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Fun headline question: is this more trustworthy with or without the "Scientists Declare" part? npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/18/510405739/2016-was-the-hottest-year-yet-scientists-declare
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Here's the thing. I can see how one might think this is added authenticity because whoa hey scientists. Authority!
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But on the other hand, readers (and media watchers) have come to understand this style of construction to mean something different.
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Ending a headline with ', Person/Thing States', is a pretty common sign that the publication doesn't stand behind what is printed.
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Celebrity Alleges, Politician Claims, TV Personality Says, & so on. So If you've been trained consciously or subconsciously by media...
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It would be very easy to read into this headline that scientists are claiming a thing that we don't have sufficient proof to affirm...
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In other words "2016 was the hottest year yet" seems like a statement that doesn't reach this publication's standard for Fact.
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So if 2016 is the hottest year yet, and this is a fact, why are 'scientists declaring' in this hed? They shouldn't be.
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I mean we don't say "Water Boils, Scientists Declare" or "Snow is frozen water, scientists declare". So why this?
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I don't think this hed is purposefully bringing forward illusion of fact-less-ness. But I think that these are things we should think about.
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I'm curious what you think. Which headline sounds more trustworthy & descriptive of a thing that's a fact? Hed=2016 Was The Hottest Year Yet
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Anyway, a fun after-effect of the endless dive into reporting on 'he said, she said' vs 'what is happening'. That's a different thing.
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I mean a different discussion. It is what is causing this one.