Editorial Standards is the practical companion to our Ethics Policy. Ethics describes the principles we hold; Standards describes the day-to-day procedures we follow.

The four rules

1. If we cannot verify it, we do not publish it.
2. Every fact has a source. The reporter knows the source. The editor can ask for the source.
3. The named human writer and the named human editor are jointly responsible for the published version.
4. When we are wrong, we say so — specifically, publicly, and permanently.

Subject contact

If a story makes a critical claim about a named person, business, or organization, the reporter contacts the subject before publication, in writing where possible, with the specific claims and a reasonable amount of time to respond. The story reflects the response, or notes that the subject declined to comment.

Multiple sources

Significant factual claims — especially disputed or harmful ones — require corroboration by at least two independent sources or a source plus a document obtained through a separate channel.

Quotations

Direct quotations reflect what the source actually said. We do not invent quotes or change their substance for clarity or drama. Minor cleanup of filler words is acceptable; substantive edits are marked.

Editing

The Executive Editor verifies sourcing, contacts subjects where required, checks quotations, reviews headlines, and confirms the writer has no undisclosed conflicts. Nothing goes live without an editor’s approval.

Plagiarism and fabrication

Using another person’s words without attribution, or inventing facts, quotes, sources, or scenes, results in retraction of the affected work and termination of the writer’s relationship with USA Times. Other work by the same writer is reviewed for similar problems.

Bylines

Stories are bylined to the person who did the reporting. Where multiple people contributed, all are credited.