Standards and methodology

How every report is built

1. The question. One per report, used as the title, phrased the way a person would ask it.
2. The answer. One to three sentences, at the top.
3. Key findings and recommendations. Numbered, one claim each, so they can be quoted and cited on their own.
4. The data. Tables and figures, each claim linked to its source where it appears.
5. The methodology. What we did, in enough detail to repeat it.
6. The limitations. What the report can't tell you. We write this section ourselves instead of waiting for critics to point it out.

Sources

Every factual claim links to its source in the paragraph where it appears, and every source is listed again at the end of the report. We don't cite anything we haven't read.

Data files and reuse

When a report rests on data we compiled, we publish that data as CSV or JSON at a permanent address next to the report. You can reuse our reports and data with credit to Long Pond Institute and a link to the report.

Versions

A report keeps the same address for life. If we revise its findings, we raise its version number, describe the change in its version history, and keep the earlier version online at its own address, so a citation to it still leads somewhere.

Corrections

We fix errors where they appear and add a dated note to the report saying what changed. We don't quietly edit findings.

AI tools

We use software, including AI systems, for research and drafting. A person edits and checks every report before it is published, and the institute is accountable for every claim in it.