Don't hesitate to call people back to check or verify. Check the spelling of all proper names, not only when the correct spelling is unfamiliar to you, but when a name has two or more possible spellings. Accuracy also applies to the use of language. The writer who uses imprecise rather than exact words risks being misunderstood or misleading readers. Direct observation is the best way to obtain accurate information.
Reporters have to be on the scene to let the reader see and hear the event.
A story based on the reporter's firsthand observation is superior in accuracy and reader interest to one based on secondhand information. But when the reporter is not on the scene and information is obtained from those who were present, the reporter's story is a secondhand account which has been filtered through the source. In this case, a reporter must obtain information about the event from authoritative sources such as documents and records and from reliable individuals. If someone declines to comment, the reporter should make that clear in the article. No story is fair if it omits facts of major importance or significance.