Stats: Fatals

PROBLEM: When we meant to say 113.1 million, we said 113/1 million. That creates a fraction as opposed to a whole number, and that creates a fatal.

SOLUTION: Double-check ALL numbers when finished writing, to make sure what you wrote was what you intended to write.

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PROBLEM: We said two percent of households were without computers, whenthe data you were given indicated 38.2 percent of households currently lacked a computer.

SOLUTION: Same as above. Plus, before we start writing we need to make sure we clearly understand the facts. We should not start writing until the facts make sense to us; otherwise, how can we clearly and accurately explain things to others?

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PROBLEM: We said 62 percent, or 113.1 million households, when we meant 62 percent of 113.1 million households (or 69.9 million households).

SOLUTION: Same as above.

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PROBLEM: In quoting a document, when we meant to say "There has ...", we accidentally said, "There as ..." with the "H" missing from has. Any spelling error inside of a quote that changes the word is a fatal.

SOLUTION: Double-check all quotes in their entirety to make sure what was written is exactly the quote, with no errors or omissions.

***** 

PROBLEM: We spelled U.S. Census Bureau as U.S. Census Bearou. Misspelling of a proper name is a fatal, per the syllabus.

SOLUTION: Double-check all nouns -- any person, place or thing -- when you finish writing, to make sure that all such names are spelled correctly.

*****

Now, let's put these solutions together in a coherent strategy:

When you finish writing, print out your story. Then, circle every noun (person, place or thing) and every number and/or statistical unit and the entirety of every quote. Then, get out your notes (or in this case, your book). Go through your story line-by-line, and as you come across a circled item, look up that circled item in your notes and/or book, and make sure in the story that it is exactly the same as what is in your notes and/or book. (For quotes, that means making sure it is exactly as-is.) Then X out each circled item as you check it. I promise you that if you do this in a serious, detailed manner, you will catch 95 percent of the fatals we've been seeing this semester.

But it only works if you do it, precisely and in its entirety and every time.