Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
The Copyreader
Copyreaders edit newspaper copy, whose work is all about improving—improving a version of a text,
improving the quality of the writing.
They edit copies for spelling, grammar, usage, and punctuation.
They ensures that copies conform to house style
They check copies for missing or inaccurate details.
They tighten stories as necessary.
They write headlines.
When copy reading is not done to a campus publication, everyone suffers: the readers, the authors, the
publications, and the institutions the publication represents.
Poorly edited article can ruin an otherwise clear writing, resulting in the journalist’s failure to
communicate his ideas to his readers.
Unedited campus publication sets bad example to students.
Sloppily edited publications will eventually lose the trust of readers and destroy the reputation of the
publication.
A campus publication represents an educational institution, which is in the business of learning. It gets
disseminated not only to the students but to parents as well, and the community. Campus papers,
therefore, should raise the bar on the good use of language and good writing.
Well-copyedited campus paper reflects well not only on the student writer but on the school itself as an
academic institution.
A passion for, and deep knowledge of, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage.
A love of good writing and the ability to see the potential in a piece, the skill to help bring it out—or the
good sense to know when to leave it alone.
Skepticism that raises doubt in everything and fortitude to check it.
Self-confidence to know how to improve even a veteran reporter’s copy
Invisible—meaning, a good copyreader’s personality or style is not seen on each article he copy reads.
He does not impose his own style but respect the style or individuality of each author.
Knowledge of journalistic conventions: for hard-news copyreader: inverted pyramid, the different types
of stories; or the conventions of a feature article, an editorial, etc.
Ability to recall style rules.
An eye for detail.
(Adapted from the book Tricks of the Trade for Writers and Editors)
3 R s of Copy reading
1. Reader centered
Make sure the stories serve the readers’ interest, needs, and time (stories that directly affect their
lives; stories that interest them; stories about people or things around them)
The story should focus on what will be most interesting to the audience.
The writer should make the story new for the reader
2. Readable
Ensure that readers will be able to understand what’s being said.
Is the story clear; does every sentence grow from the main point?
Are the words simple to understand?
Is the story arranged in the most logical manner?
Is the story concise?
Is anything in the story irrelevant?
Has the writer avoided redundancies and cliché’s?
Does each quotation say something unique or important? Can quotations be shortened?
3. Right
Is the story correct in spelling, grammar, and punctuation?
Are there inconsistencies in viewpoint and verb tense?
Does it conform to house style?
Are the facts consistent and accurate?
Have the math been checked (percentages, ages with birth, etc.)?
Have you checked names of people, their designations?
Is the story objective?
Does the story avoid any statements that might bring a lawsuit?
Is someone is accused of or criticized for something, does he or she get a chance to reply? Are all
sides given?
Is the story or picture in good taste?
Has the writer avoided saying anything that may disparage someone on the basis of age, race, sex,
religion, sexual orientation, or ethnic background?
Copyreaders’ Concerns
1. Grammar
Subject-verb agreement
Dangling modifiers
Parallel construction
Hanging participles
Active and passive
Repetition
Misused prepositions
2. Spelling
American or British English/variants in spelling
theatre theater
organisation organization
labour labor
realise realize
toward towards
traveled travelled
kidnaped kidnapped
judgment judgement
adviser advisor
3. Punctuations
4. Facts
5. Brevity
6. Clarity
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Keep the text simple (by using simple words instead of complex terms)
Avoid jargon or specialized language
Check the time sequence
Use transitions (each sentence logically follows the previous sentence or relate to it.)
7. Offensive words
8. Subheads
9. Headline
1. Lead/Introductory
Is it snappy?
Does it grab the reader?
Does it make sense?
Is it up to date?
Is it of readable length?
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2. Structure
Does the story back up the intro?
Does the story unfold logically?
Are there obvious gaps?
Are quotes used sensibly?
Are there any unnecessary repetitions?
Check key facts are not left until last.
3. Language
Is the story in house style?
Are all the acronyms explained?
Cut out clichés.
Don’t overload sentences with subordinate clauses.
4. Quotes
Are they worth using
Is it obvious who said what?
Are they in readable chunks?
Is the punctuation correct?
Don’t alter quotations without good reason.
Copyreaders’ Tools
1. Stylebook
2. Dictionary and thesaurus
3. Grammar books
4. Journalism handbooks
Reuters Handbook of Journalism, which may be downloaded online:
http://handbook.reuters.com/extensions/docs/pdf/handbookofjournalism.pdf
5. Internet (Google/Google Books)
6. Book of familiar quotations
Common Inaccuracies
1. Unwarranted superlatives
First
Only
biggest
best
record number
3. Offensive language
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due to the fact that because
electrocuted to death electrocuted
exactly identical identical
few in number few
general consensus of opinion consensus
in reference to about
in the near future soon
traveling at a high rate of speed speeding
high-speed chase chase
large in size large
necessary requirement requirement
once in a great while seldom, rarely
postpone until later postpone
still remain remain
temporarily suspended suspended
totally destroyed destroyed
true facts facts
went on to say that said, then said
widow of the late widow of
yellow in color yellow
It is no longer acceptable to use the pronoun he when the referent may be a man or a woman.
Substitute gender-biased terms with gender-neutral ones.
fireman firefighter
chairman chairperson
mankind people/humanity
manpower workers, work force
founding fathers pioneers
policeman police officer
salesman salesperson
6. Unnecessary words
Words that add nothing to the meaning
really very actually
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Copyreading Symbols
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Notes on Headline Writing
1. Accuracy
Headlines must give accurate information about the gist of the story.
2. Logic
Headlines on themselves should make sense.
3. Specificity
A headline should be as specific as possible in presenting information to the reader.
4. Word precision
Saying exactly what we mean to say.
1. Headlines should be based on the main idea of the story, which should be found in the lead or
introduction.
2. If facts are not in the story, do not use them in a headline.
3. Avoid repetition. Don’t repeat key words in the same headline; don’t repeat the exact wording of the
story in the headline.
4. Avoid ambiguity, insinuations, and double meanings.
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5. If a story qualifies a statement, the headline should also. Headline writers should understand a story
completely before they write the headline.
6. Use present-tense verbs for headlines that refer to past or present events.
7. For the future tense, use the infinitive form of the verb (such as to go, to run, etc.) rather than the verb
will.
8. To be verbs, such as is, are, was, and were, should be omitted.
9. Write headlines in the active voice (Man bites dog instead of Dog is Bitten by Man)
10. Do not use articles a, an, and the. These take up space that could be put to better use in informing the
reader. In
11. Do not use the conjunction and; use a comma or semicolon instead
Headline Terms
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This is a downstyle head
Upstyle heads capitalize first letter of all major words. All capital letters in heads is also called
upstyle.
Hammer
A label head above the main head, typically one to three words.
In bold type, bigger than the main head.
Hammer
Here is the main head beneath the hammer
Kicker
A label head above a main head, typically up to five words
Usually about half the point size of the main head.
Slugs
Short name or title—usually one or two words—a story is given for quick and easy identification in
the newsroom.
Points
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Refers to the font or type size (its height in points measured from the bottom of a descender like g
to the top of an ascender like h).
Headline type typically ranges in size from 18 points to 72 points.
Picas
Another unit of measurement, used to measure the width of the space allotted to a head
There are 6 picas in an inch, which means there are 12 points in a pica.
The print area on a standard broadsheet is typically about 78 picas wide.
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Columns
Vertical strips of text.
The thin white spaces between columns are called gutters.
Broadsheets carry 6-7 columns; tabloid and magazines, 4-5 columns
Headline count
Count or length in units of each line.
See Table: Count of Letters, Figures, and Marks.
Headline order
Refers to request for a given size of headline
Three-number sequence that tells (1) how many columns a headline should cover, (2) what point size
it should be, and (3) how many lines it should fill. Columns–Font Size–Lines (e.g., 6-42-1: six
columns wide, 42-point type size, one line)
Headline schedule
Chart that allows one to translate a headline order into a specific count. It tells how many counts of a
given point size can fit into a given column width.
See Headline Schedule Chart.
Source: Brian S. Brooks and James L. Pinson, The Art of Editing in the Age of Convergence, 10th ed.
(Pearson Education, 2014).
Counting Headlines
Count of Letters, Figures, Marks
Width Letters, Figures, Marks
½ unit Lowercase f, i, j, l, and t
Capital I and numerical figure 1
All punctuations except question mark and
dashes
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Headline Schedule Chart
1 2 3 4 5
Font Size 6 Columns
Column Columns Columns Columns Columns
18 points 16 units 33 units
24 points 13 units 27 units 40 units
30 points 10.5 units 21.5 units 32 units 43 units
36 points 9 units 18.5 units 28 units 38 units 47.5 units
42 points 7.5 units 15.5 units 23.5 units 32 units 40 units 48 units
48 points 13.5 units 20.5 units 28 units 35 units 42.5 units
54 points 12 units 18 units 24.5 units 30.5 units 37 units
60 points 16 units 21.5 units 27.5 units 33 units
72 points 14 units 18.5 units 23 units 28 units
Source: Cecilia Friend, Don Challenger, and Katherine C. McAdams, Contemporary Editing (McGraw-
Hill, 2005).
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Copyreading Exercise
Instructions:
Copyread the news article and write a headline with kicker
______________________________________________________________________________
The Secretary of DSWD, Vilma Cabrera, strongly stated in a very recent hearing at the Senate of
the Philippines that there were efforts from the part of the current Noynoy Aquino government to
avoid the utilization of the schools as temporary shelters for displaced residents unless there were
no alternative.
Officials, likewise, have also beeing doing their best to avoid the utilization of daycare centers as
evacuation centers in order this way not to disrupt schoolchildren’s activities, according to him.
A number of senate bill that propose to limit the use of schools as evacuation centers so as not to
disrupt the student’s education has gained wide and tremendous support from various sectors,
although finding and to provide other safe alternative sites has been, as always, easier said than
done.
The bills does not provide for an outright ban with regards to the use of schools for displaced
victims but instead stated that these should be used last resort.
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It was stated by Carbera that while school rooms tended to be utilized when there were
gymnasium, municipal halls and other buildings, these were utilized for short term stays, said
The proposal to limit the utilization of schools as evacuation centers, unless there are other
alternatives, are contained in five measure that seek to provide comprehensive emergency relief
and protection for children during disasters, calamities and other emergency situations.
The bills state that schools should be designated as daycare centers only when there are no other
In such troubling situations when schools are tapped, the utilization should be limited to areas
other than classrooms, such as gymnasiums; auditorium; and other spaces that are open. Their
use as temporary shelters should only be for a limited time of thirty days, unless an extension is
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Copyreading Exercise: Pagwawasto at Pag-uulo ng Balita
Direksiyon: Iwasto ang artikulo sa ibaba gamit ang mga simbolo sa pag-eedit. Ayusin ang
pagkakasunod-sunod ng mga talata kung kinakailangan. Sumulat ng headline para sa artikulong
ito.
_________________________________________________________________________
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