FACT / SOURCE
A checkable source supports the existence of an event, document or material.
Example: a public press conference took place.
READING METHOD
How we read evidence
This project handles historical events, primary materials, media reports, public allegations, disputed material and personal interpretation. They should not be presented as if they were all the same kind of statement.
Why methodology matters
The archive records sources and organises questions. Its labels help prevent a headline, retelling or personal narrative from being mistaken for a settled fact, and help readers decide what to check next.
Four content levels
PUBLIC CLAIM
Someone publicly made a claim; this does not establish that the claim is true.
Example: a claim made during a press conference.
UNVERIFIED
The project lacks enough independent material, or a key original record is missing.
Example: a claim known only from a title, retelling or later circulation.
ANALYSIS / INTERPRETATION
An observation or judgment based on material, kept separate from the source itself.
Example: an explanation of how several sources relate to one another.
Workflow
Collect
Record public sources, dates and basic provenance.
Preserve
Where permitted, retain or register links, metadata and material status.
Compare
Check whether original speech, reporting, mirrors and later retellings describe the same thing.
Verify
Look for independent material, full context and relevant counter-evidence.
Separate
Label fact, public claim, uncertainty and interpretation separately.
Update
Correct links, labels and explanations when better material becomes available.
Corrections
The project can revise a source, link, date, category or interpretation when an error is found. A correction does not erase disagreement; it puts the record, source and explanation back in their proper place.
Continue with Legal and corrections, Sources and Documents.