I learned a long time ago that the quality of the ideas expressed and the quality of the presentation are not so much divorced as they are “never married”. I don’t have a copy in front of me to check right now, but I have no doubt that NBC’s piece on exploding Ford gas tanks from a few years back was masterfully written by writers who know how to craft a sentence perfectly. It was still factually incorrect, intellectually disingenuous and absolutely garbage.

Meanwhile my friend Vlad writes incomplete sentences, one word paragraphs and misspells every eighth word, but to hell if I haven’t learned many valuable things from him.

I guess that was a long way around saying “spot on”.

Let’s steer it back – Is it bad content or bad proofreading and who bears the responsibility for ensuring writers put out clean, factually correct work every time?

I needed to find a way to make fairy wings and one content site in particular was helpful in giving me the basics without trying to sell me stuff like other craft sites.

Would I use them as a source for an article? No way, but I think most people & teachers have gotten on board with reliable electronic sources.

As far as ranting goes. Some people yell to the tops of their voices and they get all the attention while those who oppose are told to ‘rise above’ you have a platform and a purpose for that platform there’s nothing wrong with using it and I say that not because you pay me monthly. :0)

I don’t know why you’ve maintained this bizarre five-year snarky vendetta with me. I must really get under your skin because it seems almost personal. You frequently have something negative to say, but those remarks never really get to the substance of the issues under discussion.

Maybe we should get together some time and hash things out. You might just find that, colorful language aside, I’m not that bad of a guy. Drinks are on me.

Have a great weekend. I’m going to spend the rest of mine enjoying some family time.

Your cheeseball bottom-feeding amigo,
Carson

I know I’ve told you this about a kajillion time, but please read our comment policy regarding personal attacks. Thank you.

As Google (and, in their wake, other search engines) are now allowing for common transpositions and other ‘speeling mistakes’ (:-)) in their searches, a good client will no longer be asking for this kind of work.

“and it’s the editor’s responsibility to to edit.”

Hire me Deb! Let me proofread your posts. I value your quality thoughts and keep reading – but it pains me to overlook the typos. I make the effort to read what you have to say. I want you to make the effort to keep it looking professional.

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Todd Rutherford: On Bad Writing, Bad Proofreading and Responsibility http://bit.ly/7dFCLs...

And I agree with you about the news issue, too. I think the problem with news runs much deeper than the people who regurgitate what the 24 hour cable news is already spouting. Even CNN is guilty of the headline that ends with a question mark (“Global Warming Proved a Hoax?”), which makes me die a little inside each time I see it.

That being said, I am very discouraged by the state of the content I regularly find when running search engine queries. I feel like that the only good reads I find are ones recommended via Twitter or linked from another respectable blog. The top 10 results on any given search query is now just filled with Associated Content, Examiner, Helium, EZineArticles, eHow and other sites that are likely to have little to offer.

Your comments re: disclaimers, medical information, etc. really resonate with me. I’m not a doctor. I’m not a medical expert. I’m not a nutritionist, an herbal healer or even all that interested in the nuts and bolts of health issues.

In the past, I’ve been asked to write articles on these topics. When I’ve accepted the offers, I’ve ratcheted up my research, cited sources, used conditional language and have avoided giving any specific recommendations to the reader. Instead, I’ve tried to focus on introducing subject matter concepts and pointing them in the direction of a medical professional. I also “embed” what one would probably consider a disclaimer.

I’ve occasionally taken that same attitude when writing about home improvement topics. I’m confident that my advice about cutting drywall won’t kill anyone, but I’m not about to suggest that anyone but a licensed professional should mess around with electricity.

The fact that there’s a lot of bad advice out there on the ‘Net doesn’t surprise me. There’s plenty of in the “real world,” too. What does surprise me is when I see it coming from people who obviously aren’t “hobbyists.”

It’s one thing to find a poorly written (not so) helpful hint from someone who obviously doesn’t know the difference between a vitamin and Vicodin. When I see potentially dangerous junk coming from talented writers who clearly take pride in the quality of their *writing*, I’m amazed.

I’m even more amazed that the purchasers of the content would publish it. All moral and ethical obligations aside, those articles represent a huge steaming pile of potential liability.

With respect the whole of your post… I agree that it doesn’t make any sense to compare every use of the written word with the literary ideal. Different publications (online and offline) serve different needs and taking some to task for a failure to meet standards in which they’re not even remotely interested seems silly to me.

I proofread client work, but I don’t spend a great deal of time proofreading my blog posts, comments, etc. As such, I leave a trail of typos behind me wherever I go. I hope that if I type “Sshe” instead of “She,” “theyre” instead of “they’re” or (God forbid) “loose” instead of “lose,” that folks will be willing to look past it every once in awhile instead of playing Webster or whacking me with the Hammer of Grammar.

Groovy post and thanks for mentioning mine!

Here’s an idea. Why not get Deb and Angela together in a blog post? Not in a personal attack kind of way but to bring them both together in a discussion about where common ground lies, and a chance to respond to each other’s concerns.

When it comes to typos and some grammar mistakes, I know writers have a difficult time finding them on their own, especially when the writing is done on a tight deadline. I can proofread other people’s work, but I know my own work needs an extra set of eyes.

When it comes to quality of work on content sites, it’s up to the publishers to invest in editors and writing coaches to provide their writers with advice. It’s either that or they’ll have to attract better writers. If these sites want to survive, it’s important that they improve the quality.