Editorial Standards

Evidence before prose

Research begins with multiple sources whenever possible, with priority given to primary documents, government archives, museums, universities, academic work, presidential libraries and established historical institutions.

Original writing

We do not reproduce another publication's headline, opening, section order, distinctive phrasing or narrative structure and present it as our own. Historical facts may be shared across sources; the writing and editorial framing must be original to America Shaped.

• No article is built by rewriting one source paragraph by paragraph.
• Quotes are treated as quotations, not paraphrased into invented wording.
• Uncertainty and disagreement are identified when the historical record is contested.
• Sensational language is avoided when the evidence does not support it.

Review before publication

Drafts are checked against the research record for dates, names, chronology, quotations, causal claims and source support. Material that is unsupported, misleading or too close to source wording is revised before publication.

Technology and editorial responsibility

America Shaped uses software and AI-assisted tools in parts of research, drafting and review. Those tools do not replace the editorial standard: published material must be grounded in sources, checked for factual support and shaped into original writing before it goes live.