.

• For past events, remove the word last; for future events,
next.
The visitors arrived Monday NOT last Monday.
The visitors will arrive Monday NOT next Monday.
 News writing tips

• Write the full name of the person and organization when

first mentioned.

• If the title or honorific for the person is rather long, place it

after the person’s name, separated by a comma. DO NOT
CAPITALIZE.
 News writing tips

• Don’t start sentences with conjunctive adverbs (e.g.

moreover, meanwhile, however).

• Short titles of persons should precede the names. Longer

titles should follow the names.
School Director Gabriel Alfonso
Gabriel Alfonso, director of the Active Students Alliance Party
 News writing tips
• Numbers from 1-9 are spelled-out except if they refer to age, time,
measurements, and quantities.
(NOT) There were 9 students who…
(should be) There were nine students who…

(NOT) Those injured were John, nine; Mar, eight; …

(should be) Those injured were John, 9; Mar, 8; …
 News writing tips
• Numbers from 10 and above are written in numerical figures
except if they begin a sentence.

(NOT) There were twelve students who…

(should be) There were 12 students who…

(NOT) 100 students took the entrance…

(should be) One hundred students took the…
 News writing tips
• Write when and where in this order: time, day, and place.

The students performed at 8 p.m. Monday in the school

auditorium…

Prefer: John Adams, 54, said…

Not: …54-year-old John Adams said…

 News writing tips
• No comma is used between time, day, and place.

The students performed at 8 p.m. Monday in the school

auditorium…

Quotation marks always go outside commas and periods.

“I will donate cash to your club,” Dr. Cruz said.
 News writing tips
Quotation marks always go outside commas and periods.
Dr. Cruz said, “I will donate cash to your club.”

Quotation marks always go inside semicolons and colons.

Dr. Cruz said he would “donate cash to their club”;
however, school officials said…
 News writing tips
Ideally, one idea = one paragraph. If there are two different
ideas, separate them.

• Halimbawa:
Patay ang isang hinihinalang tulak ng droga
matapos umanong manlaban at makipagbarilan sa
mga awtoridad sa Barangay Mabini, Lipa, Batangas
nitong kamakalawa.
Iisa ba ang ideya o hindi?
Utas ang isang holdaper, habang nakatakas
naman ang dalawa pa niyang kasamahan matapos
maabutan ng pulis sa lungsod ng Pasay ngayong
Huwebes. Ayon sa ulat ng Southern Police
District, hinoldap ng tatlong suspek ang
Metrolane bus na may biyaheng Valenzuela-NAIA
bandang 11:40 ng umaga kanina.
Is there only one idea or not?
All 171,400 pieces of fully-grown marijuana
plants, except samples for evidence, went ablaze.
No cultivator was however chanced upon by
authorities. In another operation, over
P73,200,000.00 worth of hemp were discovered
in plantation sites in Chumanchil, also in
Loccong, Tinglayan, Kalinga.
Organize paragraphs
-look for:
•transition words
•antecedents
•logical connection
Lohikal ba o hindi
Naunang pangungusap:
Naninibago si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa kaniyang buhay
bilang pinakamataas na pinuno ng bansa.

Sumunod na pangungusap:
Isinagawa ang survey noong Hulyo 2 hanggang 8 sa 1,200
respondents na tinanong nang harapan.
Lohikal ba o hindi
Naunang pangungusap:
Ayon sa ulat, umaabot sa P1 milyong halaga ng shabu ang
naibebenta ni Magno kada linggo sa Koronadal City at sa
mga karatig na bayan.
Sumunod na pangungusap:
Nadakip si Magno sa kaniyang kuta sa Barangay Carpenter
Hill ng pinagsamang puwersa ng mga pulis at miyembro ng
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Lohikal ba o hindi
Naunang pangungusap:
Hindi nawaglit sa unang State of the Nation Adress (SONA)
ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte ang isyu ng droga.
Sumunod na pangungusap:
Sa kanyang talumpati, kanyang ipinagdiinang hindi titigil
ang kanyang administrasyon na sugpuin ang problema sa
droga.
Logical or not
First sentence:
The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable
cause to file graft charges against former Zamboanga del
Sur governor Aurora Cerilles in connection with the alleged
anomalous purchase of solar lights in 2008.
Next sentence:
The Commission on Audit (COA) said the respondents
approved the procurement through direct contracting.
Logical or not
First sentence:
Parts of Pampanga will experience power interruption
on Saturday, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines
(NGCP) has announced.
Next sentence:
Ernest Vidal, NGCP corporate communications officer,
said the 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. power outage would affect
the Apalit and Macabebe substations.
Check errors
• facts
• grammar
• punctuations
• spelling
• usage
• redundancy
• verbal deadwood
• opinionated/libelous statements
• irrelevant details
Tautology/Redundancy
•Redundant or tautologous expressions are
groups of words in which at least one word is
unnecessary because it just repeats the meaning
that's already contained in the other word or
words.
Tautology/Redundancy
•Would you please repeat again what you said?
Tautology/Redundancy
•If all of us cooperate together, we will succeed.
Tautology/Redundancy
•Pinaalalahanan ang mga kababaihan na
iwasang maglakad nang mag-isa sa
madidilim na kalye.
Tautology/Redundancy
•Muling niyang binasa ulit ang kuwento dahil
hindi niya ito naunawaan at mahirap intindihin.
Tautology/Redundancy
• The flight will arrive at 7 p.m. in the afternoon.
Verbal Deadwood
• This refers to the unnecessary words or expressions in
sentences; removing them do not affect the ideas
conveyed.
Verbal Deadwood
• He told his listeners that time in the workplace is important.
said

For the information of everyone, the Department of

Education is eyeing August 23 as the start of classes for the
school year 2021-2022, Education Undersecretary Diosdado
San Antonio announced on Tuesday.
Verbal Deadwood
• For this reason, the NGO initiated a campaign drive
against malaria in the city.
Verbal Deadwood
• Para sa kalinawan ng lahat, muling magdedeklara ng
ECQ sa NCR+ bubble ang Palasyo sa susunod na
linggo.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that
modifies a word not clearly stated in the
sentence.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
Having arrived late for practice, a written excuse was needed.
-Who arrived late?

Having arrived late for practice,

the team captain needed a written
excuse.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
The waiter served the fish dressed in white.
-Who was dressed in white?

Dressed in white, the waiter served the

fish.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
Barking loudly, John played with his dog.
-Who was barking loudly?

John played with his dog barking loudly.

Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
The birthday party, always eager for cake, was attended
by everyone.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
The birthday party, always eager for cake, was
attended by everyone.

The birthday party was attended by everyone always

eager for cake.

Always eager for cake, everyone attended the birthday

party.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
The new puppy climbed into my lap wagging her tail.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
The new puppy climbed into my lap wagging her tail.

Wagging her tail, the new puppy climbed into my lap.

Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
Kung napawalang sala, ang mga nalikom na pera ay
mapupunta sa pondo ni G. Ramos.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifier
Kung napawalang sala, ang mga nalikom na pera ay
mapupunta sa pondo ni G. Ramos.

Kung napawalang sala, makukuha ni G. Ramos ang

mga nalikom na pera.

Ang mga nalikom na pera ay mapupunta sa pondo ni G.

Ramos kung napawalang sala siya.
Write the slug line.
BUT…
Before writing the headline
and slug line, edit the
article first.
STEPS IN COPY READING
1 Read the text to know what
the entire article is all about.

2 Delete irrelevant details.

3 Arrange the paragraphs in
logical order.

4 Edit the article.

• Arranging the paragraphs in logical
order means sequencing the ideas in
decreasing importance.

• It is very important for you to identify

the first paragraph or lead correctly.
• Remember that the first paragraph
supplies the basic info: 5Ws and/ 1H.

CLUES…
➢ Nouns first before pronouns
➢ Be aware with antecedents and referents
Nasaan ang pamatnubay?

A. Ayon sa ulat ng Southern Police District, hinoldap ng tatlong

suspek ang Metrolane bus na may biyaneg Valenzuela-NAIA
bandang 11:40 ng umaga kanina.
B. Utas ang isang holdaper, habang nakatakas naman ang
dalawa pa niyang kasamahan matapos maabutan ng pulis sa
lungsod ng Pasay ngayong Huwebes.
C. Armado ng baril at granada, nagdeklara ng holdap ang mga
suspek nang dumating sa Gil Puyat Avenue at FB Harrison
Street ang bus.
Nasaan ang pamatnubay?
A. Itinumba ng armadong kalalakihang sakay ng motorsiklo si
Ariel Abrea nitong kamakalawa sa kaniyang bahay sa
Barangay Poblacion 2 sa Bauan, Batangas.
B. Naisugod pa sa Bauan General Hospital si Abrea ngunit
hindi na siya umabot nang buhay.
C. Hindi inakala ng 54-anyos na tricycle driver na ang kaniyang
pamamahinga sa kaniyang bakuran ang huling sandali niya
sa mundo.
Nasaan ang pamatnubay?
A. Tatlong araw ang leave ni Duterte na nagsimula pa nitong
kamakalawa na hanggang ngayong araw.
B. Sa ikalawang pagkakataon ngayong buwan, muling naghain
ng leave of absence si Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo
"Pulong" Duterte.
C. Nagpadala ng memorandum ang bise alkalde para italaga si
Davao City Councilor Edgar Ibuyan Jr. bilang officer-in-
charge habang wala siya.
Which one is the lead?
A. Esico and members of Army intelligence clarified that there have been
no reports of Mayor Rosal being involved in illegal drugs.
B. To address the allegations, the mayor's brother Albay Provincial Board
Member Rolly Rosal invited city police director Superintendent
Joselito Esico to appear before council members to shed light on the
issue.
C. Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal has defended himself against
allegations on social media that he is involved in the illegal drugs
trade.
D. According to a Bicol Standard report, Rosal issued the denial in a press
conference this week in response to an alleged propaganda campaign
against him through the Facebook accounts of a certain Pay Mael and
Lily Bucan.
Which one is the lead?
A. Police records show that farmer Roberto Oyda Manlumisyon, 49,
resident of Barangay Kasapa 1, Loreto town, yielded to
authorities the first time on July 20, bringing with him dried
marijuana leaves with an estimated worth of P176,000.
B. A marijuana farmer who surrendered twice to police has been
given livelihood assistance by the local government in Agusan del
Sur.
C. On Tuesday morning, he showed up again at the Loreto
Municipal Police Station accompanied by his village chairman.
Ayusin ang mga pangungusap ayon sa
kahalagahan ng mga detalye
A. Nadakip si Magno sa kaniyang kuta sa Barangay Carpenter Hill ng
pinagsamang puwersa ng mga pulis at miyembro ng Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency.
B. Nangunguna sa listahan ng mga pinaghahahanap ng mga pulis si
Renante Canizares Magno na kilabot sa pagtutulak ng shabu.
C. Nasakote na ng mga awtoridad ang most wanted drug trafficker
ng lungsod ng Koronadal kahapon.
D. Ayon sa ulat, umaabot sa P1 milyong halaga ng shabu ang
naibebenta ni Magno kada linggo sa Koronadal City at sa mga
karatig na bayan.
Arrange the events according to order of
importance
A. A manhunt has been launched for the rebels.
B. Cordillera police said around 40 New People’s Army rebels stormed
the compound of the Omengan Construction and Development
Corp. in Barangay Guinaang at around 8:30 p.m. and set the trucks
on fire.
C. Suspected communist guerrillas burned three dump trucks of a
construction firm in Conner town in Apayao on Wednesday night.
D. The rebels also reportedly took another dump truck and a pick up
truck from the compound.
5 Write the headline.

6 Give the slug line.

7 Indicate the printer’s
direction for the headline and
body.
Rules in Headline Writing
 Rules in Headline writing
Reference: Alkuino, G.E., & Cardeño,E.D.B. (2015). Campus journ legacy. Gensan RFM (Motong) Printing Corp.

1. Be specific. Avoid generalities.

Wrong: Student wins contest

Right: Lapiscian scribe wins gold
in nat’l essay writing tilt
2. Avoid label head.

Wrong: Auctioned
Right: Imelda jewelry auctioned
3. Do not editorialize your headline.
Wrong: LapiScians show great
performance in DSPC

Right: LapiScians win 6 out of 7

in DSPC press confab
4. Do not use the same word twice in the headline
or kicker.
Example:
Gun haul
GenSan cops sieze 24 guns
from suspected bandits
5. Do not be in the negative.

Wrong: Water lily festival won’t be held

Right: Water lily festival cancelled

7. Use comma instead of AND.

Wrong: Teachers AND students give

support to oust Mendoza

Right: Teachers, students give support

to oust Mendoza
8. Use semi-colon to include two related thoughts in one
deck.

Wrong: 5 killed WHILE 14 injured

in Zambo bomb explosion

Right: 5 killed; 14 injured

in Zambo bomb explosion
9. Use the active voice.
Wrong:
LPSci visited by NGOs
received computer sets

Right:
NGOs visit LPSci
donate computer sets
10. Avoid “be” verbs.

Wrong: Teachers ARE asked

to attend seminar

Right: Teachers asked to attend seminar

11. Avoid exclamation point.

Wrong: SC suspends Revilla!!!

Right: SC suspends Revilla

12. Use infinitive for future events.

Wrong: Makati will host ASEAN Youth Games

Right: Makati to host ASEAN Youth Games

13. Write numbers in Arabic form.

Wrong: Three killed; twelve hurt

in car mishap

Right: 3 killed; 12 hurt in car mishap

14. Use single quotation marks, not double
quotation marks.

Wrong: CBCP says “NO” to RH Bill

Right: CBCP says ‘NO’ to RH Bill

15. Do not use articles in the headline.

Wrong: The President goes to New York

Right: President goes to New York

16. Do not separate prepositions and their objects.

Wrong: Right:
Derby Ace Derby Ace beats
beats Alaska in Alaska in 94-90 battle
94-90 battle
17. Do not split an adjective and the noun it modifies.
Wrong:
Teachers to hold pizza
party on Feb 14

Right: Teachers to hold pizza party on Feb 14

18. Do not separate parts of names that belong together

Wrong: Right:
Farmers in Nueva Farmers in Nueva Ecija
Ecija face hard times face hard times
due to typhoon due to typhoon
19. Do not abbreviate days of the week.

Wrong: DepEd declares Fri ‘No assignment day’

Right: DepEd declares Friday ‘No assignment day’

20. Months should only be abbreviated if they have exact
dates

Wrong:
School heads declare November 10 as ‘free day’

Right: School heads declare Nov 10 as ‘free day’

21. Avoid words with
multiple meanings.
 Rules in Headline writing

Pope says sorry after slapping devotee

 Rules in Headline writing

Pope says sorry after slapping devotee’s

hand
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Epic fails
Key elements in the headline
•Subject
•Verb/verb phrase
•Objects
•Modifiers- optional
 The Department of Education on
Monday kicked off its annual school
maintenance week, Brigada Eskwela,
in various schools nationwide.
Subject
The Department of Education on
Monday kicked off its annual school
maintenance week, Brigada Eskwela,
in various schools nationwide.
Verb Phrase
The Department of Education on
Monday kicked off its annual school
maintenance week, Brigada Eskwela,
in various schools nationwide.
Object
The Department of Education on
Monday kicked off its annual school
maintenance week, Brigada Eskwela, in
various schools nationwide.
Modifier
The Department of Education on
Monday kicked off its annual school
maintenance week, Brigada Eskwela, in
various schools nationwide.
Shorten each element in the lead by using a headline vocabulary.
The Department of Education DepEd
(subject) (subject)

on Monday kicked off kicks off

(verb phrase) (verb phrase)

its annual school maintenance ‘Brigada Eskwela’

week, Brigada Eskwela, (object)
(object)
nationwide
in various schools nationwide. (modifier)
(modifier)
DepEd kicks off ‘Brigada Eskwela’ nationwide

DepEd kicks off

(subject) (verb phrase)
‘Brigada Eskwela’ nationwide
(object) (modifier)
 Nagbayad ng piyansa ngayong
Biyernes ang mag-amang sina dating
Bise Presidente Jejomar Binay at
dating Makati Mayor Junjun Binay
para sa kasong isinampa sa kanila ng
Office of the Ombudsman.
 Nagbayad ng piyansa ngayong Biyernes
(verb) (object)
ang mag-amang sina dating Bise Presidente
Jejomar Binay at dating Makati Mayor Junjun
Binay
(subject)

para sa kasong isinampa sa kanila ng Office of

the Ombudsman.
(modifier)
Junjun, Jojo Binay nagpiyansa sa kaso ng Ombudsman

Note: Nagbayad ng piyansa- nagpiyansa

Junjun, Jojo Binay nagpiyansa

(subject) (verb)
sa kaso ng Ombudsman
(modifier)
The House of Representatives approved on Monday, Jan. 14, a
bill that would punish catcalling and other forms of street
harassment.

Congress approves bill that punishes catcalling, harassment

Congress OKs bill criminalizing catcall, harassment

Steps in Headline Writing
1. Underline the key words in the lead.

-Subject
-Verb/Verb phrase
-Object
-Modifiers
 Headline Writing
Subject

United Nations Secretary-General

António Guterres has condemned attacks
on journalists worldwide, stressing
“reporting is not a crime.”
 Headline Writing
Verb

United Nations Secretary-General António

Guterres has condemned attacks on
journalists worldwide, stressing “reporting is
not a crime.”
 Headline Writing
Object

United Nations Secretary-General António

Guterres has condemned attacks on
journalists worldwide, stressing “reporting is
not a crime.”
 Headline Writing
Modifiers

United Nations Secretary-General António

Guterres has condemned attacks on
journalists worldwide, stressing “reporting is
not a crime.”
 Headline Writing
Replace the key words with headline vocabulary
United Nations Secretary- UN
General António Guterres

has condemned condemns

attacks attacks

on journalists worldwide vs journalists worldwide

Possible Headline

UN condemns attacks
vs journalists worldwide
Possible Headline

UN condemns attacks
subject verb object
vs journalists worldwide
modifiers
 Headline Writing
Subject

A Muntinlupa judge on Tuesday inhibited

from tackling the government’s drug
charges against Sen. Leila De Lima.
 Headline Writing
Verb

A Muntinlupa judge on Tuesday inhibited from

tackling the government’s drug charges against
Sen. Leila De Lima.
 Headline Writing
Modifiers

A Muntinlupa judge on Tuesday inhibited from

tackling the government’s drug charges against
Sen. Leila De Lima.
 Headline Writing
Replace the key words with headline vocabulary
A Muntinlupa judge Judge

inhibited (from) inhibits

(from) tackling the from De Lima drug case

government’s drug charges
against Sen. Leila De Lima.
 Possible Headline

Judge inhibits from De Lima drug case

Possible Headline

Judge inhibits
subject verb
from De Lima drug case
modifiers
 Headline Writing
Subject

Arestado ng National Bureau of Investigation ang isang

commercial model matapos masamsam ang mga
hinihinalang party drugs at liquid ecstasy sa loob ng
kaniyang bahay sa isang eksklusibong subdivision
kamakalawa ng gabi sa Mindanao Avenue sa Quezon
City.
 Headline Writing
Verb (Predicate)

Arestado ng National Bureau of Investigation ang

isang commercial model matapos masamsam ang
mga hinihinalang party drugs at liquid ecstasy sa loob
ng kaniyang bahay sa isang eksklusibong subdivision
kamakalawa ng gabi sa Mindanao Avenue sa Quezon
City.
 Headline Writing
Modifiers

Arestado ng National Bureau of Investigation ang

isang commercial model matapos masamsam ang
mga hinihinalang party drugs at liquid ecstasy sa
loob ng kaniyang bahay sa isang eksklusibong
subdivision kamakalawa ng gabi sa Mindanao Avenue
sa Quezon City.
Possible Headline

Commercial model,
arestado sa party drugs
Possible Headline

Commercial model,
(subject)
arestado sa party drugs
(verb) (modifiers)
Present Active
The subject is the doer of the action
Boy kicks ball
S V O
Present Passive
The receiver of the action is the subject
Ball kicked by boy
S V M
P- police report
D- disaster
A- accident
F- fire
S- straight news
S- speech
S- survey
USE PRESENT PASSIVE
P- police report
D- disaster
A- accident
F- fire
USE PRESENT ACTIVE
S- straight news
S- speech
S- survey
Former president and now
Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo left yesterday for Germany
for her spinal treatment.
 STRAIGHT NEWS
Present Active
GMA leaves
for Germany
for spinal treatment
Two station commanders of the
Quezon City Police District
(QCPD) were relieved from their
posts yesterday.
POLICE REPORT

Present Passive
2 Quezon City
police chiefs sacked
The Supreme Court (SC) has acquitted a
man convicted by a trial court for illegal
drug possession after he was
apprehended at a police checkpoint
without a warrant of arrest in 2007.
 STRAIGHT NEWS
Present Active
SC acquits drug
convict over
warrantless arrest
A former television cameraman was
arrested for allegedly transporting
P70,000 worth of shabu in Quezon City
on Sunday.
POLICE REPORT

Present Passive
Ex-TV cameraman
nabbed for shabu
A teenager allegedly selling
marijuana via social media platform
Facebook was arrested in a sting in
San Juan City on Friday.
S: A teenager
V: was arrested
O: none
M: allegedly selling marijuana via
social media platform Facebook
 Key words Headline Vocabulary
S: A teenager S: Teen
V: was arrested V: nabbed
O: none O: none
M: allegedly selling M: for selling weed on
marijuana via social
media platform Facebook
Facebook
 Tuluyang ipinasara kahapon ng
pamahalaang lungsod ng Makati ang
nagka-gas leak na Phoenix Gas Station
matapos madiskubre na wala pala itong
business permit.
 Key words Headline Vocabulary
S: ang nagka-gas leak S: Nagka-leak na gas
na Phoenix Gas Station station
V: ipinasara V: ipinasara
O: wala O: none
M: ng pamahalaang M: ng Makati
lungsod ng Makati
QUOTATION HEADLINES
News Content

•Speech News
-use quotation headline
Focus on:
-what was said that might interest the reader
-arresting or controversial statement
 Structure of headline
source + strong verb + receiver + statement
Example:
Statement of Mr. Furigay: I believe that you, budding
journalists, could help us preserve the truth. I therefore urge
you to be fair in writing. Please, observe fairness in your
articles.
 Structure of headline
source + strong verb + receiver + statement

Furigay asks young writers

(source) (verb) (receiver)
to observe fairness in writing
(statement)
 Duterte urges voters
(source) (verb) (receiver)
to choose their candidates well
(statement)
Another form:
Duterte to voters:
Choose your candidates well
If the source is not important:

Voters told: Choose your candidates well

If the statement is more important than the source:

Choose your candidates well – Duterte

Introductory verbs used in reported speech

agree, offer, refuse, demand, threaten,

promise, claim, advise, allow, beg,
command, encourage, forbid, invite, want,
instruct, permit, urge, order, remind, warn
 Example
"Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours. They
belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national
heritage.“
In a speech delivered to soldiers in Davao City last Friday,
President Rodrigo Duterte took that opportunity to ask the
United States to return the bells taken by American soldiers as
war booty more than a hundred years ago.
 Example

Headline:

Duterte asks US: Return Balangiga bells

News Content

•Straight news
Focus on:
- What was highlighted or advocated in the
mini-press con
Structure of headline
Present Active
person + strong verb + what was pushed for + modifier

Furigay pushes for functional literacy

(person) strong verb (what was pushed for)

for public elementary schools

(modifier)
Structure of headline
Present Passive
Advocacy + Verb + Modifier
Better hygiene, sanitation highlighted
(advocacy) (verb)
in RSPC mini-press confab
(modifier)
HEADLINES
FLUSH LEFT
-Lines are flushed to the left margin.
-No exact count for the units in each line.

5 LPSci scribes
to compete
in nat’l writing tilt
FLUSH RIGHT
-Lines are flushed to the right margin.
-No exact count for the units in each line.

5 LPSci studes bag gold

in int’l Math contests
INVERTED PYRAMID
-Each of the lines is successively shorter than the line
above it.

Teachers, students
vow to improve
NAT rate
DROPLINE OR STEP FORM
-first line is flushed left
-each succeeding line is indented

GPTA, SSG
donate cash gifts
to anemia patients
HANGING INDENTION
-first line is flushed left and is followed by two indented
parallel lines

GPTA, SSG
donate cash gifts
for anemia patients
CROSSLINE OR BARLINE
-one-line headline that runs across the column

Teachers vow to improve NAT rate

HAMMER OR BARKER
-short, punchy, printed in large type, and attention-
grabbing
-can be a phrase or a saying
HAMMER
 Hammer Head
•Composed of 1-3 words
•ALL CAPS
•Usually a description of the main head
➢Clause (Saying)
➢Phrase
➢Word (Adjective/Noun)
 Hammer Head
EXAMPLE

Cagayan scribes aim to secure tickets

for national press confab

Main Head
 Hammer Head
EXAMPLE
HAMMER

GOING FOR GOLD

Cagayan scribes aim to secure tickets
for national press confab
KICKER OR SHOULDER
-placed on top of the main headline
-used to supplement the main head

Disproportionate assets case

SC refuses Jaya’s
plea to defer trial
 Kicker
• Around 3-8 words
• Flushed left
• Aligned with main head
• Downstyle
• Underlined
 Kicker
• Usually an additional info for the
main head
➢Highlight of the event
➢Significance (what’s next; what’s at
stake)
➢Event/activity itself
 Kicker
EXAMPLE Kicker (highlight)

Attending rigid writeshops

Cagayan scribes aim to secure
tickets for national press confab

Main Head
 Kicker
EXAMPLE Kicker (significance)

To outdo last year’s RSPC standing

Cagayan scribes aim to secure
tickets for national press confab

Main Head
 Kicker
EXAMPLE Kicker (event)

Training for RSPC 2021

Cagayan scribes aim to secure
tickets for national press confab

Main Head
Headline orientations
DOWNSTYLE

SC refuses Jaya’s
plea to defer trial
Headline orientations
Clc (Capital-lower case)

SC Refuses Jaya’s
Plea To Defer Trial
Headline orientations
All Caps

SC REFUSES JAYA’S
PLEA TO DEFER TRIAL
Crossline Headline

Teen nabbed for selling weed on Facebook

Dropline or step form
Teen nabbed
for selling weed
on Facebook
 Crossline Headline

Congress OKs bill criminalizing catcall, harassment

With Kicker
With legislators voting 208-0-0
Congress OKs bill criminalizing catcall, harassment
With Hammer

PUBLIC SAFETY
Congress OKs bill criminalizing catcall, harassment
Inverted Pyramid
Congress approves bill
criminalizing catcall,
harassment
 President Rodrigo Duterte said while he
and former President Fidel Ramos have
different leadership styles, he understands
where Ramos is coming from, having been
influenced by the West.
Head 1:
Duterte: I’m different from FVR
Head 2: (with kicker)
On leadership styles
Duterte says he’s no FVR
Head 3: (with hammer)
INFLUENCED BY WEST
Duterte cites leadership style differences with FVR
 Sa kabila ng mga batikos na inaabot,
nakakuha pa rin ng +76 trust rating si Pangulong
Rodrigo Duterte, tatlong buwan mula nang
maupo sa puwesto, ayon sa Social Weather
Stations (SWS).
Mataas pa rin daw ang excellent na rating
na ito kumpara sa mga rating na nakuha ng mga
nagdaang pangulo ng bansa, ayon sa Palasyo.
Head 1:
Duterte ‘excellent’ pa rin ang trust rating – SWS
Head 2: (may hammer)
‘MATAAS PA RIN’
Duterte nakakuha ng + 76 trust rating sa SWS
Head 3: (may kicker)

Sa kabila ng batikos
Duterte nakakuha ng + 76 trust rating sa SWS
Slug line
-Category of article
-Two/three words from
the headline
-Initials of
copyreader/writer
-Date the article was
written/edited
-Page number
Slug line
News
Scribes bag…
JLF
07/23/2019
p. 4
Printer’s direction in the headline

-Typeface/Font
-Font size
-Number of columns
-Number of lines/decks
-Style
Printer’s direction in the headline

Arial Bold
48 pts
2 cols
1 deck
downstyle
Printer’s direction in the body

-Typeface/Font
-Font size- lead
-Font size- text
-Number of columns
Printer’s direction in the body

TNR
11 pts – lead
10 pts – text
2 cols- text
Unit counts
Characters Value
Uppercase letters (except J, I, L, T, F, M & W) 1 ½ units
M, W 2 units
J, I, L, T, F 1 unit
Lowercase letters (except m, w, f, i, j, l, t) 1 unit
f, i, j, l, t ½ unit
m, w 1 ½ units
Punctuation (except — (em-dash) and ?) ½ unit
? 1 unit
— (em-dash) 1 ½ units
Space 1 unit
Numbers (except 1) 1 unit
1 ½ unit
Headline schedule
By principle of balance and proportion in a
page,
• Shorter heads have more lines (decks)
• Longer heads have shorter lines
• Therefore, avoid using huge headlines
for short stories or short headlines for
very long stories.
Headline schedule
Size 1 col 2 col 3 col 4 col 5 col 6col
18 pts. 16 33
24 pts. 13 27 40
30 pts. 10.5 21.5 32 43
36 pts. 9 18.5 28 38 47.5
42 pts. 7.5 15.5 23.5 32 40 48
48 pts. 13.5 20.5 28 35 42.5
54 pts. 12 18 24.5 30.5 37
60 pts. 16 21.5 27.5 33
72 pts. 14 18.5 23 28