Professional Documents
Culture Documents
HEADLINE WRITING
Functions of Copy Editor
Check Facts.
Correct errors in grammar, spelling,
punctuation, usage, organization and
others.
Improve news value.
Write effective lead.
Cut or delete irrelevant materials
Delete “editorializing materials” in a news.
Write headlines and decide its
typography
Make Guard against libelous statement.
copy simple and clear
Make copy conform to the newspaper
style sheets
Give instructions to the typesetter
regarding font type and font size to be
used and the number of columns and
ems
Indicate corrections by using the
copyreading marks
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
identification and for record purposes
3. Start typing the story about three or
four inches from the top of the page,
leaving one-inch margin at the left and
the right sides. The wide margin at the
top is for instruction to typesetter and for
headline.
4. Indent five or ten spaces at the start of
each paragraph.
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” or “add
one kidnap”
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.
Responsibilities of a
Copyreader
Straighten out ungrammatical
construction.
Shorten sentences and tighten
paragraphs.
See that the paper’s style requirements
are strictly followed. Check names,
addresses, title, designations,
identifications, figures, etc.
Rewrite the story completely if it is poorly
written.
Rewrite the lead or the first few
paragraphs whenever necessary, but
must never tamper with the facts unless
he is sure of his corrections.
Delete all opinion, speculations and
statements on news which are without
attribution or sources.
Watch out for slanting or any attempt to
present the story in a subtly biased way.
Watch for libelous statements.
Recheck figures and totals.
Cross-out adjectives in news which tend
to make a story sound over-written.
Cut a story to size or to the required
length if necessary.
Check attributions and see to it that they
are properly identified.
Challenge facts, claims, or reports when
they sound anomalous, illogical and
incredible.
Check sluglines and paging sequences.
Write headlines.
Memorize and functionally use
copyreaders’ marks.
HEADLINE WRITING
Example:
Malacañang considers
Abad adventure over
3. Dropline- two or three lines of
headline, usually of the same length and
arranged diagonally.
Example:
Metrobank Foundation donates
computers to Tanjay Division
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 protests
turn violent
5. Crossline or barline- a single line of
headline running over two or more
columns.
Example:
DepEd sets new guidelines
for teacher applicants
7. Flushline or full line- consists of two or
more lines of the same length.
Example:
_________________________
ICT to generate 1M jobs
12. 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.
GUIDELINES FOR
WRITING HEADLINES
The head should tell the gist of the story
simply and accurately.
It should contain a verb, but not start with
one.
Be in the active voice.
Be in the present, the historical present
or the future tense.
Avoid the use of articles to begin a
headline.
Use no abbreviations except those
generally known ones.
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.
Be specific. Avoid generalities.
Wrong: Student wins contest
Right: Tanjay scribe wins nat’l essay
writing tilt
Avoid label head
Wrong: Auctioned
Right: Imelda jewelry auctioned
Do not editorialize your headline.
Wrong: Tanjay Division shows great
performance in RSPC
Right: Tanjay Division wins six out of
seven in RSPC writing contest
Do not use the same word in the headline or
kicker.
Ex. Gun haul
Tanjay cops seize 24 guns
from suspected bandits
Never use the word “may”. It denotes the
uncertain element of the story.
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.
Ex. Truth commission repugnant - Mirriam
B. Using the colon
Ex. Sto. Tomas: Brain drain just a
prescription
Small letters j, l, i, f, t
=1/2 unit
Small letters m and w
= 1 ½ units
Number 1
= ½ unit