Standards Desk
It applies the same clear house standards to every article.
- IEditorial Director
- IISource Desk
- IIIPlanning Desk
- IVWriters Desk
- VFact Desk
- VIQA Desk
- VIIEditor-in-Chief
- IXArt Desk
- XProduction Desk
The Standards Desk receives the article from the Editor-in-Chief. The Art Desk's picture joins it here, and both go to the Production Desk.
The Standards Desk gives the finished article a production editor's close read. It applies the same fixed rules and makes a precise repair when a fault has one correct fix.
It catches incomplete endings, repeated figures, missing currencies, stray writing notes and names that do not appear in fetched sources. Without this close read, reader-visible faults could remain and an article needing a person's decision could be published. Other measures, including length and how easy the article is to read, stay with it.
One desk, one job. Nothing inside it is split into roles.
The Standards Desk receives the edited article, the research record and any content-policy finding from the Fact Desk. It checks that the ending is complete, figures are not needlessly repeated, money names its currency and no writing note has entered the copy. For every researched article, it also checks whether each person named appears in the fetched sources. It fixes heading capitalisation, house-style dashes, stray soft hyphens and bare web addresses when those faults have one correct repair.
It hands the Production Desk the repaired article, its measures and a verdict. The measures include length and readability. The verdict says the article is ready to publish or is waiting for a person, with the reason clearly stated. An incomplete ending, money without a currency or an unmatched person's name sends the article for review. The unmatched name is shown to you, and publication waits until a person accepts it. An article awaiting a decision keeps its full text. A high-risk story also waits when the Fact Desk finds a claim the research does not support.
6 things it holds to, on every piece it touches.
One house standard applies.
Every article meets the same fixed rules.
Repairs are exact.
Each certain fault receives the same precise correction in every article.
Reader-visible faults are caught.
An incomplete ending or money without a currency sends the article for review before publication.
Every name is traceable.
Each person named must appear on a page fetched for the article. An unmatched name is shown to you, and publication waits until a person accepts it.
Review preserves every word.
An article awaiting a decision keeps its full text, so you can correct it, publish it or leave it.
High-risk stories get another look.
When a high-risk story contains a claim the Fact Desk finds unsupported, the article waits for a person before publication.
An article names a person who appears on none of its fetched pages. The Standards Desk shows the name on the article's panel and holds publication. Once a person reviews and accepts the name, the article can proceed.
The article carries its recorded measures and a verdict saying whether it is ready or waiting for a person. An unmatched name appears on the article's panel, and publication remains on hold until a person accepts it.
What people ask about the Standards Desk.
Which editorial standards does the Standards Desk apply?
What house style fixes can the desk make?
How are readability and length recorded?
How does the name check work on a researched article?
What happens to an article waiting for review?
Ten editorial desks,
on your next article.
7 days, 10 articles, no card. Every article shows its work.