The Ethics of Reconstruction

To help reporters maintain accuracy and authenticity when reconstructing narratives, Bob Steele, Poynter's Ethics group leader, and Chip Scanlan, Poynter's Reporting, Writing & Editing group leader formulated the following list of standards after the 1998 firings, for fabricating stories, of Stephen Glass, Patricia Smith, and Mike Barnicle.

What follows is an excerpt from Reporting and Writing: Basics for the 21st Century, by Chip Scanlan. These standards are not intended to inhibit dramatic storytelling but rather to reflect the need for writers and editors to meet a high threshold of accuracy and authencity that serves the story and its readers. The standards can and should be applied to any story.

Questions to Ask When Writing and Editing a Narrative That Reconstructs Events

• How do I know that what I have presented really happened the way I say it did?

• Is it true?

• According to whom?

• Do I not only have the facts right but do I also have the right facts?

• How complete is my reconstruction?

• Is it based on one source, two, or several?

• Have I tested it against the memory of other participants?

• Have I sought independent verification from documentary sources, such as historical accounts or public records? For example, my source describes a "dark and stormy night." Did I call the National Weather Service and get the weather report for that date?

• Do I have a high level of confidence in my sources?

• Could I have been fooled by an unreliable source or a source with a faulty memory or an ax to grind?

• Is my purpose legitimate? Am I trying to convey the reality of an event for my readers or simply trying to entertain or impress people with my writing ability?

• Does lack of attribution -- a hallmark of reconstruction -- diminish credibility?

• Does a reconstruction need an editor's note to help readers understand how the story was reported and sourced?

• Am I willing -- and able -- to fully disclose and explain my method to my editor? To my readers?