Research · · verified August 9, 2026
Content QA Severity Matrix for Research Publishing
A severity matrix for routing factual, structural, accessibility, and metadata defects.
Research quality10 sources
Key stats
- Four defect classes cover the main pre-publication QA surface: factual, structural, accessibility, and metadata.
- WCAG 2.2 organizes accessibility requirements under four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
- Any unsupported headline claim is a release-blocking defect.
Key takeaways
- Severity should determine owner and response time.
- Fix source and schema defects before style preferences.
- Re-run checks after every material correction.
Severity matrix
| Severity | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Blocker | Unsupported statistic or broken canonical | Do not publish |
| High | Missing source note or misleading table | Reviewer correction |
| Medium | Weak internal link or unclear label | Queue for revision |
| Low | Minor style inconsistency | Batch cleanup |
Operating method
Use the offshore content QA checklist for the first pass and content accessibility review for the interface pass. Keep the defect record with the article so recurring errors can become a training control.
Related research
Sources
Related Research
How can offshore content research avoid sample bias?
A practical research examination of selection effects when offshore teams gather evidence for business articles.
Article Source Triangulation Method
A repeatable method for testing important article claims against independent evidence.
Content Brief Acceptance Scorecard for Research Teams
A practical scorecard for deciding whether a research brief is ready for production.