Long-form storytelling carries a heightened responsibility to get the facts right. A single error in a narrative piece can undermine the trust of a reader who has invested deeply in a story. DST’s fact-checking process is designed to ensure that every verifiable claim — in reported features, essays, and opinion pieces alike — is sourced, confirmed, and honestly contextualized before publication.
“A story can be beautifully written and completely wrong. At DST, we will not sacrifice one for the other — we demand both.”
Scope
DST’s fact-checking standards apply to all editorial content, including:
- Reported narrative features and investigative stories
- Personal essays (all externally verifiable factual claims)
- Cultural criticism and analysis pieces
- Oral histories and interview-based content
- Statistics, data citations, and numerical claims
- Named quotes attributed to public figures, officials, or sources
- Historical references and contextual background
Our Verification Process
- Claim identification— Every factual claim in a submitted piece is flagged for review during the editing process, regardless of whether it seems obvious or uncontroversial.
- Primary source verification— Flagged claims are traced to their original source: official records, peer-reviewed publications, direct interview recordings or transcripts, court documents, or institutional statements. Secondary sources alone are not accepted as verification.
- Quote confirmation— All quotes attributed to named individuals are confirmed against original recordings, transcripts, or written correspondence. Paraphrased quotes are reviewed with the source where feasible.
- Expert review for complex claims— For stories involving specialized fields (medical, scientific, legal, financial), DST consults at least one independent subject-matter expert who is not affiliated with the story’s primary sources.
- Pre-publication editorial sign-off— All fact-checked claims are reviewed by a senior editor or the Head of Fact Checking before the story is approved for publication.
Source Standards
- Tier 1 — Primary: Official documents, direct interviews (recorded or transcribed), peer-reviewed research, government records, court filings
- Tier 2 — Secondary: Established wire services (AP, Reuters), recognized institutional reports, attributed expert commentary
- Tier 3 — Supporting: Social media posts (verified and attributed only), archived news coverage (for historical context only)
Personal Essays & Memoir
First-person accounts present a unique fact-checking challenge. DST verifies all externally checkable facts within personal essays (dates, locations, named individuals, public events). We do not fact-check the subjective emotional experience or personal memory of the author. When an individual named in a personal essay disputes the account, DST may add an editor’s note to the published piece reflecting that dispute.
Post-Publication Monitoring
DST monitors published stories for emerging disputes, contradictions, or corrections submitted by readers, sources, or experts. When a credible dispute arises, we investigate and issue a correction, clarification, or update as appropriate.
Report a Concern
If you believe a DST story contains inaccurate information, please contact [email protected] with the article URL, the specific claim in question, and supporting evidence. All credible submissions are reviewed within 48 hours.