Editorial Standards
Reasonable Inquiry is an independent public-interest reporting and research project. Its work is guided by accuracy, transparency, fairness, and evidence.
Accuracy and sourcing
Whenever possible, Reasonable Inquiry's reporting relies on primary sources including public records, official documents, datasets, direct observation, interviews, meeting records, and original correspondence.
Sources and underlying documents used in reporting are cited or published for public review whenever possible.
Fairness and right of response
Subjects of significant criticism or factual allegations will generally be given an opportunity to respond within a reasonable timeframe before publication, if necessary.
Responses will be represented accurately and in context. Reasonable Inquiry will not give equal weight to "both sides" of competing claims if the available facts and evidence do not support it.
Fact, analysis, and inference
Reporting will distinguish among:
- facts established by evidence
- statements or claims made by sources
- analysis based on those facts, and
- conclusions or inferences that remain uncertain.
The author's hypotheticals and conjectures based on available evidence will clearly be contextualized as such.
Anonymous and confidential sources
Anonymous sourcing will be used only when it is clearly in the public interest and not doing so might undermine public safety or wellbeing. Whenever an anonymous source is used in reporting, all material and claims provided will be independently verified before being published.
The identity of a confidential source will not be disclosed without that source’s consent except where required by law.
Corrections
We will correct substantive factual errors promptly and transparently. Submit any corrections to corrections@reasonableinquiry.org.
Conflicts and independence
Reasonable Inquiry will disclose relevant financial, personal, political, or organizational conflicts that might otherwise undermine confidence in reporting.
Editorial conclusions will not be shaped by advertisers, donors, sponsors, subjects of coverage, or outside organizations.
Artificial intelligence
AI tools may be used to assist with research organization, document review, transcription, data analysis, and brainstorming.
All reporting is 100% human-written and human-verified.
We will not provide confidential or sensitive source material to external AI systems without appropriate safeguards and a clear reason to do so.