Before a piece is published, we check it against the following standards.
What we verify
Names, titles, dates, statistics, direct quotations and any factual claim central to the argument of a piece are checked against original sources before publication — not just at the point of drafting.
How we verify it
Wherever possible, we trace claims back to primary sources: the original study, official record, or the person quoted, rather than relying on secondary summaries. Where a claim can't be independently verified, we either remove it or clearly frame it as unconfirmed.
Specialist claims
Technical or specialised claims receive additional source scrutiny, particularly in areas such as psychology, health, medicine and data analysis. When independent subject-matter review is used, that review is identified or documented appropriately rather than implied as a routine step.
After publication
Fact-checking doesn't stop at publication. If a reader flags a possible error, we investigate promptly and correct the record if warranted — see our Corrections page for how that process works.