Verify an online source for a specific claim
Trace a claim to its evidence and check the date, scope and independence of confirmation.
Follow the method ↓
The answer in 30 seconds
A polished page or a long bibliography cannot prove every sentence on it. Begin with the exact claim you might repeat, then inspect the evidence that actually supports it.
Identify the publisher and claim, open the cited document, compare its period and population with the claim, and seek independent confirmation when the decision matters.
Examples to adapt
Check whether the underlying survey represents everyone named in the headline.
Its method may still help, but commands and menu names should be checked against current documentation.
Treat a real experience as one observation, not evidence of how common the event is.
Follow the method
- 1Isolate the claim
Write down the particular number, date, causal statement or instruction you need to check.
- 2Identify responsibility
Find author, publisher, purpose and a way to contact or correct them.
- 3Open the cited evidence
Locate the relevant passage in the study, report or documentation; a related title is not enough.
- 4Compare scope
Check country, period, population, method and exceptions against the wording of the claim.
- 5State what is supported
Separate confirmed, partially supported and unverified parts, and keep a trace of your reasoning.
A checklist to keep
Use these checks to record what you found. The grid supports a decision; it does not make one for you.
| Check | What to examine | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Claim | What exact statement is at issue? | Quote |
| Publisher | Who is responsible? | Identify |
| Evidence | Where does it support the claim? | Open |
| Scope | Who, where and when? | Compare |
| Conclusion | How far does the evidence reach? | Record |
Free, no sign-up. UTF-8 text with semicolon-separated columns.
What to check
A reputable domain does not validate every sentence on it.
Several articles citing the same study are not independent confirmations.
Not finding evidence does not automatically prove the opposite.
Common questions
Is an official source enough?
It is authoritative for what that body publishes, but its document must still answer your actual question.
What should I save?
Keep title, URL, date, relevant passage and your conclusion so you can revisit the check.
Sources and documentation
Documentation consulted on . Examples are illustrative; interfaces and results may change.