Style Guide
EpsteinWiki uses a consistent editorial style so readers can distinguish verified facts, allegations, testimony, legal arguments, findings, denials, and unresolved questions. This guide establishes the required language, structure, citation practices, formatting, and survivor centered standards for EpsteinWiki articles.
Snapshot
| Element | EpsteinWiki Standard |
|---|---|
| Editorial voice | Neutral, precise, evidence led, and accessible |
| Article title | One clear H1 heading |
| Introduction | Brief summary explaining the article’s scope |
| Early summary | Include a Snapshot near the beginning |
| Headings | Use H2 headings and H3 subsections |
| Separators | Place one separator between major H2 sections |
| Paragraphs | Keep paragraphs focused and reasonably short |
| Claims | Attribute every material allegation or disputed claim |
| Sources | Prefer primary records and direct document links |
| EFTA citations | Include the complete EFTA number and relevant page |
| Survivor references | Use respectful, context appropriate terminology |
| Minors | Protect names, pseudonyms, images, and identifying details |
| Internal links | Link related EpsteinWiki articles where useful |
| Questions | Place a Questions section near the end |
| Editorial review | State the last reviewed date |
| SEO | Place only the meta description and keywords at the absolute end |
Purpose of This Guide
This Style Guide applies to articles, timelines, person profiles, organization profiles, document summaries, evidence guides, contributor resources, and other editorial material published on EpsteinWiki.
Its purposes are to:
- Maintain consistency across independently written articles
- Help readers understand what a source actually establishes
- Prevent allegations from being presented as proven facts
- Reduce sensationalism and guilt by association
- Protect survivors, minors, witnesses, and uninvolved third parties
- Make complex legal and documentary material understandable
- Preserve transparent links between claims and supporting records
- Improve accessibility, readability, and search visibility
Accuracy takes priority over speed, novelty, or dramatic presentation.
Core Editorial Voice
Neutral
Describe the available evidence without telling readers what they should believe. Avoid language that presumes guilt, innocence, motive, knowledge, or credibility unless a cited legal finding establishes it.
Neutrality does not require treating all claims as equally supported. It requires explaining the strength, source, and limitations of the evidence fairly.
Evidence Led
Begin with records, not conclusions. A claim should be proportional to what the cited evidence establishes.
For example:
A flight record lists the person as a passenger on one documented flight.
Do not write:
The flight record proves that the person participated in Epstein’s crimes.
A travel record may document travel. It does not, by itself, establish what a passenger knew, observed, or did.
Survivor Centered
Use language that preserves dignity and does not assign blame to people who reported exploitation or abuse. Avoid unnecessary graphic detail, speculation about consent, and language that treats survivors as supporting characters in another person’s story.
Plain Language
Write for an informed general audience. Explain technical, legal, and archival terms when readers may not know them.
Prefer:
The court dismissed the claim because it was filed too late.
Over:
The cause of action was dismissed pursuant to the applicable statute of limitations.
Use the technical term when it matters, then explain it in plain language.
Precise
Use the narrowest accurate statement. Avoid replacing uncertainty with confidence or using vague qualifiers such as “clearly,” “obviously,” “reportedly,” or “apparently” without explanation.
Required Article Structure
Unless a specialized template requires otherwise, use this order:
- H1 title
- Short introductory summary
- Snapshot
- Main H2 sections
- Questions
- Related EpsteinWiki Guides or related articles
- Sources
- Editorial Note
- SEO
Use one separator between major H2 sections.
Do not place a separator:
- Between the title and introduction
- Before the first H2 section
- Between H3 subsections
- After the final SEO section
Do not include a category line at the beginning of the article.
Titles and Headings
Article Titles
Use a clear, specific title that accurately describes the page. Avoid sensational, argumentative, or click driven wording.
Prefer:
Evidence Framework: What Counts as Evidence and What Counts as Noise
Avoid:
The Shocking Truth the Records Finally Reveal
Use the official name of a person, organization, legal proceeding, or document when one is available.
H2 Headings
Use H2 headings for major sections. Headings should tell readers what the section contains.
Examples include:
- Background
- Documented Connections
- Evidence Assessment
- Legal Proceedings
- Contradictory Evidence
- Questions
- Sources
H3 Subsections
Use H3 headings to divide a major section into related topics. Do not use heading levels only for visual styling.
Heading Capitalization
Use title case for article titles and headings. Capitalize important words while leaving short articles, conjunctions, and prepositions lowercase unless they begin the heading.
Paragraphs, Sentences, and Lists
Keep each paragraph focused on one main idea. Break up dense passages when the subject changes or when a paragraph becomes difficult to scan.
Use active voice when the actor is known.
Prefer:
The FBI interviewed the witness in 2007.
Over:
The witness was interviewed in 2007.
Passive voice is appropriate when the actor is unknown or less important than the action.
Use lists when presenting several comparable items, requirements, or steps. List items should use parallel grammatical construction.
Do not overuse:
- One sentence paragraphs
- Bold text
- Italics
- Parenthetical remarks
- Rhetorical questions
- Exclamation marks
- All capital letters
- Decorative symbols
- Emojis
Names, Titles, and Aliases
Full Names
Use a person’s complete verified name on first reference. A surname may be used on later references when it is unambiguous.
Do not guess the expansion of initials or assume that similar names refer to the same person.
Alternate Names
Include a nickname, former name, alias, or alternate spelling only when it is relevant and supported by a reliable source.
When records use multiple spellings, identify the variation:
The surname appears as “Example” in the court filing and “Exemple” in the address book transcription.
Titles and Positions
Use a professional or public title when it helps explain the person’s role at the relevant time.
Prefer:
Jane Example, who served as the company’s financial officer in 2001
Avoid presenting a present day position as though the person held it during the events being discussed.
Identity Verification
Do not merge records based only on a shared name. Compare available identifiers such as:
- Middle names or initials
- Employment
- Location
- Age
- Contact information
- Associates
- Dates
- Context within the document
If identification remains uncertain, say so.
Survivor Centered Terminology
Use the term that is accurate for the source, legal context, and person’s stated preference when known.
Survivor
“Survivor” may be appropriate when discussing a person’s experience and agency, particularly when that person has publicly used the term.
Victim
“Victim” may be required when accurately describing legal rights, charging documents, court findings, or official classifications.
Complainant
Use “complainant” when referring to a person who made a complaint, especially when the legal status of the claim matters.
Witness
Use “witness” when the person supplied testimony, an interview, or an observation. A witness is not necessarily a survivor or complainant.
Protected Person
Use a court assigned pseudonym, initials, or a neutral description when identity is legally protected or publication could create a privacy risk.
Never use degrading or blame shifting descriptions. Do not describe a minor as a “child prostitute,” “underage woman,” or “willing participant.”
Prefer language such as:
- Child who was sexually exploited
- Minor identified in the complaint
- Person who reported abuse
- Survivor of sexual exploitation
- Witness interviewed by investigators
Do not infer consent from travel, employment, gifts, communications, continued contact, or a delayed report.
Minors and Protected Identities
Do not publish the identity of a minor connected to sexual abuse, exploitation, or trafficking unless the person is now an adult and has clearly made that identity public in the relevant context. Even then, consider whether repeating the identity serves a necessary public interest.
Protection includes more than removing a name. Review the article for indirect identifiers such as:
- Exact birth dates
- School names
- Home addresses
- Family relationships
- Medical information
- Images
- File names
- Embedded metadata
- Unique biographical details
- Links to unredacted records
Preserve official pseudonyms and consistent initials. Do not create a person profile or searchable tag for a protected minor.
See the Privacy Safeguards for Minors for the complete review procedure.
Legal Language and Status
Legal documents serve different purposes. Describe each record according to what it is authorized to establish.
| Record | Appropriate Description |
|---|---|
| Complaint | Alleges or claims |
| Indictment | Charges or alleges |
| Affidavit | States, declares, or describes |
| Motion | Argues, requests, or asks the court |
| Opposition | Disputes or responds |
| Testimony | States, recalls, or testifies |
| Court order | Orders, holds, concludes, or finds |
| Verdict | Convicts or acquits |
| Civil judgment | Finds liability or awards relief |
| Settlement | Resolves claims under stated terms |
| Appeal | Challenges a decision |
| Investigative record | Documents what investigators recorded |
| Police report | Records a report or investigative observation |
A charge is not a conviction. An allegation is not a legal finding. A settlement does not necessarily include an admission of wrongdoing.
A dismissal may result from jurisdiction, timing, procedure, standing, settlement, or the merits. State the reason when the record provides it.
Do not call a person a criminal unless a relevant conviction supports that description. Identify the offense, jurisdiction, and status accurately when the distinction matters.
Allegations, Denials, and Disputed Claims
Every material allegation should answer three questions:
- Who made the allegation?
- Where and when was it made?
- What is its present evidentiary or legal status?
Prefer:
In a civil complaint filed on May 3, 2016, the plaintiff alleged that Example arranged the meeting. Example denied the allegation in a response filed on June 10, 2016. The case ended in a settlement that did not include a judicial finding on the allegation.
Avoid:
Example arranged the meeting but later denied it.
Include a denial or material response when it is documented and relevant. Do not suggest that a denial disproves an allegation or that an allegation disproves a denial.
When evidence conflicts, describe the conflict directly and cite both records. See Handling Contradictory Evidence for the full assessment method.
Association and Levels of Involvement
Contact, proximity, or social association does not establish criminal involvement.
Use language that identifies the documented connection:
- Appears in a contact book
- Was listed on a flight record
- Attended a documented event
- Exchanged correspondence
- Held a business role
- Was named in testimony
- Was accused in a legal filing
- Was charged
- Was convicted
Do not replace a specific description with vague phrases such as “linked to Epstein” when a more precise statement is available.
When using the Epstein Network Levels of Involvement Scale, explain the supporting evidence and limitations. A level is an editorial classification, not a judicial finding.
Dates, Times, Ages, and Numbers
Dates
Use the Month Day, Year format:
July 6, 2019
For a month and year:
July 2019
For a year alone:
2019
If the precise date is unknown, say so:
The meeting occurred in approximately March 2002.
Do not turn an uncertain date into an exact date.
Date Ranges
Write ranges clearly in prose:
From 1998 through 2001
Between May and July 2005
Avoid ambiguous shortened ranges.
Times
Include the time zone when it matters:
4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
If converting from another time zone, preserve the original time and explain the conversion.
Ages
Use numerals for ages:
She was 17 years old.
When the exact age is unknown:
The complaint described her as a minor at the time.
Do not calculate an age unless the underlying birth and event dates are reliable.
Numbers
Spell out one through nine in ordinary prose. Use numerals for 10 and above.
Use numerals consistently for:
- Ages
- Dates
- Money
- Percentages
- Document pages
- EFTA numbers
- Docket entries
- Evidence levels
- Measurements
Use commas in numbers of 1,000 or more.
Money
Use the currency symbol and specify the currency when ambiguity is possible:
$25,000
$1.5 million in United States currency
Preserve exact figures when the record provides them. Use “approximately” only when the source supports an estimate.
Capitalization, Acronyms, and Punctuation
Acronyms
Write the full name on first reference, followed by the acronym in parentheses:
Use the acronym on later references when it remains clear.
Widely recognized document identifiers such as EFTA may be used consistently, but explain their meaning in articles intended for new readers.
Government and Institutional Names
Use the organization’s official capitalization:
- United States Department of Justice
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- United States District Court
- Palm Beach Police Department
Use lowercase for general references:
the department
the court
federal investigators
Punctuation
Use a comma before the final item in a series when it improves clarity.
Use one space after a period.
Do not use em dashes or en dashes. Use a period, comma, colon, semicolon, or parentheses instead.
Use quotation marks for exact spoken or written language. Do not use quotation marks merely to cast doubt on a term.
Quotations and Paraphrases
Quote only what is necessary. A quotation must reproduce the source accurately and preserve its meaning.
Every significant quotation should include:
- The speaker or writer
- The source
- The date, when available
- The page, exhibit, timestamp, or document identifier
Use brackets only to clarify a reference or adjust capitalization without changing the meaning. Use ellipses sparingly and never remove language that materially changes the statement.
Use “[sic]” only when the original wording could otherwise be mistaken for an editorial error and the distinction matters.
Paraphrase when a long quotation would add little value. A paraphrase must still remain faithful to the source and receive a citation.
Do not silently combine separate passages into a single quotation.
Evidence Citations and EFTA Records
An EFTA identifier is a production or Bates number assigned to a document or page. It is not a date, case number, importance ranking, or certification that every statement in the document is true.
When citing an EFTA record:
- Include the complete EFTA number
- Link directly to the relevant record on Epstein Data
- Identify the document type or subject
- Include the relevant page
- Record both the PDF page and printed page when they differ
- Verify the citation against the original image
- Review surrounding pages for context
- State any important limitation
Use a descriptive link:
Do not use vague anchors such as “click here.”
A court record citation should identify the case, court, docket or ECF number, filing date, and relevant page when available.
Do not link readers to private dashboards, editing interfaces, temporary sessions, or administrative URLs.
See Epstein Files: Evidence Framework for source classification standards.
Links and Source Lists
Place a source link close to the claim it supports. Use descriptive anchor text so readers understand where the link leads.
Prefer:
The July 2019 federal indictment charged Epstein with sex trafficking offenses.
Avoid:
The indictment is available here.
Link to the most direct authoritative source available, including:
- Original court filings
- Government records
- Official reports
- Complete transcripts
- Archived source documents
- Direct EFTA records
- Verified institutional publications
Secondary reporting may provide context but should not replace an available primary record for a central claim.
Remove tracking parameters, referral codes, and session information from public links.
Before publication, verify that each link:
- Opens successfully
- Leads to the intended document
- Does not expose private information
- Uses a stable destination where possible
- Supports the sentence in which it appears
The Sources section should list the principal records used in the article. It should not become a collection of unrelated background links.
Tables and Timelines
Use tables when readers need to compare structured information. Use timelines when event order is central to understanding the subject.
Every table should have:
- A clear header row
- Consistent column types
- Short, readable cells
- Citations for material claims
- Accessible wording
- A layout that remains understandable on mobile screens
Timeline entries should identify:
- The date or date range
- The event
- The source
- Any uncertainty
Do not use a table to create an unsupported guilt matrix or imply that every person listed shares the same evidentiary status.
Images, Graphics, Captions, and Alt Text
Use an image only when it contributes evidence, context, identification, or comprehension.
Clearly distinguish between:
- Original documentary evidence
- Editorial diagrams
- Maps
- Archival photographs
- Illustrative images
- Artificially generated visuals
Never present an illustrative or artificially generated image as documentary evidence.
Captions should explain what the image shows, when it was created, and where it came from. Include copyright, license, or public domain information when applicable.
Alt text should communicate the information a sighted reader receives from the image. Avoid beginning with “image of” unless the medium itself is relevant.
Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning. Avoid publishing text heavy images when the same information can be provided as accessible page text.
Review every image for:
- Minor safety
- Survivor privacy
- Home addresses
- Signatures
- Account numbers
- Medical information
- Embedded metadata
- Unnecessary graphic content
Files, Metadata, and Attachments
Preserve an unmodified copy of every source file. Make redacted or optimized derivatives as separate files.
Use file names that are descriptive without exposing protected information. A useful naming pattern includes:
- Date
- Document type
- Case or collection
- Public identifier
- Version
Do not include a protected minor’s name in a file name, caption, attachment title, or public URL.
Inspect documents and images for hidden metadata before publication. Follow the Metadata Extracts and Upload Instructions when preparing files.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence may assist with transcription, summarization, search, comparison, and drafting. It is not a source.
A human contributor must verify:
- Every factual claim
- Every quotation
- Every name
- Every date
- Every document identifier
- Every citation
- Every link
- Every legal characterization
Do not cite an artificial intelligence response as evidence. Do not publish fabricated citations, inferred quotations, or unverified summaries.
Do not upload protected, private, restricted, or sealed material to an external artificial intelligence service unless its use has been specifically authorized.
An artificial intelligence detector result does not prove authorship or manipulation. Describe detection results as indicators with limitations, not as definitive findings.
See Fact Checking and AI Detection Tools and Disinformation and Manipulated Media Guide.
Bold, Italics, and Blockquotes
Use bold text sparingly for:
- Defined labels
- Short warnings
- Important status distinctions
- Checklist prompts
Use italics for titles of major published works or limited emphasis. Do not italicize entire paragraphs.
Use blockquotes for short, exact excerpts that materially help the reader. Include the citation immediately before or after the excerpt.
Do not use formatting to make weak evidence appear more important.
SEO and Search Language
Write for readers first. Use accurate search terms naturally in the title, introduction, headings, and body.
Do not:
- Stuff keywords into sentences
- Repeat a person’s name unnecessarily
- Turn an allegation into a factual headline
- Use sensational search phrases
- Include protected identities for traffic
- Promise evidence the article does not contain
The meta description must accurately summarize the page. Keywords should reflect the article’s actual subject and likely reader intent.
Place the SEO section at the absolute end of the article. Include only a meta description and keywords.
Corrections and Updates
Correct factual errors promptly. Do not silently change the meaning of a material claim.
For a substantive correction, record:
- What was incorrect or incomplete
- What changed
- Why it changed
- The supporting source
- The revision date
Minor grammar, formatting, or broken link corrections may be made without a detailed public note when they do not change the article’s meaning.
Maintain version information according to the Version Control guide.
Prohibited Style
Do not use:
- “Bombshell”
- “Smoking gun”
- “Explosive proof”
- “Client list” unless describing a source that actually uses and defines that term
- “Everyone knows”
- “Obviously”
- “Clearly guilty”
- “Connected to Epstein” without identifying the connection
- Sarcasm
- Insults
- Partisan slogans
- Conspiracy shorthand
- Unattributed rumor
- Click driven headlines
- Unnecessary sexual detail
- Language that blames survivors
- Guilt by association
- Rhetorical questions presented as evidence
Avoid calling a document a “list” when it is actually a contact book, passenger manifest, calendar, message log, exhibit index, or discovery production.
Final Review Checklist
Before publication, confirm that:
- The title accurately describes the page
- The introduction defines the article’s scope
- A Snapshot appears near the beginning
- Headings follow the correct hierarchy
- Separator lines appear once between major H2 sections
- Every material allegation is attributed
- Charges are distinguished from convictions
- Legal findings are distinguished from arguments
- Associations are not presented as proof of wrongdoing
- Names and identities have been verified
- Protected identities remain protected
- Survivor centered terminology is used
- Unnecessary graphic detail has been removed
- Dates, ages, amounts, and quotations match the sources
- EFTA numbers are complete and linked directly
- Page references are accurate
- Contradictory evidence is acknowledged
- Primary sources are used where available
- Links are descriptive and functional
- Tracking information has been removed from URLs
- Images include useful captions and alt text
- Files have been checked for sensitive metadata
- Artificial intelligence output has been independently verified
- Related EpsteinWiki guides are linked
- The Sources section contains the principal records
- The Editorial Note includes the review date
- SEO appears last
- SEO contains only a meta description and keywords
- No category line appears above the article
- No em dashes or en dashes remain
Questions
Can an article use stronger language when evidence is overwhelming?
Yes, but the wording must remain tied to the evidence. A conviction, admitted fact, authenticated recording, or explicit judicial finding permits firmer language than an untested allegation.
Should every allegation include the word “alleged”?
Not necessarily. Repetitive use can make an article difficult to read. Establish the status clearly, attribute the claim, and continue using language that does not convert it into a fact.
Can EpsteinWiki call someone a co-conspirator?
Only when the term is supported and properly qualified. Explain whether it comes from a charge, judicial finding, prosecutor’s statement, witness account, or editorial analysis. See Identifying Co-Conspirators.
Is appearing in a document enough for a person profile?
No. A name may refer to an uninvolved person, a passing contact, or someone who cannot be reliably identified. Consider the source, context, public interest, and risk of misidentification.
Should a denial always be included?
Include a documented denial when it directly responds to a material allegation and helps readers understand the evidentiary dispute.
Can anonymous social media posts be cited?
They may be discussed when the post itself is the subject of the article, but they should not serve as proof of an underlying factual claim without independent verification.
How should deleted online material be handled?
Use a reliable archive when available. State that the original is no longer accessible, identify the archive date, and avoid implying why the material was removed unless evidence establishes the reason.
Can contributors correct obvious spelling errors in quotations?
Preserve the original wording. Use brackets for essential clarification and “[sic]” sparingly when the original error could confuse readers.
Should an article identify an AI generated image?
Yes. Label artificial or illustrative material clearly. It must never be presented as an original photograph, scan, or evidentiary record.
What happens when two primary sources conflict?
Present both sources, describe the conflict, assess their origin and proximity to the event, and state what remains unresolved.
Can headlines include allegations?
Yes, when necessary, but the headline must attribute or clearly qualify the allegation. It must not present an unresolved accusation as an established fact.
Should contributors copy language directly from court documents?
Short quotations may be useful, but legal documents should usually be summarized in plain language with an exact citation. Do not copy demeaning descriptions when neutral language will preserve the relevant meaning.
Can a survivor’s public name always be repeated?
No. Public availability does not automatically make repetition necessary or safe. Consider the person’s current preferences, context, and the public interest served by naming them.
How many internal links should an article contain?
Use enough links to help readers navigate related evidence and policies without interrupting every sentence. Relevance matters more than a fixed number.
Can a source be omitted because readers may find it offensive?
Do not omit material evidence merely because it is disturbing. Summarize it with restraint, warn readers when appropriate, and exclude unnecessary graphic detail.
Can contributors use first person?
First person is generally inappropriate in factual articles. It may be used in clearly labeled contributor notes, methodology disclosures, or firsthand accounts when necessary.
What should happen when a source link breaks?
Locate an official replacement or reliable archive, verify that it contains the same material, update the link, and record the change when it affects access to key evidence.
Does an EFTA number authenticate every statement in a document?
No. The identifier tracks the produced material. Statements inside the record still require source evaluation and contextual verification.
May an article use a person’s photograph from social media?
Only when publication is lawful, relevant, appropriately licensed or permitted, and consistent with privacy and safety standards. Do not use personal images merely for decoration.
What if a contributor cannot verify a claim?
Do not publish it as fact. Remove it, qualify it as unresolved, or place it in a clearly labeled research note that is not presented as a verified conclusion.
Related EpsteinWiki Guides
- Formatting Rules
- Upload Instructions
- Tagging System
- Version Control
- Contributor Safety Guide
- Privacy Safeguards for Minors
- Volunteer Conduct Code
- Metadata Extracts
- Epstein Files: Evidence Framework
- Epstein Network: Levels of Involvement Scale
- Handling Contradictory Evidence
- Identifying Co-Conspirators
- Fact Checking and AI Detection Tools
- Disinformation and Manipulated Media Guide