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HowTests Journalism Best Practices

Effective Date: June 3, 2025

At HowTests, we recognize the crucial role of journalism in shaping informed learners and fostering critical thinking. As a platform serving competitive exam aspirants, educators, and academic writers, we uphold the highest journalistic standards to ensure that all articles and opinion pieces reflect truth, objectivity, and educational relevance.

This policy applies to all journalism-related content published on HowTests, including news-style editorials, analysis features, educational commentaries, and exam-focused reporting.

Our Journalistic Mission

  • Promote well-informed public discourse within academic circles.
  • Report responsibly on educational reforms, exam changes, social issues, and policy developments.
  • Offer diverse, fact-based, and impartial perspectives for learners, educators, and thinkers.

Accuracy and Fact-Checking

  • Research-Driven Writing: Every claim, date, fact, or figure must be supported by at least one credible academic or institutional source.
  • Quotations and Statistics: Always attribute data or quotes to their original sources. Include citations or hyperlinks where possible.
  • Correction Policy: If an article is found to contain an error, it must be promptly corrected with a clear note of amendment.

Objectivity and Independence

  • Avoid Conflicts of Interest: If an author has any affiliation with a subject, organization, or exam board being discussed, it must be clearly disclosed.
  • Balanced Perspectives: All journalism, especially opinion articles or social commentary, must represent multiple viewpoints or acknowledge other interpretations.
  • Editorial Autonomy: Editorial decisions must remain free from external influence, political bias, or commercial interest.

Ethical Reporting Guidelines

We expect authors and contributors to practice sensitive and responsible journalism, particularly when discussing topics, such as student life, exam pressure, social inequalities, or education policy.

  • Privacy Protection: Never reveal identifiable information about students, teachers, or institutions without written consent.
  • No Sensationalism: Avoid alarmist or exaggerated headlines. Use neutral, respectful, and academically appropriate language.
  • Context Matters: Avoid taking statements or statistics out of context to support a narrative.

Opinion vs. Reporting

  • Clearly Label Content: Every published piece must clearly indicate its category, such as news, report, commentary, opinion, or interview.
  • Support Your Arguments: Opinions must be grounded in fact, logic, or real-time experience, not in generalizations or unverified claims.
  • Avoid Misrepresentation: Do not present personal views as objective truth.

Community Interaction and Reader Engagement

  • Respectful Dialogue: Authors and contributors are encouraged to respond to reader questions or clarifications professionally and respectfully.
  • No Comment Abuse: Hate speech, trolling, or unconstructive comments will be removed. Repeated violations may lead to user suspension.
  • Encourage Civic Thinking: Content should foster critical thinking like content of multiple platforms, like Al Jazeera , Pew Research Center, BBC News, CSSPrepForum etc., display rather than promoting passive agreement or divisiveness.

Multimedia and Visual Standards in Journalism

  • Relevance: Only use images, infographics, or charts that directly enhance understanding of the article.
  • Licensing: All visuals must be copyright-compliant. Use royalty-free, public domain, or fully licensed images.
  • Alt Text: Provide descriptive alt text for every image to ensure accessibility for users with visual impairments.
  • Credit Where Due: Clearly credit image creators or sources.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

  • Copyright: Do not reproduce or translate protected journalistic work without permission.
  • Defamation Laws: Avoid personal attacks or accusations in comment sections or editorials and opinions that could harm someone’s reputation unless substantiated and in the public interest.
  • Legal Review: Articles involving institutions, legal reforms, or controversial issues may be subject to editorial legal review before publication.

Continuous Learning and Editorial Excellence

  • Contributor Development: Journalistic authors and contributors are encouraged to participate in HowTests editorial workshops, webinars, or internal feedback reviews.
  • Peer Review: Feature-length or investigative journalism pieces may undergo internal peer review prior to publication.
  • Policy Evolution: This policy will be reviewed and updated annually to stay aligned with international journalism ethics and platform growth.

Feedback and Contact

To report errors, suggest improvements, or inquire about our journalism guidelines, please contact us at: