EL 115 Module 9 (Week 14)

Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

Sta. Cruz Poblacion, Calabanga, Camarines Sur
Website: www.cbsua.edu.ph
ISO-9001:2015 Email Address: ca.calabanga@cbsua.edu.ph
CERTIFIED Trunkline: (054) 881-3258
MODULE 9: COPYREADING: CLEANING THE COPY AND WRITING THE HEADLINE

Week 14
“Editing is simply the application of the common sense of any good reader. That’s
why, to be an editor, you have to be a reader. It’s the number one qualification”- Robert
Gottlieb
For today, you are going to learn the differences of copyreading, copyediting,
proofreading and editing. Rules in headline writing will also be discussed. If there are any
questions or clarifications about this module, feel free to contact your instructor
immediately.
Learning Objectives
After working on this module, you are expected to:
a. discuss the revising up to the publishing process in campus print;
b. identify the duties and characteristics of the copyeditor; and
c. use the copyreading symbols in editing campus articles.
Discourse
Copyreading Defined
Editing, proofreading, and copyediting are often assumed to be the same thing—but
they are not.
In editing, an editor has the freedom to remove entire sentences or rewrite entire
paragraphs. A good editor will correct any obvious errors he or she comes across, but his
or her main goal is to use his or her expertise and intuition to ensure the document makes
sense, cuts down on wordiness and clarifies ambiguity.
Proofreading is the process of examining the final draft of a document or text—after
it has been edited and revised—to ensure there are absolutely no errors. A proofreader will
review for spelling errors, punctuation errors, typos or incorrect use of regional English (i.e.
ensuring that you are using American English or British English when necessary).
To copyedit a document is to proofread it—with the added expectation of ensuring
style consistency with other content from the publication. Copyediting is also known as
“sub-editing” in the UK, Australia and elsewhere.
Also, copyreading refers to the serious and comprehensive revision of an article
based on the standards of publication. It includes everything from checking of facts,
restructuring the lead, rewriting sections to asking a writer to rework a story. Copyreading is
more of journalism in nature as compared to other words defined above.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Copyeditor
A copyeditor should know the rules like:

1. ABC. Accuracy, Brevity and Clarity
2. UCE. Unity, Coherence, and Emphasis
3. AAA. Adequacy, Aesthetic appeal, and Appropriateness
4. CCC. Conciseness, Concreteness, and Consistency
5. FERSS. Functionality, Exactitude, Readability, Simplicity, and Specificity
Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 1

He or she should also be very keen in identifying errors. These errors include facts,
language, style, tone, legal implications and structure. After these errors are identified, the
copyeditor is now ready to correct them through the use of universally known symbols.
Proofreading/ Copyediting Symbols
Do not forget to put (#) at the end of the article. If the copy runs within two or more
pages, write “more” below the pages, except the last page.
Tips
1. Be keen for redundancies such as advance notice, actual fact, major breakthrough,
past history, plan ahead, postpone until later, unexpected surprise, forever and ever
and others. It makes the article difficult to read. Good writing is concise and
informative. A good way to test whether or not something is redundant is to see if the
phrase in question could have something removed from it.
2. Use simple words. Use common and shortest words instead of the complex. The rue
of thumb is for a writer to keep his or her use of hard words or words with three or
more syllables under 10 percent. Here are the examples:
Complex Common
contribute give
facilitate help
inaugurate start
indisposed ill

incarcerate jail
inundate flood
majority most
monumental big
prevaricate lie
proceed go
procure get
purchase buy
reside live
request ask
summon call
terminate end
utilize use
witness see
3. Be concrete and precise. Abstract words would make your writing dull and vague.
Examples:
Vague: His head was injured by a blunt instrument.
Precise: His skull was fractured with a hammer.
Vague: A large number assembled for the meeting.

Precise: Five hundred attended the caucus.
4. Omit verbal deadwoods or phrases that can be shortened to single or few words.
Here are few examples:
Verbal Deadwood Preferred Term
affixed his signature signed
at the present time now
held a conference met
in the immediate vicinity near
for the reason that because
tendered his resignation resigned
told his listeners said
united in holy matrimony married
used for fuel purposes fueled
was able to make his escape escape
a majority of most
a sufficient amount of enough
according to our data we find
accordingly therefore, so
after the conclusion of after
along the lines of like
as is the case as is true
ascertain the location of find
at such time as when
5. Numbers 1-9 should be spelled out. Numbers 10 above should be in numerical form
except if the number begins a sentence or belongs to a date or time. Proper nouns
also dictate if a number should be spelled out or be in numerical form.
Examples:
The university’s competing team were composed of five students of College of

Education.

A total of 543 books of different titles were donated to the school library.
One hundred eight students joined the Fun Run, Fun Walk-for-a-Cause event
proposed by Supreme Student Council.
For a minimal amount, students were able to watch Ironman 2, One More Chance,
and Five Million Years to Earth.
Headline Writing
This refers to the title of any news story. Sometimes, it is described as the short
telegraphic major messages of the news. Often, it is the gist of the lead.
News stories are important, but the headlines that introduce these stories to the
readers are important as well. Good headlines will make a newspaper page attractive; poor
headlines will make a page seem dull. Poor headlines might discourage them from reading
the stories.
Functions of Headlines
1. gives the gist of the news
2. presents the news for rapid survey reading
3. indicates the relative importance of the news
4. gives a pleasing appearance to the news page
Guides for Writing Headlines

1. Read the story first.
2. Clues to the headline are usually in the lead.
3. Use shortest words possible. Use cop for police, nab for arrest, mishap for accident.
4. Learn more about headline vocabulary.
Headline vocab gives priority to short words. Note how newspapers have used shorter
words instead of its longer synonym, and how some newspapers have coined their own
short words to stand for their longer counterparts.
Bare Expose, reveal
To bat Speak for, defend
Bid, ask Invite, request
Blast Criticize
Body Committee, organization
Cite Enumerate, mention,
accuse
Confab Conference
To eye To consider
Feud Dispute, quarrel
Foil Thwart, reject
Nix Reject
Okay, oks Approve, accept
Power Electricity
Probe Investigate

Quit Resign
Quiz Question
Hike Increase
Junk To throw away, dispose
of
Kin Family
Link Connect
Lull Calm
5. Always have a subject and a verb. The headline should NOT start with a verb
because it will look like you are giving a command to your readers.
Wrong: Give more funds
Better: Palace gives more funds to DepEd
6. Use historical present tense. This is to prioritize the immediacy and timeliness of the
news. It also preserves the freshness of the whole article.
CBSUA One System undergoes TUV-Rheinland ISO Re-certification
CBSUA inks partnership with the Agricultural Training Institute for research
and extension
CBSUA is TUV-R Re-Certified
7. Delete helping verbs if the verb is in passive voice.
Wrong: Drug pushers are nabbed
Correct: Drug pushers nabbed
8. Use infinitives for future events.
Wrong: TWP will organize a writers workshop
Correct: TWP to organize writers workshop
9. Do NOT put a period at the end of a headline
10. Delete articles (a, an, the)
11. Use a comma instead of conjunction “and”
Wrong: Macaraig and Buensalida publish in Kalimbahin
Correct: Macaraig, Buensalida publish in Kalimbahin
12. Use abbreviation and acronym.
Wrong: Board of Regents approves Saringsing National Writers Workshop
Correct: BOR oks Saringsing NWW
13. Do not use X-mas for Christmas.
14. Avoid writing your headlines like these:

Summary
An editor corrects obvious errors he or she comes across. A proofreader reviews
spelling and punctuation editors after it has been edited. A copyeditor proofreads but also
ensure that style and consistency of the publication. A copyreader refers to serious and
comprehensive revision of an article based on the standards of publication. There are
symbols being used in cleaning an article. Strict rules should also be implemented in writing
a headline.
Synthesis
Congratulations for having completed Module 9.

Make sure you have answered all questions before you submit.
Sources and References

Alkuino, G.E. (2013). Campus journalism workbook: with 2013 NSPC guidelines and
criteria for different contests. General Santos City: GenSan RFM (Motong) Printing
Corp.
Bulusan, F. (2016). Campus journalism within your reach. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing,
Inc.
Breva, E. J. (2020). Personal handouts.


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Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

MODULE 9: COPYREADING: CLEANING THE COPY AND WRITING THE HEADLINE

Duties and Responsibilities of the Copyeditor

A copyeditor should know the rules like:

Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 1

Proofreading/ Copyediting Symbols

Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 2

Vague: A large number assembled for the meeting.

The university’s competing team were composed of five students of College of

Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 3

Guides for Writing Headlines

Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 4

Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 5

Congratulations for having completed Module 9.

Sources and References

Breva, E. J. (2020). Personal handouts.

Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 6

Breva, E.J.S. (2021). Modules on Campus Journalism. Page | 7

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