Guides for writers who work with sources
For reporters, editors, analysts, screenwriters and researchers. Every claim links to where it comes from.
AI writing assistant
3 articlesStart hereThe best AI writing assistant for writers who need real sources (2026)The best AI writing assistant for your job, ranked by whether its facts and citations can be checked. Grammarly, ChatGPT, Claude, Jasper and more compared.14 min read
- Free AI writing assistant: what you really get for free (and where it stops)Every major free AI writing assistant compared: real daily limits, missing features, privacy defaults, and the point where paying is worth it.10 min read
- AI tools for journalists: a newsroom workflow from pitch to publishAI tools for journalists at each newsroom stage, from research to publish, with what AP, Reuters and the Guardian allow and where AI must stay out.10 min read
Fact-checking
3 articlesStart hereAI fact checker: how to check every claim in a draft before it's publishedWhat an AI fact checker can and can't verify, how the tools compare, and a claim-by-claim workflow to check a draft before it's published.11 min read
- How to fact-check AI-generated content (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude)How to fact-check AI-generated content in 7 steps: verify sources exist, match claims, check numbers, quotes and dates. With a worked example.10 min read
- How to fact-check an article: an editor's checklist (with free tools)How to fact-check an article like a magazine checker: a 10-point checklist, a fact-sheet template, free fact checking tools and a corrections policy.10 min read
AP style and news writing
8 articlesStart hereAP style guide 2026: the 25 rules writers get wrong mostAP style guide for 2026: the 25 most-missed AP style rules with wrong and right examples, plus every recent change, from healthcare to AI terms.16 min read
- AP style numbers, dates, times and percent: the complete cheat sheetAP style numbers cheat sheet: when to spell out, dates and months, a.m. and p.m., the % sign, money, ages and state abbreviations, in tables, plus a quiz.13 min read
- AP style checker: free and AI tools compared (and what they miss)AP style checker test: a 300-word paragraph with 20 planted AP errors, the answer key, a free AI prompt, and what StyleGuard, PerfectIt and Grammarly miss.13 min read
- AP vs. Chicago style: differences, examples and when to use eachChicago vs. AP style side by side: commas, numbers, dates, titles, book titles and citations, checked against the AP Stylebook and Chicago Manual 18th edition.11 min read
- How to write a headline: AP rules, formulas and testing with AIBeyond the headline generator: AP headline rules, 10 news headline formulas with examples, SEO title tips and AI prompts that test headlines against the story.12 min read
- The inverted pyramid in journalism: structure, examples and a templateThe inverted pyramid puts the most important facts first. Learn the structure, its real history, an annotated example story and a fill-in template.12 min read
- How to write a news article: format, structure and exampleHow to write a news article in 8 steps, from finding the angle to dateline and headline, with AP attribution rules and a complete annotated example story.11 min read
- How to write a press release (AP style format, template and examples)How to write a press release in AP style: the 9 parts, a copyable template, dateline rules and three full examples, including a release about research findings.12 min read
Interviews and transcripts
2 articlesScreenwriting
7 articlesStart hereScreenwriting software in 2026: the best options for every budgetScreenwriting software compared for 2026: Final Draft, Fade In, WriterDuet, Highland, Arc Studio, Celtx and free picks, with prices, platforms and .fdx support.14 min read
- Final Draft alternatives: 9 free and paid options comparedThe best Final Draft alternatives in 2026, free and paid, compared on price, one-time purchase vs. subscription, .fdx compatibility and collaboration.10 min read
- Screenplay format: rules, template and annotated exampleScreenplay format explained: margins, fonts and every element with examples, a title page, montages and intercuts, and how to format it in Google Docs and Word.13 min read
- Script coverage: what it is, a free template and two full examplesScript coverage explained: what readers write, Pass, Consider or Recommend, a free template, two full coverage examples, and what paid services cost.14 min read
- AI script coverage: can AI give useful notes on your screenplay?AI script coverage tested against human notes: what it catches, what it misses, 7 copyable prompts, a scoring rubric and the confidentiality terms to check.12 min read
- AI screenplay writer: what AI can (and shouldn't) do for screenwritersAn AI screenplay writer works best as a research, outlining and notes partner. See the WGA's AI rules, US copyright guidance and a step-by-step AI workflow.10 min read
- How to research a screenplay: real events, periods, experts and sourcesHow to research for a screenplay in 6 steps: primary sources, period detail, expert interviews, a copyable research bible template and the legal risks to flag.12 min read
Research and citations
7 articlesStart hereAI citation generator: get citations that point to real sourcesAn AI citation generator should find real sources, not invent them. Compare formatters and source finders, see why AI citations fail, and check any citation.15 min read
- AI literature review tools for analysts, policy writers and UX researchersAI literature review tools compared for work, not school: Elicit, Consensus, SciSpace, Scite and WriteOrbit, plus a 6-step rapid review method you can defend.10 min read
- How to write a research report: outline, structure and exampleHow to write a research report for business, policy or technical work: an 8-section outline, executive summary tips, an annotated example and AI checks.11 min read
- How to write a white paper (with AI, without making things up)White paper writing guide: the 3 types, a fill-in template, how to research and cite real data, where AI helps and where it invents, and what writers charge.10 min read
- Zotero vs. Mendeley (2026): which reference manager should you use?Zotero vs. Mendeley in 2026: cost, storage, PDF annotation, Word plugins and what happened to Mendeley Desktop, plus EndNote and Paperpile and how to switch.9 min read
- Best Zotero alternatives: reference managers that help you writeThe best Zotero alternatives in 2026: Mendeley, EndNote, Paperpile, ReadCube, JabRef, Citavi and WriteOrbit, compared on price, Word plugins and AI.8 min read
- Chat with PDF: how to ask questions of long reports, filings and papers (and check the answers)How chat with PDF tools work, where they fail, and how to check every answer against the cited page. Compares ChatPDF, Acrobat AI, NotebookLM and more.11 min read