As journalists, we have a tendency to collect a lot of data in the search for truth. Inevitability, we have to compare that information together. It helps us create context and it helps us determine impact.
However, when we compare sets of data, sometimes we might compare the wrong information.
This happened today and the impact of that mistake means that some of our readers are now armed with misinformation.
Our newspaper asserted that Crossroads' grilled chicken has 805.9 calories and 10.45 grams of fat. We then compared that to grilled chicken cooked at home, which magically had 100 calories and one-half gram of fat.
That's very confusing. So I did a little research and looked up the sources we attributed to this information.
I found out that the Crossroads' grilled chicken that was referenced in the article is actually a chicken sandwich with a lot of ingredients and sauces. The grilled chicken cooked at home was a 3 oz serving of Tyson grilled chicken strips. (The article mentions this, but it doesn't mention the fact the "other" grilled chicken is a sandwich.)
This happened with the grilled cheese comparison in the article too, but not as severely. Grilled cheese is pretty simple, but the article asserts that two slices of bread and some cheese should be the same no matter what. Not necessarily. What if the bread used by the homeowner or restaurant is thicker or thinner? It is entirely possible for me to go home and make a grilled cheese sandwich that is worse for me than the restaurant version. Why? Because there is no data provided about the type of bread used and the amount of cheese.
Because we weren't upfront with our information or careful when comparing sets of data, we now have misinformed readers. They may actually think a piece of grilled chicken from Crossroads' is filled with fat and calories, but that isn't entirely true. It's the sandwich, not the chicken.
We have a responsibility to our readers to make sure we get information accurate. The next time you sit down and start comparing things, make sure it makes sense to compare them. Make sure you are telling the whole story and being transparent with the data that you do have. Our readers will appreciate it, and they will be better informed because of your efforts.
JAKE MORGAN WINS THE (TUES)DAY
Tuesday's story about cadavers was awesome. Jake Morgan did pretty much everything right in the story. It was interesting, it was about students and it was well written. GREAT JOB!
And to top it off, Ben Williams photo illustration turned out much better than anticipated. Excellent work.
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