Every article published on WordPatch.co.uk is subject to a rigorous editorial process designed to ensure accuracy, fairness, clarity, and independence. This policy outlines how we decide what to publish, how we review content, and how we maintain the trust of our readers in line with our mission as a UK-based digital publication for writers, editors, educators, and publishing professionals.
Editorial process and review
No article is published on WordPatch.co.uk without being reviewed by a member of the editorial team. The managing editor, Oliver Bennett, coordinates daily editorial planning and workflow, ensuring that each piece is commissioned, drafted, and checked according to our schedules and standards. For routine content — guides, explainers, reviews, and opinion pieces — a section editor reviews the article for factual accuracy, tone, readability, and alignment with our editorial focus before publication.
Sensitive stories and additional review
Certain categories of content receive additional scrutiny from Thomas Ellery, our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead. These include:
- Publishing disputes and legal matters — any story involving ongoing litigation, legal claims, or disputes between publishers, authors, or organisations.
- Allegations — claims of misconduct, plagiarism, fraud, or harm involving individuals or institutions.
- Stories involving minors — any content that names, identifies, or describes individuals under the age of 18.
- Privacy-sensitive reporting — articles that touch on personal data, medical information, or private communications.
- Copyright and rights matters — reporting on copyright claims, takedowns, or licensing disputes.
- Education-related claims — content making specific assertions about curricula, qualifications, or educational outcomes.
- Software and AI tool reviews — any review or analysis of digital tools, writing software, or AI platforms that may involve testing, trial access, or commercial relationships.
- Book review coverage — reviews based on advance copies, press copies, or publisher relationships.
Articles in these categories are flagged at the commissioning stage and sent to Thomas for a pre-publication review of sources, claims, disclosures, and any potential conflicts of interest.
Clear distinction between content types
We maintain a strict separation between editorial content and commercial or promotional material. Every article includes a visible label indicating its type:
- News — factual reporting on industry developments, based on verified public documents, press releases, or original reporting.
- Opinion — authored pieces reflecting the personal views of a named writer, clearly distinguished from news coverage.
- Features — longer reported or analytical pieces, often based on interviews, visits, or original research.
- Guides and explainers — instructional content designed to inform or teach, reviewed for accuracy and currency.
- Reviews — assessments of books, tools, software, or services, based on firsthand use or reading, with full disclosure of how access was obtained.
- Interviews — conversations with authors, editors, creators, or industry figures, edited for clarity and accuracy before publication.
- Sponsored content — material commissioned or paid for by a third party, labelled as such. Sponsored pieces do not reflect the editorial views of WordPatch.co.uk and are reviewed for compliance with our Sponsored Content Policy.
- Affiliate content — articles or links that may generate commission for the publication. All affiliate links are disclosed in the text or via a notice. See our Advertising and Affiliate Disclosure.
Article-level transparency
Every article on WordPatch.co.uk carries a clear byline linking to the author’s profile page on our Our Team page. Publication dates are displayed prominently, along with last-updated dates for revised content. Where an article has been reviewed by an editor or fact-checker, a note to that effect appears at the top or bottom of the piece.
We include source references throughout our articles, and we link to our Sources & Standards page for an explanation of how we verify information. Where we have received a review copy of a book, a trial licence for software, press access to an event, or any other form of access, we disclose this at the point of publication. Correction notes are appended to articles and linked to our Corrections Policy.
Experience signals
We make clear how the information in each article was obtained. Articles state whether coverage is based on: a book read by the reviewer; a review copy provided by a publisher; a software tool tested by the writer under ordinary conditions; an interview with a named source; an official press release; a verified public document; or original analysis by the editorial team. This commitment to transparency is detailed in our Sources & Standards page.
Independence and funding
WordPatch.co.uk is owned and operated by Patchwork Digital Media Ltd. Our commercial relationships — including display advertising, affiliate links, sponsored content, and partnerships — are clearly separated from editorial decision-making. No advertiser, sponsor, or partner influences the conclusions reached in our editorial content. For full details, see our Ownership and Funding page and our Advertising and Affiliate Disclosure.
Use of AI and automation
We may use digital tools to support research, editing, formatting, translation, metadata generation, headline options, summaries, transcription, and content review. All published editorial content is reviewed by a human editor before publication. AI is never used to fabricate quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience, or expert profiles. Our full policy is available on our AI Automation Policy page.
Attribution and named writers
All articles are attributed to a named writer or, in rare cases, to the editorial team. Ghostwritten pieces, uncredited bylines, and anonymous opinion pieces are not permitted. Writers’ professional backgrounds, including relevant experience and qualifications, are listed on their profile pages linked from each article. For full details on our editorial team, visit Our Team.
Complaints route
If you believe an article contains an error, fails to meet our editorial standards, or breaches our policies, we encourage you to contact us. Our Complaints Procedure explains how to raise a concern, how we will respond, and the steps we take to resolve issues promptly and fairly.