# Evidence and Citation Standard

Version 1.0 · Template for local adoption · Suggested owner — newsroom standards editor

## Give each evidence item an address

- Use stable IDs for sources (`S01`), claims (`C01`), case files (`F01`) and manual retrieval tasks (`M01`). Preserve IDs across revisions. Assign different IDs to different versions when they materially differ and record the relationship.
- For a web source, capture exact title, issuing body or author, publication or revision date if shown, direct URL, access date, and page, section, record ID, table row or timestamp as applicable. Use a short exact excerpt or the relevant value where it aids verification.
- For a supplied file, cite the exact filename/version and original location. PDF: viewer page and printed page where useful. DOCX: heading and reproducible paragraph or table/cell ID, or page in an identified fixed PDF rendition. TXT: original line range. CSV: logical record and field, plus original line span where available. XLSX: sheet and cell or range. Include the row’s stable ID if present.
- Place claim-level references beside the statements they support. For numerical work show the unit, date or period, relevant filters, denominator, calculation and input anchors. Label calculated or inferred values and preserve their inputs.
- When a field, location, title, date, quote or value cannot be verified, say so. Never supply invented citations, links, case numbers, excerpts or locators. Search snippets, model summaries and AI-generated bibliographies can supply leads and require original-source review.

## Rate access and reliability separately

**Access** is Opened and inspected, Partial access, Unreachable, or Supplied copy inspected. State what was actually readable and any version or authenticity gap. A supplied copy can verify what appears in that copy while leaving external authenticity unresolved.

**Reliability for this use** is one of the following. Add one sentence on provenance, proximity, independence, incentives, method, currency or a material limitation.

- **High** · Traceable material with direct and sufficiently clear support for the specific use. Assess provenance, relevant methods and scope. An official statement may rate High for what an institution said and offer weaker support for its account of events.
- **Moderate** · Credible, relevant support with a meaningful limitation, such as indirect observation, partial scope or limited methodological transparency.
- **Low** · Inspected material with weak provenance, unclear method or other serious limitations. Retain as a lead where warranted.
- **Unassessed** · Access or information is insufficient to make a judgment. Record the missing check.

**Claim status** is separate from reliability. Use `Supported`, `Single-source / provisional`, `Disputed`, `Unverified` or `Inference`. Use Supported when inspected evidence directly supports the exact wording. A single definitive record may support a narrow claim about that record. For substantive or adverse claims seek independent corroboration, or keep the substantive claim provisional. Show which evidence supports, qualifies or contradicts the claim. Syndicated copies, articles relying on the same release, and repeated notes of the same interview share one origin. Record the dependency.

## Carry gaps forward

For each important gap, show the related claim or question, the evidence already checked, what remains uncertain and the next reporting action. “Not found within the stated search or reviewed range” is an accurate outcome. A missing result supports a claim of absence only when the underlying source and scope warrant it.