Accuracy Checklist

7/28/2019 Accuracy Checklist

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accuracy

checklistsBy

John X. MillerDetroit Free Presspublic editor


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The goal of these accuracychecklists is to remind newsroomjournalists, especially on deadline,

to verify and re-verify certaininformation and to help make

sure stories, photos and graphicsare contextual and work together


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Reporter Checklist

1. Have you double-checked all names, titles and placesmentioned in your story? Have you tested from thescreen and checked ALL phone numbers or Webaddresses?

2. Are the quotes accurate and properly attributed? Haveyou fully captured what each person meant?

3. Is this story fair? Who or what might be missing fromthe story? Have they been called and given a chanceto talk?

4. Have you run spell check and checked the math?

5. Have you fact-checked your information given tographics or photography? Have you seen thecompleted graphic or photo?


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Assigning Editor Checklist

Did the reporter double-check all names, titles andplaces mentioned in this story? Did the reporter properlycheck all phone numbers or Web addresses?

Are the quotes accurate and properly attributed? Have

we fully captured what each person meant? Is the story fair? Who or what might be missing from the

story? Is the lede or nut graph sufficiently supported?

Are there visual elements possible? Have they been

assigned? Have you seen and approved the completedwork?

Are the background and context complete enough to tellreaders why the story is relevant? Did the reporter signoff on changes made in the story?


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Copy Editor Checklist

Is the headline accurate & balanced? Do all aspectsof the story and headline seem factually accurate? Isthe story fair? Who or what might be missing?

Is the background and context complete enough to

give readers a sense of why the story is relevant? Is the lead sufficiently supported? Is the story fair?

Have all phone numbers and Web addresses beenchecked? Have you checked the math? Have you

checked the spelling? Have you checked photo captions and graphics

information against the story?

Have you proofed the display type?


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Photo Editor Caption Checklist

1. Are you familiar with the story? Do the photos chosenaccurately represent the event or person?

2. Is the caption complete and error-free? Are the quotes

accurate and properly attributed? Do they fully capturewhat the person meant?

3. Is photo cropped for maximum impact?

4. Have the photo proofs been delivered to designers in

enough time to allow thoughtful design and carefulcopy editing of captions?


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Photo Assigning Editor Checklist

Is the photo request form complete and accurate?(i.e., complete address, directions, contact phonenumbers, what story is about, date needed, etc.).

Did the person making the photo request include

any background and context to give thephotographer a sense of why this photo should betaken and what point is it meant to illustrate?

Is the assigned photo the best way to illustrate

the story? Have you discussed the assignmentwith a reporter or assignment editor?

Is the essential content of the photo unobstructedand visible?


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Photographer Caption Checklist

Have you double-checked all names, titles and placesmentioned in your caption? And have you checkedunusual spellings?

Is the caption complete and accurate? Does it include thebasic information: Who, What, When, Where, and Why?

Are the quotes accurate and properly attributed? Haveyou fully captured what the person meant?

Is the photo cropped for maximum impact?

Have you filled out all appropriate fields in the captionform? Have you re-read the caption carefully?

Is the photo file or photo folder named properly(according to the Free Press picture and folders namingconvention) and saved to the appropriately?


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Artist Checklist

Do you have all the information you need? Does it

make sense? Is the information correctly prioritized?Do you have correct source and credit lineinformation?

Have you discussed with the page designer the size ofthe graphic and whether its color?

Have you checked the information with the reporteror with an assignment editor, if the reporter is not

available? If its a map, have you double-checked the location?

Have you sent a proof to the copy editor and reporteror his or her assignment editor?


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Page Designer Checklist

Is the file name of the page correct? Is the date andpage number correct in the folio, as well as any zonedesignators and fix daggers or SAP stars? Are the adstacks drawn properly? Do jumps and break words

match? Have the budgets been updated? Are you missing any

stories or elements (particularly graphics)?

Have you checked the big typeheadlines, cutlines,

reefers? Do they make sense to you? On photos andgraphics, is the crop correct?

Does the image fill the frame? Are all graphics andphotos proportionalno anamorphic enlargements or

reductions?

Accuracy Checklist

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