We Regret the Error, Erik Nelson

Accuracy is perhaps the single greatest responsibility that journalists have to undertake to maintain credibility as a journalist. Errors can show up in articles in many different ways such as grammatical errors, misquoting sources, forgetting information, and the creating content. Although the severity of each error is weighed differently, readers need to be able to trust journalists 100 per cent of the time and thus accuracy is so important for journalism.

Making an error can be constructive for journalists though because it allows the writer to see how something is wrong, why it is wrong, and also how to fix what is wrong. When a word is misspelled and an editor hands back your copy with spelling mistakes circled, in your head you analyze the wrong spelling and because you have seen the error circled, the writer will remember the correct spelling. Just as shooting basketballs at a hoop, not all the balls will land but you will progressively get better once you analyze how to shoot a ball properly.

As found in the Edmonton Sun - Cabbies float flat airport rate:
"City cab drivers hope that offering the lower of either a flat rate or meter rate for passengers heading to the international airport could mean a big boost to their flailing business."
The use of the word flailing according to a dictionary would suggest that the business is "To wave or swing vigorously". Since businesses cannot swing around vigorously, another word should be used to correct this error, one such word being "declining".

In the 24 Hours Edmonton - Google Ready To Leave China
"Talks with China over censorship have reached an apparent impasse and Google, the world’s largest search engine, is now “99.95” certain it will shut down its Chinese search engine, the FinancialTimes said on Saturday. "
In this article, the journalist quotes someone stating a number, but he doesn't include anything for the reader to relate the number to. Is it 99.95 people that are certain of the closure? It appears that the number is meant to be a percentage, however the reader cannot be certain about this unless the writer states it as such.

Another error was in the Edmonton Journal - Young Edmonton teens charged with transit-station attacks
"The first assault allegedly happened just after 10:30 p.m., when one of the girls in the group walked up to a 16-year-old boy and grabbed his cellphone and bus bass."
Although this is another simple mistake, it must be noticed because there is no such thing as a bus bass. It is not hard to decipher the mistake which should be "bus pass", hopefully the journalist will not make this mistake again.

News articles filled with errors are disappointing to see because of the high standards that are maintained at most newspapers, however it is only human to make mistakes. To make a mistake and correct it allows writers to grow and learn. Although making errors should be feared and all measures should be taken to avoid them if at all possible, it should be remembered that the only way to move up is by falling down (and then picking yourself up again).

Image from Brain Leaders and Learners in the article From Mistakes to Brainbower.