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Copyreading and Headline Writing
Presentation · December 2017
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.17121.81762
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22/12/2017
Danilo Villar Rogayan Jr.
Faculty, College of Education, Arts and Sciences
Ramon Magsaysay Technological University
San Marcelino, Zambales
A checklist for editors
• Read a story quickly but thoroughly,
sizing it up for content and relative news
value
• Correct obvious errors of facts or spelling
• Check the story for conformity to
stylebook rules
A checklist for editors
• Decide if the story is too long for its
relative news value, and if so, trim it.
• Look for mistakes in grammar,
punctuation and spelling.
• Recheck facts, especially names,
addresses, numbers and titles.
• process of editing and correcting the
form and content of the submitted
manuscript;
• includes checking the correctness of
grammar and syntax (form) and checking
the accuracy and relevance of data and
analysis (content);
• is done by using Copyreading symbols.
A checklist for editors
• Rewrite the lead if necessary.
• Break up long paragraphs into shorter
ones.
• Add subheads to longer articles
A checklist for editors
• Watch for potentially libelous
statements; make sure the story is
accurate and that it is fair to all side in
the issue.
• Write the headline.
• Write captions, pull quotes and other text
that would be given special treatment in
the layout.
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• Punctuation Marks
Insert period
• Punctuation Marks
Insert quotation marks
Insert comma,
colon, semicolon
Insert hyphen, dash
Insert apostrophe
• Punctuation Marks
Delete punctuation
• Numbers & Abbreviations
Spell out (#1-9)
Use figure
• Letter and Word Changes
Insert Letter
Replace letter (s)
Delete letter, close up
Insert question mark,
exclamation point
• Numbers & Abbreviations
Abbreviate
Don’t abbreviate
• Special Forms of Type
Capitalize
Make lower case
• Letter and Word Changes
Delete letter, leave space
Insert word
Change word
Delete word, close up
Delete word, leave space
Insert space
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• Letter and Word Changes
Close up
Transpose words
Transpose letter
• Others
Indent for paragraph
 Not a new paragraph
Story unfinished
End of story
Printer’s Direction
2 / 24 / TNR-B / 1
FL / CLC
AP Stylebook
Meaning:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The first number refers to the number of lines your headline will
have.
The second number stands for the font size to be used.
TNR (Times New Roman) indicates the font type.
B stands for bold, a type style.
The third number means that the headline will run across one
column of the page.
FL means flushed left, the structure of the headline while CLC,
caps lower-case is the headline style.
The Headline


Headlines are the display windows of
newspapers. They also serve as a quick
source of information for busy newspaper
readers.
Summary of the summary lead.
Pointers in headline writing

Make it skeletonized. Articles and other
unnecessary words should be ommited.
The headline should give the gist of the
story in as few words as possible.

“Principal dismisses pupils”
NOT: “The principal dismisses pupils”

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Pointers in headline writing



Use the present tense. This will
emphasize the immediacy of the event
and will give action or movement to the
story.
Pointers in headline writing

Use the active voice.

“Dog bites man”
NOT: “Man is bitten by dog”

“Burglar flees”
NOT: “Burglar fled”
Pointers in headline writing
Pointers in headline writing

Avoid “to be” verbs.

Be specific. Use precise words.

“Doctors asked to report for work”
NOT: “Doctors are asked to report for
work”

“Maria is champion golfer”
NOT: “Woman is champion golfer”

Pointers in headline writing

Pointers in headline writing

Be accurate and direct.

Avoid exclamation points or other
punctuations

“Inflation rate to slow down, says official”
NOT: “Inflation rate may slow down, says
official”

“MNHS celebrates nutrition month”
NOT: “MNHS celebrated nutrition month!!!”


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A good headline…





Gets attention
Tells the story
Leads the reader into the story
Classifies the story
Enhances the page
Rules in headline writing

The head should tell the gist of the story
simply and clearly
Headlines
Pinutol ang ari
Kris plays Joey’s organ
Bulag, nandilim ang paningin,
nakapatay!!!
Asawa ng litratista, nakunan
PUKI opens today
Rules in headline writing

The first letter of the first word and
proper nouns are generally capitalized.
President accepts
Zubiri’s offer
to resign
Iran offers
more oil
to RP
Bamba inks ‘no smoking policy’
Rules in headline writing

The first line of a two-line or three-line
head should not end with a preposition,
conjunction, articles or any form of the
verb to be, unless the preposition goes
with the verb, like fill-in or trade-off
Rules in headline writing

Never use the word “may” because it
would show the uncertainty of your
assertion.
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Rules in headline writing

Assertions in a headline should have a
source or attribution.
Rules in headline writing



Don’t convert verbs into nouns. Don’t say
“Students urge oustering of principal”
Oust principal – students
Classes suspended today, says principal
Principal orders suspension of classes
Bamba: MNHS can do it
Rules in headline writing

Use the shorter word whenever possible,
e.g. use “cut” for decrease or “hike” for
increase

School hikes tuition fees
Typhoon hits Dinalupihan

Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Maglagay ng sariwang impormasyon sa
bawat ulo.
3 pang negosyante
bantang itumba
Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Gumamit ng mga pandiwang tahasan at
masigla

Araneta Istadyum winasak ni ‘Yoling’
(hindi nawasak)
Araneta Istadyum sinira ni ‘Yoling’ (hindi
nasira)

Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Gumamit ng kuwit sa halip ng pangatnig
na at.
Reyes, Bautista wagi sa DSPC
Ikakasal, naaburido
nagpakamatay
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Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Gumamit ng mga pandiwang
panghinaharap sa mga pangyayaring
magaganap pa.
Panggagahasa sa maid sa San Ramon
ipabubusisi ni Mayor Jaime
Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Gumamit ng isahang panipi sa halip na
dalawahang panipi
Pangulo ng ‘Driver’s Group’
inambus ng mga sandatahan
‘Piston’ naghanda
sa welga bukas
Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Gumamit ng maikli ngunit positibong
salita sa ulo ng balita.
Makakaliwa, nakiisa
sa welga ng tsuper
Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Ang huwarang ulo ng balita ay
kinakailangang makapaglahad ng
mensahe sa pinakamadali at magaang
paraan. Dahil dito’y kinakailangang dimasira ang kaisipan sa bawa’t linya
Mga tuntunin sa pagsulat ng Ulo
ng Balita

Gumamit ng mga pandiwang
pangkasalukuyan sa mga pangyayaring
nakaraan na.
Parol ni Gloria kay Teehankee
binabatikos ng medya
Common headline faults

The gap. This is the practice of leaving
wide empty space in the head.
Dean suspends
student for misbehavior
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Common headline faults

Padding. This is the reverse of gap. You fill
the gap with unnecessary words.
Student Council composition
to be known later this month
Common headline faults

Split phrases and hanging prepositions. This
is the reverse of gap. You fill the Never split
words that go together.
Gov’t to hike import
duties this month
SC members known soon
Gov’t to hike
import duties
this month
Common headline faults
Common headline faults

Editorializing. Just report the facts; don’t
editorialize.
School dean gives
very inspiring talk

Lack of attribution. All declarative
statements must have a source or
attribution.
Tuition fees to hike soon, says dean
Dean speaks at symposium
Common headline faults

Question form. If you are not sure of your
conclusion in the headline, don’t ask your
reader for the answer.
Will the council be disbanded?
Common headline faults

Don’t use the same word twice in the
headline and the kicker.
School fees
School fees to be hiked soon
Despite condemnations
School fees to be hiked soon
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Common headline faults

Be careful in using words with double
meanings. Look at this example and see
the danger.
Top lady performer to play organ
Lady pianist serenades poor families
PUKI opens today
Phl-UK firm opens today
Example 1:
15 Seniors get
UPLB scholarship
UPLB names 15 scholars
UPLB cites 15 scholars
•Splitting: Object of the verb “get” is not on the same deck or
line.
•Shorter headlines are preferred.
•Which element is more important?
Example 2:
Example 3:
Terrorism will never
get far -- GMA
Tension yesterday gripped the headquarters of the Government
Service Insurance System(GSIS) in Pasay City when thousands of
protesters stormed the agency demanding the resignation of Winston
Garcia, GSIS president and general manager.
‘Terrorism will never get
far’ says GMA
GMA says ‘Terrorism
will never get far’
Protests rock GSIS
•The use of 2 dashes indicates a direct quotation.
Protesters urge
GSIS chief to resign
•If quotation marks are preferred than dashes, use
single quotation to save space.
GSIS chief urged to quit post
Example 4:
A defiant Philippine National Police Director General
Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. yesterday refused to resign even after the PNP has
had to endure disgraceful incident under his watch.
PNP chief refuses to heed
calls to quit
PNP chief refuses calls to quit
Ebdane ignores calls to quit
Halimbawa 5:
Inilunsad na kamakailan ang pinakamalaki at
pinakamakabuluhang proyekto ng General Parents-Teachers
Association alinsunod sa Computerization Program ng DepEd upang
lalong maiangat ang antas ng pagtuturo sa Honorato C. Perez, Sr.
Memorial Science High School.
HCPSMSHS GPTA, naglunsad
ng Computerization Program
Computerization Program ng DepEd, sinuportahan
GPTA, naglunsad ng proyekto
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Halimbawa 6:
Masusubukang muli ang galing at tibay ng katawan ng IBF Super
Bantamweight Champion na si Manny Pacquiao matapos ipahayag ng
mga promoters ang kanyang laban sa isang undefeated American
champion sa susunod na buwan.
Maraming
salamat po!
Kampeon, sasabak sa kampeon
Pacquiao, susubukang itumba
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