Editorial policy
The editorial principles behind how Netball Explained researches, writes and maintains its content.
These are the principles we hold ourselves to when writing and maintaining Netball Explained.
How we write
- Answer the reader's question early. Every guide leads with a direct, plain-English answer before going into detail.
- British English throughout.
- Never copy official rule text unnecessarily. We explain and illustrate rules in our own words rather than reproducing rulebook wording.
- Explain jargon on first use, and link to the glossary for quick definitions.
- Prefer original diagrams. Court, position and tactics diagrams are built as original SVGs rather than sourced images.
- Consolidate near-duplicate questions into one strong page rather than publishing many thin variants of the same topic.
- Use authenticated, authoritative sources. We favour official rulebooks, governing bodies and primary documents, and link to the specific sources used where available. General references are listed on the Sources page.
- Be clear about authorship and limits. Guides are written by Claire McDonald, an independent web developer in Scotland with an interest in sports, and reflect the best available knowledge at the time of writing. They are educational explanations, not official rule interpretations or a substitute for qualified coaching, umpiring or medical advice.
What we avoid
We do not offer injury diagnosis, rehabilitation prescriptions or weight-loss advice. Where a topic touches player wellbeing, we point readers towards qualified medical or coaching professionals rather than giving instructions ourselves.
We do not invent coaching or umpiring credentials for contributors, and we keep content aimed at junior players privacy-conscious — we don't collect unnecessary data about children.
Advertising
If advertising is introduced, ads will be clearly distinguishable from editorial content, navigation and interactive controls. We will not place ads to imply endorsement or encourage accidental clicks, or let them obstruct reading and site navigation.
Rules-sensitive content
See our rules policy for how we source, check and update rules content specifically.
Corrections
If something is wrong or out of date, please tell us — see Corrections.