Standards in Practice.
Elkane Letters holds itself to a defined set of editorial principles for every article published. This page sets out how topics are identified, how sources are evaluated, how articles are written and reviewed, and how errors are handled once published.
Editorial Principles
Elkane Letters operates under the following editorial principles: articles are reviewed by at least one second editor before publication, sources are cited where appropriate, corrections are noted publicly, and writers disclose any commercial relationships that could influence their selection of subject matter.
The publication does not accept sponsored content presented as editorial, does not accept payment for editorial placement, and does not remove published corrections. Where a factual error is identified after publication, a note is appended to the article with the correction and the date it was made.
All contributors to Elkane Letters — whether staff editors or guest writers — agree in writing to these principles before their first piece is published. The agreement covers disclosure of affiliations, accuracy in source citation, and the expectation that corrections will be accepted without dispute.
No commercial body has editorial input. Article topics are chosen by editors, not sponsors.
Every factual claim is traced to a named source. Unnamed sources are not used for factual assertions.
Writer affiliations, corrections, and revision history are visible to readers.
Content remains within the publication's defined focus: rest patterns, evening routines, and everyday body composition.
The Editorial Process
From topic identification to publication, each article passes through four distinct stages.
Topic Identification & Sourcing
Topics emerge from two channels: reader enquiries submitted through the contact page, and editorial review of published sleep research and nutrition science literature. The editorial team meets fortnightly to evaluate candidate topics against two criteria: relevance to the publication's focus on rest and everyday body composition, and the availability of credible, independently verifiable source material.
Topics that cannot be grounded in verifiable source material are deferred or declined. The publication does not commission articles on the basis of commercial interest or product promotion.
Research & Draft Writing
Commissioned writers are provided with a brief specifying the topic scope, the primary source references already identified, and the publication's tone guidelines. Writers are expected to extend the source list independently, drawing on peer-reviewed publications, long-form journalism, and specialist commentary.
The draft is submitted with a source annotation document listing every factual claim and its corresponding citation. Claims that arrive without citation are flagged for the writer to resolve before the piece proceeds to the review stage. Content published by Elkane Letters is selected based on published nutritional research and undergoes independent batch verification for quality and labelling accuracy.
Editorial Review
Each article is reviewed by a second editor who has not read the brief or previous draft. This reviewer checks factual accuracy independently (verifying claims against the cited sources without guidance from the writer), assesses tonal consistency with the publication's register, and flags any passages that stray outside the publication's defined scope.
The reviewing editor may request revisions. In the case of factual disagreement, the matter is resolved by the senior editor, whose decision is final. Articles are not published with unresolved factual disputes between reviewers.
Publication & Correction
Once both editors are satisfied, the article is assigned a publication date, formatted for the site, and reviewed in its final layout state for typographic and structural errors. All published articles carry a publication date and the author's name; guest writers are identified as such.
If a reader identifies a factual error after publication, they are encouraged to write to [email protected]. Verified errors are corrected within five working days; the correction note appended to the article includes the original text, the corrected text, and the date of amendment.
Source Standards
Elkane Letters draws on a defined hierarchy of source types. Sources higher on the list are given greater weight in the editorial assessment of factual claims.
Studies published in indexed journals (PubMed, JSTOR, PsycINFO). The publication date, author affiliations, and journal name are recorded in the source annotation document. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews are preferred over single-study citations where available.
Long-form journalism in established publications (The Guardian, The Atlantic, BMJ Opinion, New Scientist) where the author is identified and holds relevant professional background. Used to contextualise or explain research findings, not to assert factual claims independently.
Reports and guidance documents from bodies such as the NHS, Public Health England, the Sleep Foundation, and equivalent national agencies. Used for statistical claims about population-level patterns.
Unverified social media posts, product marketing materials, press releases unaccompanied by independent study citation, and content produced by parties with a declared financial interest in the topic being discussed.
Publication Scope
Elkane Letters covers a defined range of subjects within the broader field of everyday wellness. The publication focuses on:
- — Rest and sleep architecture. How sleep stages, circadian timing, and sleep duration relate to energy levels, hunger regulation, and weight management over time.
- — Evening routines and pre-sleep habits. The effect of light exposure, meal timing, movement patterns, and screen behaviour in the hours before sleep on next-day choices and overnight recovery.
- — Gradual body composition change. The relationship between consistent rest patterns and long-term weight management, written from a coach perspective that emphasises sustainable habit formation over short-term change.
- — Nutrition and appetite timing. How appetite-regulating processes (including hunger signals, portion awareness, and meal-prep habits) interact with circadian rhythms and rest quality.
Articles outside this scope — for instance, those proposing specific supplement regimens, rapid weight-loss approaches, or interventions requiring specialist supervision — are outside the publication's remit and are not commissioned or published.
Corrections & Disclosures
Corrections are a normal part of editorial work. Elkane Letters does not consider a correction to be an admission of failure; it considers a correction to be evidence that the editorial process is functioning. The following correction policy applies:
- — Factual corrections are made to the relevant passage in the article. The correction note at the bottom of the article records the original wording, the corrected wording, and the correction date.
- — Minor typographical corrections (spelling, punctuation, formatting) are made silently without a correction note.
- — If an article is substantially inaccurate in its central argument, it is withdrawn and replaced with a note explaining the withdrawal. It is not simply deleted.
- — Writers are notified of all corrections affecting their work. A writer who disagrees with a correction may submit a written response; the senior editor reviews both positions and issues a final ruling within five working days.
Commercial disclosures are made at the foot of any article where the writer has a financial or professional relationship with an organisation, product, or service mentioned. Guest writers are identified as such in the byline. No writer contributes anonymously to this publication.
Editorial Contact
Readers who wish to submit a correction, raise a concern about editorial practice, or enquire about contributing to Elkane Letters are welcome to write to the editorial address. The publication aims to respond to editorial correspondence within ten working days.
For factual corrections or editorial concerns about a published article.
[email protected]For writers interested in contributing a guest piece. Please include a short pitch and example writing.
Contact form