Journ Training-Copyreading and Headline Writing

7/30/2019 Journ Training-Copyreading and Headline Writing

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Copyreading and HeadlineWriting

Discussed by Elma ConcepcionA. Herrera

Division of Tacloban City


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Copy editing or Copyreading is editing a copywritten by a reporter before it gets to thetypesetter. It is much like the work of an

English teacher correcting compositions,except that the copyreader uses symbolsuniversally known by printers.


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Preparing a Copy (Reporter) Use a typewriter or a computer.

Type on one side of the sheet only and double space. Begin the story (for news) about three inches from thetop of the page.

Indent deeply at least 5 spaces the beginning of eachparagraph.

Identify on the first page of the story with a slug line. name of paper

word/s to identify the story

reporter

date Type the word More at the bottom of each page except

the last, where 30 or # is indicated.


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Duties of a Copy Reader:

The job of the copyreader may becondensed into one short sentence: Makesure its accurate. Copy editors do manythings, but their most essential function is to

watch for mistakes.A copyreader goes over the story once

to get a general idea of what it is all about.

This will likewise help him formulate theheadline, which is part of his job.


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Then he goes over it a second time to do any of the followingas the case may be:

Straighten out grammatical construction. Shorten sentences and tighten paragraphs.

See that the papers style requirement are strictly followed. Check names, addresses, titles, designations, identification,figures, totals, etc.

Rewrite the lead whenever necessary but must never tamperwith the facts unless sure of his correction.

Delete all opinions, specifications, and statements which arewithout attribution of sources. Watch out for libelous statements. Cross out adjectives which tend to make a story sound over-

written.

Challenge facts, claims, or reports when they soundanomalous, illogical, & incredible.

Check slug lines and paging sequences. Write headlines.


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Writing Headlines Headline writing is considered a nearly

impossible task because it entails choosing 5 toseven words that would tell an entire storyconsisting of five hundred words. And this mustbe done according to a rather strict set of rules.

The headlines job is to lure the reader intothe story. It must be done honestly, not

promising something that isnt in the story. Itmust use lively, interesting and sparkling verbs,cramming as much information into those wordsas possible.


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Type Size: Heads are measured by points. A point is 1/72 of an inch high.

Thus a 72-point head is 1 inch high, a 36 point head is inch high,

and 18- point head is high. For body type, the type of the story itself is set in, is usually 8point, 9 point, or a maximum of 12 points.

Width: An example of a technical instruction for a headline is the

following.

3 20 BB UN w/ KICKER The first number (3) means that the head will run across threecolumns of the page. The second number (20) stands for the typesize to be used. BB refers to Bodoni Bold, a type family with thecorresponding weight (how thick and black the letters will appear onthe page). UN stand for universe a type of style. Kicker refers to the

preliminary head. The line below refers to the number of lines ordecks your headline will have.


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Supreme Court Ruling - (Kicker) Govt plan to register aliens unconstitutional

(main headline) The Unit Count System: Making headlines fit into the space and at the same time tell story

requires skill and a lot of patience. This numerical system is very useful toheadline writers.

Letter Count Letter Count

Capital I 1 Spaces Capital M, W, O 2 Numerals 1 All other capitals 1 The numeral 1 Lower Case j, l, t, f, i Question Mark, dash 1 Lower Case w, m 1 All other punctuations All other lowercase letters 1


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KINDS OF HEADLINES A one-line headline is basically a single, unbroken sentence.

Typically, the one-line headline is a teller.

NBI mounts manhunt for Dacer slay

A two-line headline is one sentence broken into two lines. Eachline is counted separately. A gap of white space is unsightly at theend of one line of a two-line headline.

HALLOWEEN Flooding Devastates Residents

A three-line headline is one sentence broken into three lines.

Typically these are teller headlines. Remember that each line countsseparately.

HRMS choir wins first place at music festival


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A deck is a secondary headline that is positioned under the mainheadline and is typically a teller. The deck can go under anotherteller headline. The deck always adds information and is helpful in

explaining complicated stories.

Cancelled permit foils annual parade Job fair to replace Homecoming tradition

The hammer is a short phrase or even a single word that is set in apoint size much larger than the headline underneath.

STUCK Juniors denied off- campus Lunch lines longer than ever

A tripod is a combination of a large word or phrase followed bya two-line headline set in type half the size.

Meriting recognition: 12 seniors selected as high Achievers on NSAT


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HEADLINE CONSTRUCTION RULES

Headline-writing rules are continually changing among professionalnewspapers and magazines. The New York Times, for example, nowuses articles such as a, an and the more often than it used to. Theuse of past tense verbs is more accepted to make sure the headlineis clear. Still most publications adhere to the following guidelines:

Avoid padding. A, and, the, their, his or her should not be used inhard news headlines. Notice the delegation of the word brackets inthe following headline.

Director calls (the) possibility of drug testing athleteshighly unlikely

However, use ofthein the following headline is necessary to keepthe headline from sounding awkward.


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All in the family Students suffer when mothers battle disease

Use active verbs in teller

Sick and tired Rare disease drains seniors energy, health

Omit forms of the verb to be, if possible. Notice the correctdeletions of the words in brackets.

Senior party preparations (are) underway as graduationnears flu bug attacks; many absences (are) reported

Opt for the active voice over the passive voice whenever possible.The first headline shows the correct use of the active voice; thesecond the correct use of the passive voice.

Debate team ranks first

in district, state contestsFirst 09 graduate given top awards at commencement


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Use the present tense to describe past events. This is known as historical present. Congress approves P87 billion budget The past tense is showing up in more publications, especially when it enhances clarity. In the

following Dallas Morning News headline, past tense is used because the killers were dead by thetime the story ran.

Pair made video before Littleton killings Use the infinitive form of the verb for future events. Any other tense would only confuse the

reader Craw-space renovation To begin within month Do not separate the following items from one line to the next. Avoid these breaks: Preposition and its objects PNU Arts students pressured to Finish portfolios, pass exam Parts of the same verb Science club presidents to Promote plastic recycling Parts of the names that belong together Senior waits 10 hours for Star Wars premier in pouring rain

Abbreviations Alum wins NC AA top honor Noun and its adjacent adjective HHS Band involves feeder-school Bands to boost future participation Compound words Nat Perez elected vice- President of Creative Club


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Dont repeat words in the headline Test scores fall Students test results fall for third consecutive year

Generally use numerals, although numbers through nine may be spelled out Tennis team dominates: Eight head to leagues after an almost flawless season Senior class collects 123 pints in blood drive

Down style, or capitalizing only the first word of a headline and all propernouns, has become the preferred style of most publications.

Irmo experiences two fires in two days Instead of general words, as in the first headline, opt for specific words that

fit the same space. The second headline has been written with stronger,more precise language.

New bill requires increased language requirements DepEd may require Spanish in high school


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Punctuate headlines correctly: omit periods Commas are often used to replace and. In all other cases, Standard

English usage rules that apply for commas apply in headlines.

Yellow Ribbon Week reminds friends, family to listen Use the semicolon to attach two related thoughts, Floods destroy field house; cleanup to take three weeks Use single quotation marks rather than double.

Putting the boot down Do not use obscure or unnecessary abbreviations. Wrong: New FHS principal changes discipline Right: New principal changes discipline Never abbreviate a day of the week.

Never use a day of the week and the date together Do not abbreviate months except when a numeral follows (Jan. 27)


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Write nothing in the headline that isnt in the story. If you knowsomething interesting or important has been omitted, insert it in thestory.

Do not use names unless the persons are commonly known. Use asynonym that would be more meaningful. Avoid placing headlines and nonrelated pictures near each other,

especially when an unexpected connection may be perceived. References:

Cruz, Cecillano-Jose. Campus Journalism andSchool Paper Advising. Ferguson, Donald and Jim Patten. Journalism

Today!, Fourth Edition. Illinois: National Textbook Company Malinao, Alito. Journalism for Filipinos.

Mandaluyong: National Bookstore.


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Copyread and give a head of not more than 37 counts. Giveprinters directions.

___________________________ The alone fatality were identified by Arson Investigators as Andres

Donamico 32 who suffocated smoke that filled his house inBarangay damayang lagi. The flames however did not reached hishome. A MAN DIED WHILE THREE others were injured in a twelvehour fire that raged from Sunday P.M. until early yesterday morningon E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave in Quezon City.

Probers said Donamico was reportedly drunk and sleep when thefire out broke. Arson Investigator SFO1 Rosendo Cabille said theblaze destroyed around eight-hundred homes and leaves 3,000families home-less as it ragged for more than twelve hours.

The injured was identified as Anthony Jose who suffered from lackof oxygen, Romel Pilbe who sustained burnt on hi chest and VictorioAlmen, who suffered 2nd Degree burns on his left hand.

The fire began at around 3:47 p.m. on Sunday and soon reachedTask forced echo.

The damage to property was estimated to aroud P10m.


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Fire fighters were able to place it under

control at around 7:50 p.m.but it was onlyput out at 4?22 a.m. yesterday, cabillosaid

Write a summary lead based on thefollowing information, which is from an

Associated Press story.


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There has been a police shooting in Hollywood,Fla.

A man was killed after an officer fired an M-26Taser stun gun and hit the man in the chest.

The stun gun shoots probes that transmit

50,000 volts of electricity into the body for up tofive seconds.

Police said the man was behaving strangelyin from of a hotel Officers shot him with the stun

gun, then wrestled him to the ground andhandcuffed him because he had not beensubdued.


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The man, who police believed was on drugs,refused to get on his knees and out his hands

behind his back when police arrived at the hotelSunday.

When he was shot, the man ripped the dartsout of his chest and went after a police officer, a

police spokesman said. Thats why officerswrestled him to ground and handcuffed him.

Officers quickly noticed the man was havingtrouble breathing and called paramedics. When

rescue crews arrived, they found the suspect onthe ground in handcuffs with no heartbeat. Hedied at a hospital.


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Write a summary lead based on thefollowing information, which is from a

story in the St. Petersburg TimesinFlorida.

A 71-year old woman was walking to her

car in the parking lot of Skyway Plaza,near 62nd Avenue S and 10th Street,Sunday afternoon.

According to St. Petersburg Police Sgt.Rollin Lightfield, two men came up to thewoman and tried to steal her purse.


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Write a summary lead based on the following information, which is

from a story in the St. Petersburg Timesin Florida.

A 71-year old woman was walking to her car in the parking lot ofSkyway Plaza, near 62nd Avenue S and 10th Street, Sundayafternoon.

According to St. Petersburg Police Sgt. Rollin Lightfield, two mencame up to the woman and tried to steal her purse.

The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. The attempt to steal her purse was unsuccessful because the

woman refused to hand it over to the two men. After theunsuccessful attempt, the two men got into the a gray Oldsmobilewith tinted windows, Lightfield said. He said that as the womanwalked to a store for help, the two men drove by her and shot herin the lower back.

The woman then walked into a hardware store, where she askedclerks to call police. Lightfield said that she was not injuredseriously.

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Journ Training-Copyreading and Headline Writing