Research Methodology

This page explains how we research the guides on Algeria Compass. Our method is designed to produce content that is accurate, current and traceable to credible sources, while being honest about the difference between established fact and practical judgement.

Source hierarchy

Not all sources are equal, and we weight them accordingly. In order of preference:

1. Primary and official sources — UNESCO World Heritage listings, government tourism and cultural bodies, national statistics, museum documentation, and transport operators’ own information.
2. Authoritative secondary sources — reputable reference works, peer-reviewed or scholarly material on history and heritage, and established encyclopaedic references.
3. On-the-ground knowledge — first-hand familiarity with regions, routes and sites, used for practical detail and cross-checking.
4. Aggregators and user-generated content — used only as leads to verify elsewhere, never as a sole source for a factual claim.

The research process

For each topic we: define the key questions a traveller actually has; gather information from the highest-quality sources available; cross-check important facts (dates, names, figures, distances, status) across more than one source; note where sources disagree or where information is uncertain; and record the sources used so claims can be traced. Significant factual claims are documented with citations that appear on the page itself.

Fact versus judgement versus opinion

We are explicit about three different kinds of statement:

• Fact — verifiable and sourced (for example, the year a site was inscribed by UNESCO, or the distance between two cities).
• Practical judgement — our recommendations on timing, routing, where to base yourself or how long to allow. These are informed but not absolute, and we frame them as guidance.
• Opinion — clearly signalled as our view (for example, which of two sites we find more atmospheric).

Conflating these is one of the most common ways travel content misleads readers, and we work to keep them distinct.

Currency and uncertainty

Travel information changes — opening arrangements, transport, entry requirements and prices in particular. We date every page, review it on a schedule (see our Content Update Policy), and avoid stating volatile figures with false precision. Where something is variable or we cannot verify it confidently, we say so rather than present a guess as fact. For fast-changing official matters such as visas, we direct readers to the relevant official authority rather than risk publishing something out of date.

Cultural and historical accuracy

Heritage and history are central to Algeria’s appeal and easy to get wrong. We check historical claims against scholarly and primary references, use place and dynasty names carefully, and treat religious and cultural sites with the seriousness they deserve. When we describe customs or etiquette, our aim is to help visitors behave respectfully, not to caricature.

Use of research tools

We use modern research and drafting tools, including AI assistance, to work efficiently — but every factual claim is verified by a human against credible sources before publication, and tools are never used to invent sources, experiences or quotations. This is set out fully in our AI Usage Policy.