Setting the record straight. (Editor's Focus).

Early on in the education process, our ability to accept criticism is considered a barometer of our behavioral growth. Grade school report cards often contain a category labeled "accepts constructive criticism," in which students are judged to be either satisfactory or needing improvement.

Later in life, perhaps it is taken for granted that we have all developed this skill. Unfortunately, that is probably not always the case. Adults in any number of occupations will hear constructive criticism, and some will deal with it better than others.

Writers and publishers are certainly among those whose work is open to criticism. We collect information from several sources and then present words and images for any number of readers to see. The two goals are to choose what is most appropriate, and then get it right.

Sadly, publishers can fall short in striving for both goals. We may miss out on or disregard a news item that many readers see as having a dramatic effect on their businesses. Just as embarrassing is when we present information that is incomplete or just plain wrong.

Readers can have several different responses when this happens, but they fall into two categories: either they let us know what we've done wrong, or they don't. Speaking on behalf of the entire Recycling Today staff, I can say without question that we prefer you let us know.

It may not be fun to get an angry phone call or e-mail from someone who has had his or her name spelled wrong, or from someone with a company who expected a news item to be published. But the other possibility is probably more harmful in the long run: that a Recycling Today reader holds a grudge against the magazine without making an attempt to set the record straight.

So, please, if you've read something you're sure is wrong; if you're wondering why a particular topic or news item is missing; if you've been left out of a directory or list that we publish; or if you think you perceive a bias in our news reporting, let us know. It is the unfortunate nature of publishing that we can't lift off the printed page what is already there and amend it. But if we need to let our readers know we've goofed, we will do it.

When we ask you to contact us with your criticisms, we know it's our job to--as it says on the grade school report cards-accept the criticism constructively. It's in our own best interest to do so. Our readers are who we learn from, and you're the ones who can correct us when we're wrong, provide the added information when we've left something out, and let us know if you think we're skewing an issue to one side without giving the other interested parties a chance to speak.

On the one hand, a lack of criticism could mean we're doing an admirable job of managing the news content of our magazine. But we know there are times when we make mistakes, and that there are times when our readers almost certainly have additional input to offer on a news item or feature story.

So keep the letters, phone calls, faxes and e-mails [[e-mail]] coming. It's our responsibility to take the criticism.