Effective Journalism: Maintaining Integrity

Dear Readers,

We've received several questions recently about our policies, specifically regarding prepublication review by our sources.  Though this is often requested as a way to prevent inaccuracies in our articles, most newspapers do not allow sources to see quotes or pieces of an article before it goes to print, as this has the potential to turn the paper into a sole source of propaganda.

At The Davidsonian, maintaining the integrity of the paper is our top priority.

Therefore, as a matter of policy, articles, quotes, or aspects of an article will generally not be shown to sources prior to publication. The only exception is if the writer is in doubt about something or is uncertain about having gotten a quote right, in which case he/she will send the relevant paragraph(s) to the source or follow up with questions that will help to clarify the confusion. However, sending pieces of what's been written for an article is not a standard practice, and it will only occur in exceptional circumstances where the subject is particularly sensitive or complex.

There are several strategies to which we are committed so that we can avoid circumstances where sources might want to see a copy of the article before it is printed to check for inaccuracies:

1) When possible, topics that will be covered in interviews, or perhaps even specific questions, will be sent to sources prior to the interview so that they have the opportunity to think through a response with which they feel comfortable.

2) Writers will ask for permission to record each interview. Recording interviews will eliminate uncertainty about what's been said. We hope most of our sources will be happy to see such a reflection of conscientiousness. If the interviewee declines to be recorded, then the writer will be prepared to take extensive notes throughout the interview.

3) Occasionally, there can be times during an interview when the source asks to be "off the record;" our writers will honor that.

On the whole, The Davidsonian strives to build good relationships with our sources, so that those being interviewed feel comfortable sharing information with us. Davidson is a community of trust, and we hope we can work with students, faculty, and staff on campus to produce high-quality content that maintains its integrity each week.