Editing and proofreading are two skills that are essential in the field of journalism, both for the purpose of the credibility of the writers/paper, and for the reader's sake. However, despite the utmost critical importance of the art of editing and proofreading, many stories published either to print or web go unnoticed. Errors can cause confusion, and in a profession where confusing readers defies the point of journalism, so it'd be logical to avoid said errors; however, because people are not perfect beings, mistakes will always creep in here or there, and the best way to avoid them is to remain vigilant in editing and always have at least one other set of eyes to proofread a piece of copy.
One mistake found in an article published by the Edmonton Sun on April 7th, 2010, is a prime example of how a rushed article can contain one word that can really throw a reader off. Case in point:
The word 'warrant' is the offender in this article. It isn't bolded, so it couldn't be a sub-head. It's just thrown in on its own, with no context, period, punctuation or anything, just a random word thrown in to the middle of the story. The cause of how the word was placed in there isn't known for sure, but carelessness and rush to publish could be factors, which are causes for concern in the online word.
Errors in the midst of an article is somewhat commonplace in the online word, due to the rushed nature of many of the articles printed. One mistake made in a newspaper that caught my attention was an error in which the paper misspelled its own name. Maybe this paper needs a copy editor or a proofreader...just maybe.
As seen above, editing copy ( and apparently, the title of the newspaper) are important for both the integrity of the copy, and to avoid confusion on the reader's part. Since journalism is essentially a literary art form, great care should be taken to make sure that the final product is without blemishes. The more errors that are made either consistently by the same paper or writer reflects upon the writer's/paper's integrity, and people's overall trust in said publication. Accuracy, editing and proofreading are key for maintaining reputable journalism.
In her blog post, Editing Detective, by Nancy Gordy, she sums up the act of making mistakes best.
"It's a skill that will more than likely never be completely mastered by an individual as it is a learning process that continues through ones life. Mistakes will happen from time to time and some will go noticed while others go unnoticed. The mistakes that are identified however, create learning opportunities. With so many things to be looking out for when writing, it is no wonder that a writer can become overwhelmed and simply miss a mistake."
Like many a thing in life, making written errors is an inevitable occurrence. The best way to learn from mistakes, is to pay attention to the mistake made, how it was made, why it was made, and then work on remembering those things so that atleast THAT error won't be made again.
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