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 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 —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 ; 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