Copyreading and

Headline Writing
MEDEN F. FADRIQUELA
New Era University-Integrated School
Copyreading and Headline Writing
The art of arranging, correcting, and selecting the quality
and type of news that are within acceptable journalistic
standards in terms of style and editorial policy. Specialist
in this field is called copyreader/ copyeditor.

Copyreading gives the article the final touch

before it goes to the printer.
Copyreading, editing, correcting the article
are synonymous terms.

The copyreader goes over the article, makes all the

necessary corrections.
He reads the article very carefully looking out for errors in
grammar and spelling, errors in fact and in style.
He also does away with libelous statements which harm
the reputation of the persons or subjects mentioned
in the article and which may put the editorial staff
in hot water.
The copyreader writes the headline and
determines the typography for it.

Responsibilities of Copyreader

♦ edits errors on grammar (spelling, tenses, etc.)

♦ edits errors of fact (accuracy check)
♦ judges news value (grading of nesw)
♦ edits verbose copy (keeps the copy tight)
♦ writes the headline

QUALITIES of a GOOD COPYREADER

♥ Must possess certain qualities not everybody in the
staff may have.
♥ Must have a good command of the language.
♥ Must have at his fingertips a good working knowledge
on the rules of grammar.
♥ Must have a wide vocabulary.
♥ Must be well-read and must have a storage
of general and current information.
♥ Must be well aware of libel news.

PROCEDURES in COPYREADING
♣ Whenever the copyreader sits down to work, he has
the intention of making the copy free of errors.
♣ It is the goal of copyreader, therefore to do his work
systematically and efficiently.
♣ It would be good to follow the following steps:
1. Read the whole article first to determine
what kind of story it is.
2. Having determined the type of story,
read the article again.
This time, determine which is the lead paragraph.
 3. Read the story again and mark all paragraph
beginnings. Then correct errors in grammar, spelling,
punctuations and style using copyreading symbols.

4. Improve the organization of the story. Make sure

the lead features the lead fact.

5. Go over the whole story again. Remove

all unnecessary and irrelevant materials.

6. Check the length of the story, then prepare

the clean copy.
8. Write a very catchy and fitting headline for
the story.
9. Give the printer’s mark for the body text
and the headline. Encircle the slug line.
10. The article is now ready for printing.

Copyreading Symbols
VERBAL DEADWOOD
A useless phrasing of any sort like unnecessary
introductory passages, pointless modifiers, or
repetitious and aimless phrasing.
The moment you see verbal deadwood and redundant
words in the article you're editing, delete and
change with better and more appropriate
words and phrases.

Example of Verbal Deadwood, Redundant Words

(wordy & weak) (better/briefer)
• for the reason that -----------because
• a large proportion ------------many
• at the present time -----------now
• succumbed to injuries--------died
• at an early date-----------------soon
• is of the opinion that ---------believes
• in the neighborhood of ------near
• in the event of -------------------in case
• in spite of the fact ------------- although
• draw attention of --------------remind
Example of Verbal Deadwood, Redundant Words
(wordy & weak) (better/briefer)
tendered his resignation -------resigned
• affixed his signature ---------- signed
• united in holy matrimony--- --married
• held a conference --------------met
• told his listeners ----------------said
• Access ………………........…obtain
• Accompanied by ………….. with
• Acute emergency …………. emergency
• Additionally ………………. in addition
• Adequate enough ……….... adeguate
THE HEADLINE
☺An assemblage of words written in bigger, bolder
letters than the usual page text at the beginning of
the news, also known as the head, but not a title.

☺The word “headline” is understood by many

people to mean the biggest story of the day.
In journalism, however, “headline” is the
title of a news story big or small.

☺A well-written story will go unread if the headline does not

grab the reader. Headlines also serve as a graphic element
on the page.
☺Bad headlines confuse readers, turn them off, invite
criticism, invoke laughter (for the wrong reasons), or are just
moronic.

☺Good headlines capture the readers’

attention and make them want
to explore the story.

2 Major Types of Headline:

♦ News headline – deals with hard facts and summary
Ex.: Business leaders tackle global crisis

♦ Feature headline – deals with novelty, human

interest element
Ex.: The sea is on red alert!
(pertains to red tide menace)

As title of the news, the headline serves the following

purposes:
1. It gives the summary of the news.
2. It allows the hurried reader to get a quick glimpse
of the news. Later in the day, when he has the time,
he will read the story in its entirety.
3. It contributes to the physical attractiveness
of the paper.

RULES IN WRITING HEADLINES

1. The headline must have a verb and it must be in the
present tense.
Wrong: Santos topped editorial tilt
Correct: Santos tops editorial tilt
2. Minimize punctuation marks. Use single quotation
marks. Use a comma in place of “and”
and a semicolon to separate sentences.
Wrong: Rolling stores to sell rice and groceries
Correct: Rolling stores to sell rice, groceries
subheading
3. Do not use period
4. Don’t use the articles- a, an, the
Wrong: A fire hits Tondo squatters’ are
Correct: Fire hits Tondo squatters’ area

5. Don’t use names unless the person is

well-known.
Wrong: Simon electrocuted
Correct: Electrician electrocuted

a subheading
6. Use the infinitive for future events.
Wrong: City Hall will push anti-squatting drive
Correct: City Hall to push anti-squatting drive

7. Use specific terms instead of generalities

Wrong: School official gets scholarship
Correct: Principal gets US scholarship

QUALITIES OF A GOOD HEADLINE:

1. The headline presents the news in capsule, thus it is
telegraphic.
2. It must contain the most important fact of the story
It is not the place for details.
3. It must be constructed as to catch the reader’s
attention and make him read the story.
4. Size and length of the headline must be
proportional to the length of the
story and its importance.
6. The headline makes use of special vocabulary which
is not suitable for ordinary communication
situations.
7. No hanging prepositions
8. No repetition of words
9. Uses familiar abbreviations only
10. No typographical errors/ grammar errors
11. No editorializing
15. Not labels

Headline Writing: TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

• fit into space
must know the head unit count
• must know the font size of letters
• must know the number of decks
layers of headline)
• must know the number of columns
(one, two, three, four etc.)

Headline Vocabulary dismiss …...............quash

Add decrease ………dip charge …….............rap
examination ………..quiz question …............grill
announce …………… bare urge …………...........prod
highlight ……………...cap mad killer …..........amok
speak ……………….....urge disregard...............rule out
conference ………….confab sign ………...............ink
investigation ………..probecapture ……...........net
investigator …………prober
disapprove ………….buck,scrap

Headline Vocabulary
strengthen…..........beef up approval ..............nod
agreement ............accord arrest ...................nab
practice ..................hone up student ................stude
praise .....................laud writer ...................scribe
year ........................milestone government ........govt
delay ......................snag councilor .............dad
identify ...................finger

start ........................trigger

end .........................wind up

THE ACTIVE VOICE IN HEADLINE

♦ The verb is said to be in the active voice when the

subject is the doer of the action.

♦ The ACTIVE Voice is preferred over the PASSIVE voice

because it is more vigorous; however, the PASSIVE
voice must be used when the action is more
significant than the doer of the action.

Active Headlines
Pasig City eyes vaxxing all minors 12-17 this month

Vaccine makers apply for booster immunization

Caloocan to review dress code over ‘short shorts’

5 Abu Sayyaf bandits surrender in Sulu

DOLE to resume face to face job fair

The Passive Voice
A passive voice headline tells what happened, but hides the who.
What happened is more important than the doer. We usually
use passive headline in accident story.

The verb here is in the past participle

( d, ed, en or changed)
Passive Headlines
Centino named Armed Forces chief of staff
Vaccination required for onsite workers
Rookie cop nabbed for killing of student

2 died, 5 injured in grenade blast

P740K worth of marijuana destroyed

Caloocan to review dress code over ‘short shorts’

MANILA, Philippines — The Caloocan City

government will review its dress code ordinance
after a woman complained of being accosted for
wearing “short shorts,” Mayor Oscar Malapitan
said yesterday.
 Pacquiao hits trapos over political changes

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao criticized

traditional politicians or “trapos” for their changing political
stands.

DOH reminds public COVID19 still a threat

The Department of Health (DOH) reminded the

public that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
continues to be a threat despite the easing of
restrictions and the downward trend of cases in
the country.
 News Arial
70 pts - head
EU reaffirms... 2 cols - head
MFF EU reaffirms commitment to Mindanao 1 deck - head
11 pts - lead
11-17-21 10 pts - text
2 cols - text
p.2 downstyle
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10 pts - text
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