Posts Tagged ‘accuracy tips’

Tips from the New York Times for avoiding misspelled names

I recently blogged some proofreading tips from the New York Times, and now the paper is back with some new advice. This time the topic is misspelled names, which has long been a problem for the paper. Here are the latest stats on the Times and its name issue: My colleague Greg Brock reports that [...]

Proofreading tips from the New York Times

Patrick LaForge’s official title at the New York Times is editor of news presentation. In a practical sense, he oversees the copy desks at the paper. (His Twitter account is also worth a follow.) I met LaForge in person in the spring when I gave an error prevention workshop at the Times. (I offered to [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Kevin Bottrell

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Michael Moon

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Amanda McAlpine

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Mandy Jenkins

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Emma Jacobs

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Madeleine Cummings

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Lisa McLendon

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Eric Borer

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: John X. Miller

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Wendy Stonecash

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Sean Driscoll

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Heidi Hallett

I recently made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. You [...]

Show me your accuracy checklist: Annie Labrecque

Last week I made an offer to my fellow journalists: if you create a personal accuracy checklist, I'll send you a free copy of my book. Checklists are the best tool for preventing factual errors. I want more of us in the press to use them, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is. [...]

New column: 5 tips for avoiding errors in earnings reporting

Ah, earnings season. CFOs reach for their lucky pen, belt, shoes or other good luck charm. Investor relations teams prepare to highlight the good and mitigate the bad. And if you listen closely, you can hear conference call lines being initiated all over the country. Reporting on corporate earnings leaves a journalist open to committing [...]

New CJR columns: Ditch your gut, and Slate’s updated correction policy

I forgot to add a link to my Columbia Journalism Review column from last week, which provides journalists with a wealth of advice and resources for online verification. An excerpt: Content Analysis Author – Is someone identified as the author of the site or article? Google them, look for a personal website. If their byline [...]

Why the Washington Times accuracy memo is bad for corrections

The Washington Times made an embarrassing mistake on its website last week. This picture pretty much speaks for itself: Yes, those are the Obama kids. No, they weren’t involved in the story. After being spotted by one blog, the image quickly spread. Some people said it was an example of the Times’ right-wing bias. The [...]

CJR columns: an argument in favor of checklists, a look at homegrown errorists

After releasing my free Regret the Error Accuracy Checklist earlier this week (download your copy here), I devoted my latest CJR online column to the subject of checklists. This column offers background on why checklists have proven useful in so many different industries and professions. I examine why they work for journalists, and why we [...]

Recent CJR columns: The cause of errors, fake letters to the editor, to repeat or not to repeat

I’m a bit behind in posting links to my weekly column for Columbia Journalism Review online. Here are pointers to three recent columns, with excerpts. My full column archive is online here. Today’s column: A Rare Peek at Why Errors Occur Last Sunday’s New York Times was a treasure trove of accuracy-related information, and I [...]

Thinking about mistakes

The New York Times’ Career Couch feature recently offered advice for dealing with workplace mistakes. A lot of the insights can also be applied to journalistic errors. Here are some relevant excerpts: One key to handling errors effectively is to recognize they aren’t necessarily a reflection of your native abilities and intelligence, [Carol Tavris, a [...]

Corrections and accuracy wishes for the new year

This is the final Regret post for 2008. Regular posting will resume on January 5, 2009. I’m usually so busy tracking corrections and errors that I don’t get a chance to write about the best ways to prevent and correct mistakes. With 2008 coming to a close, it’s a perfect time to list some of [...]

No such thing as a “Medal of Honor winner”

David Sullivan, who writes the That’s the Press, Baby blog, recently offered some good advice for copy editors: We ran a story last week on a winner of the Medal of Honor. Like every good copy editor, I have been told for decades that it is a factual error to call it the Congressional Medal [...]