Writing and Editing for Print Media
What the domain tests
This domain assesses your ability to write clean copy and edit it to a house style: leads, headlines, captions, structure and proofreading.
Core rules and concepts
- Inverted pyramid: most newsworthy fact first, then details, then background.
- Lead: 25–35 words, one main idea, active voice, attribution where needed. Types: summary, question, quotation, anecdotal, contrast.
- Headline: active verb, present tense for past events, 'to' for future, no full stop, single quotes for speech, consistent tone. Avoid puns that distort facts.
- Byline names the reporter; dateline gives place and date; caption explains the photo and names people; credit line names the photographer.
- Sub-editing checks accuracy of names, numbers and titles; grammar; house style; length; legal risk; and page fit.
- Page terms: dummy, masthead, ear panel, columns, gutter, folio, jump line, widow and orphan.
Worked example
Draft: 'In a move that has been widely welcomed by many residents, the municipality on Tuesday decided to repair the road.' Edited lead: 'The municipality will repair ... road, residents said on Tuesday.' Reasoning: the original buries the decision behind a comment, uses nominalisation and vague 'many'. The edit puts the action first, uses a concrete verb and attributes the reaction. A headline could read: 'Civic body orders road repair after residents' protest' - active verb, present tense, no period.
Traps that cost marks
Missing attribution; mixing tenses; headline that expresses opinion; caption that repeats the lead; proofreading only for spelling and not for names, figures or legal risk.