EXPLAINER / Knowledge
How to check a source before you share the claim
A fast but serious source-checking workflow: trace the claim, inspect authority, open evidence and corroborate independently.
QUICK ANSWER
The useful idea.
Pause before sharing, identify the exact claim, trace it to the earliest accessible evidence, examine who produced that evidence and why, then corroborate the important parts with an independent source.
01
Name the claim precisely
A post may mix a verifiable fact, an interpretation and an emotional conclusion. Rewrite the checkable part in neutral language. Note the date, place, population and quantity it refers to.
If the claim rests on an image or quote, look for the original context rather than evaluating only the screenshot or excerpt.
02
Move upstream
Search for the report, dataset, decision, speech or research paper that later pages cite. Check whether the publisher has direct responsibility for the information and whether the document is complete.
Authority is contextual. A statistical agency may be the right source for an official series; a product manufacturer is primary for its specification but not automatically independent evidence of comparative performance.
03
Corroborate what matters
Independent agreement reduces reliance on one collection method or interpretation. Compare definitions and dates before treating two sources as confirmation; they may be repeating the same upstream claim.
Record uncertainty honestly. Sometimes the correct conclusion is that available evidence does not settle the question yet. That is more useful than forcing a confident yes or no. Preserve the source links and access dates so another reader can repeat the check.
CONNECTED KNOWLEDGE
Entities on this page
SOURCE DESK
Open the evidence
Important facts and definitions are traced to these primary, governmental or institutional sources. The explanation above is original; links let you inspect the underlying context and updates.
- Library of CongressEvaluating information ↗
Research guide to authority, evidence, purpose and corroboration.
Accessed 20 August 2026 - Library of CongressGetting started with primary sources ↗
Official guidance for observing, reflecting on and questioning sources.
Accessed 20 August 2026
CONNECTED DISCOVERY
One answer should open another.
These destinations share a subject, entity or editorial relationship with this page. They are recommendations, never paid placements.
Keep reading
A reusable research path through primary sources, institutional authority, historical sequence, changing percentages and comparison criteria for readers who want to inspect a claim rather than inherit it.
Both explore Library of CongressEXPLORE →article / HistoryReading timelinesA guide to chronology, causation, perspective and primary sources for historical timelines.
Directly connected to this pageEXPLORE →cluster / KnowledgeAI risk and evidenceReplace vague arguments about artificial intelligence with a system-specific route through capabilities, context, NIST risk functions, source checks and decisions that expose missing evidence.
More from KnowledgeEXPLORE →hub / KnowledgeKnowledgeGuides, glossary entries, explainers, questions, comparisons and statistical literacy.
Directly connected to this pageEXPLORE →Related entities
Current context
The release turns a mission milestone into inspectable evidence. Researchers can begin comparing several kinds of measurements while the remaining instrument datasets continue through preparation.
High-quality discovery fallbackEXPLORE →news / CultureEurostat: about one quarter of EU residents bought event tickets onlineThe statistic connects culture, digital access and measurement. It also demonstrates the difference between percentage points and relative percent change.
High-quality discovery fallbackEXPLORE →