Vocabulary Builder, Pamela Di Pinto

Short words are essential for headline writers when limited by space. Here are ten words from the vocabulary list from pg. 181 of the text, plus two extra short synonyms for each word. At the bottom are two of my own words to add to the list, along with their shorter synonyms:

*Note: My additions are in italics

1. Acquire: get, gain, earn
   
2. Answer: reply, retort, rejoin
   
3. Confess: admit, grant, allow
   
4. Decline, Decrease: dip, fall, drop, crash
   
5. Destroy: raze, beat, crush
6. Murder: kill, slay, snuff, whack
   
7. Resign: quit, leave, cede
   
8. Reveal: tell, show, blurt
   
9. Steal: rob, loot, take, rob, nab
   
10. Suspend: stop, end, delay, defer

My additions to the list:

1. Assault: hit, beat
   
2. Deliver: give, deal
   

Headline Wordle, Pamela Di Pinto

Headline Wordle, Jennifer Carbert

Writing headlines is an art. Here are some words to describe how a headline should be viewed.

Vocabulary Builder, Aden Cruz

Using short and concise words in headlines is imperative in order to convey the message quickly and accessibly.

Additional Synonyms:

acquire: gain, attain

argument: dispute, quarrel, spat

attempt: effort, challenge

climax: highlight, height, pinnacle

compete: contend, fight, race

confess: declare, profess, affirm

criticize: condemn, carp,

former: past, earlier

inform: notify, report

pursuit: search, tracking

Additional Words:

Tragic: sad, terrible, awful

Explode: burst, blast

Endeavor: try, effort, attempt

Note: Image Source - http://fysop.files.wordpress.com/

Headline Wordle, Aden Cruz

Bias Activity, Jayme Hagen

The Haiti Earthquake has dominated many major news sites over the past month. Time magazine declared the U.S. involvement in Haiti a compassionate invasion. There are certain websites that do not share the same optimistic outlook on the Haiti dilemma.

Recently there has been less frequent updates on the situation in Haiti, which is still in need of massive assistance. It is not considered breaking news so its not really covered as widely. There are however certain websites covering less popular subjects. The website democracynow.org tackles many issues left out of most mainstream media, such as who will reconstruction deals, damage cost estimates, and the slippery slope you approach when you militarize a country in a situation such as Haiti.

The New York Times has spawned a page with stories solely based on the Haiti situation as it develops. The site has articles on the rising problem of gangrene, education, and even Voodoo.

A website such as the Edmonton Journal will only really run stories that involve Canadians directly, as that is what the users who log into the site are interested in. Smaller scale websites will often focus on more localized issues, which gives a bias on what they will cover.

Image courtesy of Rolling Hots.

Lecture 7: Headlines and Huffington Post

Guiding Ideas:

• What is the purpose of a headline?
• What are the different types and styles of headlines in modern newspapers?
• How have computers changed the methodology employed in headline writing?
• What makes an effective headline?

Critical questions:

• What makes a headline "good" or "bad?"
• What is the difference between news headlines and feature headlines?
• How do you know if a headline will fit in the allotted space?
• What kinds of questions can I ask myself in determining whether my headline is effective?

Activity 1:
Read the following headlines collected in the 2007 edition of The Lower Case (Columbia Review of Journalism). Note, as a comment, what is incorrect or humorous in these headlines:

Guest-worker plan proposed

Texas police want bullet lodged in teenager's head

The (London) Independent 12.23.06

Fifth Avenue clogged with police shooting protestors

The Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 12.17.06

U.S. pilots in Brazil crash back at home

The Press of Atlantic City 12.10.06

Will hanging help Bush?…

Activity 2: 


What are the elements of headline writing? What are some purposes of headlines?  Add your answers in the form of a WORDLE (word cloud). Then, post your Wordle as a blog post. You'll need to create your Wordle, then save it to the public gallery and finally, copy the HTML code that appears at the bottom of the page. You'll then paste the HTML code into your blog (when in "Edit HTML" mode, NOT in the "compose" mode). 


Your blog title should be: Headline Wordle, Student Name. The labels for your post should be: lecture 7, review, headlines.  


Here is an example of a Wordle that I did using information from Chapter 9:

Activity 3:

Go to the Huffington Post and read a few articles and then identify elements of strength and/or weaknesses you find in the headlines. Then read a short feature article, and similarly think about its headline. Examine differences in style, sensitivity, when humor is appropriate, inappropriate. Note the use of verbs, need for extensive "shorter word" vocabulary, etc. Then evaluate the headlines according to the "Characteristics of Good Headlines" in Chapter 9. Add your thoughts as a comment to this lecture post.


Activity 4:

Compare headlines from the Huffington Post with column width, typographical specs and spacing (how the headline must also fit within predetermined space) as explained in Chapter 9. Did you find any headlines that were too long or too short? How might you change them to fit with rules noted in Chapter 9? Add a comment here.

Activity 5:
Review the vocabulary list on page 181. Note the importance of shorter synonyms to ensure clear and precise headlines. Choose ten words from the vocabulary list and add at least two other synonyms not noted in Chapter 9. Also, include two or three words that don't appear in this list along with your own shorter synonyms. Add your vocabulary information to a blog post. Title: Vocabulary Builder. Labels: lecture 7, headlines, stylistics. Remember to include an image in your post.

Activity 6:
If time permits, we can finish the class by adding to your E-Portfolios. You may choose to edit posts you have already written, or begin a new one.


Homework:
Practise spelling and review vocabulary
Come to class with a topic to add to your E-Portfolio



Note: Question mark sign image from Illinois Wesleyan University and newspapers image from 24/7 Wall St.

Bias Activity, Aden Cruz

When the 21-year-old Georgian Olympic luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, died in a crash during practice on Feb. 12, controversy sprung from many different angles regarding the nature of the incident. Some articles say it was inevitable and shouldn't have been a shocker, yet others describe it as unexpected.

A BusinessWeek article says the death shouldn't surprise anyone, stating that “[t]here are plenty of words we can attach to the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili… Tragic applies. So, too, do heartbreaking, horrific and just plain old sad. One word that does not belong, however, is unexpected.” Conversely, there are articles that describe the incident as “shocking” (Washington Post) and “unexpected” (Daily Titan).

It can be perceived that the bias of sensationalism may play a factor in calling the incident “unexpected” and “shocking” in opposition to what the Business Week article asserts. However, these descriptions could also just be conveying the general reaction of the masses to the incident.

Note:

Image source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00685/Gonzalez_685075a.jpg

Bias Activity, Claire Theobald

Story Examples:
Canada's Path More Difficult with Loss to the U.S-Edmonton Journal
Hockey Loss Hurts Bad-Edmonton Sun
Canadian Players Need to Up their Performance-Calgary Herald

When the word "bias" first made its way past my retna and began to rattle around my skull, I immediatley jumped to the news coverage of the recent Olympic loss Canada suffered at the hands of the U.S. team. For the last week, newspapers and broadcasts have been littered with the tale of how Canada, a country known for its Hockey pride, lost against the United States (BOO!!).

However, if we are looking at this from the perspective of biased, here is a clear example of a kind of political/nationalist bias in the media. Obviously, it would be suicidal for any news organization to try to sell newspapers in a Canadian city that read "U.S. Wipes Ass With Canada", however, if we are talking strictly slanted, Canadian press has put its focus on how crushing the defeat was for Canadians.

Every story recants how some players zigged when they should have zagged, and the profound effect this loss has had on the players and the fans alike while ignoring the celebratory tone of the U.S. team, having beaten the Canadians on their turf, at thier own game. Biased? Yes. But only for the sake of the audience.

*picture taken from here

We Regret the Error, Kevin Penny

I tend to find errors in all sorts of media; however, the ones that strike me as the most outlandish are the ones found on television. When you think about it, these people are just reading verbatim off of a teleprompter AND they have the stories on their table (unless those piles of paper are just props, I couldn't tell you); so how could they botch their lines? Stress, mood, health, and many other factors most likely take part in the lead-up to these classic lines:

To be fair, I can't blame all of them on Fox News...

Craig Silverman, award winning journalist and author, once stated that "the best course of action is to help mitigate the fear [of errors] by teaching practices and introducing tools that help prevent factual errors.". My belief is that to err is human; therefore, it is only natural that we will find mistakes in even the most professional literary works. I do give credit to the anchors that grace the screens; it is probably a daunting task to stand in-front of a camera and speak to thousands of people every night. But in my opinion, many of the errors shown are due to people with their minds in the gutter.

In regards to Canadian errors in media, the Canadian paper "The Edmonton Journal" has many grammatical mistakes within the confines of their website. These mistakes are as such:

• "The budget also includes money for education, enforcement and speed survey research to determine the effects of the change" BY KEITH GEREIN, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM

This list is improperly punctuated; there should be a comma after enforcement.

• "... the estimated 750,000 northern Alberta passenger arrivals and departures that should be going through Edmonton, the people who will drive or fly to Calgary every year to catch international flights." BY DAVE COOPER, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM

This sentence is a run-on sentence and should be split into two, such as "that should be going through Edmonton. Instead, these people will drive or fly to Calgary every year..."

•"Chileans desperate for food and water swarmed soldiers as an army helicopter touched down in the ruined coastal town of Constitucion" BY TERRY WADE AND IGNACIO BADAL, REUTERS

They should change this to "Chileans that were desperate for food and water," because in its current state it sounds like every Chilean in sight was trying to swarm the soldiers.

I will admit to having many mistakes in my writing, but the only way I get better is by practising. Talent does not spring from nowhere; it must be worked on in order to achieve the closest possible perfection in ones work. It might feel like that scene from Karate Kid where you do not understand why you have to paint an old mans house or wash his car; but, as you hone your skills, errors will appear in your work less frequently while your ability to proofread and edit will increase. Like Craig Silverman avidly believes, "making errors is the best way to learn information that you want to learn."

K. Penny

Image is a screen capture from Google.com; taken Sept. 27, 2009

Video from Youtube user RobinhoSudani

Bias Activity, Pamela Di Pinto

Bias is prejudice in favor of or against a particular person, thing, or group in comparison to another, usually in a way that is deemed unfair. As journalists, we are taught to eliminate all bias within our writing; ultimately, it is our job to report the facts, and remain fair, objective, and accurate all the while. In the end, our final copy should represent all sides of the story and leave no questions unanswered for the reader. When bias is present, the question remains: if a story only presents one side, how is a reader supposed to make an informed decision on how they feel about the issue?

For example, there have been several stories published recently surrounding the Canadian women Olympic hockey team, and their double digit wins over teams such as Slovakia, who they beat out 18-0 in the tournament's opening game. Stories have been circulating as to whether or not these type of wins signal a fair competition in woman's hockey at the Olympics. Three stories from three separate regions in Canada present very distinct views on this issue. These stories are examples of both biased writing, and covering a biased issue; some women on the Canadian Olympic hockey team feel that they are being attacked for such wins because of their gender, citing examples such as the junior men world championship where Canada outscored the opposition 32-0 in the first three games without any criticism. In an online article from the Edmonton Journal, the reporter is clearly biased against Canada's double digit wins, forming his argument primarily out of opinion. One statement in particular stood out: "The Olympic motto is supposed to be swifter, higher, stronger; not beat, crush, destroy. It was an ugly game . . . and it should never have been allowed to happen." On the other hand, in an online article from the Vancouver Sun, the headline promotes a very different point of view: "Canada the role model for other countries to follow." Although not as biased as the article from the Journal, this article is clearly in favor of Team Canada's wins, ignoring points of view as seen in the article from the Journal. Also, the same quote from Rene Fasel is used in both articles, but it appears to take on a different meaning in each -- the result of bias. The final article from The Globe and Mail's website (which linked to ctvolympics.ca), was definitely the most neutral out of the three because it addressed alternative arguments (backed by credible sources), and focused more so on the statistics behind the double digit wins, in respect to both Canada and their opponents.

I also tried to find an article from a Swiss newspaper to get their perspective on this issue; however, it was very difficult because there was literally a handful of articles on woman's hockey to pick from, which were mostly recaps of the games. This is yet another example of bias.

In considering all of the above mentioned articles, I suppose one could form a well-rounded opinion on the issue. However, a journalist should always work to achieve this through their article alone.

Image from: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/ourgame/images/minor_memories/wickenheiser-595.jpg

Bias Activity, Kevin Penny

When I hear the word bias, immediately Fox News comes to mind. They have a long record of being slanted towards anything conservative (guns, drugs gay marriage, etc.). Its great line-up of Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, and many others have even come out and said that "we represent the traditional values of America".

Now, I don't know what the traditional values are for America nowadays (I hope they ditched the slavery idea), but I can tell you that Fox News goes out of its way to make sure that Republicans are made out to look better on television than Democrats. A small example of what I mean:

Now I know its only one example, so you can view 100 more of these videos at this website if you would like more proof.

I will agree that it is kind of ironic to use a Youtube user with the name of 'LiberalViewer' to show the bias of a right-wing network, but the man has done his homework and checked his facts when it comes to showing bias within Fox News. When Rupert Murdoch allows his employees to act like crazies on television, he is defiling the art of journalism.

In addition, Fox News should not include opinion shows like Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly. These opinionated shows are a form of propaganda, and it sickens me to see how many ratings they get. I am ALL for them having their own shows, but to label them as 'News Anchors' is a mockery of the art of reporting the news. Ron Burgandy would be ashamed...

Image taken from San Francisco Guardian

Video from Youtube user LiberalViewer

The Importance of the Online World, Ricki Cundliffe

If there's one thing that can be said about the Internet, it is that it has benefitted us in a ridiculous amount of ways. We no longer have to depend on books for reasearch, we no longer look to newspapers to get up-to-date with the fast paced world around us, and we certainly don't need to send a hand-written letter to keep in touch with family and friends. Even this site (even this course) would not be possibly without the Internet - we would not be able to blog, or even understand the meaning of that word because it would cease to exist. There is no doubt about it: the Internet has been shaping our world for years, and will continue to do so everyday.

A big thing you can look to the Internet for in the news (Canadian/World). There is nothing more convenient than overhearing a conversation on the street, and being able to look it up later on that evening from the comfort of your very own home. The amount of money saved on an annual basis thanks to the Internet is outstanding, because the Internet not only delivers local news in replace of ~$1.25 newspapers, but it also gives you access to national, and global news no matter the date or the time.

It is because online news is so important to society that the world has countless operators, or "behind-the-scenes" persons that continue to develop and deliver the news to our screens. It isn't just the writers that are needed to deliver the message, but also editors, marketors, and many, MANY other special interest groups. Thanks to the Internet, editors in particular are able to complete their jobs more efficiently. Some can argue that because of the Internet and the number of articles that are found online, that editors' jobs are harder than ever; they have a lot more work to do. It is my belief, however, that whatever necessary changes that need to be made are done with ease thanks to tools such as Cut, Paste, Insert, etc. Furthermore, it has been learned that journalists and writers themselves are responsible for proofreading their work: it makes them better artists, and takes loads of pressure off editors. If everyone continues to do their jobs (and do them well), there is hardly a better tool known to man to aid society...yet.

Note: Image from: http://www.usalogin.net/images/globe.jpg

Bias Activity, Steven Wagers

Bias is often apparent when it comes to sports, because journalists tend to favour the "home team." This is perhaps most obvious now during the Vancouver Olympics as every country seems to be backing their athletes more firmly then those of other countries. That is not to say that these journalists are blind to the talent in other countries, only that perhaps they favour athletes from their own countries a little bit more.

Take, for example the different outlooks surrounding the men's 1000 meter short track speed skating event. On the New York Times' website, is more focused on what Ohno accomplished in his 1000 meter race, where as on CTV's olympic website, the story briefly mentions the American athlete before focusing more on the two Canadian athletes, Charles and Francois Hamelin, who missed out on the podium. The title of the article itself shows a bit of bias that the article is directed more for a North American perspective ("Ohno Makes History while Hamelins Falter"). The title doesn't even mention the Koreans who came out on top in the race. Finally, a Korean Newspaper website called the Korea Times has a story about the same event, same race, in which the focus is on the two Korean athletes, Lee Jung-su and Lee Ho-suk who finished first and second respectively.

This is just one of many examples of bias shown in sports stories, with each of these newspapers writing with a bit of patriotic bias despite all using the same event to write their stories.

Bias Activity, Ricki Cundliffe

With regards to Tiger Woods's public apology Friday, there was bound to be a number of different reviews with bias inevitably attached. To begin, the article in the Calgary Sun contains a very bias heading. To put quotation marks around a word typically represents satire, or sarcastic views. To write that Woods is "sorry" implies that he's actually not. The Sun's article also states that the apology was "highly orchestrated," which in no way, shape, or form gives Woods any credit for his apology. That is certainly bias against Woods, because it tells the readers that there was no emotion or real meaning involved when he apologized to the public. Conversely, the Calgary Herald states that Woods gave a "blisteringly self-critical address" to the public. This article gives Woods the most credit, without a doubt. These two articles highlight the exact same event, but portray it in such opposing lights that it's mind blowing. In the Edmonton Journal, Tiger's affairs are referred to "extramarital escapades," which is just a fancy way of saying the he cheated on his wife on numerous occasions. An affair is an affair, and no matter how much jargon is thrown onto the page, the facts do not change.
Clearly, each paper throws it's own bias into the mixture someway or another. Sometimes, that's exactly what a story needs to add spice and spunk; other times, it just seems cruel and unnecessary.


Links:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/golf/Tiger+ready+come+woods/2580971/story.html
http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/golf/2010/02/19/12944521.html

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/golf/Tiger+Woods+make+public+apology+after+months+silence/2585108/story.html



Note: Image from: http://mediaswirl.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/tiger-woods.jpg

We Regret the Error, Robert Smethurst

A journalist is not born, he or she is made. Everyone starts at the bottom and works their way up from there; that is why Craig Silverman's beleif of the best way to learn how to avoid errors, a journalist must make them is hitting the nail right on the head.

One weekend, a very long time ago, my Dad and I went out to a ranch owned by a family that we knew. The family's wooden fence had rotted away, making it easy for the cows to escape the front pasture. The fence we went to help build was all wood, with two beams stretching in between the posts, making for a very rugged, wild west look. It was on this day that my Dad taught me how to use a hammer.

I was not very good at it at first, more often than not I'd miss the nail and smack the wood instead, and if I was really lucky, I'd protect the wooden beam from dents and nicks with my thumb. I started getting the hang of it after a while though, and soon I was swinging my hammer with the best of them.

Writing well is a learned behavior. Sometimes a writer will make a mistake; miss the nail so to speak. Those blemishes in the written work help to focus and teach. It hurts when the hammer hits a thumb, just like it can hurt sometimes to learn that what seemed really well written was actually riddled with mistakes. But it is when the writer learns from those mistakes, that that writer grows, becomes better, finds a voice, and learns the ins and outs of our very complicated language.

Some times mistakes can be small, and could be avoided by proofreading very carefully. Take an Intercamp article on MacEwan keeping the U-pass, in the sentence, "Student will vote yes or no on whether they agree to have the mandatory U-Pass for a second three-year run." Notice the missing 's' on students.

Not just students make mistakes though, professional news papers like the Metro do as well. Like in an article on St. Patrick's Day, where someone forgot the period after 'St': "Think of Ireland and you probably think of St Patrick’s Day and drinking Guinness."

Who can forget the basic rules of comma usage; even the experienced writers have trouble remembering where they go. Take an article from 24-Hour Edmonton, where an article was run talking about baby names that was riddled with errors: "Ethan, Liam and Jacob topped the list for boys, while Olivia, Isabella and Ava were the most popular girls names."

While even the most experienced of writers and journalists have troubles keeping their writing accurate. The more the hammer is swung the more on target the swings are, and after a while, the craftsman will master his craft.

Pictures used:

Picture 1: Unknown Author.
Picture2: by Artie Romero and Rebekah Failla

Bias Activity, Jennifer Carbert

Good writers have a world view and an opinion. Opinions give a writer an angle and often encourage the writer to find the story. Yet these opinions and world views can sometimes come across as biased if the writer is not careful. Articles covering the death of the Georgian luge athlete at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics did a decent job of keeping bias out of articles while still presenting different views of the accident. Stories taken from The Seattle Times, The Vancouver Sun, and Time Online all talked to the Olympic organizers as well as other athletes at the games who use that track either for luge, bobsledding, or skeleton races. Vancouver is the host for the Olympics this year, they have a bias is wanted to present Vancouver as doing a good job of organizing the games. The Seattle Times has advertising from Budweiser which is supporting the Olympics games, the Vancouver Sun has numerous Olympic advertisements showing a strong opening for biased opinions from advertisers. Within the stories themselves people who disapproved of how Vancouver has run the games, or didn't want the games in Vancouver stand to gain; however, presented with the other bias VANOC (Vancouver Olympic Committee) stands to benefit from good press. The Seattle Times articles judges the Vancouver Olympic games, later the articles turns around and becomes better balanced. The Vancouver Sun presented an article that was based from the Olympic committee perspective. All three articles are written by different people and the opinions of the writer flow out through the order in which they put the information, the sources and the word choices. All the articles end in a balanced matter having presented both sides of the story and shown great respect to Nodar Kumaritashvili, however the opinions driving the writer to investigate the article are present.

Links:

Image: http://www.randomfate.net/MT/images/biased.gif

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2011056216_apolyluglugerdies.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article7025669.ece

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/sports/2010wintergames/Georgian+president+says+fatal+luge+accident+athlete+fault/2561957/story.html

We Regret the Error, Jesse Snyder

Accuracy in Journalism

For journalists, accuracy is the key to professionalism. It is what they strive for and attempt to maintain when conveying the news. Without accuracy, journalists would ultimately become writers of timely fiction, and their sole purpose would be lost. In an attempt to stifle inaccuracy and properly inform readers, news agencies expect journalists to make minimal errors in their writing. Ideally, this creates factual and accurate reporting. Realistically though, it doesn't stop errors from occurring. The need for absolute accuracy is a heavy burden for reporters. It keeps them awake at night, pestering them without remorse. Minimizing errors by instilling fear in writers only works in theory, because--especially in writing--everyone makes mistakes.

Writers of past generations started the "New Journalism" era, which included a subjective, personally involved spin on the news. Some of these writers disregarded the commonly accepted idea of accurate news and what reporting should entail. Gonzo Journalism, a fictitious but highly entertaining style of writing, left conventional accuracy by the wayside. It made way for some of the greatest writers in literary history, but didn't fit the mold of most news agency's. It was seen as backwards and unconventional at first, but eventually changed journalism completely. Hunter S. Thompson birthed gonzo-style writing in the 60's; it was based largely on fact, but had a suggestive voice. Unlike many of the mainstream writers of his time, he wrote without the fear of error. Although it was subjective, Thompson's mindset didn't include the paranoia that many print journalists at major news agencies felt. By freeing himself from the shackles of perfection, he was able to create a living, breathing style of writing that was actually quite informative.

Thompson based a lot of his writing on William Faulkner's ideals, who believed that young writers should find their own way, without feeling the pressure of following a particular form or patent. During an interview with The Paris Review in 1956, Faulkner advised young writers to depend on their errors to better their writing, "The young writer would be a fool to follow a theory. Teach yourself by your own mistakes; people learn only by error." Journalists can take this advice as well as novelists. It has been said that journalism is inherently subjective, so all a writer can do is portray the news accurately. The evidence will allow the reader to decide for themselves.

Being obviously subjective is not usually practical in journalism. For most reporters, especially beginners, writing like a drug-induced gonzo journalist of the 60's will likely have unfavourable results. Accepting that mistakes will be made and learning from them, however, is a more suitable practice for entry-level writers. All journalists can do is attempt the impossible, and write accurately and fairly without dreading error. With so many variables potentially causing inaccuracy, perfection isn't feasible. So lose the restraint, and don't regret the error... Or at least don't lose sleep over it.

Inaccurate News Articles

The Edmonton Sun's article on Tiger Woods' apology, entitled "Tiger: 'Sorry' for irresponsible behaviour," is not clear in its use of quotation marks around 'Sorry'. It's an accurate quote, because Woods did say that he was "deeply sorry," but to someone scanning headlines it may seem as though his apology was insincere. At a glance, it could be misleading.

Another article by the Edmonton Sun, "No 'rough stuff' in police takedown of man who shot cop dog: Court," is inaccurate because the dog was stabbed, not shot. It was an Edmonton police officer, Const. Bruce Edwards, who shot the man. The rest of the article is accurate, so this is a spelling error, not a factual error.





The Edmonton Journal article, entitled "Edmonton pawnbroker attacked with hatchet from his shop," had a spelling mistake in the lead. It has since been edited, but once read like the above clipping. It should have said that it was sometime Monday afternoon, not onsometime.

Note: Image designed by Ralph Steadman, posted on the Organized Confusion website.

Bias Activity, Terra Poole

There is always going to be bias in the news because every writer has an opinion. The important thing when regarding a bias in journalism is to give each side of argument an equal voice. An article from the Winnipeg Free Press with the headline, "Will Vancouver Games be 'worst' ever?" leaves out bias even in its headline because it doesn't shove an opinion down the reader's throat. The Edmonton Journal's article, Olympic critics leave out facts, is a little more biased because it doesn't give the other side of the argument a voice. However, headlines are appropriately biased at times because they're intended to draw readers in. Both the Canadian news sites, Winnipeg Free Press and The Edmonton Journal, have the intentions of Canadian's behind them. Neither would like to write that they are, indeed, the worst olympics ever when Canadian moral is hoping to remain optimistic. However, Guardian.co.uk's article, Vancouver Games continue downhill slide from disaster to calamity, doesn't have to write to protect Canadian moral and writes about the transportation issues, questions the safety of the luge sliding tracks and discussing the loss of face of $400,000 in ticket revenue due to lack of snow. The two Canadian articles don't even discuss these facts. The Edmonton Journal article brings up the fact that there were other Olympics that suffered worse fates than Vancouver 2010. For example, from the Edmonton Journal article:

"But the worst Olympics in history? Worse, say, than the 1972 Munich Olympics, at which Black September terrorists murdered 11 Israeli athletes and coaches? Worse than the smoggy Atlanta Games of 1996, at which a pro-life, anti-gay terrorist ignited a pipe bomb, killing two and injuring 111? Worse than the Berlin Olympics of 1936, which Hitler perverted as a Nazi propaganda tool?

A little historical perspective might be useful here."

Whereas, the United Kingdom article doesn't even bring up said facts. The Edmonton Journal does, however, present those facts with definite bias. They are suggesting that Vancouver 2010's Olympics do not even compare to the chaos and tragedies that happened in previous Olympics.

Note: image from boomtownbejing

We Regret the Error, Ricki Cundliffe

Nate Kornell said, "Making errors is the best way to learn information that you want to learn." I absolutely agree with statement; making mistakes is what helps every writer continue to better his or her work. On the other hand, however, I believe that if mistakes can be prevented in the first place, then they absolutely should. Different techniques and tools should be taught to all young writers to ensure more accurate, correct work, and that does not mean the work will be perfect from the get-go. Mistakes are inevitable, but can certainly be minimized.

I think one of the most important things aspiring Journalists can do to recognize and prevent errors in writing is to read, and read a lot. Mistakes are actually very common in writing because it is such a nitpicky art. There are several things to look out for when reading: how to use proper punctuation, how to select the right word to convey meaning, and when to quit. That is, writers should be aware of exactly what is being put down on paper, and make sure it is either long enough to include a full explanation, or short enough to get the point accross quickly and efficeiently. It's quite humorous actually: some writers can have a number of errors in their writing, without ever having a colon or a comma out of place.

"You can't learn accuracy the way you learn to add and subtract." I think this is a somewhat false statement, because adding and subtracting is, in essence, surrounded by accuracy. Mathematics is arguably the subject where accuracy and correctness is the most crucial. When it comes to banking and dealing with enormous amounts of money, people need to be taught how to handle these amounts properly; they need to be accurate. Therefore, I think you absolutely can learn accuracy, yet that does not mean mistakes will not be made.

Edmonton Sun --> "A man was taken to hospital this morning..." --> This sentence is missing an article, because "hospital" is not one absolute thing; there are a number of different hospitals in the city/province/country/etc. The sentence should read, "to a hospital," or, "to the hospital," to aid in clarity.
Edmonton Sun --> "Guys are a lot bigger, stronger and faster, of course." --> This is just a grammatical error, but there should be a comma after "stronger" and before "and." This error would not impair communication to the reader, although this is a tiny detail that should be taught early on to younger writers; continual use of proper punctuation simply turns to habit.
Edmonton Sun --> "Forget astrology, the coffee you drink..." --> This is a run-on sentence, because "Forget astrology," is a full sentence in itself - it contains a verb and a noun. Again, proper punctuation is crutial to professional writing, and it should be practiced constantly.

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We Regret the Error, Terra Poole

"Journalists are conditioned to fear and avoid mistakes. This helps send the message that accuracy is important," states Craig Silverman regarding how journalists have to make mistakes to learn, but also have to avoid them in order to have good reputations as journalists. Some mistakes, such as the word, "dilemma" have had no repercussions for making them because most people do not realize they are errors. For example, the Vancouver Sun has an article with the line, "But Saturday night at Rexall Place, Knorren faced an uncomfortable dilemma." The article addresses how Bev Knorren was left deciding between two Calgary rinks to play for to represent the woman's curling team. The definition of dilemma is somebody having to choose between two undesirable choices to make a decision. Knorren didn't really have a choice of what team she'd play for, it was dependent on how she played, and it's unlikely either of the outcomes would have been unfavourable if it gave her the chance to represent a team in the Olympics. Most people reading that article wouldn't realize "dilemma" was used improperly and would consider Knorren's two "choices" as part of a dilemma. Journalists need to be able to separate themselves from these errors so they properly represent the English language.

Silverman states, "one of the best ways to learn how to avoid errors is to make them in the first place," however, it is likely that journalists will make the similar errors of not separating the word "dilemma" with a decision, favourable or not. Without reprecussions from the public, there is little chance the journalist could then learn from his/her error. However, in truth, because most people do not realize it is an error, they are able to understand the sentence regardless of the statement paralleling itself to the prescriptive grammar in the English language. In fact, perhaps someday, the word dilemma's prescriptive meaning will catch up to its descriptive meaning (how it is used in everyday speech).

"Teaching accuracy is a multi-faceted process. It's complicated, and in truth it never really ends," Silverman also adds. This is true when regarding errors that stray from Canadian Press stylebook rules. For example, the Devon Dispatch states, "the 22-year-old died..." when referring to a woman who died. According to Canadian Press stylebook "22-year-old" shouldn't be hyphenated unless it says, "22-year-old woman." However, similar to what Silverman discusses, the truth is not a black and white thing. Just because Canadian Press says the sentence is incorrect, the readers are still able to decipher its meaning. Though, that is where the Canadian Press stylebook is important to set rules and guidelines for journalists. There is a lot of knowledge to gain for journalists and it is important for clarity that journalists follow the rules and guidelines whatever stylebook they are required to adhere to. This eliminates as much confusion as possible for all journalists to write according to the same guidelines which is why even minor errors such as "22-year-old" should be avoided when possible.

Nate Kornell suggests that "making errors is the best way to learn information that you want to learn." However, grammar provokes a different argument. A very common error that all people tend to make is separating the word "it's" from "its." In Grant MacEwan's Intercamp, the sentence "...only to find the backyard returned to it’s former glory," was used when the word "its" should have replaced "it's." This is a very confusing error to make for journalists because with a simple apostrophe it can change the meaning of a sentence. Similar to the "dilemma" debate, continually using the words "it's" and "its" incorrectly will not ensure accuracy for the future. Unless an editor catches these errors and discourages them for the future, journalists will continue to make them.

When it comes to journalism, Silverman's approach may be flawed in saying making errors is the only way to learn how not to. In some examples, this is the case, however there are many times errors even get past the editor, which makes it very difficult for the journalist to learn from those mistakes. Especially when the errors are not even recognized as errors by the public, the error is masked as correct. People are unable to learn from the mistakes they may have made when they do not realize they are mistakes.

Note: Image from Jeremy Pryor

evaluating:Your Guide to Citizen Journalism: Rob Smethurst

In an article by Mark Glaser, he discuses the purpose of citizen journalists. This article does seem to have a bias toward citizen journalists taking the reins of the realm of journalism. He seems to be mostly interested in showing that the news agency's need the citizen journalist in their arsenal. The information provided does seem to be somewhat accurate as far as amateur journalism is concerned, however not up to date.The article is aimed at a mass audience, and is designed to inform them.

The value of the site is good for a jumping of point for people that are interested in citizen journalism. It provides a fair view of terms and history, but because it is not current there is a chance that a lot of the information is out of date.

The references provided at the end of the article sound good, but some are no longer functioning.

The author is a writer for PBS, and has written many articles for them.

Picture of Mark Glaser