Method
Every page on CivicMaple starts with a question from a reader. I keep a running list of the things people ask about, and I pick the ones that can be answered clearly in a few hundred words. The goal is never to be exhaustive; it is to be useful. If a topic needs more depth than a single page can hold, I say so and point to where the fuller answer lives.
The research process is straightforward. I begin with primary sources whenever they exist: official records, court documents, scientific papers, or the original works themselves. For a page about a film like Jurassic Park, that means going back to the novel and the movie, not to a fan wiki. For a page about a person such as Jane Birkin, I look for interviews she gave and contemporaneous reporting, not retrospective gossip. When primary sources are not available, I rely on reputable secondary sources: major newspapers, academic journals, and reference works from established publishers.
Every factual claim on this site is tied to a source. I keep a private log for each page that lists where each fact came from, so I can check my own work later. If I cannot find a reliable source for a claim, I leave the claim out. It is better to say less than to say something wrong. When sources disagree, I present the disagreement honestly rather than picking the version I like best.
Sometimes the sources do not answer the question at all. That happens more often than you might think, especially for topics in history or places where records are thin. In those cases, I write what is known and mark the gaps clearly. I do not speculate to fill space. If a reader has a document or a memory that could fill a gap, they can write to me at emily@civicmaple.com, and I will look into it.
Facts are re-checked on a rolling schedule. I review every page at least once a year, and more often if the topic is time-sensitive. When something changes, I update the page and note the date of the update at the bottom. I also track corrections in a public log, because admitting a mistake is part of being trustworthy. The site covers a wide range of subjects, from sports to nature, and the same standard applies everywhere: if I would not defend a sentence in an editorial meeting, it does not go on the page.
CivicMaple runs without ads or tracking, and it is funded by no one but me. That keeps the incentives simple. I answer to readers, not to sponsors. If you want to know more about how I choose what to cover, the scope page explains the boundaries. For anything else, the contact page has the details.