The Rise of Nine
COPYREADING AND HEADLINE WRITING: More than Just Marks and Words
By Marnela Kathleen V. Pasamba
Objectives: 1. Define briefly what copyreading and headline writing is. 2. Describe the role of copyreaders and headline writers (copy fixers). 3. Give the checklist for editors. 4. Explain what headlines are. 5. Give some pointers and rules in writing headlines. 6. Teach the mechanics of headline writing. 7. Give some interactive exercises on the use of copyreading signs and symbols and headline writing.
What is Copyreading and Headline Writing? It is the way of improving a story and making an appropriate headline for the article.
The ROLE of Copy Fixers Good copy fixers keep the spirit and substance of the story. He/She basically brightens and polishes the article. He makes the story better by organizing it better than when it was submitted.
8-Step Checklist for Editors 1. Read the story quickly and get its main idea. 2. Correct obvious errors of facts or spelling. 3. Rewrite the lead, if necessary. 4. Break up long paragraphs into shorter ones. 5. Decide if the story is too long for its relative value. Trim it as needed. 6. Look for mistakes in punctuation, grammar and facts. 7. Watch for potentially libelous statements. Make sure it is accurate and fair to all sides. 8. Write the headline.
What are HEADLINES? Headlines are display windows of newspapers. It is a quick source of information about the story.
7-Pointers in Headline Writing 1. Skeletonize it. Omit unnecessary words and articles. 2. Use present tense in stories that already happened and use the infinite form of the verb for future actions. 3. Use active voice. 4. Avoid “to be” words. 5. Be specific. Use precise words. 6. Be accurate and direct. 7. Avoid exclamation points or other punctuations.
Rules in Headline Writing 1. The head should tell the gist of the story simply
By Marnela Kathleen V. Pasamba
Objectives: 1. Define briefly what copyreading and headline writing is. 2. Describe the role of copyreaders and headline writers (copy fixers). 3. Give the checklist for editors. 4. Explain what headlines are. 5. Give some pointers and rules in writing headlines. 6. Teach the mechanics of headline writing. 7. Give some interactive exercises on the use of copyreading signs and symbols and headline writing.
What is Copyreading and Headline Writing? It is the way of improving a story and making an appropriate headline for the article.
The ROLE of Copy Fixers Good copy fixers keep the spirit and substance of the story. He/She basically brightens and polishes the article. He makes the story better by organizing it better than when it was submitted.
8-Step Checklist for Editors 1. Read the story quickly and get its main idea. 2. Correct obvious errors of facts or spelling. 3. Rewrite the lead, if necessary. 4. Break up long paragraphs into shorter ones. 5. Decide if the story is too long for its relative value. Trim it as needed. 6. Look for mistakes in punctuation, grammar and facts. 7. Watch for potentially libelous statements. Make sure it is accurate and fair to all sides. 8. Write the headline.
What are HEADLINES? Headlines are display windows of newspapers. It is a quick source of information about the story.
7-Pointers in Headline Writing 1. Skeletonize it. Omit unnecessary words and articles. 2. Use present tense in stories that already happened and use the infinite form of the verb for future actions. 3. Use active voice. 4. Avoid “to be” words. 5. Be specific. Use precise words. 6. Be accurate and direct. 7. Avoid exclamation points or other punctuations.
Rules in Headline Writing 1. The head should tell the gist of the story simply