Language Corner
Brand extension
Why trademarks should be honored
By Merrill Perlman Feb 19, 2013 at 03:00 PM
Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City called for a ban on "Styrofoam" containers, saying in his State of the... More
Martial arts
A black belt in spelling
By Merrill Perlman Feb 11, 2013 at 03:22 PM
When a society gets out of hand, a government can try to "marshal" its forces to settle things. But the... More
Take too
It’s a matter of perspective
By Merrill Perlman Feb 4, 2013 at 03:00 PM
"It's going to rain, so take an umbrella," the weather forecaster says. "Shouldn't that be bring?" a correspondent writes. "I... More
‘Scare’ tactics
Quotes around single words
By Merrill Perlman Jan 28, 2013 at 03:00 PM
It's Journalism 101: go out and talk to people, then write down what they say. If you can't quote it... More
Little big, man
Small changes, big effects
By Merrill Perlman Jan 22, 2013 at 03:00 PM
Sometimes, it's the little things that count. Little things like whether to use "a" or "the," for example, or whether... More
… And so on
Explaining explanatory abbreviations
By Merrill Perlman Jan 14, 2013 at 03:00 PM
Today, we’re going to talk about what symbols, abbreviations, etc., to use when, i.e., you want to give a list... More
Our funny language
Puzzling English expressions
By Merrill Perlman Jan 7, 2013 at 03:00 PM
As we bid farewell to the holiday season (whatever you may celebrate), here are a few final presents to amuse... More
Language Corner
Like you were
By Merrill Perlman Jan 2, 2013 at 12:00 AM
Using “like” as a conjunction can earn you dirty looks from some quarters. The example most often cited by anti-conjunctionists... More
For word
Little word, big meaning
By Merrill Perlman Dec 17, 2012 at 03:00 PM
“For” is a handy word. As a preposition, it has many functions: Webster’s New World College Dictionary lists 20... More
Signposts for unfamiliar territory
How to help your readers navigate new words and ideas
By Merrill Perlman Dec 12, 2012 at 06:50 AM
A journalist’s job is to deliver information. Sometimes, though, that information needs explanation or context to make it clear. Maybe... More
Robbing ’hood
Words involving theft
By Merrill Perlman Dec 3, 2012 at 03:00 PM
Trying to teach journalists the finer points of law is nearly as hard as trying to teach them the finer... More
Whine lovers
Complaining with a British accent
By Merrill Perlman Nov 27, 2012 at 03:13 PM
People do a lot of whining. Lately, though, many publications seem to be spelling the complainers (or their complaints) differently.... More
Popularity contest
Words for the people
By Merrill Perlman Nov 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM
The article was discussing a survey on the popular view of marketers and politicians. “Both have a higher perception of... More
Of storms and ships at sea
Let’s not take them personally
By Merrill Perlman Nov 13, 2012 at 06:50 AM
We have names. Our pets have names. And so do hurricanes and ships. But, unlike us and our pets, hurricanes... More
What are the odds?
Dealing with percentages
By Merrill Perlman Nov 5, 2012 at 01:00 PM
Take this quiz: If one candidate has 46 percent of the likely voters, and the other has 48 percent, what’s... More
‘See you on the other side’ - Meet Jessica Lum, a terminally ill 25-year-old who chose to spend what little time she had practicing journalism
#Realtalk: This is the best moment to be in journalism - The old stuff isn’t coming back, but that’s okay
Streams of consciousness - Millennials expect a steady diet of quick-hit, social-media-mediated bits and bytes. What does that mean for journalism?
Sticking with the truth - How ‘balanced’ coverage helped sustain the bogus claim that childhood vaccines can cause autism
An ink-stained stretch - Can Aaron Kushner save the Orange County Register—and the newspaper industry?
Obama’s war on leaks undermines investigative journalism
“[T]he most militant I have seen since the Nixon administration”
‘It was approved at the highest levels— and I mean the highest’
Holder OK’d search warrant for Fox News reporter’s private emails, official says
If cable is dying, why is it still making so much money?
The story behind one of the best business models in the country
What TVGuide.com watchlist data reveals about the season’s new dramas
“What was once genre is now the Zeitgeist”
CJR's Guide to Online News Startups
Uptown Messenger – Hyperlocal news for a neighborhood in New Orleans
Who Owns What
The Business of Digital Journalism
A report from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Questions and exercises for journalism students.
