It's a general writing guideline, not specific to encyclopedias. It was the wrong choice though because "weasel words" can imply "weakening meaning in order to

It's a general writing guideline, not specific to encyclopedias. It was the wrong choice though because "weasel words" can imply "weakening meaning in order to avoid contradiction" which wasn't what I meant to imply at all. There may be a correct term for the "It might be the case that X, and if so my opinion is Y, but it also might not be the case because I don't actually have any first-hand experience with the thing I'm talking about--just speculation" form of speech, but I don't know what it is.