1. Copyreading
Bernadette F. Tamayo

2. 
July 10, 2008, tabloid

3. WATER SAMPLING
Kumuha ng sample ng tubig mula
sa bahaging nilubugan ng MV
Princess of the Stars ang mga
Coast Guard biologists upang
suriin. (AFP)

4. DAVAO BLOOMS
The streets of Davao burst into colors that the
rains failed to wash during the city’s celebration
of the annual Kadayawan sa Dabaw festival.
Street performers, like these students, turned the
city’s roads into a stage to thank the heavens for
the bountiful harvests. - PDI, Aug. 18, 2004
»Corrections PDI August 19, 2004
»IN YESTERDAY’S issue, the caption of a front-page
photo misstated the location of the staging of the
Kadayawan sa Dabaw festival. The staging was held on
the campus of the Centro Escolar University in
Manila – not the streets of Davao City.

5. COPYREADING & HEADLINE WRITING
 Copyreading is
editing the copy by the
use of appropriate
symbols.
 A copy is the
typewritten material
submitted to the
encoder for
typesetting.
 Proofreading is
correction of errors in
galley or page proofs
by the use of
proofreading symbols.
 A galley proof is a
long, narrow proof
pulled from type on a
galley.

6. Preparing the copy
Type on one side of the sheet , double space.
Identify the story on the first page with a
 slugline : the name of the paper
»words identifying the story
»the reporter
»the date
Indent at least five spaces each paragraph.
Type the word More at the bottom of each
page except the last, which is marked with
30 or #.

7. The copy
The Republic
Enrolment increases by 2%
Yasmin Tamayo
June 25
The students enrolled at Marcelo H.
del Pilar National high School (MHPNHS)
increased by 2%.
More

8. Tips for Polishing Copy
 You should be the reader's advocate in
improving the story. Every change you make
should improve a story. If it doesn't improve the
story, it's not worth your time.
 What's the story about?
Ask what the story is about and what's the
point.
 If you can't answer these two distinct questions,
the reader surely won't know. The story may
need some more work by the writer to provide a
stronger focus. If you know what the story is
about and what the point is, ask yourself
whether the lead reflects that understanding. If
not, the story may need revision.

9. The copy
The Republic
Enrolment increases by 2%
Yasmin Tamayo
June 25
The students enrolled at Marcelo H.
del Pilar National high School (MHPNHS)
increased by two percent from last year’s
11,340 to 12,627 this school year.
More

10. Tips for Polishing Copy
What's the news?
Ask yourself what the news is. Is it high
enough in the story? If you're pulling
your headline from the sixth paragraph,
consider whether that should be the lead.
Try to make fun of the story.
Does it contain any obvious statements
that will draw a "duh!" from the reader?
Does it have any awkward double
meaning?

11. The Craft of Copy Editing
Collaborate with Reporters
Too often copy editors and reporters are
viewed as adversaries rather than
collaborators. The best copy editors work
with reporters to improve their stories and
ensure accuracy.
Respect the writer's authorship.
However good or bad a story is, the writer is
the author. The writer's name goes on the
story. The writer will hear any feedback from
the public about the story. The editor should
always try to consult the writer about
significant changes and should try to make
changes in the writer's voice and style.

12. The Craft of Copy Editing
Respect the writer's knowledge.
Before you change a fact in the story, check
with the writer, even if the writer isn't
readily available. You may check your clips
or another resource and be quite sure the
writer has made an error. Changing facts
without consulting the reporter invites
corrections and animosity.
Consult about headlines.
Run your headline past the reporter if time
allows. Maybe you've missed the point of
the story (in which case, maybe the reporter
needs to make the point clearer). The
reporter can help prevent a headline that is
inaccurate, or potentially offensive.

13. The Craft of Copy Editing
This advice from Pisetzner:
"Make friends, particularly with the
reporters. Wander over at the start of your
shift, compliment them on pieces they
wrote, talk shop when they have a minute.
Tell them why you made a change; try to
look regretful if they disapprove. Claw
away at that stone wall between natural
adversaries. Build trust. After a while, it's
amazing how much leeway they'll give you
as you try to do your job properly."

14. The Craft of Copy Editing
And this advice from Perlman:
"An editor needs to be able to explain what
the problem is and propose a solution, not
just cite 'rules.' If there's no time on
deadline, do it the next day, or leave a note.
When reporters and higher-ups see that a
copy editor is paying attention to the
content, and cares not just about what the
reporter got wrong but also about what the
reader might not understand and carefully
and logically points it out, they may listen.

15. The copy editor
 The duty of editing falls
chiefly on the editor in chief
who sits at the head of the
copy desk with his
copyreaders.
 The most essential function
of a copy editor is to watch
for mistakes.
 He is the last line of defense,
what gets past the copy desk
gets into the paper.

16. Copy editor’s job
 FOLLOWS STYLE
RULES
Makes sure the
story conforms to
the newspaper
stylebook or style
sheet for
consistency.
Is it enrolment or
enrollment? Per
cent or percent?
Are months in
given dates
abbreviated or
not?

17. Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS FACTS
 Checks names, titles
addresses,
designations,
identifications, etc.
 Rechecks figures and
totals.
 Challenges facts,
claims or reports
when they sound
anomalous, illogical
and incredible
 Does the story cite a
semestral study grant of
P12,000.00 and provide
figures itemized as
P2,500.00 for tuition,
P7,000.00 for books and
P3,500.00 for lodging?
 Is it Mr. Roxas or
Rojas? Willie Salvador
or Willie Sy Alvarado?

18. Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS SPELLING
AND GRAMMAR
Straightens out
ungrammatical
constructions.
Checks spelling and
punctuation.
 Checks sentence
construction
Almost all sentences
in the story should be
in the active voice,
not passive.
The editor changes
this sentence:
Suggestions is offered
by the Student
Counsel to _______

19. Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS ORGANIZATION
Rewrites the lead
when necessary.
Cuts a story to size
or to the required
length.
Shortens sentences
and tightens
paragraphs if need be.
 Does the article play
up the feature or
most important fact
of the story?
 Is something
mentioned in the lead
but not mention
again or elaborated
until the eight
paragraph?

20. Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS
EDITORIALIZING
 Watches out for
slanting or any
attempt to present
the story in a subtly
biased way.
 Deletes all opinions,
speculations and
statements which are
without sources.
 Cross out adjectives in
news items.
 The reader must know
whose opinion is being
expressed. Some
reporters provide
attribution in the lead
and then never mention
the source again.The
editor puts in all the
necessary “he said,” “she
pointed out,” “he added,”

21. Copy editor’s job
 CHECKS
LIBELOUS
TEXT
 Watches out for
libelous or derogatory
statements.(Truth is
not an excuse for libel,
with ill motive behind)
 Checks attributions
and see that they are
properly identified.
 Tuwing hahagikhik si Kris
to a suggestive question ni
Boy, ang nagpa-flash sa tao
ay hindi sweet girl kundi
“may STD ‘to, “may STD
‘to, may STD ‘to.” Sa dami
ng lalaking inaamin niyang
naging konektado sa kanya,
minsan maiisip mo, sa
pinaggagawa niya, desrve
naman niyang magka-STD
eh. - Abante

22. Copyreading Symbols
 The copy editor does not erase anything
in the article but only makes use of
copyreading symbols to suggest the
necessary corrections or changes.
At the end of the article, the editor writes
# to suggest end of the story
Or
more to mean the article is lacking in
information

23.  When all the corrections
have been made, the copy
editor goes over the story one more time,
reading it for sense, for total effect rather
than mechanical problems. The editor
takes the role of the reader and asks:
“Are all the questions answered? Is it
clear? Easy to read?
 Then he is ready to write the headline.

24. COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS
• MANILA, Philippines - A 16-years-old
in coming high school senior wins the covet
English Speaking Union’s (EUSU) International
Public Speaking Competition last friday onn
London.
Dapul’s fiveminute speech entitled, “Fish
mucus and Foot Fungus” focused on how
scientific research could served as a cure-all
for many of the world’s problem
Gian Carlo Dapul, a cute student at the
Philippines Science High School bested almost
sixty participant from 35 countries withthe
competitions’ theme, Frontiers New.”

25. COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS
• MANILA, Philippines - A 16
years-old in coming highschool
senior wins the covet English
English Speaking Union’s
(EUSU) International
Public Speaking Competition
last friday onn London.

26. COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS
Dapul’s fiveminute speech
entitled, “Fish mucus and Foot
Fungus” focused on how
scientific research could served
as a cure-all for many of the
world’s problem

27. COPYREAD USING SYMBOLS
• Gian Carlo Dapul, a cute
student at the Philippines
Science High School bested
almost sixty participant from
35 countries with the
competitions’ theme, Frontiers
New.”

28. His speech also went well with judges for
its oft-humorous lines.
For instance, while speaking about the
“most expensive coffee in the world” which
is gathered from the droppings of a civet
cat, Dapul asked, “So, who’s had coffee
with their breakfast?”
“If only we could make science fairs and
contests as popular as the thriving ‘Pop
Idol’ franchise. Although I’m not sure if
Simon Cowell’s sardonic comments will sit
well with my peers,’ he added in his
speech.

29.  MANILA, Philippines - A 16-year-old
incoming high school senior won the
coveted English Speaking Union’s (ESU)
International Public Speaking Competition
last Friday in London.
 Gian Carlo Dapul, a student at the Philippine
Science High School bested almost 60
participants from 35 countries with the
competition’s theme, “New Frontiers.”
 Dapul’s five-minute speech entitled, “Fish
mucus and Foot Fungus” focused on how
scientific research could serve as a cure-all
for many of the world’s problems.
 more