COPYREADING

AND HEADLINE
WRITING
 COPYREADING
Copyreading is just another word for
editing. A copyreader is an editor. The
errors that would happen without a smart,
diligent copyreader are endless. A
copyreader is a specialist who improves the
story and makes it worthy of having a space
in the newspaper.
THE COPYREADER’S JOB
Copyreading, therefore, is necessary for the
following reasons:
1.The article must be factually accurate.
2.The article must be correct grammatically.
3.The newspaper’s style should be followed.
4.The article must be free from libelous
statements.
5.The story needs an effective style and headline.
A good copyreader must:
• Be good in English
• Know his stylebook
• Have a mastery of copyreading symbols
• Know the paper’s policy
 Be observant of details as well as perceptive of
the overall view of the article.

Have the following tools always ready for use:

paper’s stylebook, dictionary, printer’s type
catalogue, other reference materials.
 The copyreader carries a big responsibility for
the production of the paper, being the last
editorial worker to see the article before it
appears in print. If the reporters misspell a
person’s name and it gets into the paper, the
copyreader is held accountable; he should have
corrected it. If November 16 which was a
Thursday is recounted as Monday, it is the
copyreader’s error, he should have seen it. If the
Australian visitor is a scientist and in the report he
is a lawyer, the responsibility is that of the
copyreader’s; he should have caught the error.
 The copyreader must keep track of the stories
he has gone over. His record may include the
headline he has written for the story its length in
column inches (a column inch is one column
wide, one inch deep), the name of the reporter,
and additional comments about the story.
STEPS IN COPYREADING
• Initial each copy read.
• Get an overview of the story.
• Correct the grammar, punctuation, spelling.
• Check if every aspect conforms with your
stylebook.
• Verify the accuracy of facts and determine
whether the story contains all the essential
information.
• Correct errors in lead facts, proper
subordination of details, paragraphing
STEPS IN COPYREADING
• Look out for editorializing, biases and
possible grounds for libel.
• Read the story to check if it reads smoothly
and that all corrections have been made.

• Write the headline.

• Write the printers direction.

COPYREADER'S MARKS

philippines Three short lines under letter

or word indicate that it is to be
capitalized
Science Club A line drawn through a capital
letter indicates that it is not to be
capitalized.

57 = Fifty seven

Eleven =11 A circle around a number

spelled out indicates that it is to be set in
figures
Saint = St. Abbreviate a spelled word

St. = Saint Spell an abbreviated word

No. = Number

2 =Two Set a number or figure in word

^ Caret which means insert a word

or words, or letter
Example: the
in mountain
^
 = Transposition

example: apple red

= delete a word
example: The sturdy able-bodied man

Stet = disregard correction

stet
Example:The slow learner students
have to attend special classes

# or 30 = end signs / symbol

class room Curve lines connecting
words indicate that the words are to be
joined.
Lastweek A vertical or oblique line
between two letters indicates that they are
to be separated.

“ pigskin " Quotation marks are set off in

V-shaped marks, which indicate
whether they are beginning or ending
marks.

Ave. or Ave. A period in a circle or a cross

indicates a period.
 New paragraph
Example:
Miguel B. Decena bought a tricycle to ferry
his goods to a very small talipapa in
Tuguegarao.

Run in with previous line

Example: