Write a Source Note That Makes a Technical Claim Checkable
Shashank Agarwal
A link helps a reader find evidence. A source note explains which part of that evidence supports the claim and what the reader should not infer.
Quick answer: Record the original source, publisher, date, exact finding and relevant scope. Keep the entity, unit and reporting period attached to numerical claims. Distinguish a vendor statement, a historical study and an observation from your own test.
Use a claim record
For an illustrative API traffic statement, a request counter needs its event definition and period. A large number without those details cannot establish revenue or active customers.
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Claim | The specific statement being supported |
| Source | Original document or observation |
| Date | Publication and check context |
| Scope | Entity, sample, conditions or product version |
| Caveat | What the evidence cannot establish |
| Use | Wording appropriate for the article |
This is a proposed note template, not a new metric report.
Prefer the original evidence
Use the provider's maintained contract for an input restriction. Use the original research for a study result. A roundup can help discovery, but it should not replace an available primary source.
If the source is inaccessible, say what remains unverified rather than inventing its contents.
Keep numerical nouns intact
Calls, developers, paying customers and revenue are different measures. Retain the same noun when moving a finding from a source note into a headline.
A historical figure can be useful when clearly dated. It should not silently become a current achievement.
Recheck consequential changes
When refreshing a page, revisit claims whose underlying facts may have changed. Preserve the original source context and explain substantive corrections.
The API metric guide distinguishes traffic from revenue. The evaluation-report guide applies similar scope discipline to engineering results.
A source note should make the claim easier to challenge, not merely make the page look researched.
I'm Shashank Agarwal, author of Intelligence at Scale, founder and CEO of Noveum AI and creator of API.market. Follow my work on LinkedIn. Drafted with AI assistance.
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