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Don’t add anything that wasn’t there, even for dramatic effect.

Never, EVER deceive your audience in any way, shape, or form.

DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING. If your mother says she loves you, check it out.

Get more than one source . Three is even better than two, and so on.

Before he hands a piece in, Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom French takes a printed copy of his story and goes over it line-by-line with a red pencil, putting a check mark by each fact and assertion in the story when he has double-checked it and ensured that he has not introduced any personal bias.

Before publication, call your sources back and check your facts with them.

This doesn’t mean they can change their quotes or try to talk you into portraying them more positively. It’s about getting it right.

They will love you for it, even if you bug them.

Editors will adjudicate stories line by line with the reporter at their side, asking: How do you know this? Why should the reader believe this? What is the assumption behind this

sentence?

If doctors and surgeons do it, why can’t we?

Surgeon and staff writer for the New Yorker, Atul Gawande on the Daily Show:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-february-3-2010/atul-gawande

Is there enough background material to understand the story completely?

Are all the stakeholders in the story identified and have they been contacted and given a chance to talk?

Does the story pick sides or make subtle value judgments? Will some people like this story more than they should?

Ex: Reporter Checklist  Have you double-checked all names, titles and

places mentioned in your story? Have you tested from the screen and CQ'd ALL phone numbers or Web addresses?

Are the quotes accurate and properly attributed? Have you fully captured what each person meant?

Is this story fair? Who or what might be missing from the story? Have they been called and given a chance to talk?

Have you run spell check and checked the math?

Have you fact-checked your information given to graphics or photography? Have you seen the completed graphic or photo?

Is the information essential to the story?

Is the information fact, not judgment? Is the source truly in a position to

know? Is he/she an eyewitness? What other indicators of reliability do

you have (multiple sources, independent corroboration, experience with the source)?

Is there a legitimate reason for anonymity?

What descriptors can we use so readers can decide what weight to assign to this source?

The identity of an unnamed source must be shared with and approved by a managing editor, who must be confident the information is accurate.

Unnamed sources should be described as precisely as possible.

The number of sources and their standing should not be exaggerated.

Sources should know they may be identified if their information proves to be false or unfounded.

Outermost circle: Secondary source documents, e.g. articles in other news sources

Next circle: Primary documents e.g. police reports, trial documents, etc.

Next circle: Real people, not documents. Witnesses, people with knowledge of the topic

Bullseye: People CLOSEST to the case, e.g. the suspects, the police involved, the victim

Discrepancies?

Human beings make mistakes all the time, or may have a strong motive to either lie or hide information

For example, police are under pressure to find the killer, reassure the public the streets are safe, to cut a deal with a suspect, to go for the guy who already has a record, and to get the press off its back.

Don’t take ANYBODY’S WORD FOR IT.

You speak for the people It is better to pester somebody than get

it wrong Public officials, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY

OFFICIALS, GET PAID BY YOU! IT IS THEIR JOB TO ANSWER THE PUBLIC’S QUESTIONS.

Be Bold. Be Fearless. Kick A@@ and Take Names.