Language Corner
Hyphen Tension
A ‘hyphen’ is not a ‘dash’
By Merrill Perlman May 17, 2010 at 04:57 PM
Precision is necessary in a lot of things in journalism—facts, spelling of names, etc. It’s also vital in Web addresses—tell... More
Stopping the Flow
‘Staunch’ or ‘stanch’?
By Merrill Perlman May 10, 2010 at 04:18 PM
Frantic efforts are underway to shut off the oil flowing from a well in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone agrees... More
You Talkin’ ‘Bout Me?
Avoiding reader ‘indirection’
By Merrill Perlman May 3, 2010 at 01:05 PM
“A 28-year-old man who died early Saturday in a crash was remembered Sunday as an outgoing, optimistic fellow who had... More
Out the Wazoo
Misspellings of ‘yin and yang’ abound
By Merrill Perlman Apr 26, 2010 at 11:14 AM
Here’s how language changes: Take a term rendered in a foreign language, let’s say “yin and yang.” Have people start... More
Ex-Sited
An AP style change shakes things up
By Merrill Perlman Apr 19, 2010 at 02:59 PM
The Associated Press shook up the world last week. The World Wide Web, that is. The AP, whose stylebook is... More
Beset by Acrimony
Words that no one uses outside journalism
By Merrill Perlman Apr 12, 2010 at 01:44 PM
Time for a rant. Journalists seem to love certain words that no one actually uses in normal conversations. Have you... More
Portion Control
The many variations of ‘proportion’
By Merrill Perlman Apr 5, 2010 at 02:31 PM
How do I “proportion” thee? Let me count the ways: • “Checks dated by April 30 will receive a special,... More
Exclusive
When a list doesn’t include everything
By Merrill Perlman Mar 29, 2010 at 03:41 PM
The newspaper reported a burglary, and said that “four items were taken, including a DVD player, a laptop computer, an... More
Probably Likely
A change that likely needs making
By Merrill Perlman Mar 22, 2010 at 02:08 PM
Now that the health care bill is through Congress, President Obama “likely” will sign it soon, opponents “likely” will challenge... More
Your Deal
Confusing a ‘card shark’ with a ‘cardsharp’
By Merrill Perlman Mar 15, 2010 at 11:12 AM
You’re in Vegas, putting your poker skills to the test. As you are raking in the chips from a particularly... More
No Lectures, Please
‘Podium’ and ‘lectern’ are often interchangeable
By Merrill Perlman Mar 8, 2010 at 01:10 PM
There’s an old joke among journalists—OK, mostly among copy editors—about a passage that says that the speaker “stood behind the... More
Incomplete
Why use “completely”?
By Merrill Perlman Mar 2, 2010 at 01:46 PM
“Completely” is probably one of the most completely superfluous words in the English language. Too often, it’s used to emphasize... More
Exit Strategies
Why are there so many ways to leave?
By Merrill Perlman Feb 22, 2010 at 12:02 PM
The Eskimos may—or may not—have many words for “snow,” but we English speakers certainly have a number of words to... More
Special Issue
A problematic discussion
By Merrill Perlman Feb 16, 2010 at 02:10 PM
Gene Foreman has an issue with “issues.” “I see the misuse of ‘issues’ as a synonym for ‘problems’ as part... More
Meta Data
Self, meet yourself
By Merrill Perlman Feb 8, 2010 at 11:43 AM
Lady Gaga and Elton John, two of the music world’s most self-referential and self-aware performers, sang a duet at the... 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?
This is the best moment to be in journalism (25)
The WSJ editorial page hits rock bottom (18)
The completist guide to Star Trek
Matt Yglesias watched every Star Trek movie and every episode of every TV show in the franchise
The uncomfortable questions not raised by Benghazi
The press and Congress are asking the wrong questions
Rob Ford in ‘crack cocaine’ video scandal
A video that appears to show Toronto’s mayor smoking crack is being shopped around by a group of Somali men involved in the drug trade
Why the underwear-bomber leak infuriated the Obama administration
The threat of even grander leaks
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.
