The five voice rules
Every Tessera article is held to five non-negotiable standards. We check each one before publication.
1. Cite real research
Studies cited in Tessera must be findable in standard academic databases — PubMed, Google Scholar, JSTOR, or the publishing journal's archive. We use author + journal + year format inline ("(Lally et al., 2010)") and a full Reference block at the end of every research-citing piece.
We do not invent citations. Any cited study can be verified by a reader who clicks through.
2. Case studies are specific and disclosed
When a piece opens with a person — "Sarah Mitchell, 38, in Brooklyn" — that person represents a real pattern but is composite. Names and identifying details are changed; ages and occupations may be adjusted; the felt experience and the mechanism described are real.
This disclosure is non-negotiable. Where a case study would compromise privacy if true, we change details and say so.
3. No listicles
Headlines that promise enumeration ("10 ways to," "5 things you didn't know," "The 7 habits of") are not Tessera headlines. We promise mechanism ("Why X happens"), history ("How X changed since Y"), or revision ("What the data did to X").
4. No medical, legal, financial, or therapeutic advice
Tessera is educational. We describe what research has found, including in clinical contexts. We do not prescribe.
If you are struggling with a condition discussed in our pages, please consult a qualified professional. The footer disclaimer on every article makes this explicit.
5. Honesty about what's known
Where a popular finding is contested, we say so. Where a study has failed to replicate, we say so. Where confidence is warranted, we are confident; where it isn't, we hedge appropriately.
Single-study findings, particularly from before 2015, are treated with appropriate skepticism. Meta-analyses and replicated effects are weighted more heavily than headline-grabbing original findings.
Editorial governance
Every article is reviewed against this rubric before publication:
- All citations verifiable
- At least one limitation acknowledged
- Case studies disclose composite/anonymized nature
- Title is mechanism-promising, not listicle
- Footer disclaimer present
- Voice consistent with attributed byline
- No medical/diagnostic claims
- Plagiarism check passed
Articles that fail any of these are revised before publication. Articles that fail repeatedly do not run.
Corrections
If you spot a factual error or a mis-citation, please write to corrections@tesseramag.com. We publish corrections openly and update articles in place with a dated note.
Conflict of interest
Where a Tessera article discusses research that one of our contributors has financial or professional ties to, we disclose. We do not publish promotional content disguised as editorial. Sponsored content is clearly labeled as such.
Updates to these standards
These standards are versioned. Major changes require updating this page; the date below reflects the most recent revision.
Last updated: May 2026.