Editorial policy
A personality test asks people to take it at its word about who they are. That is a lot of trust to ask for, so this page lays out how the content here is made, who stands behind it, and what happens when we get something wrong.
What we publish, and what we will not
Everything on this site falls into one of two buckets: an explanation of the science, or an interpretation of a score. We hold both to the same rule. A claim about how personality works has to trace back to peer-reviewed research, and an interpretation of your result has to follow from the trait it describes. We do not publish prophecy. If a sentence implies the test can tell you who to marry or whether to quit your job, it does not belong here, and it gets cut.
Who writes and edits
The test items, the trait write-ups, the science explainer, and these support pages are written and edited by Maya Renner, who works on trait models and the design of self-report assessments. One person being accountable is the point. There is a name attached to this material, and that name owns its mistakes.
How we source claims
The factual backbone of the site rests on a short list of well-replicated work, which we cite openly rather than gesturing at "studies." Among them:
- The structure of the model and its facets, from Costa and McCrae's work on the NEO-PI-R.
- The questionnaire itself, the public-domain IPIP markers assembled by Goldberg.
- The links between traits and real outcomes, from large meta-analyses on job performance, relationships, and health.
The full list, with links, is on the sources page. When a finding is strong and repeated, we state it directly. When it is weaker or contested, we flag the uncertainty instead of smoothing it over.
How the trait interpretations are written
Each trait is read in three bands, lower, balanced, and higher, and every band is written to do the same four things: name the pattern, show where it helps, name the cost it carries, and end with one concrete thing you can try. We lead with a strength because that is what makes a description worth reading, and we always name a downside because a write-up with no downside is flattery, not feedback. The aim is specific and recognisable, never the kind of line that would fit anyone who read it.
Accuracy, review, and updates
Pages are checked against their sources before they go up and reviewed again when the underlying research moves or a reader flags a problem. When we change something of substance, the "last updated" date at the top of the page changes with it. Light copy edits do not reset that date; corrections to facts or interpretations do.
Corrections
We would rather be corrected than be wrong quietly. If you spot an error, write to us through the contact page. Genuine factual mistakes are fixed promptly, and where a correction changes the meaning of something, we note what changed rather than editing it away in silence.
How we use tools
Software helps with drafting, formatting, and catching typos, as it does almost everywhere now. It does not get the final say. Every published page is read, edited, and approved by a person who is responsible for what it claims, and any factual statement is checked against the sources above regardless of how the first draft was produced. A tool can suggest a sentence; it cannot vouch for one.
Independence and funding
The site currently earns nothing. No ads, no affiliate links, no paid placements, no sponsored entries. Nobody outside the site has any say over what we publish. If we ever introduce advertising or affiliate income, we will say so on this page and on the about page, mark sponsored material clearly, and keep it separate from the test and its interpretations. Money will never decide what your result says.
This is an editorial standard, not medical or psychological guidance. For what the results can and cannot be used for, see the disclaimer.
Around the rest of the site
These standards exist to keep the personality test and its write-ups honest. The rest of the site:
- About us — who runs the site and how it stays independent.
- Disclaimer — what your results are, and are not, meant for.
- Privacy policy — what is and is not collected when you visit.
- Cookie policy — why there is no cookie banner on this site.
- Terms of use — the terms you accept by using the site.
- Contact — corrections, questions, and privacy requests.