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 CHAPTER X

EDITING COPY

What Copy-Reading Means. All news stories, whether written by reporters, sent through the mail by correspondents, or received by telegraph or telephone, must be read and edited before they are set up in type. This work is done either by the editor in whose department the news belongs or by a copy-reader. The reading and editing of copy consists of:

(1) Correcting all errors whether in expression or in fact.

(2) Making the story conform to the so-called "style" of the newspaper.

(3) Improving the story in any respect.

(4) Eliminating libelous matter.

(5) Marking copy for the printer.

(6) Writing headlines and subheads.

The good copy-reader must be able to catch instantly, and correct quickly, errors of all kinds. Good copy, or "clean copy," as it is called, should be free from mistakes in spelling, grammar, and rhetoric; but rapid writing too often leads to carelessness, and the copy-reader's work is correspondingly increased by the necessity of doing what the writer has neglected to do. The correction of such errors, however, is not the most important part of his work. He must be able to detect and correct errors of fact. As every art, science, business, occupation, sport, recreation,—in short, every form of activity, is the subject of news, the copy-reader should be able to pass intelligent judgment on the accuracy of stories written about these various activities.