Editorial Standards
WHY THESE STANDARDS EXIST
Trust begins with knowing what kind of claim you are reading.
A sentence may describe something we saw, state a fact that can be checked, quote somebody directly or express Countrylook’s editorial judgement. Those are different kinds of knowledge, and we try not to blur them. Literary writing can be precise. Atmosphere does not require invention.
These standards apply across Countrylook. The Countrylook Awards have additional category-specific rules because judging a hotel, restaurant, artist or photographer requires different evidence. Those rules are published separately in How We Judge.
Authorship and responsibility
Published editorial work should make clear who is responsible for it wherever the format allows. A byline identifies the writer; Countrylook remains responsible for the editorial standards of the work it publishes. Anonymous Awards assessors are handled differently because anonymity protects the integrity of an assessment, not because responsibility is absent.
First-hand experience
When Countrylook describes an experience as first-hand, somebody working on the piece experienced it. We do not write invented sensory detail to make a destination feel lived-in. Where an article is based primarily on research rather than a visit, the writing should not pretend otherwise.
Research and verification
We favour primary sources for checkable facts where they are available, supported by reliable secondary sources and specialist knowledge where useful. Dates, names, locations, historical claims and practical information should be checked before publication. Where credible sources disagree, we do not manufacture certainty.
Observation, fact and opinion
Countrylook has a point of view. A review is allowed to judge and an essay is allowed to interpret. What matters is that the reader can tell the difference between something observed, something established as fact and something we conclude editorially.
Quotations and attribution
Direct quotations should be represented accurately and attributed clearly. We do not present another person’s reporting, research or distinctive interpretation as our own. Where a source materially supports a factual claim, the editorial team should be able to identify it even when the finished piece does not require a formal reference list.
Hosted access and press visits
Travel and cultural reporting sometimes involves access arranged by a destination, venue or public-relations team. Such access can make reporting possible; it does not replace independent editorial judgement. If the conditions of a visit are materially relevant to the reader’s understanding of a piece, Countrylook should disclose them appropriately.
Images and captions
Photography and illustration should represent the subject honestly. Illustrations may interpret a place rather than reproduce it photographically, but they should not be used to create a false factual impression. Captions and alternative text should identify what an image depicts where that information is useful.
Practical information
Opening times, ownership, menus, prices and access arrangements can change quickly. We verify practical information when publishing or materially updating a guide, but readers should confirm time-sensitive details directly before travelling where they matter to a journey.
Updates and corrections
Factual errors are corrected when identified. Material changes may justify an update even when the original reporting was accurate at the time. Our fuller approach is set out on the Corrections & Updates page.
