Some Thoughts on Avoiding and Managing Errors

Greetings again. I hope the past week has gone well for you.

Please note that I said “well”, not “perfectly”. Probably no one can have a perfect week.

For me, there’s never a week in which my writing goes perfectly. I’m thankful for erasers. And I’m glad that when I write with a computer, I can easily correct errors.

Sometimes, though, I don’t notice my errors. This week a student found a typographical error in one of my slides—even though I had proofread my presentation several times.

This situation reminded me that it’s good to have someone else proofread one’s work. Someone with a fresh eye can notice errors that the author has missed.

But even after repeated checking and proofreading, sometimes an error appears in a published article. Then what should the author do?

If the error does not affect meaning, the author might not need to do anything.

If, however, there is an error in the content—for example, an incorrect number—the author should tell the journal editor.

The author and editor can then decide what to do. Among possibilities are publishing a correction, correcting the online version, and doing both.

If a very serious error is discovered—for example, one that would change the conclusions of the research—a paper might be retracted (withdrawn from publication).

Probably every author makes errors. The important thing is to detect and correct errors early if possible—and to deal responsibly with them if they nevertheless appear in published work.

Wishing you an excellent week— Barbara