Copyreading and Headline Writing

Copyreading
&
Headline
Writin
By: Marilee D. Sarandin
What is copyreading?
Copyreading is correcting compositions or
articles using appropriate symbols. It
involves correcting errors in grammar,
errors in fact, errors in structure, errors in
spelling and errors in style. Style refers to
the newspapers preferred manner of doing
things what to abbreviate, and how, what
to spell out and what to capitalize.
Copyreading also involves eliminating

libelous and derogatory statements and
opinions in editorials and news stories and
those contrary to laws and good taste.
What to look in copyreading
Overall readability of the article
Correct spelling of names of
persons,places and events
Accuracy of facts ( e.g.,Martial law
Sept 21,1972 or was it 1973)
Consistency in style ( e.g.,U.S or
US,Arroyo or Macapagal Arroyo or
GMA
Missing elements ( e.g., punctuation
marks, bylines etc.)
Slugline
News
Accident News
M. Sarandin
12/04/16
Commonly used copyreading
symbols
What is a Headline?
What is a Headline?
An assemblage of words written in
bigger, bolder letters than the
usual page text at the beginning of
the news, also known as the head,
but not a title.
Kinds of Headline
According to
structure
1. Streamer (Banner or Flag)
This is the striking boldface
head extending across the top
of the page. It denotes news of
major importance.
2. Crossline
This headline consists of a
single line that usually occupies
the full width of the column or
columns occupied by the article
3. Dropline( Stepline)
Type of headline consists of two or
more lines of about the same number of
letters, the first set flush with the left
column rule, each successive line set a
little further to the right, until the last
line is flush against the right column
rule.
4. Hanging indention
This headline consists of several
lines, the first line occupying the full
column width and each successive line is
indented at similar distance at the left.
5. Pyramid (inverted pyramid)
Consist of two or more lines,
each with a decreasing number of
letters, the longest at the top and
graduated down to the shortest
line.
6. Flushline
Has two or more equal lines
reaching both the left and right
column rules.
7. Umbrella (skyline)
It is a special name for the
streamer that appears at the very
top of the page above the name of
the paper.
8. Binder
A streamer at the top of an
inside page.
9. Flushleft
Has two or more lines reaching the left
column rules
10. Flushright
Has two or more lines reaching the
right column rules
11. Kicker (tugline, teaser)
A short underlined word or phrase on
the upper left portion of the headline.
12. Deck ( bank,readout or drophead )
The second headline,usually considered
as a part of the banner headline.
13. Boxed head
A headline in the box emphasizing
the importance of the headline.
14. Jump head
The headline of a jump story in the
inside page particularly on news and
sports page.
Kinds of Headline
According to style
1. ALL CAPS
THE NEWSETTE FIRST IN PRESS TILT
2. CAPS and lower case
The Newsette First in Press Tilt
3. Down style
The Newsette first in press tilt
Rules in
Headline
Writing
Write an easy to read headline.
The simple declarative subject
predicate sentence is easy to
read.
Teachers receive cash gifts
Civilians killed in Davao

ambush
Give the main idea in the first
line the who-what angle
Manila tears down cultural

landmark
In a head with two or more
decks, make the top tell the
most significant points of the
story and no other.
Erap our only hope

Say groups protesting
from tons demolition
Avoid heads that can have
double meanings
Wrong: Police fight pension plan
for future
Right: Makati police fight new
pension plan
Dont use names unless persons are well
known.
Wrong: Divina Gracia seeks for
reform
Right: Brazilian lady seeks for reform
Dont editorialize, safe facts, avoid

opinions.
Wrong: UST makes remarkable
comeback against Ateneo
Right: UST routs collapsing Ateneo, 80-64
Make a complete statement, dont use
labels. Every head should have a verb,
stated or implied.
Wrong: honorees
Right: 5 Honorees cited
Be specific. Avoid generalization.

Wrong: Student given scholarship
Right: Perez receives del Monte Grant
Avoid using a negative verb
Wrong: Cabinet meeting wont be
held today
Right: Cabinet meeting cancelled
Avoid splitting
a. Verb phrase
Wrong: Students chosen to join drama test
Right: Students chosen to join drama test
b. Name that belong together
Wrong: Patrimonio bags gold
medal
Right: Patrimonio bags
gold medal
c. A preposition and its object, especially
in the top line (hanging prepositon)
Wrong: Workshop sponsored by
Tanghalang Pilipino
Right: Workshop sponsored
by Tanghalang Pilipino
d. An adjective and the noun it
modifies
Wrong: 3 Makati
Cops arrested for shabu
Right: 3Makati cops
arrested for shabu
e. Abbreviations (Syllabication)
Wrong: Manzano sues Fa
mas
Right: Manzano sue Famas
Dont begin a headline with a verb, it
may sound imperative.
Wrong: Destroy property worth P10
million
Right: P10 million worth property
destroyed
Use only commonly acceptable

abbreviations.
Wrong: Intl agency sponsors contest
Right: UNESCO sponsors contest
Use numbers only when important,
write numbers in figures. Use M , B
and T for million,billion and trillion.
Congress passes P1.127 T budget
Dont permit tense conflicts when using time words
Wrong: Summit 2000 supports Green
Earth Program last Sunday
Right: Summit 2000 supports Earth
Program Sunday
Minimize punctuations
a. Never use a period, use semicolon to
separate sentences
MILF raid anew; 2 die, 4 wounded
b. Use single quotation marks
15th month compulsory
c. Use a comma for and
Wrong: Santos and Aunor: 2 great acresses
Right: Santos, Aunor: 2 great actresses
Technical Requirements in
Headlining
Fit into space
Must know the font size of the letters
(point system)
Must know the head unit count (see
headline schedule)
Must know the number of decks (layers
of headline)
Must know the number of columns
(one, two, three four, etc.)
Printers Specs
For the headline
1/ TNR-B/40 Pts.
______________
FL-DS
Printers Specs
For the bodytext
1/ TNR/12 Pts.
Unit Counting in
Headlines
unit jiltf and all punctuations
except the em dash (-), and the
question mark (?)
1 unit the question mark, space, all
figures, capital JILTF, all lower case
letters except jiltf
1 units the em dash, lower case m
and w, and all capital letters except
capital M and W and JILTF.
2 units Capital M and W
Activity
Prepare a two- line
headline on the news
articles given to you with a
minimum of 36.5 unit
counts, flushleft and down
style.
To be a good copyreader
one must possess all the
characteristics of a newswriter,an
editorial writer,a feature writer and
a sports writer.

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Copyreading

Copyreading also involves eliminating

Civilians killed in Davao

Manila tears down cultural

Erap our only hope

Dont editorialize, safe facts, avoid

Be specific. Avoid generalization.

Use only commonly acceptable

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