How to safeguard your publication from inaccuracies and plagiarism. (Editorial Management).

Copy editors, speak up!

You are the last defense for your publication against inaccuracies, inconsistencies, even plagiarism and libel.

That's the advice from Copy Editor newsletter. Its lead article in the June--July 2003 issue, by contributing editor Allan Reeder, interviewed "a range of copy editors across the country--at daily newspapers, national magazines, book-publishing houses, and corporations--for their own cautionary tales, about situations in which material that came across their desks seemed to go too far in some way and to demand questioning."

Reeder prominently cited William G. Connolly, who was senior editor at The New York Times until his retirement in 2001.

"Connolly says he tried to hire 'activist copy editors,' who were always ready to pose the necessary questions:

* Does this compute?

* Where did this fact come from?

* Where is the attribution?

* Who is the expert?

* Have we talked to all sides?

* Are we being responsible and fair?"

We highly recommend your acquiring and reading Reeder's lengthy article, "Beyond the Bounds," to see how leading copy editors safeguard their publications from embarrassment and even libel. It's available from Copy Editor for $12 by calling Jennifer Zuverink at 888-626-8779, mentioning NL/NL.

1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014, 888-626-8779, wwwcopyeditor.com