Standards.

Accuracy

Names spelled correctly. Numbers verified. Quotes attributed in full and in context. Where the underlying claim is contested, we say it's contested and we describe the contest. When we get a fact wrong, we fix it openly. See our corrections page; we keep the log honest.

Fairness

Before we disagree with a position, we describe it in its strongest form. The kind of magazine that wins arguments by misrepresenting the other side eventually loses its readers, and quite right too. If we criticise a person or an institution by name, we give them a real chance to respond, and if they respond we say what they said.

Voice

We write with a voice, and that voice has opinions. We are not pretending to be a wire service. But there is a difference between a magazine with a point of view and a magazine that confuses its point of view with the facts. We do our best to maintain the distinction. When in doubt, we say which is which on the page.

Clarity

We are explicit about what we do not know, not only what we do. Confidence comes from being precise about uncertainty, not from hiding it. We try to avoid jargon, and where we must use it, we define it on first use. We try not to use the word “ecosystem” unless we are writing about actual ecology.

Updates

We date pieces and refresh them when the underlying facts change. Material updates get an “Updated” timestamp and a note explaining what changed and why. We do not silently rewrite history. The internet keeps receipts; so should we.