Start with the decision
A guide should help the reader understand a specific situation. We consider the older adult's preferences, the work asked of the family, practical limitations and alternatives to buying another device.
Use sources you can inspect
We prefer official instructions, service terms, public agencies and relevant research. Sources are linked within each guide so readers can inspect the underlying information and check current details.
Manufacturer descriptions are attributed. Practical family checklists are editorial suggestions, not evidence of product performance.
Keep the type of evidence clear
Documentation explains what a provider says. Hands-on testing records what happened under a stated protocol. Independent fact-checking and expert review require named people and a defined scope. These are separate kinds of work.
Our current guides do not report completed hands-on product tests or independent expert assessments. Completed personal editorial reviews are credited on the relevant guide.
Show meaningful dates and credits
Each guide identifies the Research Desk, its source-check date and publication date. An editor or reviewer is credited only for completed work. Material changes receive an update date; minor wording or presentation improvements do not imply a new factual review.
Correct and maintain the guidance
Product instructions, subscriptions, software and availability can change. Reader reports and new source information can lead to a correction, clarification or withdrawal.
To flag a problem, use our corrections page and include the guide address, the disputed statement and a supporting source where possible.
Read more about our methods
Visit our guide evidence index, editorial standards, testing methodology and research and illustration standards.