CRITICAL EDITING Finding the red flags in copy that need to be fact checked Gerri Berendzen, Knight Visiting News Editor, Columbia Missourian, University of Missouri School of Journalism

A no cat presentation

Who said that? Verification begins with asking questions, no matter what you are editing. Being a skeptical editor is a plus.Being a skeptical editor is a plus. Always ask: How do we know this? Who said this, and how do they know? What is the source of this information?

What to check? Red flags aren’t always just the big information. Check anything that raises a red flag, but spot check other information as well (even information that is CQ’d.)

Start here: 1. If you read something and a question immediately pops into your mind, run with it. Don’t ignore it.

Start here: 1. If you read something and a question immediately pops into your mind, run with it. Don’t ignore it. 2. If it seems too good to be true (or too big to be true or too unusual to be true), it probably is. Question it.

Start here: 1. If you read something and a question immediately pops into your mind, run with it. Don’t ignore it. 2. If it seems too good to be true (or too big to be true or too unusual to be true), it probably is. Question it. 3. Very few things can be chalked up to coincidence. If something seems like a coincidence, check it.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked. Inconsistency and repetition.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked. Inconsistency and repetition. Hearsay.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked. Inconsistency and repetition. Hearsay. Out-of-context examples and references.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked. Inconsistency and repetition. Hearsay. Out-of-context examples and references. Visuals that are meant to distract or misrepresent or seemingly are selected to prove a particular point.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked. Inconsistency and repetition. Hearsay. Out-of-context examples and references. Visuals that are meant to distract or misrepresent or seemingly are selected to prove a particular point. Innuendo.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked. Inconsistency and repetition. Hearsay. Out-of-context examples and references. Visuals that are meant to distract or misrepresent or seemingly are selected to prove a particular point. Innuendo. Biased sources.

What types of information should raise red flags? Information or visuals that do not ring true. Build and trust your BS detector. Numbers — including dollar amounts. Data and polls, especially data that seems to be cherry picked. Inconsistency and repetition. Hearsay. Out-of-context examples and references. Visuals that are meant to distract or misrepresent or seemingly are selected to prove a particular point. Innuendo. Biased sources. Absolutes. Look for “the only,” “the best,” “the number one,” “highest,” “worst” statements.

Too big to be true?

In 2011, the Morning Bulletin in Australia had this headline: Pigs float down the Dawson. It said “more than 30,000 pigs were floating down the Dawson River.” I’d read that story; wouldn’t you?

Someone should have asked … “Wow, 30,000 pigs. That’s a lot of pigs A number that big should have raised a red flag. Questioning that red flag would have saved a correction.

Even the Bulletin realized that eventually, having some fun with this graphic that shows how many pigs 30,000 is.this graphic

NUMBERS: Always ask … 1. How could someone count (or determine) that?

NUMBERS: Always ask … 1. How could someone count (or determine) that? 2. Where did the number come from?

NUMBERS: Always ask … 1. How could someone count (or determine) that? 2. Where did the number come from? 3. What was the original source?

NUMBERS: Always ask … 1. How could someone count (or determine) that? 2. Where did the number come from? 3. What was the original source? 4. What was the original context?

NUMBERS: Always ask … 1. How could someone count (or determine) that? 2. Where did the number come from? 3. What was the original source? 4. What was the original context? 5. Is the number still true?

NUMBERS: Always ask … 1. How could someone count (or determine) that? 2. Where did the number come from? 3. What was the original source? 4. What was the original context? 5. Is the number still true? 6. How was the figure calculated. Was the study, poll or survey scientific?

NUMBERS: Always ask … 1. How could someone count (or determine) that? 2. Where did the number come from? 3. What was the original source? 4. What was the original context? 5. Is the number still true? 6. How was the figure calculated. Was the study, poll or survey scientific? 7. Was the source biased?

Use common sense Does a number just seem too big? These types of number errors happen in news stories, press release, books, corporate … anything that is written. Questioning numbers is always a good thing.

SUPERLATIVES AND ABSOLUTES An editor should question anytime that something is called the best, top ranked, highest earning, first. Demand the source. In many cases, superlatives and absolutes are not necessary to the understanding of the information being presented. So the best way to deal with them is to delete them.

Would you question this information if you saw it in copy?

One red flag: the ranking wouldn’t be 6 th or 7 th. That’s a tipoff that the information might be wrong. Check it out; quote the correct number; then link to a reliable source for transparency.

VISUALS THAT DISTRACT OR MISREPRESENT

Submitted copy Source: Romenesko.com

Internal inconsistencies and coincidence Internal inconsistencies. Check dates and ages especially. Would having a college student say he was born in 2002 set off alarms?

Internal inconsistencies and coincidence Internal inconsistencies. Check dates and ages especially. Things that seem unlikely to you are probably unlikely. If a story says a tea party representative is in favor of gun control, check it out. Even if it’s right, there’s probably a bigger story there.

Internal inconsistencies and coincidence Internal inconsistencies. Check dates and ages especially. Things that seem unlikely to you are probably unlikely. Improbable geography. Would you check if a story mentioned a snow storm in San Diego. Yes. But there can be subtler geography red flags.

Other red flags to check Copy in which the lead or nut graph is not supported by the rest of the story.

Other red flags to check Copy in which the lead or nut graph is not supported by the rest of the story. Critical quotes. The statements may be fair, but we owe it to reader to check it out.

Other red flags to check Copy in which the lead or nut graph is not supported by the rest of the story. Critical quotes. The statements may be fair, but we owe it to reader to check it out. Partial quotes: Would all of the words said by the person change the meaning of the excerpt.

Other red flags to check Copy in which the lead or nut graph is not supported by the rest of the story. Critical quotes. The statements may be fair, but we owe it to reader to check it out. Partial quotes: Would all of the words said by the person change the meaning of the excerpt. Generalizations and unnamed sources.

Other red flags to check Unusual or little used words and terms

Accuracy checks Many publications have an accuracy check policy, but many do not. Set one up. It should cover: 1. What needs an accuracy check. 2. How much of an article a source can see. 3. When will you let a source change words you have proof they said. But don’t rely on the AC. Copy editors still need to do fact checks on AC’d copy.

Resources: Some digital sources that can help you track down claims (find more at verificationhandbook.com):verificationhandbook.com SearchSystems.net: an international directory of free public records. SearchSystems.net Snopes.com: a site dedicated to debunking Internet hoaxes, which can be used to cross-check UGC. Snopes.com Verily platform: allows users to ask specific questions and provide UCG evidence for and against. Verily platform Emergent: A real-time digital rumor tracker. Emergent The National Council on Public Polls has an excellent article.

More resources: The National Council on Public Polls article“20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results.”“20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results.” Associated Press conditions for accuracy. My checklist for the copy editor ( for-copy-editors/) My checklist for the copy editor

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