“Journalists + math = anxiety, self-doubt” and “The Quest for Accurate Numbers”
The readings from this past week stress the importance of accuracy and credibility when dealing with numbers in news stories. As shown, one of the problems in journalism is that many journalists are not confident when it comes to doing basic math. In addition, journalism and math are often considered two completely different fields. However, reporters will often have to write stories dealing with business, elections, surveys, crime, sports and the economy – all dealing with numbers.
Scott R. Maier explains that despite journalists’ ability to excel in math, “math anxiety” persists. He offers a way to instill confidence to use skills that they already have. He suggests that newsrooms should award those who use numbers well and that quantitative skills should be awarded with high salaries. What is interesting to note is that he mentions how mathematics should be a basic part of journalism curriculum, along with knowledge and mastery of AP style. Unfortunately, as can be seen among any average journalism student, many undergraduates are uncomfortable doing math in news stories and see their abilities to write news stories as something completely different from their math skills. Ironically, journalism and math are much intertwined. Journalists are taught to write with objectivity and precision, which are two basic characteristics of math. If journalists were taught from the beginning that math is a fundamental part of writing stories, then perhaps newspapers could prevent careless inconsistencies and errors in math-related stories.
Another problem that Malcom Gibson addresses is that there is a lack of interest in understanding numbers. Perhaps if potential journalists were taught that numbers and words had a complementary relationship in their writing, then they might acquire in interest in arithmetic if they understood the importance. The interest could possibly be the catalyst for the confidence needed to spot errors in news writing. Editing numbers should be as natural as editing the spelling and facts of a story for copy editors, but because they aren’t taught how important and relevant numbers are from the beginning, a lot of incorrect calculations make it in to published stories.
Even at UF, where the journalism school is one of the top in the country, over half of an advanced editing class could not figure out how to calculate a decrease in percentage. If a calculator were required as a resource, along with an AP style guide and a dictionary, perhaps the accuracy of numbers would be thought of being as important as the accuracy of people’s names and ages.
The math dilemma also is associated with the relationships between the reporter, editor, source and story. The copy editor has to question every fact that the reporter includes in the story. Also, the reporter has to question every mathematical fact that he or she receives from the source. If journalists were taught to be aware of the numbers during the story-writing process, then a lot of errors could be prevented.
Case Study – Violent crime increases in Gainesville
The story reveals the problems relating to mathematical awareness and knowledge in the newsroom. As the readings prove, if there were rules regarding percentages and other mathematical rules posted in a newsroom, along with other AP style rules then maybe journalists would realize the importance that numbers have in the world of media.
If any copy editor were aware of the mathematical importance of the story, then he or she would realize to check the numbers in the story to those in the table, and the inconsistencies could have been prevented. Another problem with the story is that there are too many numbers for the reader to keep track of the story. It is not necessary to include the amount of mathematical facts in the story in addition to providing the table. I doubt any copy editor would enjoy being the reader who would be reading this story. It is as if the editor viewed the mathematical skills necessary for editing the story as out of his or her ability. As Scott R. Maier suggests, “the problem is that many think they can’t do math.” The case study is visible proof of the lack of emphasis that math has in the newsroom.
