Research · · verified August 9, 2026
Source Register Fields for Article Production
The minimum source-register fields that make article evidence traceable and refreshable.
Key stats
- The recommended register has 8 fields: claim, source, publisher, date, method, excerpt, owner, and review status.
- Research with one source per claim is easier to audit than research stored in chat threads.
- Source freshness is a decision field, not a decorative timestamp.
Key takeaways
- Separate source discovery from source acceptance.
- Capture the exact claim supported by each source.
- Flag opinion, secondary reporting, and stale data explicitly.
Register design
| Field | Why it matters | Example status |
|---|---|---|
| Claim | Narrows what is being asserted | Draft |
| URL and publisher | Enables retrieval | Accepted |
| Date and method | Establishes recency and provenance | Verified |
| Owner and review date | Creates accountability | Scheduled |
Operating method
Start with the source verification workflow, then use research source triangulation to test important claims across independent sources. Keep the register with the brief so a future editor can refresh the article without reconstructing the research.
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