Thursday November 20, 2008

On Anonymous Sources: Deborah Howell

Deborah Howell, Ombudsman - Washington Post, July 29, 2006

These two practical instructions explain how to handle writing with anonymous sources even after you have decided to use the information you have been given.

  1. Never use an anonymous source to offer an opinion of another person.

  2. Never use an anonymous source as the first quote of a story.