Editorial Standards

Clear explanations, meaningful context, and a practical way to report concerns.

These standards describe the principles for the reference collection at cambridgeisb.com and how readers can assess and question its content.

Who the collection serves

Our intended audience is older adults in the United States, with a wide range of interests and experience. Articles should use respectful, direct American English, explain unfamiliar terms, and give useful context. Readers bring different abilities, backgrounds, and goals to the same subject.

Article purpose and scope

A headline should describe the question an article addresses. The opening should give readers a useful answer or explain what the article covers. Background, comparisons, and practical steps should support that purpose. Recommendations depend on the reader's needs and the information available.

Respectful, useful language

Age alone says little about a reader's knowledge or technical ability. Clear headings, descriptive links, familiar words, and explanations of specialist terms help people find what they need. Practical details should explain costs, eligibility, location, and any limits that affect the reader's decision.

Sources and factual claims

Official agencies, original research, product documentation, and the organization responsible for a service are useful primary sources. Claims involving a price, eligibility rule, statistic, date, or quotation need a source that supports that specific detail. Readers can use source links to inspect the context and check current information.

For U.S. benefits and public services, confirm details with the relevant federal, state, or local agency. For commercial services, confirm current terms, availability, and costs with the provider before paying or booking.

Health, financial, and legal subjects

These subjects can affect important personal decisions. Articles offer general educational context. A qualified professional can apply current guidance to your circumstances. Seek medical care for symptoms or urgent health concerns, and contact the relevant agency or adviser for decisions about benefits, investments, taxes, or legal rights.

Authorship and review

The site name identifies the publication. A publication label identifies the website responsible for presenting the article. Individual qualifications and specialist review require specific attribution. Where an article names a contributor or reviewer, assess the person's relevant experience alongside the sources and the article's scope.

Publication dates and changing information

A publication date identifies when an article was published on the site. Prices, rules, research, software, and service availability can change after publication. Treat the publication date as the original publication date, and look for explicit update information when assessing later changes. Consult current primary information for time-sensitive decisions.

Images and illustrations

Images may illustrate a topic. A general illustration should be read in that context; the article text and source information determine which person, product, place, or service is being discussed.

Corrections and reader feedback

Readers can report factual errors, unclear language, attribution concerns, or accessibility problems through Contact Us. Include the page address and the relevant passage. A supporting source helps explain the issue. Reports provide information for evaluating whether a clarification or correction is needed.

Using the information

Consider the article's sources, date, and relevance to your circumstances. For purchases, benefits applications, travel bookings, or health and financial decisions, confirm key details with the responsible organization or a qualified professional.