Research method
How we research & verify information
The more a fact could affect someone’s legal status, money, health, employment, or access to services, the stronger the source needs to be.
Source hierarchy
- Official and statutory sources: government departments, regulators, municipalities, legislation, tax authorities, immigration authorities, and public institutions.
- Regulated or authoritative institutions: central banks, statutory healthcare bodies, transport authorities, and organizations responsible for administering the relevant system.
- Primary commercial sources: current price lists, terms, tariffs, eligibility rules, and product documentation published by the provider.
- Independent and community sources: useful for discovering pain points and lived experiences, but not treated as proof of legal requirements, eligibility, or current prices.
Jurisdiction comes first
Canada
Federal rules are separated from provincial, territorial, and municipal requirements.
UAE
Federal requirements are separated from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other emirate-specific processes.
Netherlands
National rules are separated from municipality, operator, and local-service requirements.
Publication workflow
- Define the reader’s decision: identify the question the article should actually resolve.
- Find the responsible authority: identify the jurisdiction and source that controls the rule or data.
- Cross-check material claims: prices, deadlines, eligibility, requirements, and decision-critical facts receive extra scrutiny.
- Separate facts from recommendations: editorial suggestions should not be presented as law or official requirements.
- Record freshness: high-stakes or time-sensitive guides should show when important information was checked.
- Review again when triggered: official announcements, reader corrections, stale dates, broken links, or material product changes can trigger an update.
What community sources are for
Forums, social discussions, and resident experiences can reveal confusing processes and practical friction. We use them as discovery and context—not as substitutes for the authority that sets the rule.