Editor’s note: The checklists discussed in this column are available online at http://www.freep.com/jobspage/academy/accuracy.htm
As we enter December, the Free Press is making progress in eliminating mistakes before they are published, especially certain types of errors.
The tools that have helped are accuracy checklists that remind journalists that there are certain things they can do to verify and re-verify information before publication. The checklists, in place since mid-July, have helped lower the number of misidentifications, misspellings and mistakes with numbers.
These nine checklists ask people to verify certain information in the writing, editing and page-design process.
For instance, the reporter checklist asks if he or she has tested phone numbers by calling them after they’ve been typed into the story, list or informational box. That’s because transposing numbers is common when typing, and calling usually catches that error.
Other checklist to-do questions include:
- Have you run spell-check?
- Is the photo caption complete and accurate?
- Is the headline instantly clear?
In the first six months of 2001, the Free Press averaged 44 corrections each month, with the most errors in June — 53. The monthly average for the last five months, July through November, is 31.
In July, we had 25 corrections, more than a 53-percent decrease from the high number in June. Overall, the July-November number of corrections is 30 percent lower than the first half of the year.
One way we check to see whether people use the checklists — and reinforce that they can work if used — is to ask if using them could have kept a mistake from being made in the first place. We ask that question, among others, on correction forms that people who are responsible for the error must fill out.
The one area that hasn’t been helped by checklists is errors in fact that are not categorized as misidentifications, misspellings, addresses and mistakes with numbers. These account generally for 44 percent of all corrections. These are errors such as a headline that disagrees with what’s in a story, or saying anthrax is caused by a virus when it’s caused by bacteria.
So there is work to be done.
In November 2000, I first told readers about several accuracy and reader initiatives that were about to begin.
Among the goals were the checklists, which the newsroom’s accuracy committee thought would help systematically reduce errors.
Other goals we are working on: How to develop and maintain accurate and updated lists of news sources, to examine how we should correct errors from news sources, and to examine ways to improve the use of proofreading in the editing and production process.
I and others at the Free Press believe that trying to fix accuracy problems and dealing with issues of fairness, balance and listening to readers help build the Free Press’ credibility.
Our credibility is questioned every time someone reads something they believe to be wrong. We are progressing toward that goal of having fewer mistakes for them to read.
