We Regret the Error, Aden Cruz

It is indisputable; accuracy is central to good journalism. However, mistakes are inevitable, especially in today’s new media where content producers compete by the minute to have their reports up first. Journalists are then placed in the difficult and stressful predicament of fearing mistakes yet producing content quickly.

Journalists need to keep their fear of making mistakes in check. Craig Silverman contends that “…fear is good, but also bad; mistakes are bad, but also instructive.” There needs to be a balanced view regarding the stigma that’s attached to making mistakes. Too much fear can produce overwhelming stress and weaken one’s writing; yet on the other hand, not enough of it can result to carelessness.

Copy Editors are indeed every journalist’s rescuer when it comes to preventing errors. From typos, factual inaccuracies to legal concerns, copy editors are dedicated to screening and preventing such errors. However, even they can slip and miss errors. No one’s perfect, we all make mistakes. The coveted New York Times for example, posts corrections online for errors ranging from misidentifications in photo captions to factual inaccuracies in their stories.

Canadian Newspaper Errors:

The Edmonton Journal posted corrections regarding their Feb. 19, 2010 publication for two errors made:
1. In an article, they provided the wrong dollar amount that the Parkland School Division purchased Westerra building for. The correct amount is $3.15 million.
2. In a listing, they published incorrect information regarding when The Voices of Africa concert will be held. They published that it would be held Saturday; it was actually to be held Sunday.

The Edmonton Sun posted a correction for an error made in their May 28, 2009 publication:
In an article, they published that four executives from the CPP Investment Board took home a total pay package of $9.3 million. The actual amount is $8.5 million.

The Globe and Mail posted a correction regarding their Feb. 26, 2010 publication:
In an article, incorrect information was published regarding Keith Sjögren’s position at Investor Economics. He is the research and advisory services Director.

Though it is helpful that errors can be acknowledged and that corrections can be made, the pressure is till on when it comes to producing pristine writing. Developing a ‘thick skin’ and having the audacity and courage to not be fearful of making errors is essential.

Note
Image Source: http://www.naset.org/uploads/pics/Error_Correction_Image.gif

We regret the error, Jennifer Carbert

Craig Silverman, author and journalist, commented on the great teacher mistakes can be saying, "Fear of mistakes doesn't lead to accuracy. In fact, one of the best ways to learn how to acoid errors is to make them in the first place". Mistakes are wonderful teachers, Anne of Green Gables said, "Ever since I came to Green Gables I've been making mistakes, and each mistake has helped to cure me of some great shortcoming". Mistakes teach, and a person is less likely to make the same mistake twice; however, factual mistakes in journalism can be defamatory and ruin the life of the subject. Journalists are human beings and succumb to mistakes like everyone else, but they must be careful to double check the facts to the best of their ability or someone's life could be destroyed.

A journalist recently made a major error when they quoted a sources that said Gordon Lightfoot, a Canadian singer/song writer, was dead. The Edmonton Journal printed a headline which said, "Singer-song writer Gordon Lightfoot dead" stating as fact that the man was actually dead. The lead read, "Ontario-born singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot has died, according to sources close to the singer". When the entire thing was revealed to be a hoax the article was removed from cyber-space. A blog from the Vancouver Free press remembered to check the facts and not print anything definite until the suspicions had been confirmed or denied. The rumour did not last very long, the Globe and Mail reported on Feb 18 that he was very much alive, it was all a hoax. In this instance the fear of mistakes might very well have prevented the rumour from spreading as far as it did. The hoax was started through twitter, and any reporter with a healthy fear of error would have known not to trust twitter but rather, find reliable sources to check the information against such as Lightfoot's family. Even though this was a brutal mistake, the first reporter to publish this article will probably learn from the mistake and move forward much more careful to double check facts.

The Telegraphjournal in New Brunswick made an error in fact-checking when someone in the newsroom accused Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper of stealing a wafer from the Catholic Church on July 8, 2009. Journalists are taught to report the facts and let the court convict. In the second graph the article said, "During communion at the solemn and dignified service held last Friday in Memramcook for the former governor general, the prime minister slipped the thin wafer that Catholics call 'the host' into his jacket pocket". This sentence has no evidence or attribution, which is harmful to Haper's reputation. On July 28, the paper finally retracted the comment and apologized for damaging Harper's reputation. This mistake probably cost someone a job. Mistakes are great teachers, I hope the person who made this mistake has learned from it and will never convict someone of something every again. It is too bad that one person's learning oppourunityhad to damage the reputation of another.

The Edmonton Sun also recently published an error. All journalists are taught to put quotes in context before running them. A quote must be explained and given proper representation before it runs in the newspaper. Near the end of the article, Foster home toddler dies, there is a paragraph which says, 'tough work' between two quotes. 'tough work' is not a sentence and does not give any context to the quote that follows. This is a mistake the writer can learn from. Although it makes for rough flow and takes a quote out of context, the article can still be understood and no one's reputation was damaged.

As proven by the previous three examples journalists are human and sometimes make mistakes. Journalists may know a lot of things, but sometimes they are told wrong facts, or tight deadlines create sloppy work. Simple mistakes, such as fogetting to put proper context to a quote or spelling a couple of words wrong, are good to learn from; writers learn to be more careful. A writer will also learn from factual errors, but these errors can potentially damage another person's reputation. Journalists can and will learn from errors, but due to the public nature of their work, each journalist should strive to eliminate errors before the article goes to print.


Note: Image from Mozziestar.

We Regret The Error, Maxwell Rausch

Okay, let's start with the the two most obvious points: nobody sets out to make a mistake, and everybody makes them. Generally speaking, we recognize that our humanity makes us prone to error, and therefore allow others the opportunity to correct their mistakes when possible, or at the very least, to learn from them.



However, there are certain individuals to whom that courtesy is not extended as often. Journalists are some those unfortunate few: we are relied upon to deliver accurate, current, compelling information in the most expedient way possible. The public's reliance on us means a professional error on our part has more extensive consequences than it would in some other field. Factual errors can lead masses of people to believe something untrue. A miscalculation of time, a missed deadline, can force the audience to turn to another source, perhaps permanently. None of this is revelatory, but it's crucial to understand. In an industry where we the distributors, the journalists, are not just agents, but actual voices that attract a following, mistakes can irreparably damage our reputation with our very finite audience.

Be that as it may, journalists (for the time being) are as human as our audience; we are capable of and frequently do produce mistakes in our work, even the best of us. As Craig Silverman, a seasoned journalist, points out, "journalists are conditioned to fear and avoid mistakes. This sends the message that accuracy is important." So yes, weare and should be held to higher standards, given the gravity of our occupation. However, fear only works as a deterrant to a certain extent. Silverman cites a study illustrating that fear in itself doesn't lead to accuracy; instead, it's experience. By making mistakes, we learn from them, becoming better after the fact. "Fear is good, but also bad; mistakes are bad, but also instructive (Silverman)." In our case, the contradictions actually complement each other.

That contradictory, seemingly airy concept actually softens the blow of another transparently obvious point: the fact that we will make mistakes. Like everyone else, we won't set out to screw up, but we will. Something, whether it be the presssure of deadlines or intellectual fatigue, will eventually (and repeatedly) result in professional error. In layman's terms: we're human. the best advice that I can ascertain from all of this is to take enough risks early on so that most, if not all, mistakes are made early on as well. After all, they can only make you better if you let them, and prepare you for the especially important tasks when they emerge.


Here are some simple, recent cases of journalists producing errors, however minor they may be:

1. This sports story from the Edmonton Sun, written by Derek Van Diest, contains a comma splice, a grammatical error, in the lede.

2. This was posted in the editorials of the Edmonton Journal. Besides a sloppy typo in the headline which could almost certainly have been fixed with a brief update, he trips over his (or her- the article conspicuously lacks a byline) words at the end, and finishes with, "would we really be so bad off?" He's using the word "bad" as an adverb -not kosher. To a journalist, who makes his living and stakes his reputation on decent communication skills, that sentence should stand out.

3. This court story form the Vancouver Sun doesn't suffers from somewhat sloppy storytelling. The lede is fine, describing how the ex-wife of an accused killer broke down on the stand, but then things get hard to follow. "Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Dan Morrison asked the witness, Genevieve Camara, what it was about Rita Yeung that had bothered Camara." First, the story provides no context about who Yeung is. More obviously, we don't know if the lawyer is asking how the witness felt or her former husband, as they could share the same surname. Journalists are supposed to streamline complicated stories, not make them more so.




Above image taken from here.

We Regret the Error, Katrine Sorensen

Journalism students can definitely relate to the learning process that is the foundation to accuracy. We are constantly reminded of the importance of checking our copy for errors, double checking, triple checking, printing, and then checking again. We are also reminded that behind accuracy are good habits. However, since we are students, we will inevitably make mistakes, but opposed to the working journalists, we have the privilege of allowing ourselves to make mistakes. This is the time to make them. If fact, making our mistakes now will teach us to avoid them later. Craig Silverman has composed three steps to prevent errors on his website regrettheerror.com.

Inaccuracies do exist even in the most thoroughly edited copy: An example is from an article from Leader Post about the Chilean earthquake: "The government imposed a night-time curfew in Concepcion and the Maule region in a bid to stop looting and army troops began to arrive in the city late on Sunday." The writer should have put a comma before 'and army troops' to mark the beginning of a new sentence. Although this is not a serious mistake, it could impair the reader's understanding or the paragraph. Another example is from The Edmonton Journal in a story about hockey headshots: "Asked if he thinks the league is getting closer to something all parties can live with in a fast-moving contact sport, Burke told the Toronto Sun via e-mail: 'I believe we will present a rule change that will help reduce blind-side hits resulting in injury.'" Obviously, there is a word missing from the beginning of the sentence, but it could be corrected by inserting 'when' at the beginning. The third mistake comes from The Vancouver Sun in a story about the trial of David Letterman's extortionist: "Increased numbers of viewers tuned in after Letterman, 62, used his show Oct. 1 to reveal the extortion plot following Halderman’s arrest that day." The journalist should have indicated that 'Oct. 1' is in fact not the name of the show, but the day Letterman revealed the extortion plot on his show. This could easily be indicated by writing 'on' before the date.

Although the errors made by professional are serious, they are also helpful to the learning process of journalists. As in many other professions, the consequences of making a mistake condition us to fear making it again. Painful experience will teach us in a completely different way than getting a bad mark in school for error-riddled or inaccurate stories. I think Robert Smethurst sums up the notion of the learning process excellently in his blog post on this matter: "A journalist is not born, he or she is made."

On the other hand, journalists must keep in mind that they bear an enormous responsibility on their shoulders. The misspelling of a name can bring unforeseeable consequences: the worst case scenario would be accusing someone of a crime archaically by having misspelled the offender’s name. News organizations pride themselves with providing accurate, unbiased information to the public, and the public will mostly take for granted that the information provided are facts. Therefore, journalist's errors can cause irreparable harm and must not be taken lightly. Even typos and other seemingly minor offences in grammar can make the readers question the accuracy and reliability of the journalist or the publication. Although errors are human, journalists should work hard to avoid mistakes.

We Regret the Error - Devon Bowie

Journalists are trained to avoid inaccuracy at all costs. After all, inaccuracies are counter to the very ethos of journalism, that being the truth. Sometimes; however, untruths can sometimes still get through, due to carelessness or ignorance of a niche topic or in the worst cases, bias. Many inaccuracies are on scientific topics, because most journalists are simply not scientists, but that is no excuse, because one must always properly research their story.

Both the Edmonton Sun and Edmonton Journal refer to the CERN supercollider as an "atom smasher". This is due to the practice of making newspaper articles acessible to the layman, most likely, or that "atom smasher" sounds more descriptive than the proper term, particle accelerator. Although the Large Hadron Collider at CERN does occasionally "smash atoms" (more accurately colliding lead ions), it usually collides streams of protons, which are subatomic particles which in part make up atoms. The problem with the inaccuracy, partial though it may be, is that it is vague wording. A few other things could be referred to as "atoms smashers", such as any nuclear bomb, or even a nuclear power plant. A nuclear reaction involves the collision of a neutron with a fissionable atom, which splits it, releasing energy. For the ambiguity of the term, newspapers should not refer to particle colliders as "atom smashers".

Other topics of scientific literacy are a concern for newspapers. Last year there was a considerable media panic about the supposed dangers of ecstasy, stemming from the deaths of a few girls who took it at a party, and another girl at West Edmonton Mall. The Journal in particular had a headline that stated "Ecstasy kills two teens"
This report, and others like it, have made MDMA (the scientific name of ecstasy) to be some kind of devil drug that kills all or most of its victims. This is not quite accurate, however. As it so happens, overdose on MDMA is quite rare, and not nearly as harmful as an overdose on drugs such as heroin. In fact, the drug has a considerably high safety ratio, better than that of alcohol, and is nonaddictive. It is the second most popular recreation drug in Canada, after cannabis, and relatively few deaths are reported for the volume of use. If you add to that the fact that pills are often adulterated with dangerous drugs such as methamphetamines, or even rat poison, as in the case of the two teenagers from the reserve, this can logically show the deaths attributed to actual ecstasy to be much lower. The major harm caused by the scaremongering is that it further demonizes the drug, thus reinforcing its illegality, which in turn causes it to continue to contain dangerous adulterants and thus cause death. Clearly, a newspaper's factual inaccuracy which causes death is the worst type.

Journalists also make spelling and grammar errors occasionally. One such example is the use of the word "dilemma". In a Journal article, it is suggested that a woman faces a dilemma in what do do with her dogs when away. This is incorrect, as a dilemma is a problem in which only two equally undesirable choices are possible. Her dog problem has undesirable choices, yes, but there are also other, more desirable choices. It is thus not a dilemma.

Picture taken from news-poland.com.

We Regret the Error, Kris Hoyt

People rely on journalists to provide information about the world for them. This drives journalists to be as reliable and accurate as possible, both with the news and the writing. This means that a journalist will try to make sure that their spelling and grammar are perfect, as people will notice mistakes. Unfortunately, when journalists, or anyone else, worry about mistakes, this tends to make them nervous. When someone is nervous, they do not think properly and may make more mistakes. In addition, this can also lead to mental problems, as this consistent worry can lead to stress. This was shown to be true even in younger ages.

In reality, journalists should not be afraid of making errors in writing. They should just write the story the best way they can, as calmly as possible. A clearer mind could easily lead to making less mistakes, as there is less stress, and errors can be caught after the fact, when they are being checked for distribution.

In fact, making mistakes may help one become better at catching them. As Craig Silverman said, "mistakes are bad, but also instructive." As I said before, when one is finished writing their story, they should check for any grammatical errors. As they see the grammatical errors they make, they slowly become more and more familiar with them, until they come to instinctively know the error and avoid it. In fact, by intentionally making the error outside of the story, the learning process may become even faster.

Fear for mistakes can cause problems, both in the story and for the journalist. Instead of spreading a message that writing needs to be perfect, journalists need to know that nothing wrong will come from a mistake and that making mistakes is part of a process that wil make them better writers

I went online and found three mistakes in Canadian newspapers:

The Edmonton Sun and QMI industry printed the sentence "The cards went missing sometime after Jan. 2, when eBay seller Yetman sent them from his home in Newfoundland to a seller in Ontario." I added the bolding on the words. I am not sure, but I believe that one of the "sellers" is actually supposed to be buyer.

The National Post released a headline saying "Name released in conncection with shootout that killed officer." This headline features a mispelled word: conncection instead of connection.

The Vancouver Sun also had a mispelling: " An ex-Mountie already charged with impersonating a police office to allegedly get access to information about the Bacon brothers has been arrested again." Again, the bolded section is added by me. Either office is supposed to be officer or the man impersonated a room...

No credit could be found for the picture. The picture can be found here

Blog Report 2

Blog Report 2:

Due: March 9th
Title: We Regret the Error, Name Surname
Label: Blog Report 2
Length: 4 paragraphs

REMEMBER to cite any images appropriately

Respond, using examples and in an academic tone:

“Journalists are conditioned to fear and avoid mistakes. This helps send the message that accuracy is important. From there, the best course of action is to help mitigate the fear by teaching practices and introducing tools that help prevent factual errors. Fear of mistakes doesn't lead to accuracy. In fact, one of the best ways to learn how to avoid errors is to make them in the first place. A study recently published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition is just the latest piece of research that suggests, as lead author Nate Kornell, an assistant professor of psychology at Williams College told me, that "making errors is the best way to learn information that you want to learn." Perhaps this sounds a bit confusing: fear is good, but also bad; mistakes are bad, but also instructive. That's exactly the point. Teaching accuracy is a multi-faceted process. It's complicated, and in truth it never really ends. You can't learn accuracy the way you learn to add and subtract. It's a process and a combination of learned behaviours, not a matter of memorization or motor memory.” ~ Craig Silverman

Include at least three mistakes made in Canadian newspapers (online versions)
Note the inaccuracy
Example:
“In a story on Page 3-A of Wednesday’s Independent about the Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Trail of Terror haunted house, a reaction to strobe lights should have included the word “freaking.” The word was replaced with asterisks, perhaps causing confusion about what was actually said. The Independent apologizes for this confusion and the impression it left.” — The Grand Island Independent

We Regret the Error, Claire Theobald

Pulitzers Don't Go to Pansies

Humans are giant failures. There, I said it. Revel in it. Enjoy it. Let it dance on your palette and enjoy the taste. People are to perfection as quadriplegics are to marathons. You want to know what the funny part is? Not only is humanity fatally flawed, but one of our greatest flaws is the fact that we invariably waste our time chasing our tails trying to achieve perfection despite our predisposition to getting things wrong. Some of these ridiculous people call themselves “Journalists”, and make careers out of maintaining flawless accuracy. What is almost worse is the idea that the rest of the population looks at these so-called Journalists and berates them whenever the well meaning Journalist makes a mistake, and choose to question their integrity whenever said mistake makes it to print. Weird, right?

Just recently, the CBC news printed a story about a principal accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student, aptly named Principal admits professional misconduct in relationship with a student", where they listed a series of quotes made by a representative of the Alberta Teachers Association as being made by Dennis Theoboldt. Unfortunately for the reporter, his name is Dennis Theobald (I should know, the man is my father). This error could have been easily avoided had the person either asked during the interview, or even consulted their favorite internet search engine, as the ATA is not terribly secretive.

The Daily Observer published a public retraction for statements made that, as it turns out, were completely baseless. Apparently on January 21, 2010 the Daily Observer published a story claiming that Crown Lawyers involved in the prosecution of Gulick Forest engaged in criminal conduct and other “serious wrongdoing”. They admitted openly that these allegations were made without evidence, and that they also failed to contact those accused of such acts before publishing.

The prestigious Macleans.ca published an official retraction after a story called “Finns Still Haunted by Lenin’s Ghost” where they admitted that an earlier story ran where the estimated number of Finns who were killed under Lenin in the 1917 war was 10 million. After some research, MacLean’s admitted that the actual number turned out to be 37,000. Still a shocking number, but not nearly as outlandish as 10 million, especially as (according to Wikipedia) the entire population of Finland was only around 3 million people.

The fact is, Journalists are people too, forged of flesh and blood and branded with the same traits as the rest of the general population. It is when we forget that our news is generated by fellow human beings rather than news-robots that we as a society get carried away. Journalists have been conditioned to fear making mistakes, so much so that the weak of heart may be consumed by it. This is not the proper approach. A journalist must be willing to accept that they are human, and therefore are bound to make mistakes; the only way to improve as writers and human beings is to accept these limitations but strive to achieve the best we possibly can. It is said that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and no matter how hard the Journalist works to check facts and follow up on details, some mistakes are bound to slip through the cracks. An artist afraid of spoiling a canvas will never be able to paint a masterpiece, and a journalist afraid of printing a mistake will never be free to write stirring or compelling articles.

*note: picture taken from here, enjoy it (taken from thevoiceofreason.com, no creater cited)*

We Regret the Error, Shannon Findlay

American writer Lewis H. Lapham once said, "People expect too much of journalism. Not only do they expect it to be entertaining, they expect it to be true." It is no secret that our trusted news reports are often riddled with inaccuracies. Though journalists pride themselves on bringing the truth to the public's knowledge, truth is not always the case. A journalist's aim is to report facts, while being fair and accurate in their dealings. To err in a published piece of writing is looked at with shame and malice; however, it is a fact of life that man makes mistakes. Humans are fallible and by extension it is unlikely their work will be error free.

Craig Silverman, a Canadian journalist said, "one of the best ways to learn how to avoid errors is to make them in the first place." No journalist wants to be the one to make a mistake. It is not any one's desire to be labeled as someone incapable of accurate reporting; however, once a mistake is made it can be the most memorable lesson ever learned.

Take for example an error made in the Edmonton Journal on January 19, 2006. A story ran which incorrectly stated that more than a dozen friends and family members of accused killer Murry McClenaghan were in court for his trial. They were actually friends and family of victim Don Hanscom. A second example can be seen in the case of the Calgary Sun, when on December 20, 2009 it was reported that the Applewood Community Association was getting 4.2 million dollars for their recreational facilities. This statement was incorrect because Ottawa was in fact only giving them 421, 273 dollars. As a journalist, to make such mistakes would be regrettable. So much so that the next case that reporter covered, they would remember the error. It would serve as a constant reminder of how things should or should not be done.

Silverman understands the need to err once and a while. He said, "You can't learn accuracy the way you learn to add and subtract. It's a process and a combination of learned behaviors, not a matter of memorization or motor memory." Learning to be accurate is important, but is making errors in a published newspaper the best way to get educated? The journalist may be learning, but it leaves the people reading their work with many questions. A wrongly reported fact can affect a person in the story far more than it will ever effect the writer of the inaccurate work.

For example, in the Toronto Sun on January 15, 2010 a photograph was published that incorrectly identified a person who has the same name as a dead drug dealer. The photo showed Shawn James, a social worker with UrbanPromise Toronto, a Christian-based community initiative working with children, youth and single mothers. He is very much alive and the error raised concern among the kids he works with at Thistletown Baptist Church. James "operates an after-school program for children at Kipling and Finch Aves. and he has no criminal background," wrote UrbanPromise executive director Brett McBride. The story, however, was about the trial for the accused killer of another man named Shawn "Juice" James, slain in 2007.

One reporter's gross error left a man's integrity in question when his only shortfall had been having the same name as a criminal. The cost of a journalist's learning experience in this case was high: a commendable citizen's reputation has been questioned. Sadly, these mistakes happen; however, the journalist in question will surely never repeat such a mistake. Their lesson has been learned. It is an unfortunate fact that errors will continue to enter our news, but it is only the mark of hands on education for accurate reporting.

*Note picture from democraticunderground.com

We Regret the Error, Jayme Hagen

Writing, like any sport or musical instrument is something which has to be honed and practiced to be perfected. Craig Silverman states this when he says,"Mistakes are bad, but also instructive." The way a writer gets better is to learn from the mistakes made in previous writing. Since there is no one correct way to write a sentence, Silverman says, "you can't learn accuracy the way you learn to add and subtract." It is only by constantly fact-checking and proofreading your work that you are able to ensure your writing is as free from errors as possible. This is arguably the most effective way to improve your grammar in your work. There are many ways one can become a more efficient proofreader including:

• Re-reading your work.
• Using a spelling and grammar checker, though these are not 100 per cent effective, these are just another tool at your disposal.
• Reading your article backwards to make sure that all of your verbs are in the right tense.

There are certain words which are acceptable to use, but whose use is frowned upon by many in the writing community. An example would be the word impact, which can be used as a verb with an object or without an object. Many people still disapprove of its use as a transitive verb, but this is likely to become more acceptable in the future.

Even major publications are not able to catch errors 100 per cent of the time and because of this, many of these websites have an errors section where they address all the errors that have been published. These can be corrections of the actual information being incorrect, such as Jayson Blair's story of deception, or simple grammatical errors.

Here are some examples of errors found on the Edmonton Journal's website:

• An article ran which began with the sentence: "NHL general managers begin a three-day meeting today to decide how to crack down on head shots, which is good news, a laudable, promised followup to a December session at which some encouraging, enlightened words were uttered on this critical subject." This is a run-on sentence that should not have remained one sentence, it loses its reader. It could be solved with a period after "which is good news."
• In another article, a man accidentally gets himself wet with a benjo and describes it as now being able to "ponder his dilemma." The word dilemma can only be used when there are two undesirable outcomes to a situation and there it is impossible to choose the right answer. Staying in a bathroom forever, or being seen with a slightly wet pair of pants is hardly an undecidable outcome, therefore it is not a dilemma.
• In one article, a family is trying to buy a home but unable to because of the current state of realty, they keep getting outbid. The article has the sentence, "They fell in love with the house and "our hearts got broken" when they didn't get it." It goes from they, to our back to they, and as a result makes no sense. To fix this they should have just omit 'our' from the quote and used their outside of the quotations.

Picture from Farm3.

Lecture 9: Blog Report 2

Blog Report 2 is due on the 8th of March and we'll be devoting that class (Tuesday March 8 to completing the blog report.



Note: Image from UK Link Building Co.

We Regret the Error, Megan Perras

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
Elbert HubbardUS author (1856 - 1915)

The land of mistakes is a difficult one to travel through when you are a journalist. It is a tricky land to travel through when you are working in any sort of public forum. A mistake can be something that can cost you your job, or that can cost someone else their reputation. As student journalists, heaven knows that we err on occasion, but thankfully we are getting the opportunity to do so now instead of when it might affect people in a more substantial way, or when we may find ourselves part of a defamation lawsuit.

Our opportunity to make those mistakes now is something for which we should be grateful, because I am sure that in our future careers those surrounding us and sharing the blame for our mistakes will not be as forgiving.

We are definitely shrouded in our society by the pursuit for perfection- the drive to be the best, and if not the very best, to at least come in a respectful second to it. The fear of not rising to any occasion I feel can stunt someone who is in a creative occupation – to not take that leap or attempt because of the fear of failure. Therefore, I believe that if you set out with the intention to be correct, to do a good job and to represent the truth, you should not have a fear of making a mistake, but a cautionary approach to all that you publically write, say, etc...

One must keep in mind that there is a great difference between a factual error and a mistake of judgement. The former seems to be worse. If a factual error is made then a simple note of apology given in the same forum where it was made seems to be an adequate solution. If an error in judgement is made and something is printed, or televised that should not have been, it is a harder situation to correct. Printing facts without knowing they are true is an example of this, which can hurt the person that it is about. A reputation is tarnished and you have created a situation that cannot be corrected by a simple apology. When quoting someone, be sure to take the time to make sure that you are accurate- in this article, the difference between the word “pumped” and “pimped” made the difference between someone sounding like they were trying to get some “street-credibility” or just excited about something.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/obama-biography-is-coming-from-new-yorker-editor/?src=tptw

This article misspelled the name of a character in a famous novel- not a very big deal. They issue a correction at the end of the story, and the problem is solved.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/nyregion/30address.html

With news agencies releasing stories as quickly as they can on social media outlets such as Twitter; fact-checking of such a low word count would seem like it is unnecessary, but....

http://twitter.com/mtvnewscanada/status/6739670725

As a news agency, they must ensure that their reputation and the reputation of others stay intact when releasing news information on any sort of medium in any sort of public matter.

This being said, one will notice more mistakes the more a person checks their work. The more work they do, the more checking, and perhaps one day we will find ourselves making less mistakes, but it is impossible not to make any at all. Turn lemons into lemonade and ensure that whatever corrections or apologies must be made are done so quickly, and take the mistake and at least learn not to make the same one again.

You may take the advice of the following article, and when you make an error, just write your correction with as much humour and art as possible.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Sorry-About-That-Chief---Errors-and-Correction-Notices-in-the-Newspaper-Business&id=2301909

This older article explores the question, “Do you correct online journalism in the original story, or simply attach a correction to the original, or both?” I am feeling inclined to agree with just correcting the original, but with a correction statement tagged at the bottom.

http://www.ojr.org/ojr/workplace/1091056600.php

The Edmonton Journal posts their corrections online; this mistake seems like it wasn’t a very big deal.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Corrections/2540081/story.html

The mistake in this correction seemed as if it was not the journalist’s fault at all- his story just didn’t run in its entirety? That seems like a large thing to miss...

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Corrections/2476860/story.html

Sun Media regrets not accurately reporting the amount of salary that the CPP investment board took home in May 2009...

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/2009/05/30/9622721-sun.html

Image From: http://www.regrettheerror.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/sallyann-copy.jpg

We Regret the Error, Pamela Di Pinto

As journalism students, we have been instilled with the basic principles that define good journalism: fairness, attribution, relevance, timeliness, and, perhaps most important, accuracy. Essentially, accuracy refers to getting the facts straight. Is what you are reporting true? Along with being factually correct, we as journalists must also remain accurate in areas such as grammar and spelling; ultimately, the mechanics behind our writing. Craig Silverman speaks on the role of accuracy in journalism, stating, "Journalists are conditioned to fear and avoid mistakes. This helps send the message that accuracy is important." Despite this comment, though, even the most decorated of journalists are found guilty of errors in their writing, regardless of the medium in which it reaches audiences. So, what can we do as journalists to ensure accuracy in our writing? How can we train ourselves to avoid these mistakes?

Although Silverman does concede that fear can be a good way to prevent journalists from making mistakes in their writing, he argues that "one of the best ways to learn how to avoid errors is to make them in the first place." This point is very much in tune with the old Chinese proverb, "I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand." Basically, having someone tell you not to make mistakes in your writing, or even seeing examples of mistakes you should avoid in your writing, will not produce the same learning experience as physically making the mistakes yourself and assessing why they are wrong. Silverman cites Nate Kornell, an assistant professor of psychology at Williams College, who reiterates this point: "making errors is the best way to learn information that you want to learn." In other words, we learn from our own mistakes, not from listening about or seeing the mistakes of others. These methods only detach you from the situation; firsthand experience is what you will remember.

Silverman also maintains that mistakes are "instructive," and ultimately work to teach journalists the importance of accuracy; however, mistakes within journalistic writing can have serious consequences, some of which may be harder to recover from than others. The public trust in journalists to provide them with accurate news and information, so when audiences find mistakes, that trust is automatically broken and a sense of betrayal sets in. Next, individuals will often begin to question the journalist's credibility, and assess whether or not they really are a reliable news source: Well, if they made a mistake in this article, will they make it again in the future? Have they made these kind of mistakes in the past? Why are they making these mistakes in the first place? Journalists can lose audiences over these inaccuracies, leaving them with no readers, listeners, users, etc. and essentially no career. Like the public rely on journalists for accurate news and information, journalists in turn rely on the public to fuel their "brand," or name, as well as the content they produce.

Overall, I agree with Silverman when he says that teaching accuracy "never really ends." Even though journalists know mistakes should be avoided in their writing, it is almost inevitable that they will make at least one at some point in their career. "To err is human," as Kevin mentions in his blog post on accuracy. That being said, the following are mistakes from three separate online Canadian publications that managed to slip through the editing process, and make their way to press:


The Edmonton Journal recently published an article about a man's body found on an acreage outside of Edmonton. The journalist included this statement from police:

“Due to observations made at the scene, investigators do not believe the death to be an accident and are treating it as suspicious.” -- Karen Kleiss, edmontonjournal.com

The quote itself appears to be error-free, but it was integrated into the story as is, with absolutely no form of attribution. Who said this? That is what readers need to know. This is a significant error in journalistic writing, one that should not be made twice.


In an article from the Vancouver Sun on the Paralympic torch relay and ceremonies in Greater Victoria, the journalist included this sentence, which contains a few errors:

"About 375 people gathered at Archie Browning Centre in Esquimalt for a free pancake breakfast hosted by the Esquimalt Lions Club and to meet the torchbearers who would carrying torch in loops around Bullen Park." -- Sandra McCulloch, Canwest News Service

The first part of the sentence is missing the word "the" before "Archie Browning Centre." Instead, it should read as: "About 375 people gathered at the Archie Browning Centre for a free pancake breakfast..." This sentence is also missing the word "be" before "carrying" and the word "the" before "torch." It should read as: "...to meet the torchbearers who would be carrying the torch in loops around Bullen Park." These errors are minor, and are probably the result of writing to deadline, with little to no editing. Either way, the quick fixes mentioned above work to add clarity to the sentence.


Finally, an article from the Globe and Mail on the recent recall issued by Toyota contains this error, regarding the number of vehicles that were affected by the recall:

In a paragraph at the beginning of the story, the journalists states:

"Since then, Toyota has recalled some 8.5 million vehicles worldwide -- more than 6 million in the United States -- because of acceleration problems in multiple models and braking issues in the Prius." --Elliot Spagat, The Associated Press

In the latter part of the story, the journalist again makes reference to the number of vehicles recalled by Canada:

"The recall, affecting 5.6 million vehicles, was first announced in
October." -- Elliot Spagat, The Associated Press

There seems to be some discrepancies with the numbers reported within these two paragraphs: Did Toyota recall 8.5 million vehicles, or 5.6 million? In reading these sections over a few times, I think the journalists means to say that the recall included 5.6 million Prius models, and 8.5 million vehicles in total. However, I did not gather this from my first read-through of the story. To avoid this confusion, the second sentence should be rewritten, perhaps something like: "The recall, affecting 5.6 million Prius models, was first announced in October."

Although these mistakes are relatively minor, journalists should still strive for error-free writing every time they send copy to press. However, many online newspapers also provide links to "corrections" pages that note any inaccuracies that were printed. Both the Edmonton Journal and Globe and Mail included corrections pages; the Vancouver Sun did not.

Note: Image from angiemcgovern.wordpress.com

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

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

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.

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.

Note: Image from: http://www.videopokerballer.com/articles/10-video-poker-mistakes/mistake-cartoon.gif

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