Copyreading

 Bernadette F. Tamayo


July 10, 2008, tabloid

 WATER SAMPLING
Kumuha ng sample ng tubig mula
sa bahaging nilubugan ng MV
Princess of the Stars ang mga
Coast Guard biologists upang
suriin. (AFP)
 DAVAO BLOOMS
The streets of Davao burst into colors that the
rains failed to wash during the city’s celebration
of the annual Kadayawan sa Dabaw festival.
Street performers, like these students, turned the
city’s roads into a stage to thank the heavens for
the bountiful harvests. - PDI, Aug. 18, 2004
» Corrections PDI August 19, 2004
» IN YESTERDAY’S issue, the caption of a front-page
photo misstated the location of the staging of the
Kadayawan sa Dabaw festival. The staging was held on
the campus of the Centro Escolar University in
Manila – not the streets of Davao City.
 COPYREADING & HEADLINE WRITING

 Proofreading
Copyreading is editing
correction
the of
copy
errors
by the
in use
galley
of appropriate
or page symbols.
proofs by the use of
 proofreading
A copy is the symbols.
typewritten material
Asubmitted
galley proof
to theisencoder
a long, for
narrow
typesetting.
proof
pulled from type on a galley.
 Preparing the copy
 Type on one side of the sheet , double space.
 Identify the story on the first page with a
 slugline : the name of the paper
»words identifying the story
»the reporter
»the date
 Indent at least five spaces each paragraph.
 Type the word More at the bottom of each
page except the last, which is marked with
30 or #.
 The copy
The Republic
Enrolment increases by 2%
Yasmin Tamayo
June 25
The students enrolled at Marcelo H.
del Pilar National high School (MHPNHS)
increased by 2%.

More
 Tips for Polishing Copy
 You should be the reader's advocate in
improving the story. Every change you make
should improve a story. If it doesn't improve the
story, it's not worth your time.
 What's the story about?
Ask what the story is about and what's the
point.
 If you can't answer these two distinct questions,
the reader surely won't know. The story may
need some more work by the writer to provide a
stronger focus. If you know what the story is
about and what the point is, ask yourself
whether the lead reflects that understanding. If
not, the story may need revision.
 The copy
The Republic
Enrolment increases by 2%
Yasmin Tamayo
June 25
The students enrolled at Marcelo H.

del Pilar National high School (MHPNHS)

increased by two percent from last year’s
11,340 to 12,627 this school year.
More
 Tips for Polishing Copy

 What's the news?

Ask yourself what the news is. Is it high
enough in the story? If you're pulling
your headline from the sixth paragraph,
consider whether that should be the lead.
 Try to make fun of the story.
Does it contain any obvious statements
that will draw a "duh!" from the reader?
Does it have any awkward double
meaning?
 The Craft of Copy Editing
 Collaborate with Reporters
Too often copy editors and reporters are
viewed as adversaries rather than
collaborators. The best copy editors work
with reporters to improve their stories and
ensure accuracy.
 Respect the writer's authorship.
However good or bad a story is, the writer is
the author. The writer's name goes on the
story. The writer will hear any feedback from
the public about the story. The editor should
always try to consult the writer about
significant changes and should try to make
changes in the writer's voice and style .
 The Craft of Copy Editing
 Respect the writer's knowledge.
Before you change a fact in the story, check
with the writer, even if the writer isn't
readily available. You may check your clips
or another resource and be quite sure the
writer has made an error. Changing facts
without consulting the reporter invites
corrections and animosity.
 Consult about headlines.
Run your headline past the reporter if time
allows. Maybe you've missed the point of
the story (in which case, maybe the reporter
needs to make the point clearer). The
reporter can help prevent a headline that is
inaccurate, or potentially offensive.
 The Craft of Copy Editing
 This advice from Pisetzner:
 "Make friends, particularly with the
reporters. Wander over at the start of your
shift, compliment them on pieces they
wrote, talk shop when they have a minute.
Tell them why you made a change; try to
look regretful if they disapprove. Claw
away at that stone wall between natural
adversaries. Build trust. After a while, it's
amazing how much leeway they'll give you
as you try to do your job properly."
 The Craft of Copy Editing
 And this advice from Perlman:
 "An editor needs to be able to explain what
the problem is and propose a solution, not
just cite 'rules.' If there's no time on
deadline, do it the next day, or leave a note.
When reporters and higher-ups see that a
copy editor is paying attention to the
content, and cares not just about what the
reporter got wrong but also about what the
reader might not understand and carefully
and logically points it out, they may listen.
 The copy editor
 The duty of editing falls
chiefly on the editor in chief
who sits at the head of the
copy desk with his
copyreaders.
 The most essential function
of a copy editor is to watch
for mistakes.
 He is the last line of defense,
what gets past the copy desk
gets into the paper.
 Copy editor’s job

 FOLLOWS
STYLE RULES  Is it enrolment or
 Makes sure the enrollment? Per
story conforms to cent or percent?
the newspaper  Are months in
stylebook or style given dates
sheet for abbreviated or
consistency. not?
 Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS FACTS
 Checks names, titles
addresses,  Does the story cite a
designations, semestral study grant of
identifications, etc. P12,000.00 and provide
 Rechecks figures and figures itemized as
totals. P2,500.00 for tuition,
 Challenges facts, P7,000.00 for books and
claims or reports P3,500.00 for lodging?
when they sound  Is it Mr. Roxas or Rojas?
anomalous, illogical Willie Salvador or Willie
and incredible Sy Alvarado?
Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS
SPELLING AND  Almost all sentences
GRAMMAR in the story should be
 Straightens out in the active voice,
ungrammatical not passive.
constructions.  The editor changes
 Checks spelling and this sentence:
punctuation. Suggestions is offered
 Checks sentence by the Student
construction Counsel to _______
 Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS ORGANIZATION
 Rewrites the lead
when necessary.  Does the article play
 Cuts a story to size up the feature or
most important fact
or to the required of the story?
length.  Is something
 Shortens sentences mentioned in the lead
but not mention
and tightens again or elaborated
paragraphs if need be. until the eight
paragraph?
 Copy editor’s job
 Cross out adjectives
 CHECKS
in news items.
EDITORIALIZIN 
The reader must know
G
whose opinion is
 Watches out for
being expressed.
slanting or any Some reporters
attempt to present provide attribution
the story in a in the lead and then
subtly biased way. never mention the
 Deletes all source again.The
opinions,
 Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS  Tuwing hahagikhik si
Kris to a suggestive
LIBELOUS question ni Boy, ang
TEXT nagpa-flash sa tao ay
 Watches out for hindi sweet girl kundi
libelous or “may STD ‘to, “may
derogatory STD ‘to, may STD ‘to.”
statements.(Truth is Sa dami ng lalaking
not an excuse for inaamin niyang naging
libel, with ill motive konektado sa kanya,
minsan maiisip mo, sa
 Copyreading Symbols
 The copy editor does not erase anything
in the article but only makes use of
copyreading symbols to suggest the
necessary corrections or changes.
 At the end of the article, the editor writes
# to suggest end of the story
Or
more to mean the article is lacking in
information
 When all the corrections
have been made, the copy
editor goes over the story one more time,
reading it for sense, for total effect rather
than mechanical problems. The editor
takes the role of the reader and asks:
“Are all the questions answered? Is it
clear? Easy to read?
 Then he is ready to write the headline.
 COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS
•
MANILA, Philippines - A 16-years-old
in coming high school senior wins the covet
English Speaking Union’s (EUSU) International
Public Speaking Competition last friday onn
London.
Dapul’s fiveminute speech entitled, “Fish
mucus and Foot Fungus” focused on how
scientific research could served as a cure-all
for many of the world’s problem
Gian Carlo Dapul, a cute student at the
Philippines Science High School bested almost
sixty participant from 35 countries withthe
competitions’ theme, Frontiers New.”
 COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS

• MANILA, Philippines - A 16
years-old in coming highschool
senior wins the covet English
English Speaking Union’s
(EUSU) International
Public Speaking Competition
last friday onn London.
 COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS

Dapul’s fiveminute speech

entitled, “Fish mucus and Foot
Fungus” focused on how
scientific research could served
as a cure-all for many of the
world’s problem
 COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS

• Gian Carlo Dapul, a cute

student at the Philippines
Science High School bested
almost sixty participant from
35 countries with the
competitions’ theme, Frontiers
New.”
 His speech also went well with judges for
its oft-humorous lines.
 For instance, while speaking about the
“most expensive coffee in the world”
which is gathered from the droppings of a
civet cat, Dapul asked, “So, who’s had
coffee with their breakfast?”
 “If only we could make science fairs and
contests as popular as the thriving ‘Pop
Idol’ franchise. Although I’m not sure if
Simon Cowell’s sardonic comments will sit
well with my peers,’ he added in his
speech.
 MANILA, Philippines - A 16-year-old
incoming high school senior won the
coveted English Speaking Union’s (ESU)
International Public Speaking Competition
last Friday in London.
 Gian Carlo Dapul, a student at the Philippine
Science High School bested almost 60
participants from 35 countries with the
competition’s theme, “New Frontiers.”
 Dapul’s five-minute speech entitled, “Fish
mucus and Foot Fungus” focused on how
scientific research could serve as a cure-all
for many of the world’s problems.
 more