EDITORIAL STANDARDS

CLARITY • SOURCING • ACCOUNTABILITY

These standards guide the preparation and presentation of Proudly Served reporting and analysis. The aim is to help readers understand the evidence, the context, and the limits of an assessment.

MAKE THE EVIDENCE VISIBLE

Identify the source of important factual claims. Prefer original documents, official statements, and direct reporting where available. Attribute claims to the organization or person making them; a source’s statement is not automatically an independently verified fact.

SEPARATE REPORTING FROM ASSESSMENT

Distinguish established facts, attributed claims, and analysis. Explain uncertainty and avoid presenting forecasts or interpretations as settled outcomes.

PRESERVE CONTEXT

Include relevant dates, locations, and qualifications. Distinguish the date an event occurred from the date it was reported, and avoid drawing broad conclusions from isolated details.

HANDLE CHANGES CLEARLY

Distinguish corrections to inaccurate information from updates that add later developments. Material corrections should explain what changed so readers can understand the record.

To flag a potential error, follow the Corrections guidance.

LABEL OUTSIDE RESOURCES

Identify external resources and commercial destinations clearly. A directory listing helps readers find a provider; it does not establish that every claim made by that provider has been verified.

SOURCES & METHODOLOGY

Visit the source directory and watch Our Sources: How Proudly Served Builds Its Briefs for the existing overview of the briefing approach.

Questions about the reporting or these standards? Contact Proudly Served.