DOPE Quick Reads LLC

Last updated: April 2025

Our Mission & Values

DOPE Quick Reads is committed to delivering accurate, fair, and independent journalism. We believe in transparency, accountability, and serving our readers with integrity. These editorial standards guide our work and represent our commitment to journalistic excellence.

1. Accuracy & Fact-Checking

Verification Standards

• All facts, statistics, and claims in our reporting will be verified using primary sources whenever possible.
• Secondary sources must be credible and properly attributed.
• At least two independent sources should confirm controversial information before publication.
• Anonymous sources are used sparingly and must be approved by the editor.

Fact-Checking Process

• Writers are responsible for the initial verification of all facts in their stories.
• Editors will conduct a secondary review of factual claims before publication.
• For complex or investigative stories, we employ a more rigorous fact-checking process.
• We maintain an internal database of verified sources and resources.

Expert Review

• Stories involving specialized knowledge will be reviewed by subject matter experts when possible.
• Technical, scientific, or legal content may be sent to appropriate specialists for verification.

2. Corrections & Updates

Correction Policy

• We promptly correct all errors of fact.
• Corrections will be clearly labeled and explain the nature of the error.
• Substantial errors will be noted at both the top and bottom of the article.
• The original error will not be removed from the article but will be clearly marked as corrected.

Correction Process

• Readers can report potential errors via our contact form or email.
• All correction requests will be reviewed within 24 hours.
• Editors will determine whether a correction, clarification, or update is warranted.
• For significant errors, we will issue a formal correction notice.

Updates

• We will update stories as new information becomes available.
• Updates will be labeled with the date and time of the update.
• The nature of the update will be explained at the top of the article.
• Previous versions of the article may be archived and accessible.

3. Conflicts of Interest

Disclosure Policy

• We disclose any real or perceived conflicts of interest that may affect our reporting.
• Staff members must annually disclose financial interests, political activities, and relevant relationships.
• Disclosures appear at the end of articles when conflicts exist or may be perceived to exist.

Recusal Requirements

• Journalists must recuse themselves from covering stories where they have a personal interest.
• Editors will reassign stories when a conflict is identified.
• When recusal is not possible, heightened editorial oversight will be implemented.

Outside Activities

• Staff members must receive approval for paid speaking engagements related to their work.
• Political activism that could compromise impartiality is discouraged.
• Outside employment must be disclosed and approved by management.

4. Gift & Sample Policy

General Guidelines

• We do not accept gifts, free travel, or other perks that could influence or appear to influence our coverage.
• Items valued over $25 must be returned, donated, or disclosed if returned is not possible.
• Staff may accept minor refreshments when covering events.

Review Products

• Products received for review purposes remain the property of DOPE Quick Reads.
• Products valued under $200 may be kept for long-term testing or donated after review.
• Products valued over $200 will be returned after the review period when possible, or disclosed if retained.
• The receipt of review products will be disclosed in all reviews.

Event Access

• Press passes and event access for coverage purposes may be accepted.
• We pay our own travel and accommodation expenses whenever possible.
• When travel assistance is provided by an event organizer, it will be disclosed in our coverage.

5. Product Review Standards

Selection Process

• Products for review are selected based on reader interest and relevance.
• Advertisers and partners receive no preferential treatment in review selection.
• Our coverage priorities are determined by editorial judgment, not commercial relationships.

Testing Methodology

• We employ consistent, objective testing methodologies for all products in a category.
• Testing criteria are determined before the review process begins.
• We prioritize real-world usage over technical specifications alone.
• Review periods are appropriate to the product type (minimum 1 week for most products).

Rating System

• Our rating system is clearly explained and consistently applied.
• Ratings are determined by editorial staff, not influenced by advertisers or partners.
• We explain both the strengths and weaknesses of all products.
• Comparative context is provided when relevant.

Affiliate & Sponsorship Disclosure

• All affiliate links are clearly disclosed.
• Sponsored content is prominently labeled and follows different guidelines than editorial content.
• The existence of affiliate relationships does not influence our product recommendations.
• We do not modify reviews based on affiliate or sponsorship status.

6. Attribution & Sourcing

Attribution Standards

• We provide clear attribution for all information not independently gathered by our reporters.
• We credit other news outlets when citing their reporting.
• We link to original sources when possible in digital stories.

Source Protection

• We protect the identity of confidential sources.
• We explain to readers why sources have been granted anonymity.
• Multiple editors must know the identity of anonymous sources.
• We will resist legal pressure to reveal confidential sources.

Source Diversity

• We actively seek diverse perspectives and sources in our reporting.
• We maintain a diverse source database and track source diversity in our coverage.
• We recognize the importance of including historically marginalized voices.

7. Distinctive Content Types

News vs. Analysis

• We clearly label whether content is straight news reporting, analysis, opinion, or review.
• News content focuses on facts, with minimal interpretation.
• Analysis provides context and explanation but remains evidence-based.
• Opinion content represents the views of the author, not necessarily DOPE Quick Reads.

Sponsored Content

• Sponsored content is clearly labeled with prominent disclosure notices.
• Editorial staff maintains separation from sponsored content creation when possible.
• Advertisers do not receive favorable editorial coverage in exchange for sponsorship.
• Sponsored content follows its own distinct style guidelines.

8. Social Media & External Communications

Staff Social Media Policy

• Staff members should not share political opinions that could undermine their impartiality.
• Personal accounts should include disclaimers that views are their own.
• Staff should not break news on personal social media accounts before it appears on our platforms.
• Verification standards for our platforms apply to staff social media activity related to their reporting.

Community Engagement

• We actively engage with reader feedback and questions.
• We moderate comments to ensure a respectful discussion environment.
• We incorporate reader input into our coverage decisions when appropriate.

9. Privacy & Data Protection

Information Gathering

• We clearly identify ourselves as journalists when gathering information.
• We obtain consent before recording conversations where legally required.
• We respect requests for “off the record” and “on background” communications.
• We protect sensitive source information with appropriate security measures.

Data Protection

• We follow data protection regulations in our information gathering and storage.
• We do not share user data with advertisers without explicit consent.
• We are transparent about our data collection practices.

10. Accountability & Oversight

Editorial Decision-Making

• Major editorial decisions are documented and revisited for learning purposes.
• We welcome public feedback on our coverage and ethical practices.
• We acknowledge mistakes and learn from them.

Ethics Committee

• Challenging ethical questions will be reviewed by multiple editors.
• We periodically review and update these guidelines.
• We commit to ongoing ethics training for our team.

These standards reflect our commitment to ethical, independent journalism. They will evolve as new challenges emerge, but our core commitment to accuracy, fairness, and serving our readers will remain constant.

For questions or concerns about our editorial standards, please contact us at info@dopequickreads.com.