Fact Error

A fact error is when an element in a story is presented as a fact, but it is actually wrong. Sometimes it could be the misspelling of someone's name or a wrong date printed in a story.

Example: The New York Times April 23rd issue

Explanation: 

The reference of the Ramapoughs as Indians is wrong and outdated. They are either Native Americans or American Indians.

Revision:

Emboldening the Ramapoughs is another parallel war that the state's Native Americans have been waging: for official recognition.

AP Style Error

When the main noun is too far from the verb that goes with it, it can be confused with other nouns in the same sentence. Sentences usually put the verb and the noun as close together as possible for clarity.

Example: The Chiacgo Tribune April 24th Issue

Explanation: 

The main noun "city code lawsuits" is quite far from the verb "have". It could be closer, so the reader can get to the action quicker.

Revision:

Nearly five months later, however, city code lawsuits have quadrupled against the Better Housing Foundation. 

Main Noun Too Far From Main Verb

When the main noun is too far from the verb that goes with it, it can be confused with other nouns in the same sentence. Sentences usually put the verb and the noun as close together as possible for clarity.

Example: The Chiacgo Tribune April 24th Issue

Explanation: 

The main noun "city code lawsuits" is quite far from the verb "have". It could be closer, so the reader can get to the action quicker.

Revision:

Nearly five months later, however, city code lawsuits have quadrupled against the Better Housing Foundation. 

 

Inaccurate or Misleading Numbers in A Story

Sometimes the numbers shown in a story article are not always correct. The numbers could be too big or use the wrong units for what is being measured. Dollar amounts could be exaggerated in a dataset and become misleading. Slight miscalculations in percent, for example, not equaling to a 100 percent when adding all the parts. 

Example: The New York Times April 11th Issue

Explanation: 

The distance between Tanana and Fairbanks is 129 miles, or about 130 miles. The article says the distance is about 100 miles. That is a 29 mile difference, The New York Times is usually more percise.

 Revision:

 Charles Wright, who lives in Tanana, a village on the Yukon River about 130 miles west of Fairbanks, has hunted geese and trapped beaver with his family since he was a boy.

Sometimes the numbers shown in a story article are not always correct. The numbers could be too big or use the wrong units for what is being measured. Dollar amounts could be exaggerated in a dataset and become misleading. Slight miscalculations in percent, for example, not equaling to a 100% when adding all the parts. 

  

Wrong Pronouns

Pronouns are words that replace proper nouns such as names, objects or groups. Nominative pronouns replace the subject of a sentence and objective pronouns replace the object of a sentence.

Pronouns also replace possesive nouns. Instead of "Jimmy's bat" it is now "his bat."

Example: The New York Times April 24th Issue

Explanation: 

"The police" are a plural noun so the pronoun attached to them must also be plural. "Its" is a singular possessive pronoun. "Their are theirs" are plural possessive pronouns so "their" is the right one for this sentence.   

 Revision:

 The police in Northern Ireland said that Thursday night's rioting had broken out after their officers entered the Creggan area to search for arms and explosives that security servvices beileved would be used in an attack to mark the anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916,..."

Usage

How words are used in a sentence can vary depending on the context of the sentence. Sometimes the wrong word is used because the Journalist thinks it means something that it doesn't. Sometimes it's a simple misspelling and other times it's the wrong word entirely. 

Example: The New York Times April 16th Issue

Explanation: 

The word albeit means although. Based on the way it is used in the sentence, albeit is supposed to put emphasis on the fact that 15 minute checkups don't address future issues that can be life-threatening. The "that" after "one" throws the use of albeit off, and it doesn't work here. 

 Revision:

 However, the typical 15-minute office visit is often focused on current medical issues, like diabetes and high blood pressure, rather than on a possible future problem, especially one that can be life- threatening. Or ,one that can become life-threatening.

Wordiness

Sentences in journalism should be short and concise. Readers don't like long sentences and sometimes the point can be made with fewer words anyway. Shorter sentences also provide more clarity where longer sentences can allow the reader to get lost.

Example: The Chicago Tribune April 11

Explanation:

The sentence could be shorter, causing it to flow better. It seems as though the two tracks aren't opposite as the sentence is written. One track wants stricter policies and the other one wants to unify a legislative package.

Revision:

The resulting parallel tracks --one to divide and another to unify legislature on implementing stricter policies or not--have created uncertainty and confusion both inside the administration and on Capitol Hill about where Trump is headed.  

Comma

Comma's separate and independent and dependent clauses when separated by a FANBOY (for, and, nor, but, or, yet), items in a list, introductory phrases, and introduce or end quotes. They provide clarity to a sentence. Used incorrectly they can lead to confusion in a sentence. 

Example: April 2019 Vol 93 No. 4 of The Co-Operator

Explanation:

There should be a comma between the independent clause "Ted's greenhouse offers... "and dependent clause "...all carefully nurtured from the best. Because what comes after "and" is not an independent clause, it does not need a comma.

Revision:

Ted's Greenhouse offers the finest plants in the area, all carefully nurtured from the best seed and stock available and skillfully managed until they reach their final destination.

Bad Leads

A news lead draws the reader into the story article and addresses the who, what, when, where and why. If it is a bad lead the reader won't want to continue reading the story. They are the first two sentences of a story, usually straight to the point.

Example: The New York Times April 3

Explanation:

The current lead doesn't address the headline and is kind of unnecessary. The second paragraph becomes unecessary too or it can be shortened.

Revision:

 Sites including Roman and Hers make obtaining lifestyle drugs--libido pills-- embarrassment free and online dinner ordering easy. "E.D. meds prescribed online, delivered at your door starting at $2 per dose." "Low sex drive? That can be optional. Try today -- $99," ads promote on the sites.

Dead Constructions

 Dead constructions are sentences that contain or begin with the words "it is" or "there are" in past or present tense. Dead constructions force the writer to use a weak verb like "is" when a stronger verb could be used. They can force the subject toward the end of a sentence if they are placed in the beginning.

 Example:

From The Chicago Tribune March 28, 2019

Explanation: 

This sentence used the present singular tense of "is." The weak verb pushes the subject, Thomas Kokoraleis toward the end of the sentence. A stronger verb can be used in place of "is" to give the sentance more meaning. 

Revision:

Where Thomas Kokoraleis plans to live remains unclear.  Alternatively: It remains unclear where Thomas Koloraleis plans to live.

The verb "remains" replaced the weaker verb, "is." 

Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers are parts of a sentence that modify the nouns of a sentence. They are words or phrases that add detail, describe or provide information about the subject. When the noun or subject is not in the sentence but the modifier is, the modifier is called a dangling modifier. It is at the beginning or end of a sentence, modifying an action or inanimate object that is not the subject or noun.

Example:

From The Chicago Tribune February 22, 2019

Explanation:

Pinterest  is being modified as a company that has not taken a "hands-off approach to the problem" of users recieving harmful information about vaccines by blocking the results about them entirely. The sentence modifies Pinterest's tactic while talking about companies instead of Pinterest itself.

Revision:

While most companies have taken a more hands-off approach to the problem, citing free speech issues, Pinterest takes a radical alternative by banning all vacine-related content, one that makes it tougher for users to find accurate information about vacines even as it seeks to protect them. 

Cliche

Clichés are commonly used expressions that are seen or heard so many times they become boring and unoriginal.  You can't go wrong with a cliché, but in a profession where capturing the reader's attention is important the cliché will make them sigh and skip over it.

Example:

The New York Times February 14, 2019

Explanation:

The phrase "teetered on the brink" is a common phrase to describe something is close to happening or almost about to happen. It is most commonly used to modify a collapse or destruction of some kind. It is an overused statement and lacks originality.

Revision:

The Spanish government threatened to dissolve--deeply divided over the status of the prosperous region of Catalonia on Wednesday--stymying the passage of a national budget and almost throwing the country into another round of protracted political uncertainty. 

This statement gives the same information without the unoriginal phrase.

Passive Voice

Passive Voice is when the subject is acted upon, instead of active voice where the subject is taking action. Active voice is usually preferred in journalism unless the subject is unknown or unimportant.

Example: 

                      The New York Times February 22

Explanation:

The yearbook was edited by Nichole Carroll, she is acted upon. What is really important, her being the editor of USA Today, is pushed toward the end and loses its impact. Nichole Carroll being the current editor of USA Today and in the past editing this yearbook with racist images is more important than the yearbook itself. 

Revision : 

"USA Today's current editor in chief, Nichole Caroll edited that yearbook when she was 21."

Active voice cuts down on a few words in the process and impacts more than the first sentence. 

Parallelism

Parallelism is the grammatical balance of a sentence. It allows for the sentence to flow and have rhythm when read. A sentence that lacks parallelism causes confusion in the focus of the sentence and the rhythm.

Example: Great Parallelism

                                    The New York Times February 22

Explanation:

The use of the infinitive "to be" in the sentence is paired with complement nouns "sponsor" and supplier. Both words start with s and happen to end in an "--er" sound adding to the balance of the sentence. If supplier was changed to " to supply"  it would not be balanced, supplier would be changed to a verb where sponsor is a noun.