Editorial standard / edition 2026.08
How we research and maintain guides
Our guides are written to help a reader make a specific decision before contacting a provider. They are not paid provider copy, legal advice, medical advice, or a substitute for current jurisdiction-specific rules.
Source hierarchy
We prioritize current primary sources: federal and state agencies, issuing certification programs, statutes and regulations, recognized standards, and original public records. Commercial sources may help identify questions or market terminology, but they do not control statements about legal duties, certification, safety, or public-health guidance.
Publication standard
- Answer the main question directly before adding background.
- Distinguish federal guidance from state and local requirements.
- Avoid invented statistics, guarantees, unsupported savings claims, and false precision.
- Link to relevant primary sources and related internal tools or records.
- Identify material limitations, especially when a directory record lacks a street address or a rule varies by jurisdiction.
Automation and review
Research and drafting tools may assist with outlining, comparison, or initial language. Publication still requires a useful distinct search intent, source-grounded claims, internal-link review, metadata validation, and removal of repetitive or thin material. We do not publish separate pages merely to target trivial keyword variations.
Commercial separation
Public credential facts and editorial conclusions are not changed in exchange for payment. Sponsored placement is labeled. A provider may pay for an accepted qualified opportunity, but that does not purchase certification status, a favorable factual claim, or editorial coverage.
Corrections and updates
Source programs, prices, and requirements change. Guides show a publication or update date and are revised when source guidance materially changes. Record corrections are reviewed separately from editorial content. Readers and listed businesses can submit corrections through the site’s record-administration form.