Evidence before certainty
Claims should rest on reliable evidence. When certainty is not available, the limits should be clear.
Standards
Trust has to be earned.
The standards are designed to keep the work accurate, transparent, restrained, and accountable.
Primary sources first
Original records, documents, and direct material should be used whenever they are available and relevant.
Context before reaction
The work should explain events rather than merely amplify them.
Corrections remain visible
Material errors should be corrected clearly, promptly, and without quietly rewriting the record.
Independence is operational
Political parties, campaigns, and ideological pressure should not dictate the conclusions.