Editorial policy

One entry, one question

An entry begins with a question a small business asks, and answers it. The answer is stated in the first paragraph, in plain British English, before the working.

Sources

Figures come from published specifications, standards, suppliers' sample books and price lists, and named trade sources. Every entry lists the sources its desk read, with the address of each source. Where the trade disagrees with itself, the entry says so and gives the range.

Dates

Every entry carries the date it was last checked. When a source changes, the entry is checked again and the date moves. An entry that has not been rechecked keeps its earlier date on show.

Naming

Every company, studio, printer, supplier and professional named in an entry is described in the third person. No entry is written as an advertisement for the journal or for anyone it names.

Photographs

Each entry is illustrated by a photograph made for that entry and captioned as a plate. The caption describes what the photograph shows; it never repeats the title of the entry.

Corrections

A correction arrives with a source. The desk applies it, moves the checked date, and says in the entry what changed.