Content publishing
Correct a mistake in a published newsletter
A good correction says what the newsletter got wrong, gives the right information and tells readers whether they need to act. Keep it short, put the correct fact first and cite the source. Do not repeat the wrong statement in a way that reads as true.
A text to start with
In our newsletter sent on [date], we wrote: [original statement]. The correct information is: [corrected fact], according to [source]. Readers who acted on the original may have [effect, such as arriving at the wrong time]. Draft a short correction note for [audience]. Lead with the right information, say plainly that the earlier version was wrong, and state what readers should do now.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Correction note worksheet
Newsletter issue and send date: [ ] Original statement, quoted exactly: [ ] What was wrong about it: [ ] Correct fact: [ ] Source and date checked: [ ] Readers affected: [ ] What they may have done based on the error: [ ] What readers should do now: [ ] What the organization will do, if anything: [ ] Placement: [new email / next issue / web archive note] Correction text, correct fact first: [ ] Checked by: [ ] Date sent: [ ]
Mistakes inside the correction
Read the note as someone who skipped the original. They should come away with the correct fact even if they never saw the error. Check that the wrong claim is quoted or described only once and is labeled incorrect. Confirm the corrected fact against the source yourself and recheck dates, times and names. Look for vague wording like "some details changed" that hides what the error was. If readers may have lost money or missed something, say what you can actually offer, and only what you can do.
Ask another agent to check the result
Read this correction as a subscriber who never saw the original. Check that it states the correct fact first, names the error without repeating the wrong claim as true, and tells readers what to do. Quote any sentence that is vague or could be misread, and suggest a clearer version.
Send and record the fix
Have a second person check the corrected facts against the source before sending. Decide where the correction appears: a new email, a note at the top of the next issue or an update on the web version. Decide also whether the archived original needs a visible correction note. Record what was wrong, when you fixed it and who approved the change.