Recently in Analysis Category

A story by CNN used numbers in multiple ways to tell the story of heavy flooding in Beijing. Numbers were used to describe the physical characteristics of the storm, the number of people killed or effected, and to describe the economic losses the storm caused. Numbers are also used to describe flights that were delayed, and how many passengers were effected.

For the most part, numbers are used in a straight forward way that is easy for readers to understand. The numbers are spaced out so that each use introduces a new and interesting aspect of the story. Most numbers are attributed to various governmental or media based sources.

An obituary in the New York Times on Ernest Borgnine reads much more like a biography or article than a traditional obituary. The obituary starts by highlighting his role as an Oscar-Winning actor, and contrasting his outer appearance with the roles he played in film. It makes for a poetic opening to the obituary.

This obituary includes a few quotes, as well as links to movie lists of all of the performances that are cited. It is similar to a resume in that it lists his greatest accomplishments concerning his acting career, and also mentions the awards he won. However, it also outlines his personal life, and discusses information on his childhood, marriages, and his children. It includes personal details that would not be included in a resume for emotional impact.

The report from the New York Times on a Honduran drug raid was very efficient at incorporating sources and attribution. Most of the specific facts and information on the incident was sourced from spokespeople of the American Embassy, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. No specific records were listed. Some quotes were used, but most of the information was paraphrased.

As the article began to describe relevant background information and details, links were provided to other articles and sources describing U.S. involvement in Honduran drug trafficking. There was even a link to a surveillance video showing the start of a similar incident.

Overall, the attributions were effective and spread out evenly throughout the article. The links were an interesting approach, and I think they ultimately added to the depth of information given to readers. Providing links also prevented the author from having to specifically attribute every fact he listed in regards to the background of the incident.