In punctuation, not infrequent errors are (1) the use of a comma instead of a semicolon to separate independent, grammatically unconnected statements; (2) the omission of apostrophes in the possessive case and in contractions; (3) the omission of a period after abbreviations; (4) the use of double instead of single quotation marks; (5) the failure to put quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph of a continuous quotation and at the end of only the last paragraph.
Following the “Style Book.” As each newspaper has its peculiar “style,” so-called, the copy-reader must learn the rules set forth in the “style book” which his newspaper prints for the guidance of its reporters, editors, copy-readers, and compositors. These rules have to do with capitalization, abbreviation, hyphenation, punctuation, use of numerical figures, and also with the use of certain words and phrases. The form and size of each kind of headline and the number or letter by which it is to be designated in the copy, are sometimes included in the style book. Every newspaper office has its own method of designating the heads, either by number or letter, whether or not the method is printed in the style book. Almost every style book has a long or short list of “Don’ts,” which includes common errors to be avoided and frequently those words and phrases that are pet aversions of the editor-in-chief or of the managing editor.
How the Copy-Reader Works. In all this work of the copy-reader the important element is speed. Every minute is valuable in the newspaper office, and only those who can work rapidly as well as accurately can expect to hold a position long. To rearrange, to reconstruct, to correct, rather than to rewrite, and to do this quickly and skillfully, is the real work of the copy-reader. To putter over details is an inexcusable fault. The combination of speed and accuracy in a copy-reader is the ideal of the editor.
On large newspapers under the plan of having all news copy read at one desk by copy-readers under the direction of a head copy-reader, every news story goes to the head copy-reader, who, after deciding on its value, determines how much space it is worth and what size head it shall have. Before passing the story over to one of the copy-readers, the head reader gives it a catch-line, or “slugs” it, to indicate its character and to serve as a means of identification. He also indicates by means of a number the size of head to be written for it; for example, “No. 1 Wreck” indicates the name of the story and the style of head.
If the copy is being read page by page as fast as it is written rather than after the whole story is completed, the guide or catch-line may be repeated at the top of each page, thus “4 Storm,” which means that this is page 4 of the storm story. The head copy-reader also keeps a record of all copy that passes through his hands, the entries in which may be something like this, “Walters—Wreck—500—No. 1—11.15 A.M.—more,” which means that from one of the members of the staff named Walters, he received a story of a wreck that contained about 500 words; that he gave it a No. 1 head; that it went to the composing room to be set up in type at 11.15 A.M.; and that more of the story is to follow.
When the head copy-reader passes over the story to the copy-reader who is to edit it, he may give verbal directions in regard to cutting it down, “playing up” important facts buried by the writer, or improving the form or expression as he thinks best; or he may leave all these details to the discretion of the copy-reader. The latter begins to correct and improve the story as soon as he has finished the piece of work that he has in hand. It is not unusual during the rush hours when time is very valuable to send stories to the copy desk as each page is written, and as the page is edited, to send it up to the composing room to be put into type, without waiting for the complete story. Under these circumstances a copy-reader is often editing alternate pages of several entirely different stories, all the details of which he must carry in mind in order to handle them intelligently and to write a complete and accurate headline if, as is sometimes the case, this is written only after the last page of copy on the story has been read.
Use of Guide Lines. Catch-lines, such as “Society,” “State,” “Sport,” aid in assembling news that is to go on one page or in one department. When several independent stories, each with a separate head, are to be assembled so that one will follow the other, the catch-lines may indicate this thus: “Lead Convention,” “Follow Convention,” “First Follow Convention,” “Second Follow Convention,” etc. In making up a report of a state or national political convention, these catch-lines are of considerable assistance. When, on the other hand, copy is being edited that is to follow immediately upon the lead or any part of the story without a separate head, the copy is marked “Add Convention,” “First Add Convention,” “Second Add Convention,” etc.
Not infrequently after the story has gone to the composing room new facts of sufficient importance develop to warrant the writing of a new lead or of a new paragraph or two to be inserted somewhere in the story. In the case of a new lead the copy is marked “New Lead Convention,” and the copy of the inserts is marked “First Insert Convention” or “Insert A Convention.” Whenever it is known in advance that there are to be additions to the story later, the copy-reader writes “more” at the end of the piece of copy, instead of the end mark (#). If the head is not sent to the composing room with the copy, the copy is marked “Head to Come.” This is often done when it is known that important news is coming that should be embodied in the head. If this later news is to be put into the lead, the story may be sent up without a lead and with the explanation “Lead to Come.” Stories to be used in a particular edition are marked “Noon Edition,” “Market Edition,” etc. All these catch-lines should be taken out when the type is assembled in the forms in making up.
The typewritten copy of telegraph news furnished by news distributing agencies like the Associated Press and the United Press has guide lines on stories for the benefit of the editors whenever such explanatory matter is necessary. In order to keep their newspaper clients informed of the latest phases of the news, these associations send brief bulletins and “flash” statements, which they follow with more complete stories as the news develops. The first news of an accident, for example, comes as a bulletin, and later more details are furnished in one or more additions to the original bulletin or in substitution for it. The following example taken from the United Press telegraph news service illustrates how news stories, the parts of which are furnished at intervals during the day, are supplied with guide lines:
(1)