Corrections
TrueNorthBrief is run by one person: me, Sarah Mitchell. I research and write every brief myself, drawing on the sources listed on the sources page. Because I work alone, the process for fixing mistakes is straightforward, and I want you to know exactly how it works.
Mistakes happen. I have been a research librarian and fact-checker for nine years, and I still miss things occasionally. A date can be transcribed incorrectly, a name can be misspelled, or a source can be misinterpreted. When that happens, I want to hear about it. The site exists to counter misinformation, and that starts with being honest about my own errors.
How to report an error
If you spot something wrong, please email me directly at sarah@truenorthbrief.com. You can also use the general address info@truenorthbrief.com, but the personal one reaches me faster. In your message, include the page URL, the exact text you believe is incorrect, and — if possible — a link to a reliable source that supports your correction. I read every message, usually within two business days.
I do not accept corrections through social media, because I want a written record and a way to verify the claim. If you are unsure whether something is an error, you can still send it. I would rather check a hundred false alarms than miss one real mistake.
What happens after you report
Once I receive a correction, I verify it against the original sources I used and, if needed, against additional references. If the report is valid, I update the brief and add a note at the bottom of the page stating what changed and when. I do not quietly edit pages. Every change is logged with a timestamp and a short description, such as “Corrected publication year from 2011 to 2012” or “Updated population figure per 2021 census.”
That log is not public, but I will share it on request. If you want to see what has changed on a specific page, email me and I will send you the relevant entries. This applies to all sections of the site, from People to Places to Things.
For significant errors — those that change the meaning of a brief — I also add a visible correction notice at the top of the page for 30 days. Minor typos or formatting fixes do not get a notice, but they are still logged.
An honest note
I cannot promise perfection. With 983 entries across eight sections, including History, Culture, and Sports, there will be occasional slips. What I can promise is that I will fix them quickly, transparently, and without defensiveness. If you find an error, you are helping the site do its job. Thank you for that.
For more about how I work, see the method page or the scope page. If you have a question that is not about a specific error, the contact page has the details.