Copyreading and

Headline Writing
 Functions of Copy Editor
Checks for and corrects errors in grammar, spelling, syntax and
punctuation. Using copyreading/copyediting marks/symbols.

Checks for technical consistency in spelling, capitalization, front

usage, numerals, hyphenation.
◦ Is it e-mail on page 26 and email on page 143?
◦ Variations in spelling: favourite vs. favorite?

Checks for continuity errors and makes sure that all loose ends are
tied.
Checks for factually incorrect statements: check if the facts in the
manuscript are accurate, and if the names and dates are correct)

Checks for potential legal liability: ensures that the manuscript does not
libel others

Checks for inconsistency within the story. This includes character

description, plot points, and setting.

Reorganizes paragraphs, if necessary.

Revise/rewrite, if necessary, to fix any problems with transitions,

wordiness, jargon, and to ensure the style of the piece fits with the
publication.
Other Functions:

Writes slug.

Writes headlines and decide its typography.

Gives instruction to the typesetter regarding font style and font

size to be used and the number of columns and ems.
Copyreading Procedures
Double or triple space-typewrite all copy on standard 8 ½ by
11-inch paper. The spaces between the lines are for writing
corrections.

In the upper left-hand corner of the paper, about one-half

inch from the top, write your name and a guideline or slug
to indicate the name of the story. The slug is used for
identification and for record purposes.
Sample Slug:

Avian flu
Jdlc
09/01/2017
The Horizon
Vol. 12, No. 1
Start typing the story about three or four inches from the top of
the page, leaving one-inch margin at the left and right sides. The
wide margin at the top is for instruction to typesetter and for
headline.

Sample writer’s instruction: headline with occupy 2 columns, font

size is 24, Bodoni Bold, two-deck line
2-24-BB
_________
_________
Indent five or ten spaces at the start of each paragraph.

End each page with a paragraph. Do not cut paragraph and

continue on the next page.

Write “more” at the bottom of the page of unfinished story and

continue on the next sheet. Do not use the back page of the
paper.

On the second page, instead of numbering as page 2, label it “first

add” or “add one” followed by the slug. Example: “first add China
Sea” or “add one China Sea”.
End the story with number 30 or (#).

After typing the story, through the use of soft-leaded pencil and
copy reading marks, correct errors and improve it.

If the copy could hardly be read because of so many corrections,

rewrite/revise it.
When do you use a comma?
Use a comma:
A. Between elements (including before and and or) in a
series of three or more items.

Examples:
the height, width, or depth

in a study by Spencer, Girard, and Singh (2010)

B. To set off a nonessential or nonrestrictive clause, that is,
a clause that embellishes a sentence but if removed would
leave the grammatical structure and meaning of the
sentence intact.

Switch A, which was on a panel, controlled the recording

device.

C. To separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunction.

Cedar shavings covered the floor, and paper was available

for shredding.
D. To set off the year in exact dates.

April 25, 2011, was the correct date.

but

April 2011 was the correct month.

E. To set off the year in parenthetical reference
citations
(Harper, 2012)
(Nguyen, 2009, demonstrated....)

F. To separate groups of three digits in most numbers

of 1,000 or more
Do not use a comma
A. Before an essential or restrictive clause, that is, a clause
that limits or defines the material it modifies. Removal of
such a clause from the sentence would alter the intended
meaning.

Example: The switch that stops the recording device also

controls the light.

B. Between two parts of a compound predicate

Example: The results contradicted Smith's hypothesis and
indicated that the effect was non-significant.
C. To separate parts of measurement

8 years 2 months
3 min 40 s

(adapted from the sixth edition of the APA Publication Manual, © 2010)
 When do you use double
quotation marks?
Use double quotation marks
A. To introduce a word or phrase used as an ironic comment, as
slang, or as an invented or coined expression. Use quotation marks
the first time the word or phrase is used; thereafter, do not use
quotation marks.
considered "normal" behavior
the "good-outcome" variable…the good-outcome variable
[no quotation marks after the initial usage]
but
Subjects in the small group [Small is italicized to prevent
misreading—here it means a group designation, not the size of the
group]
B. To set off the title of an article or chapter in a periodical or book
when the title is mentioned in text.

Riger's (1992) article, "Epistemological Debates, Feminist

Voices: Science, Social Values, and the Study of Women“

C. To reproduce material from a test item or verbatim instructions

to participants.

The first fill-in item was "could be expected to __________."

 When do you need to use a hyphen for
compound words?
General Principle 1
If a compound adjective can be misread, use a hyphen.

General Principle 2
In a temporary compound that is used as an adjective before a noun, use a hyphen if
the term can be misread or if the term expresses a single thought (i.e., all words
together modify the noun).

For example:
"the adolescents resided in two parent homes" means that two homes served
as residences, whereas if the adolescents resided in "two-parent homes," they each
would live in a household headed by two parents.

A properly placed hyphen helps the reader understand the intended meaning.
Also use hyphens for:

Compounds in which the base word is

capitalized: pro-Freudian
a number: post-1970
an abbreviation: pre-UCS trial
more than one word: non-achievement-oriented students
All "self-" compounds whether they are adjectives or nouns

self-report
self-esteem
the test was self-paced
Exception: self psychology
Words that could be misunderstood
re-pair [pair again]
re-form [form again]
un-ionized

Words in which the prefix ends and the base word begins with
the same vowel
meta-analysis
anti-intellectual
co-occur
General Principle 3
Most compound adjective rules are applicable only when the compound
adjective precedes the term it modifies. If a compound adjective follows
the term, do not use a hyphen, because relationships are sufficiently
clear without one.

client-centered counseling
but
the counseling was client centered
t-test results
but
results from t tests
same-sex children
but
children of the same sex
General Principle 4
Write most words formed with prefixes and suffixes as one word.

Prefixes
aftereffect
extracurricular
multiphase
socioeconomic

Suffixes
agoraphobia
wavelike
cardiogram
General Principle 5
When two or more compound modifiers have a common
base, this base is sometimes omitted in all except the last
modifier, but the hyphens are retained.
Long- and short-term memory
2-, 3-, and 10-min trials
When should you use a semicolon?
Use a semicolon
A. to separate two independent clauses that are not joined by a conjunction
Example:
The participants in the first study were paid; those in the second were unpaid.

B. To separate elements in a series that already contain commas

Examples:
The color order was red, yellow, blue; blue, yellow, red; or yellow, red, blue.
(Davis & Hueter, 2006; Pettigrew, 2003)
age, M = 34.5 years, 95% CI [29.4, 39.6]; years of education, M = 10.4 [8.7, 12.1];
and weekly income, M = 612 [522, 702].
8 grammar rules for
writing newspaper
headlines
1. Use present simple tense for past events
The present tense is quick and current, and helps emphasise
the action happening, rather than its completion.
 Parliament confirms new stray dog policy
 Lion escapes zoo

If we want to demonstrate the result of an action, or that

something was completed, we can use perfect tenses, and for
changing events, the present continuous may be used. However,
these tenses are often shown by using participles alone.
 Road repair completed
 Local police axed
 2. Leave out auxiliary verbs
With perfect, progressive and passive structures, auxiliary
verbs are not necessary. This makes some headlines appear to be
in the past tense, when actually the headlines use past participles,
or particles, not the past simple. Similarly, changing events are
represented by the present participle on its own.

 New policy decided by Congress(New policy has been decided by

Congress)
 Lion escapes zoo – ten killed (ten people have been killed / were
killed)
 Four stranded in sudden flood (four people have been stranded /
were stranded)
 Temperatures rising as climate changes (temperatures are rising)
3. Use infinitives for future events

 Congress to decide new policy tomorrow

 President to visit China for further talks

Using the infinitive, a future time is not always necessary to

demonstrate the future tense in headlines.
4. Leave out articles (a, an, the)

 PNP Chief hikes Mt. Pulog for charity (The PNP Chief hiked
Mt. Pulog)
 Man releases rabid dog in park (A man released a rabid dog
in a park)
5. Leave out “to be”

 Residents unhappy about new road (residents are

unhappy)

 Family of murder victim satisfied with court decision

(family of murder victim is satisfied)
6. Leave out “to say”

 Mr Jones: “They’re not taking my house!”

 Bush on Iraqi invasion: “This aggression will not stand.”

Reported speech is usually represented by a colon, or a

hyphen, with the subject introduced with ‘on…’. This includes
leaving out other verbs such as comment, tell, argue, announce,
shout – unless the act of speaking needs emphasizing, for
instance to demonstrate a promise or official policy.

 Warlord decrees “Peace by Spring”

7. Replace conjunctions with punctuation

 Police arrest serial killer – close case on abductions

 Fire in bakery: hundreds dead

As with reporting speech, commas, colons, semi-colons,

hyphens and so on can replace all conjunctions, or some joining
verbs, to join clauses. Commas may also be used to join nouns
(more common in American English).

 Man kills 5, self

8. Use figures for numbers

 9 dead in glue catastrophe

 7 days to Christmas – shoppers go mad
Assigning Unit
Counts
Unit Count in Headline:

All small letters except j, l, I, f, t, m and w =1

Small letters j, l, i, f, t =½
Small letters m and w =1½
All capital letters except I, M and W =1½
Capital letter I =½
Capital letters M and W =2
All punctuation marks except the dash, question mark, dollar, peso and percent
sign =½
Dash, question mark, dollar, peso and percent sign =1
All number figures from 0 to 9 except 1 =1
Number 1 =½
All spaces =1