Copy Editing and Calculations

Below is a worksheet that I had to fill out for my copy editing class.  It is mostly based around how editors have to be able to check reporter's numbers.  It is a very important skill to be able to check the numbers of your reporters.  You readers will be looking at this and most of the time they will not check it for themselves, but will talk about the numbers to other people.  The more people that know, the more likely someone else will check the numbers and if you are wrong then it could be a big problem.  Any time that the newspaper is wrong it makes it lose credibility.


1.  The most important factor in the relationship between media and consumers is credibility.

2.  What do editors do? Editors are fact-checkers and perform grammar checks on articles that the reporters write.

3.  Diagram the flow of copy from the reporter through the copy-desk chief.
     Reporter --> City Editor --> Copy desk chief --> Copy Editor --> Copy desk chief

4.  List the segments of the three-step editing process.
     1-Read the article thoroughly.  2-Edit the article thoroughly.  3-Read the article again.

5.  What are the three R's of copy editing?
     Reader-centered, readable and right.

6.  What is the difference between proof-reading and copy editing?
     When you are proof-reading, you basically just read over the article and do little, if any, copy
     editing. Copy editing is when you actually make the editing changes in grammar and 
     structure. You may do a very limited amount of re-writing in the copy editing process as well.

7.  What is the difference between macro editing and micro editing?
      Macro editing takes a look at the big picture of the article.  You make sure it makes sense and
      that it sound coherent overall.  Micro editing is more concerned with the details of the 
      article.  These things include grammar and punctuation.  

8.  Huntington City Council on Monday approved $435,000 for road repairs in the central city.  The
     city's 2008 budget for repairs was $410,000.
             a.  Did the budget for repairs increase or decrease? Increase
             b. What was the percentage of increase or decrease?  (25,000/410,000)=6%
             c.  Last year's budget was what percentage of this year's? (410,000/435,000)=94%
             d.  This year's budget is what percentage of last year's? 106%
 
9.  Mayor Bart Jones announced more bad news. The city plans to spend $5.25 million on bridge
     repairs, a cut of 35 percent from its $6.5 million budget.

10.  These were the scores on a test in JMC 305: 100, 98, 95, 93, 93, 90, 88, 87, 87, 86, 85, 85, 84, 70.
       What is the mean score?  88.64%
       What is the median score? 88%

11.  These were the scores on a test in JMC360:  100, 98, 95, 93, 93, 90, 88, 87, 87, 86, 85, 85, 84.
       What is the mean score?  90.07%
       What is the median score?  88%

12. What would the sales tax be on a purchase of $7.80 if the state charges a 6 percent sales tax?
      7.80 x 0.06 = .468
      This means that the sales tax would be $0.47.