Today, I was reading a blog post. The article was published by a group that I would consider reliable and reputable. It was on a topic that I have passing familiarity with, and would like to be better at. I’m not going to name the post nor the topic, because that’s not the point. Here’s what went down…
1130 Hours: Read post. Surprised at the absolutes declared in the article.
1135 Hours: Read it again. Think that either I’ve missed some really basic lessons on this topic, or that maybe the article has provided some less than ideal guidance.
1209 Hours: E-mail a friend who I know is an expert on the subject. Ask him to read it and let me know if he thinks it is right.
1300 Hours: Get response from generous and patient friend. His e-mail (which was longer than the blog post) explains in very clear terms that there are problems with not only the guidance that the article provides, but also how some of the fundamental concepts were represented.
1420 Hours: Go find another post on the same topic by another trusted expert. Read it and confirm for the second time that my original suspicions about the article were correct.
1430 Hours: Pat myself on the back for knowing just enough about the topic to realize that it seemed off in the first place.
1445 Hours: Go back to blog post to write comment that maybe the article could use a second look. See that someone has already done that. Decide not to pile on.
Now, I’ve been watching a lot of The Newsroom and House of Cards lately, both of which have characters who are journalists. I think that reading blog posts, articles, and books is a lot like being a journalist. One source is not enough. If you’re hearing something new or something that contradicts what you think you know, don’t take the article at face value. Go find a second source, and make sure that the second source didn’t use your first source as their source. (Caveat: I do have a list of absolutely trusted writers. But it is my list, and is based on a lot of factors. Okay, fine. I’ll share one. His name rhymes with Tall Candle.) Also, if you’re finding conflicting advice, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Any writer worth her salt is willing to accept some peer review.
And yes, if you’re wondering, I felt very MacKenzie McHale for all of 3 seconds.
(photo from: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/the-newsroom-2012/images/33579445/title/mackenzie-mchale-photo)
I imagined myself, headset on, shouting, “We’re not going live with this until we confirm a second source!” Then I remembered that no one but me was consuming this information. Oh well.
If you’re on the other side of the keyboard and are writing an article you plan to send out into the world, here are a few guidelines to live by:
1) Unless you are 110% sure that your guidance applies 100% of the time, don’t speak in absolutes. “It depends” is a running joke for a reason.
2) Find someone you trust to tech edit for you. Heck, find two people.
3) Remember that there are a lot of young database professionals out there who are reading your work in order to figure out how to do their jobs. Don’t take that lightly.
4) If someone comments on your article and says you’re wrong, engage with them. They’ve taken the time to read and comment on your work. Granted, there are trolls out there, but a thoughtful comment demands a thoughtful response. And keep an open mind.
5) If you’re preaching something that goes against conventional thought, take the time to post links to opposing views. Help your reader make an informed choice about which advice to follow.
6) Encourage your reader to do their own research with the information you’ve provided.
7) If you discover that you’ve presented bad information, correct the article. Own it.
All that being said, the proliferation of online resources has made us all better. Don’t be afraid to put your research and opinions out there. Just research, verify, and test. And look for that second source before going live with the scoop.
Blog on, my friends…
–Audrey
