Copy editing protocols - Some Examples

 

The Charlotte, N.C., Observer

The Charlotte Observer protocol for copy editors/editors-reporters

This is a guide to help copy editors find their way through the sometimes murky issue of when to consult about changes they make in stories.This is mostly just common sense, buttressed by an assumption of professionalism,courtesy and sensitivity on all sides.

 

To begin, some principles:

1. Copy editors are editors, not proofreaders. We are professionals who exercise

judgment, who are skilled at word-editing, who want to help the reader understand the news.

2. Copy editors realize it is not our names on the stories, but the reporters’, so we don’t edit arbitrarily. We edit to improve.

3. Like doctors, if we cannot cure a story’s ills we will, at the very least, do no harm.

4. When we change a story, we must be absolutely sure nothing we do changes its meaning or tone or in any other way makes it inaccurate.

5. When in doubt, consult, if for no other reason than to help educate our colleagues in good editing.

 

Some specifics:

A. We should always consult with the assigning editor or the reporter about:

1. “Jazzing up” a lead.

2. Editing for fairness or to remove editorializing.

3. Editing to change a story’s tone.

4. Any change inside quote marks.

5. Any change that could alter the meaning of even one sentence in the story in such a way that might make it inaccurate.

 

B. In many areas, whether to consult depends on the magnitude of the change or

whether the change would alter meaning. Other factors that sometimes affect whether we consult: how near deadline we are, whether the story is staff-written, how sensitive the story is, how important the story is.

Here are some situations when copy editors will often want to consult with assigning editors:

1. Moving a paragraph.

2. Cutting an unnecessary paragraph.

3. Filling in a missing word.

4. Clarifying sentences.

5. Moving or adding attribution.

6. Adding background.

7. Tightening wording in a lead.

8. Trimming information from a lead.

 

C. Sometimes we don’t need to consult with assigning editors – assuming the editing we do is appropriate, helps the story and doesn't alter the meaning or tone. These things are essential to aggressive, skilled copy editing and we don’t need to ask permission to do them:

1. Correcting grammar, punctuation, usage and style errors.

2. Correcting factual errors.

3. Adding factual information, such as locaters, calculating percentages, getting the correct name of an agency.

4. Cutting wordiness.

5. Clarifying language.

Explanations and feedback:

We need to be told if we make errors in copy editing. Assigning editors and reporters should know why changes are made. If a copy editor must make extensive changes in a story, or routinely makes the same change in the same reporter’s story, we are obligated to communicate that to the reporter or assigning editor, who should talk about it with the reporter.

When a copy editor and assigning editor or reporter disagree about whether a change is needed:

1. Collaborate. Each editor should explain his/her position. For example, a note from an assigning editor, answering a questioned passage, that says only, “Let's keep it this way,”doesn't provide much information.

2. Make sure the copy desk slot knows what the issue is. He or she can help

collaborate.

3. If the impasse remains – if either editor thinks the wrong thing is going into the newspaper – consult whoever’s in charge of the newsroom.

4. Remember the rules of conduct: We're all trying to put out an excellent newspaper. We respect each other, even when we disagree. Remember the readers.

 

 

The Oklahoman

The Oklahoman’s protocol

1. ANY QUESTIONS of fact pertaining to reporting are referred to the line editor,

who either answers them for the copy desk or contacts the reporter and then relays the information to the copy editor. Examples of this would be conflicting spellings of names, unclear paragraphs and missing first references to sources. In general, copy editors do not contact reporters directly, but they may do so. Most of the time, line editors can answer questions without consulting the reporters because of their previous knowledge of the story, so copy editors consult the line editor first. If further information is needed, the line editor calls the reporter. If no line editor is available, the copy desk may decide a call to a reporter is warranted.

2. ANY QUESTIONS of fact pertaining to general knowledge and/or style are checked with the appropriate reference source. Examples of this would be spellings of town names, historical events, grammar, capitalization and style.

3. COPY CAN BE EDITED as needed, without consulting the line editor, to make

the reporter’s meaning more clear or to conform to style. Examples of this would be unclear writing, punctuation and awkward sentence construction. Exceptions: The line editor IS consulted if copy editors need to change the lead or a quotation, if copy editors aren't certain what meaning was intended in a passage, and in other special circumstances. (For example, if a school superintendent uses poor grammar, there might be an argument in favor of leaving it as it is.)

4. If A REPORTER BELIEVES a significant error was edited into a story, the

reporter should discuss the matter with the line editor to determine whether this protocol was followed. If the matter needs further discussion, the line editor should talk with the supervisor of the copy desk, who will try to determine where an editing error occurred.

The copy desk supervisor will be responsible for discussing the error with the copy editor and determining corrective action, which can range from discussing the change with the reporter/line editor to writing a correction for publication.

5. REPORTERS MAY ASK line editors to explain or look into significant changes or

major errors, following the chain of responsibility outlined above, and editors should provide such feedback when it is requested.

 

ADDENDUM TO PROTOCOL

Minimizing errors is a team process — for reporters, line editors, copy editors and

layout editors — and cooperation is key. Some suggestions:

For reporters:

• Take your notes and stories with you when you leave work, in case you’re called for clarification.
• Call your line editor if you’re particularly concerned about a story.
• Put notes of suggested cuts into your copy.
• Realize that space shortages are not the fault of the copy desk.

For copy editors:

• Realize that reporters are criticized for edited-in errors.
• It’s easy for cuts to become personal to the reporter when the reporter’s name is on the story.
• Reporters must deal with sources who may have been offended or irritated by editing changes.

• Some stories aren't written in inverted pyramid, and it's not always best to cut the ending.