Editing inaccuracy is an incongruence of output copy with input. We do not
require that editors retain all the information contained in the original: that
would mean no editing whatever. Rather, the output must faithfully represent
the content of the input. There may be gaps in the output information, but
no mismatch with the input. Any change made in output copy requires a
warrant in the input copy. Our standard of accuracy is therefore the input
copy. For the purposes of editing analysis, the input story is treated as an
accurate and adequate representation of the real-world facts. This is of
course an idealization, which the results presented below seriously question.
Nevertheless, we are concerned here only with incongruencies introduced at
a given editing step. Each successive copy editor has to work on the same
principle: that the input copy received is accurate. The researcher likewise
exercises this suspension of disbelief for the editing stage being scrutinized.