Sourcing standards directory

• The Washington Post

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  Document

  Policies and Standards ¹

  Sourcing rule

  Prefers at least two sources for facts in stories that depend on confidential informants, independent of each other. Single-source publication only after deliberation with the executive editor, managing editor and department head ¹

• NPR

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  Document

  Ethics Handbook, Accuracy ²

  Sourcing rule

  Strong preference to confirm and verify information itself before reporting. Several outlets relying on the same single source is a red flag ²

• Society of Professional Journalists

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  Document

  SPJ's Code of Ethics, revised 4 October 2026 ³

  Sourcing rule

  Use original sources whenever possible. Reserve anonymity as a last resort. Never plagiarize. Always attribute ³

• Editors' Code of Practice Committee, applied by IPSO

  Jurisdiction

  United Kingdom

  Document

  Editors' Code of Practice, in force from 1 January 2025 ⁴

  Sourcing rule

  Take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information. Distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact ⁴

• Deutscher Presserat

  Jurisdiction

  Germany

  Document

  Pressekodex, version of 19 March 2025 ⁵

  Sourcing rule

  Check information for truth with the care the circumstances require. Mark unconfirmed reports, rumours and assumptions as such ⁵

• Office of the Director of National Intelligence

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  Document

  ICD 206, Sourcing Requirements for Disseminated Analytic Products ⁶

  Sourcing rule

  Include sourcing in covered analytic products. Cite the most original source. Source summary statements strongly encouraged ⁶

• Office of the Director of National Intelligence

  Jurisdiction

  United States

  Document

  ICD 203, Analytic Standards, 2 January 2015 ⁷

  Sourcing rule

  Properly describe the quality and credibility of underlying sources, data and methods ⁷

• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors

  Jurisdiction

  International

  Document

  Recommendations, updated January 2026, section on overlapping publications ^8,9

  Sourcing rule

  Secondary publication only with approval from the editors of both journals and a notice citing the primary paper ⁸

• Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company

  Jurisdiction

  International

  Document

  The Trust Principles, created in 1941 ¹⁰

  Sourcing rule

  The integrity, independence and freedom from bias of Thomson Reuters shall at all times be fully preserved ¹⁰

• Agence France-Presse

  Jurisdiction

  France

  Document

  Law No. 57-32 of 10 January 1957, as described by the Ministry of Culture ¹¹

  Sourcing rule

  Must not take into account influences or considerations likely to compromise the accuracy or objectivity of the information ¹¹

• UK Cabinet Office, on intelligence reporting

  Jurisdiction

  United Kingdom

  Document

  Implementation of the Butler review conclusions, Cm 6492, March 2005 ¹²

  Sourcing rule

  Source descriptions in intelligence reports to use standardised terminology and be consistent ¹²

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