Verification is not a single button pressed at the end of writing. It is a chain: define the claim, find the right class of evidence, check whether the source actually supports it, and preserve the context that could change its meaning.
Our evidence ladder
| Primary and official | Legislation, court records, standards, government data, original research, technical documentation, direct statements, and first-party records. |
|---|---|
| Expert synthesis | Systematic reviews, professional guidance, reference works, and analysis from institutions with relevant expertise. |
| Reputable secondary | Established reporting and explanatory work that names sources, distinguishes fact from interpretation, and corrects errors. |
| Limited or contextual | Company marketing, personal accounts, user-generated content, and social posts. These may show a claim or experience but rarely establish the broader fact alone. |
A claim-by-claim workflow
- Define the claim. A precise statement can be checked; a vague impression cannot.
- Check time and place. Laws, prices, recommendations, schedules, products, and officeholders can change quickly.
- Open the underlying source. Search snippets and second-hand citations can omit qualifications or repeat an error.
- Compare when stakes are high. Important or disputed claims benefit from independent corroboration.
- Read beyond the headline. Research findings must be interpreted within design, sample, limitations, and statistical scope.
- Write to the evidence. If the evidence is narrow, preliminary, regional, or uncertain, the language must remain narrow too.
Research and scientific claims
A single study is rarely the final word. We distinguish laboratory, observational, and randomized evidence; note when findings are preliminary or based on a small sample; and avoid turning association into causation. Retractions, corrections, conflicts of interest, and the position of the broader evidence can matter as much as the newest result.
Health and medicine
Health material should favor current guidance from recognized public-health bodies, medical organizations, and strong research synthesis. It must not diagnose a reader or instruct them to ignore professional care. Drug information, symptoms, and treatment guidance can be incomplete or inappropriate for an individual even when generally accurate.
History and society
Historical facts may be supported by records while their interpretation remains debated. We aim to separate the existence of evidence from conclusions drawn from it, avoid present-day assumptions where they distort the past, and identify when a term or boundary changed over time.
Technology and products
Version numbers, release status, compatibility, pricing, and security advice are time-sensitive. Official documentation and release notes are preferred. Rumors and leaks must be identified as unconfirmed and should not be converted into certainty by repetition.
Links and citations
A link is not automatically a good source. It should lead readers as close as practical to the material supporting the claim. When an external page changes or disappears, we may replace the link, cite an archived record where lawful, or revise the claim if it can no longer be supported.
No process eliminates every error. Our responsibility is to use a method proportionate to the claim, state meaningful uncertainty, and correct the record when better evidence arrives.