Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
INSTRUCTIONS:
• This is a four-part test
measuring your expertise in
the various skills of editing.
While some publications have
specific style rules, this test
uses Associated Press style. Do
your best.
• Read all instructions.
• Do not use any spell-
checking aid or any form of the
Associated Press Stylebook,
dictionary or thesaurus.
• DO NOT include your name or
your school name on your entry.
• The contest time, including
instructions and distributing
materials, is two hours.
Part I: Grammar, usage and
Associated Press style (1
point each)
• Circle the answer that is most
preferred in a news context.
Use AP style to guide your
decisions.
JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015
1. I will need to (lay / lie) down when I get home.
2. The students were wise not to produce an (April Fool’s Day / April Fools’ Day)
edition.
3. The (allusion / illusion) of the great flood comes from the Bible.
4. We drank lemonade from (Styrofoam / styrofoam / plastic foam) cups.
5. (Its / It’s) time to go.
6. Sarah hoped to become the mayor’s (aid / aide).
7. Designers need to have a firm grasp of (complementary / complimentary)
colors.
8. Their wedding was officiated by (Rev. / the Rev. / Reverend / reverend) Robert
Lowell.
9. His whereabouts (is / are) a mystery.
10. The (affect / effect) of the storm could be seen for miles.
11. The women were all recognized as notable (alumni / alumnae) of the school.
12. Tom made deadline? This is (a / an) historic occasion.
13. The concert starts at 9 (pm / p.m. / PM / P.M.), so we should leave soon.
14. The news media (is / are) covering the presidential inauguration.
15. The former homecoming queen returns to her (alma mater / alma matter) each
year.
16. Be careful not to fall (off of / off) the ladder.
17. The teacher said 60 (% / percent) was a failing grade.
18. (Naval / Navel) exercises are being conducted off the coast of Hawaii.
19. Mark said he is bored by football and (uninterested / disinterested) in attending
Friday’s game.
20. NATO stands for the (North American Trade Organization / North Atlantic Treaty
Organization).
 Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
Part II: Names in the
News (1 point each)
1. ______ Edward Brooke a. “60 Minutes” correspondent
• Match the people with their who died in February
descriptions by placing the letter
next to the name. 2. ______ Stuart Scott b. actress who played Elly May
• Be sure that your writing is
Clampett on “The Beverly
legible.
3. ______ Harper Lee Hillbillies,” who died in

January

4. ______ Bob Simon c. author of “To Kill a

Mockingbird” who

5. ______ Brian Williams announced plans to publish

a sequel

6. ______ Sam Smith d. Grammy winner for Record

of the Year “Stay with Me”

7. ______ Donna Douglas e. first African-American to be

popularly elected to the U.S.

8. ______ Julieanne Moore Senate, who died in January

f. chair of the Federal Reserve

9. ______ Jon Stewart Board

g. satirist who announced his

10. ______ Janet Yellen pending departure from “The

Daily Show”

h. “NBC Nightly News” anchor

who was suspended

i. veteran anchor on ESPN who

died in January

j. actress who won an

Academy Award for “Still

Alice”

JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015

 Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
Part III: Current Events (1
point each) 1. King Abdullah, the ruler of ___________________________, died in January. His

• Fill in the blanks with the most half-brother, Crown Prince Salman, assumed the throne.
accurate words or phrase that
2. Hackers calling themselves the “Guardians of Peace” attacked Sony Pictures
best complete the sentences.
• Be sure that your writing is Entertainment and demanded the cancellation of the planned release of the
legible.
film ___________________________, a comedy about a plot to assassinate North

Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

3. The ___________________________ defeated the Oregon Ducks to win the

inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship by a score of 42–20.

4. In November elections, the ___________________________ Party retained control

of the U.S. House of Representatives and regained control of the U.S. Senate.

5. The NBC television network scrapped a project with comedian

___________________________ after past sexual assault allegations resurfaced.

6. In November, President Barack Obama accepted the resignation of Chuck Hagel

as secretary of ___________________________. He was replaced in February by

Ashton Carter.

7. The ___________________________ defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28–24 in the

Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

8. Militants from the organization ___________________________ razed the entire

town of Baga in northeast Nigeria, killing as many as 2,000 people. The

organization, which the United States declared a terrorist organization and an

affiliate to al-Qaida, had operations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

9. American electronics retail chain ___________________________ filed for Chapter

11 bankruptcy in February. About 1,700 of its stores will remain open, however,

now co-branded as Sprint stores.

10. ___________________________ won best picture at the 87th Academy Awards,

which also gave an Oscar to the film’s director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015

 Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing

Part IV: Story editing (12 Mexican artists Dunstan Carrillo and Pola Sosa Jiménez visited school Tuesday to
points overall)
put on a workshop teaching students about art.
• Edit the following story for
spelling, grammar, AP style,
consistency, accuracy and legal
“Our program needs to be global, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said art
concerns.

• AP style copy editing marks teacher Ashley Reiss, who organized the workshop after receiving $10,0000 from
are appreciated, but most
important is being clear about
the corrections you are making student council. “I had crossed paths with Dunstan and Pola before and really liked
or the concerns you are
expressing.
what they do. Their brilliant.”

Carrillo, an Oaxacan wood carver and painter, has been making art for 13 years.

“I’m inspired by going to festivals and international shows,” Carrillo said. “I’m

amazed at the quality of other artists’ work, so I push myself to improve my own work.”

In fact, Carrillo’s latest work, “Night and day,” is just a knockoff of “Luna y Sol,” the

famous 1990 painting from Rufino Tamayo.

Jiménez, a Huichol yarn painter, has been creating works of art since 1997.

“In the eight years I’ve been doing this, I’ve found that painting is just like writing a

poem,” Jiménez said.

Students, especially those in art classes, were encouraged to attend the event.

“I think its really cool,” sophmore Kathleen Kester said. “The diversity of all the

different projects we are getting to do is really important.”

JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015


Part V:
(10 points per headline
package)
• Write a headline for each story
presented. You do not need to
edit the story.
• Be sure your writing is legible.
We suggest you practice your
headlines on another sheet of
paper before putting your final
headlines on this sheet.
• Use one character (including
spaces and punctuation) for
each space provided.
• Try to fill each line as much as
possible, but never hyphenate
or split words across two lines.
Headlines will be penalized if
a line is short more than three
characters.
• These are both news/feature
stories, not opinion stories.
• Do not go beyond the facts of
the story to write your headline.
• AP style for headlines is to
capitalize only the first word and
proper nouns. Use numerals for
all numbers and single quotes
for quotation marks. Generally,
articles (such as “the” and “a”)
as well as forms of the verb “to
be” (such as “is” and “are”) can
be omitted.
JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015
Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
Four-line headline
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
The Student Support Center is an office that helps students with physical or
mental disabilities manage all aspects of high school life.
Carolyn Butler, director of the Student Support Center, said there are currently 35
students who identify as students with disabilities.
“There are plenty more students with disabilities out there, but the ones I know
about are the ones who have self-identified,” Butler said. “The point is that you think
you don’t have someone with disabilities in your class, but you probably do and you
just don’t know it.”
It is simple to apply for accommodations through the Student Support Center.
“Students registered with our office provide us with documentation from a
medical provider that tells us what struggles the student is having in terms of that
diagnosis,” Butler said.
Help at the Student Support Center can range from physical accommodation,
such as arranging transportation around school, to academic help such as extra time
during tests, study sessions with tutors and providing access to assistive technology.
Sophomore Ada Connell has a spinal cord injury that limits the use of her hands.
Connell has used the resources at the Student Support Center for the past two years
to get help with note-taking and examinations.
“For students out there who have a disability but might be shy or don’t want
anyone to know about it, just come up here and talk to the Student Support Center,”
Connell said. “It will make your high school experience a lot more enjoyable.”
Three-line headline
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
State lawmakers are considering a bill that would double the sentences for
offenses deemed to be hate crimes. Currently there are no state statutes that require
harsher punishment for these cases, although courts can transfer alleged hate crime
cases to federal courts, where penalties are more severe.
Democratic Sen. Shauna Giddings, who sponsored the bill, said it would help
protect potential victims from crimes motivated by prejudice. But Republican Sen.
David Rodriguez is skeptical of the bill’s effectiveness, saying it’s not clear that
tougher sentences would deter potential criminals. Rodriguez also said he believes
it could be difficult to prove whether or not those accused of a hate crime were
motivated by prejudice.
 KEY
INSTRUCTIONS:
• This is a four-part test
measuring your expertise in
the various skills of editing.
While some publications have
specific style rules, this test
uses Associated Press style. Do
your best.
• Read all instructions.
• Do not use any spell-
checking aid or any form of the
Associated Press Stylebook,
dictionary or thesaurus.
• DO NOT include your name or
your school name on your entry.
• The contest time, including
instructions and distributing
materials, is two hours.
Part I: Grammar, usage and
Associated Press style (1
point each)
• Circle the answer that is most
preferred in a news context.
Use AP style to guide your
decisions.
JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015
Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
1. I will need to (lay / lie) down when I get home.
2. The students were wise not to produce an (April Fool’s Day / April Fools’ Day)
edition.
3. The (allusion / illusion) of the great flood comes from the Bible.
4. We drank lemonade from (Styrofoam / styrofoam / plastic foam) cups.
5. (Its / It’s) time to go.
6. Sarah hoped to become the mayor’s (aid / aide).
7. Designers need to have a firm grasp of (complementary / complimentary)
colors.
8. Their wedding was officiated by (Rev. / the Rev. / Reverend / reverend) Robert
Lowell.
9. His whereabouts (is / are) a mystery.
10. The (affect / effect) of the storm could be seen for miles.
11. The women were all recognized as notable (alumni / alumnae) of the school.
12. Tom made deadline? This is (a / an) historic occasion.
13. The concert starts at 9 (pm / p.m. / PM / P.M.), so we should leave soon.
14. The news media (is / are) covering the presidential inauguration.
15. The former homecoming queen returns to her (alma mater / alma matter) each
year.
16. Be careful not to fall (off of / off) the ladder.
17. The teacher said 60 (% / percent) was a failing grade.
18. (Naval / Navel) exercises are being conducted off the coast of Hawaii.
19. Mark said he is bored by football and (uninterested / disinterested) in attending
Friday’s game.
20. NATO stands for the (North American Trade Organization / North Atlantic Treaty
Organization).
 KEY Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
Part II: Names in the
News (1 point each)
E
1. ______ Edward Brooke a. “60 Minutes” correspondent
• Match the people with their who died in February
descriptions by placing the letter
next to the name. I
2. ______ Stuart Scott b. actress who played Elly May
• Be sure that your writing is
Clampett on “The Beverly
legible.
C
3. ______ Harper Lee Hillbillies,” who died in

January
A
4. ______ Bob Simon c. author of “To Kill a

Mockingbird” who
H
5. ______ Brian Williams announced plans to publish

a sequel
D
6. ______ Sam Smith d. Grammy winner for Record

of the Year “Stay with me”

B
7. ______ Donna Douglas e. first African-American to be

popularly elected to the U.S.

J
8. ______ Julieanne Moore Senate, who died in January

f. chair of the Federal Reserve

G
9. ______ Jon Stewart Board

g. satirist who announced his

F
10. ______ Janet Yellen pending departure from “The

Daily Show”

h. “NBC Nightly News” anchor

who was suspended

i. veteran anchor on ESPN who

died in January

j. actress who won an

Academy Award for “Still

Alice”

JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015

 KEY Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
Part III: Current Events (1
point each) Saudi Arabia
1. King Abdullah, the ruler of ___________________________, died in January. His

• Fill in the blanks with the most half-brother, Crown Prince Salman, assumed the throne.
accurate words or phrase that
2. Hackers calling themselves the “Guardians of Peace” attacked Sony Pictures
best complete the sentences.
• Be sure that your writing is Entertainment and demanded the cancellation of the planned release of the
legible.
“The Interview”
film ___________________________, a comedy about a plot to assassinate North

Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Ohio State Buckeyes
3. The ___________________________ defeated the Oregon Ducks to win the
NOTE TO JUDGES: inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship by a score of 42–20.

Give full credit Republican

4. In November elections, the ___________________________ Party retained control
when a partial
of the U.S. House of Representatives and regained control of the U.S. Senate.
answer (such as
“Ohio State” or 5. The NBC television network scrapped a project with comedian
“Patriots”) makes
Bill Cosby
___________________________ after past sexual assault allegations resurfaced.
it clear the
student knows the
6. In November, President Barack Obama accepted the resignation of Chuck Hagel
answer.
defense
as secretary of ___________________________. He was replaced in February by
Give partial
credit (.5 Ashton Carter.
points) when a New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28–24 in the
7. The ___________________________
student clearly
knows the answer 2015 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
but spells the
Boko Haram
8. Militants from the organization ___________________________ razed the entire
word wrong
(such as “Bokko
town of Baga in northeast Nigeria, killing as many as 2,000 people. The
Harram”).
organization, which the United States declared a terrorist organization and an

affiliate to al-Qaida, had operations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

Radio Shack
9. American electronics retail chain ___________________________ filed for Chapter

11 bankruptcy in February. About 1,700 of its stores will remain open, however,

now co-branded as Sprint stores.

“Birdman”
10. ___________________________ won best picture at the 87th Academy Awards,

which also gave an Oscar to the film’s director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015

 KEY Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing

Part IV: Story editing (12 Mexican artists Dunstan Carrillo and Pola Sosa Jiménez visited school Tuesday to
points overall)
put on a workshop teaching students about art.
• Edit the following story for
spelling, grammar, AP style,
consistency, accuracy and legal
“Our program needs to be global, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said art
concerns.
not a number
• AP style copy editing marks teacher Ashley Reiss, who organized the workshop after receiving $10,0000 from
are appreciated, but most
important is being clear about
the corrections you are making student council. “I had crossed paths with Dunstan and Pola before and really liked
or the concerns you are
expressing. They’re
what they do. Their brilliant.”

NOTE TO JUDGES:
Carrillo, an Oaxacan wood carver and painter, has been making art for 13 years.
Provide two points
for each error that
“I’m inspired by going to festivals and international shows,” Carrillo said. “I’m
students correct or
identify. Credit
should be given, amazed at the quality of other artists’ work, so I push myself to improve my own work.”
for example, if a
student corrects Opinionated and potentially libelous
“Their” to “They’re,” In fact, Carrillo’s latest work, “Night and day,” is just a knockoff of “Luna y Sol,” the
or simply circles
“Their” to indicate a
misspelling. famous 1990 painting from Rufino Tamayo.

Do not give or take

away points for Jiménez, a Huichol yarn painter, has been creating works of art since 1997.
unnecessary rewrites
or corrections. Years don’t match
“In the eight years I’ve been doing this, I’ve found that painting is just like writing a
Subtract one point
for each error that
a student introduces poem,” Jiménez said.
into the story.

Students, especially those in art classes, were encouraged to attend the event.
it’s sophomore
“I think its really cool,” sophmore Kathleen Kester said. “The diversity of all the

different projects we are getting to do is really important.”

JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015

 Category 8:
News Editing/Headline Writing
Part V: Four-line headline
(10 points per headline
package) Key headlines
__
C __
e __
n __
t __
e __
r __ __
o __
f __
f __
e __
r __
s __ are for example
__
s __
e __
r __
v __
i __
c __
e __
s __ __
f __
o __
r __ __ purposes only.

__
s __
t __
u __
d __
e __
n __
t __
s __ __
w __
i __
t __
h __
NOTE TO JUDGES: __
d __
i __
s __
a __
b __
i __
l __
i __
t __
i __
e __
s __ __

See exam for full rules The Student Support Center is an office that helps students with physical or
that were given to mental disabilities manage all aspects of high school life.
students. (They didn’t Carolyn Butler, director of the Student Support Center, said there are currently 35
fit on the key.) students who identify as students with disabilities.
“There are plenty more students with disabilities out there, but the ones I know
For each headline, about are the ones who have self-identified,” Butler said. “The point is that you think
give five points for you don’t have someone with disabilities in your class, but you probably do and you
accuracy/news judgment, just don’t know it.”
It is simple to apply for accommodations through the Student Support Center.
three points for
“Students registered with our office provide us with documentation from a
spelling/grammar, and medical provider that tells us what struggles the student is having in terms of that
up to two points for diagnosis,” Butler said.
construction (including Help at the Student Support Center can range from physical accommodation,
solid word choice and such as arranging transportation around school, to academic help such as extra time
cleverness). during tests, study sessions with tutors and providing access to assistive technology.
Sophomore Ada Connell has a spinal cord injury that limits the use of her hands.
Each line should have Connell has used the resources at the Student Support Center for the past two years
no more than three to get help with note-taking and examinations.
extra spaces at the “For students out there who have a disability but might be shy or don’t want
end. For each line that anyone to know about it, just come up here and talk to the Student Support Center,”
Connell said. “It will make your high school experience a lot more enjoyable.”
falls short, subtract
one point.

Key headlines are for example

purposes only.
Three-line headline

__
L __
e __
g __
i __
s __
l __
a __
t __
u __
r __
e __ __
c __
o __
n __
s __
i __
d __
e __
r __
s
__
s __
t __
i __
f __
f __
e __
r __ __
p __
e __
n __
a __
l __
t __
i __
e __
s __ __
f __
o __
r
__
h __
a __
t __
e __ __
c __
r __
i __
m __
e __ __
o __
f __
f __
e __
n __
s __
e __
s __ __

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would double the sentences for
offenses deemed to be hate crimes. Currently there are no state statutes that require
harsher punishment for these cases, although courts can transfer alleged hate crime
cases to federal courts, where penalties are more severe.
Democratic Sen. Shauna Giddings, who sponsored the bill, said it would help
protect potential victims from crimes motivated by prejudice. But Republican Sen.
David Rodriguez is skeptical of the bill’s effectiveness, saying it’s not clear that
tougher sentences would deter potential criminals. Rodriguez also said he believes
it could be difficult to prove whether or not those accused of a hate crime were
motivated by prejudice.

JEA NATIONAL WRITE-OFF CONTEST • DENVER • SPRING 2015