Editorial Policy

Who we are

Assessivo is an online cognitive assessment and learning resource operated by Prestige, based in the United States. Alongside our free IQ test, we publish guides and articles that explain what IQ scores mean, how intelligence tests work and what the research does and doesn't show. Our aim is simple: clear, accurate information that a curious reader can trust.

How we research

Every article starts from reliable sources rather than from other websites' summaries. In order of preference, we use:

• Peer-reviewed research in psychology and related fields, cited by author, year and journal.
• Test publishers' own documentation, for facts about professional tests such as how they are given and scored.
• Established reference works, such as major encyclopaedias, and official records.
• Original reporting, such as the original newspaper or magazine article, when a claim comes from the press.

Factual claims are linked to their source where they appear, and the main sources are listed at the end of each article. When sources disagree, we say so rather than picking the most exciting number.

How we work with numbers

Percentiles, rarity figures and score ranges on our site are calculated from the standard IQ scale, with an average of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, the same model used by most modern professional tests. Where we give examples, such as how many people in a stadium would reach a score, those figures are calculated, not invented. We round numbers so they don't suggest more precision than any test can offer.

How we label claims about famous people's IQ

Very few famous people have ever published an IQ score, and many figures that circulate online have no source at all. Whenever we mention a famous person's IQ, we show which kind of claim it is:

• Tested score: a result from a recognised intelligence test, reported by a reliable source.
• Published estimate: an estimate made by researchers, for example from historical records, and published in research. Estimates are not test scores, and we never present them as such.
• Self-reported: a figure the person has stated themselves, without independent confirmation.
• Myth: a widely repeated number with no traceable source.

Each claim links to its source, so you can check it yourself.

What we won't publish

• IQ scores we cannot trace to a source, or numbers presented with more certainty than the evidence allows.
• Guessed or below-average IQ figures for real, living people.
• Rankings of countries or groups of people by average IQ, because the data behind them is widely disputed.
• Medical, psychological or diagnostic advice. Our content is for general information and personal insight.

How we use AI tools

We use AI writing tools to help research, draft and check some of our content. AI tools can make mistakes, so every article is fact-checked against the sources it cites and approved by our team before it is published. We don't publish AI-generated text that hasn't been checked in this way.

Review and updates

Each article shows the date it was published. We review our articles as new research and new editions of professional tests appear, and we update the date when we make a meaningful change. Statistical pages, such as our IQ score pages, are recalculated automatically from the same scale, so their figures always stay consistent with each other.

Corrections

If you think something we have published is wrong or out of date, please tell us through our contact page, ideally with a link to a source. We review every report. When we correct a factual error, we fix the article promptly and update its date.

Independence

Our articles are not sponsored, and we don't accept payment to include or exclude any person, product or point of view. Assessivo offers a free IQ test and an optional paid detailed report, and our articles link to the free test. That commercial interest never changes what our articles say about the evidence, including its limits.

Limits of our content

Assessivo's test and articles are for personal insight and general information. They are not a substitute for an assessment by a qualified psychologist. If a result will be used for an educational, medical, legal or employment decision, please speak to a qualified professional. You can read more about our approach on our About page.