The recent study on the tweeting of derogatory words on or near college campuses has been removed from our website because some have misinterpreted the data presented.

All that the study intended to show—and all that the article stated—was that certain derogatory words are more prevalently tweeted on or near certain campuses. The number of times each selected keyword was tweeted is accurately calculated. As was made clear in the article, the study did not take into account the context of such tweets. Even careless, albeit not mean-spirited, use of these terms has an impact on our society and perpetuates the further use of these derogatory words.

The study could have spurred thoughtful discussion of the impact of derogatory language on society. By highlighting the derogatory words tweeted, the affected colleges and universities had an opportunity to address, denounce, and educate. But the findings were misconstrued and sensationalized beyond recognition, undermining the potential useful purpose of the study.